Count on the Saucy Minx herself to drag us back to our roots. This tip comes from the always exotic Murilee Martin, and it comes at just the right time. Enough of this nonsense about new cars. Enough of new Hyundais and Volvos, enough of generic jellybean designs. Let’s get back to basics. And it doesn’t get much more basic — and more beautiful — than this DeSoto.

The auction ends today, but the reserve hadn’t been met at the time of writing. That’s too bad, actually, because the price is still safely in the sub-$10k range, and that would be a hell of a bargain for this beautiful beast. With a freshly-built, supercharged Chevy 355 mounted in a boxed frame, a deliciously chopped roof and a stance that could be the definition of perfection, this is the kind of car we’d be proud to rock on a daily basis.

The only problem is what to call it. It’s not actually a “rat rod”, in the strictest sense. It is well-maintained, and not intended to look like it is falling apart, which seems to have become the latest trend in rat rods. This is  closer to a “heritage” rod, or even simply a “Kustom” rod. But name it however you like, it’s beautiful. There’s something about the purity of these cars, the simplicity, and the honestly clean design that appeals to me. There’s nothing extra, there’s nothing that doesn’t need to be there, and nothing that doesn’t belong. Add to that the simple fact that it’s not the standard Ford or Chevrolet that everyone else will have, and it makes for one hell of an appealing package.

Let’s be honest, we wish we had the funds available to bid on this.