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When I was about 18 or so, I saw a pale green De Soto Fireflight for sale on Castle Blvd.

I still think it's one of the most beautiful cars I'd ever seen.

There was at about the same time a Delahaye at the Blue Star Garage on Alfreton Rd. Gorgeous !

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  • 2 weeks later...

Not a 50's Yank but i owned this brute for eight years;

March20104.jpg

March20105.jpg

1963 GMC Fleetside, with the original 5 litre (305 ci) V6 engine; incredibly over-built, the chassis was rock-solid steel channel,not the poxy box-section rust trap stuff they use on modern Ford Transits etc. As you can guess it was used as much for its intended purpose as anything else; I loved it and only sold it when it effectively outlived its usefulness. Still in Wales actually, mate of mine in Newtown bought it, and like me uses it as a hack and runabout. It never let me down either; could leave that thing outside for six months in the worst of weather and it'd go first turn of the key.

For a 1963 pick-up it was remarkably well-equipped; full instrumentation including a clock, cigar lighter, dipping rear-view mirror, four-way flashers and loads of chrome trim, it was the fully loaded Custom edition which is rare today even in the USA. Oddly enough though it didn't have power steering or servo brakes; I didn't bother with the former but a near miss with a tractor whilst descending a steep hill fully loaded with firewood convinced me that the brake upgrade was essential!

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