Exner’s finned wonders arrived for their second year in 1958. And as this dealer’s display shows, Chrysler Corp. was bringing the jet-age driving fun not only to grown-ups but also to the little ones.
The kiddie car was the DeSoto Firemite, powered by a 2 hp Briggs and Stratton gasoline engine. It was part of a brief fad creating detailed scaled-down cars for kids, with a few automakers joining in the fun (A Mercury one appeared at CC recently).
I assume that both DeSotos have been filled up in this shot, and Junior seems eager to follow Dad for a night of fun in the city.
Being more of a sales gimmick than a serious effort, the little Firemites proved rather fragile, and not many have survived to this day. Not that everything should be blamed on Chrysler’s assembly woes; after all, those little drivers were pretty unruly!
I have two Ezy-Rollers for the twins and they are simple little fun machines. Those little wheels are only so good for so long before they need to be replaced. I can’t imagine trying to keep those FireMites and that Mercury rolling on those specialty wheels. As the kids got bigger, their weight and where they took them out for runs could tear up rubber in only an afternoon. The brakes are friction as well, so I have many wheels and tools for pit-stop changes during play.
We also have a super nice F1 pedal car that my oldest has and we discovered that it takes a lot of pit stops to keep it on the sidewalks.
This is what the Ezy-Rollers look like.
Wow , it would be so cool to see a survivor!
It has been a while since I have been to Barret-Jackson, but I don’t recall seeing one there.
Just love the old pics of dealers and showrooms. Although not that old, I started in auto sales in 1988 with a Buick, Cadillac, GMC and Honda store. That dealer building was quite old even then and had the floor to ceiling windows (got quite chilly in the harsh mid-west winters) and maybe worse, very hot in the humid heat of the summers. I always felt like a fish in a tank.
But your second picture down where the one sales guy (??) is leaning against the front of the car with his hand on the hood really made me laugh. We had an older sales guy named Bob who had been in the business for many years. He was quite the character. One thing he always did (and it drove me crazy due to his hand prints all over the cars) was lean against the front of the cars and place his big hands on the hood to kind of steady himself. Part of my duty was keeping the floor cars wiped down. I can’t tell you how many times I’d finish wiping the cars down and 5 minutes later there was Bob doing his lean with hands on the hood. haha.
Learned to drive on a black 55 Firedome. Loved that car. In late 60,parents passed up a 59 ADVENTURER coupe. What a fantastic car! 🏆 Then,(in 61) they passed on the last 61 DeSoto (also a black beauty). The summer of 62 they traded the 55 for a 62 Plymouth Belvedere 🤮! One of the ugliest cars ever built. Dealer offered to sell the 55 back for what he had in it, implying it was a good CAR for me. Dad firmly said we already had 2 cars and we could not afford three. Guess you could call this MY 😭 SOB (but definitely not a SAAB 🤮) story. 59 (last of REAL ADVENTURERS) are still around, but prices are steep!
As for dealerships, in our community we had two Chrysler Plymouth and a Dodge Plymouth agencies. The dealer we dealt with was a small operation. Owner (Buck Bowman) was low key and only sales person. One secretary, and three mechanics. After loss of DeSoto, somehow managed to stay in business for several years until his retirement. He’s gone. DeSoto is gone, but the building is still almost the same having seen several uses. Currently is an appliance store. Will always bring fond memories 😃 of those 🎵 Delightful 🎶 Delovely 🎵 DeSotos 🎶. And Groucho didn’t even send me! 😉
So gorgeous so stylised real artists designed the bodies..not so today, put ANY new car next to ANY 50S CAR and the new car looks like the design sadness it truly is..what a shame..it’s truly a crying shame and prob the biggest reason the 50s cars co.mand the prices they do..part of it anyway
Wonderful photo of the filling station! Look at those intricate globe crowns on the pumps. Amazing! I have not seen those before.
The picture of the Firemite at the gas pump (and also the Mercury in the post earlier this week) make me wonder if most parents who purchased these things spent serious time warning their little drivers to STAY OFF real roads. I know that these shots are set up for publicity, but I also think that back then parents may have been a bit less fanatical about child safety…and it certainly must have occurred to some of these kids that driving their mini car on a real road would be a hoot (it would be, of course).
Something that small among real, moving, cars even in a parking lot would be a tragedy waiting to happen.
Maybe that’s another reason why major automakers decided not to push forward too long with these toys.
Always wanted that “toy T bird” that Harold had in the opening for “Hazel”. (season 4, I believe)
I like this midget DeSoto .
Those Red Crown globes were being reproduced a while back .
-Nate
Interesting cars in the background of the first pic. Austin Healey, split-window bug, ’51 Kaiser. All fairly rare, and the conjunction along one street is even more rare.
OH..ma-God. I passed up a stone-straight bodied 56′ Chrysler Windsor 354″Hemi done in nice, shiny ,spit-shined jet-black w all original trim…for $1K!!. That was in Vallejo Ca. circa 87′ I think. The guy used a slug O gas down the intake (carb stashed!) & with towel on it she started right UP! But interior upholstery was THRASHED, & I was between jobs, Damn SHAME.//Steve B.
“Remember friends, go see your Plymouth- De Soto dealer tomorrow. And tell him Groucho sent ya” (wiggles cigar and eyebrows up and down). I love that show.
I remember reading a story years ago that inspite of DeSoto sponsoring “You Bet Your Life”, Groucho continued to drive his Cadillac, until, in the middle of a busy intersection his Cadillac broke down. Easily recognized Groucho started getting catcalls by passing motorists that he should have bought a DeSoto. The embarrassment proved effective as he traded that Cadillac in on a DeSoto. He returned to Cadillacs after DeSoto’s demise. I loved that show too.
Here’s a little collage from the 1957-58 newspapers. I see sometimes there was a dealer-sponsored contest/raffle, other times a local civic group with the Firemite provided by local DeSoto dealer.
The Edsel collectors seem to know the name of every 1958 pony-giveaway winner (now 70-ish today), so perhaps someone could research all the Firemite winners?
One more (Lima, OH, February 1958), with a bit of a peek inside the trunk. I feel dumb that it just hit me: Fireflite, Firemite…..though thank goodness for Paul’s color photo: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/vintage-ads-and-brochures/vintage-ad-1958-desoto-firemite-convertible-thats-me-behind-the-wheel/
And a few more images here: https://chryslermopar.com/newpics/1958DesotoFiremiteHandout.pdf
That document says the thing weighed 300 pounds???
Good grief. If junior broke down in the thing, an actual tow truck would be in order!
I had a electric car 32 duesenberg I was 4 years old quite a treat dry cell battery 5 to 10 mph maximum speed get on the back and two wheels on a fender I was unaware they made the gas cars the same scale knives made from fiberglass the pedal cars are made for metal. Happy touring
I actually remember these lil cars. My dad got me one when he got a 56 Chevy brand new and two years later I got to use the go car…..once……it broke and never got repaired.
I can remember a red Jeep “fire truck” pedal car I had in the early 50’s, at age 5or6. After I out grew the car, it hung around the house until at about age 13, I helped my dad clean out the garage and hauled the pedal car, along with other unwanted items to the dump. I remember looking back at it laying among assorted items of trash as we drove away, feeling a little sad. Suppose it would be worth some cash today.
I never saw these, but I sure would have loved to. Nothing is more interesting than cars. Its always been that way. I do remember a 64 red Thunderbird that would appear in the opening credits of the Hazel TV show. I didn’t like the show, but always tried to watch the credits just to see that little Thunderbird. I’m pretty sure it was battery operated and I heard it cost around $500. The TV show was sponsored by Ford Motor Company, so all the çars used on the show were always the latest Ford on the market. There was a 64 Country Squire wagon, a 63 red Thunderbird, and of course a red Mustang. I loved that the shows would feature cars from the shows sponsor. Bewitched and My Three Sons always had a new white Chevrolet wagon. Then they switched to Pontiac, I Dream of Geni always had 65, 66 or 67 Pontiac Bonneville, and Lemans, blue convertibles. The Beverly Hill Billy’s always featured cars from the Chrysler Corporation. Mr. Drysdale always drove black Imperials, Miss Jane a red Dodge Coronet convertible. Guests usually drove up in a late model full-size Chryslers. Later on in the 70s all the detective shows featured Ford Motor Company models, Lincolns, Mercurys and Ford’s, same with Dallas. Sue Ellen always had a late 70s Mercury Marquis Colony Park wagon, light yellow or white. That 70s show featured an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser.but it seemed more cars were from Ford Motor Company., no Buicks that I can remember. It seemed so right to see all those beautiful big American cars. I loved that.