03 May Anniversary Celebration: DeSoto Suburban

A new series of features covering vehicles in the FMM collection that are celebrating an anniversary during 2022. This month we look at a 75-year-old crossover cruiser that showed the way of the future…

Looking back, there have been a number of models introduced into the world of motoring that create a new market niche, some by accident, others by design. The emergence of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) can be traced back to when the Jeep Wagoneer SJ appeared in 1963 that, like its early competitors, featured four-wheel drive. But two-wheel drive versions became available that blurred the image a little but proved very popular. These models became known as ‘crossovers’, a modern term adopted by practically every manufacturer to describe any vehicle that was not definitive in its conception. And like many elements of the motoring world, it was nothing new. DeSoto had the idea 75 years ago…

Aside from its Airflow models, the 1942 DeSoto was one of the company’s more memorable pre-war models. It featured powered ‘Air-Foil’ pop-up headlights (“Out of Sight Except at Night”), a first for a North American mass-production vehicle. After wartime restrictions on automotive production were ended, in March 1946 DeSoto returned to civilian car production when it reissued its 1942 models in (base) Deluxe and Custom configurations. The models featured a redesigned grille and new bumpers but were without the Air-Foil headlights, and with fender contours extending into the doors. Ornamentation was new, too. A neat touch, the speedometer changed colours in increments: green to 39 mph, amber to 50 mph and red at higher speeds.

While all Deluxe models and the four base Custom models were built on a 121,5-inch (3 086 mm) standard wheelbase, three Custom models – sedan, limousine and Suburban – were built on a 139,5-inch (3 543 mm) long-wheelbase platform. Body length was consequently huge, no less than 225,3 inches (5 723 mm). It was 77 inches (1 956 mm) wide.

So back to the crossovers. The Suburban appeared in the line-up in November 1946 and was billed as a four-door, eight-passenger vehicle by virtue of ‘jump seats’ fitted behind the rear seats capable of carrying two adults – and maybe even three children. The whole seat could be tipped up to increase the already huge boot space into a cavern. While the jump seat’s cushion was one piece, the backrest was centrally split with each half folding flat, increasing load carrying versatility even more. The back seat could be slid right forward to behind the front seats to create a near 1,8-metre load bed, increasing cargo volume even more. The only limiting factor was the conventional boot opening. Had it been a tailgate, then the Suburban would almost qualify as a pantechnicon but, after all, it was a variation on a sedan body. Oh, a full length roof rack was standard equipment. What did not go inside went on top…

So it is easy to understand why immediately after WW2, the likes of Springbok Atlas Safaris and Transafrica Safaris bought Suburbans for use as tour buses, particularly for trips to the Kruger National Park.

The interior is quite classy. The cushions of the sumptuous seats had foam rubber pads, and the floor had tailored carpets. Burl and grain garnish dashboard and door cappings, leather upholstery and two-tone door mouldings with chrome handles and a full complement of courtesy lights and grab handles added a touch of class to the fittings. A push-button radio was also included. By contrast with the split windscreen, the front door windows feature frameless quarter-lights and the rear door glass is a single pane. Opening rear side windows helped ventilation.

Under the l-o-n-g bonnet lies a fairly unstressed cast iron 236,7ci (3878cc) in-line six-cylinder engine running in four main bearings. The side-valve motor had lifters and was fuelled by a Ball and Ball carburettor and had a 6,6:1 compression ratio. An Oilite fuel tank filter was a standard item. Peak power was 109 bhp (81,5 kW) at 3 600 r/min and maximum torque was 260 N.m at 1 200. A three-speed manual gearbox was standard on the Deluxe with a two-speed Fluid Drive ‘Tip-Toe shift’ standard on Custom models – optional on Deluxe. Although called Fluid Drive, the DeSoto transmission was in reality a two-speed manual transmission with a conventional clutch mounted behind the same fluid coupling unit that was installed in straight Fluid Drive cars. Theoretical top speed was 119 km/h and 12-inch (305 mm). Safe Guard hydraulic drum brakes were fitted all round.  White-wall 6.50×16 tyres (later 7.00×15) were standard on Custom models.

FMM’s bright green 1947 Suburban Fluid Drive is quite an imposing sight and the rear-hinged (‘suicide’) rear door is a surprise, although useful in the DeSoto’s limousine and taxi model variants. As the output figures suggest, the engine is what can be termed a ‘lazy six’ – powerful enough to do the job but do not expect any fireworks. With a 1 900 kg kerb weight, performance is leisurely, the easy-going transmission precluding having to keep things on the boil. But what the engine proved to be is robust and reliable if properly maintained. According to a report in local motoring historian Fred Schnetler’s book A Century of Cars, anything up to 300 000 km was usual before the engine needed attention, and once they reached half-a-million miles (800 000 km), the tour operators sold them to taxi operators.

As long as the suspension has not gone soft, big, heavy cars always provide a stable ride and the Suburban provided just that. The big, stylish plastic steering wheel with horn ring proved to be reasonably weighted, even when manoeuvring, which can be a bit of a chore because of the car’s large turning circle. But its space and pace were ideally suited to the roles it played, offering passengers a stretch limo experience for travelling the length and breadth of the country to view our wild life, or simply acting as a multipurpose people/load carrier. Either way, it fulfilled its purpose while offering all the creature comforts of a passenger car rather than the otherwise more commercial vehicle approach.

The basic pre-/post-war DeSoto model line-up lasted until the 1954 model year but the Suburban fell away after 1952. Total Suburban sales for 1946-49 were given as 7 500. In relative terms the Suburban was a success, and its versatility has to be admired even today. The name is a bit odd, though, as it does not really reflect what the car is capable of. Perhaps DeSoto Crossover might have been appropriate…