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RoadTripDog — Old Time Mopar - 1917 Dodge
Published: 2010-10-04 18:12:53 +0000 UTC; Views: 647; Favourites: 15; Downloads: 19
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Description
When this Dodge Brothers car was new it was considered a very advanced machine and this one is still in pretty good condition for its age. The Dodge brothers started out by making chassis and parts for other auto manufacturers including Olds and Ford. But Horace and John were a couple of feisty and ambitious guys and thought they could make a better car so they brought out the Dodge Model 30 (one wonders what the first 29 were?). The new Dodge used a 12 volt electrical system and a much better transmission than Ford's car and by all accounts Dodge was a quality automobile. By 1916 Dodge was the #2 auto manufacturer in sales in the US and stayed there through 1920 when they began marketing light trucks (little Ramlets?) that were actually made by the Graham brothers who later built the Graham-Paige cars.Unfortunately the Dodge brothers both died within the year and by 1928 Walter P. Chrysler was able to purchase the Dodge Brothers Company. Chrysler wanted the large Dodge Brothers dealer network and factory for his new company, and as we say, the rest is history. In WWII Dodge trucks gained quite a reputation for toughness and durability which carried forward after the war.
I wonder what the Dodge boys would think if they could see a modern Dodge Ram 3500 dually with Cummins diesel, or a Daytona Charger. Better yet, let's just give them a couple of Vipers and a racetrack to run a few laps . . .
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Comments: 9
Believe it or not, the 1915-1918 Dodge Brothers touring is on my dream car list and quite near the top, I have always liked them a great deal!
You mention in the write-up that the Dodge had a better transmission the the Ford, but the early Fords ran transmissions built by the Dodge Brothers!
My very first car was/is a 1937 Dodge Brothers 2 door sedan, I got it when I was 11 and spent the next decade and a half finding all the bits and pieces for it, I now am ready to build it when I have the time!
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The Dodge Brothers used a sliding-gear transmission instead of the antiquated planetary design used in the Model T until 1927. That was one of the things that the brothers thought they could do better than Henry Ford, who already had a reputation for being slow to change. Too bad the Dodge brothers died so young, it would have been interesting to see how they would evolve their cars.
I have a photo posted of a 1937 Dodge Brothers 4 door sedan: [link]
although it had been mildly customized, front bumper removed, chrome wheels (what would Horace and John say?), one piece front windshield.
I often go to car shows with a friend who, like me, has owned many cars in his lifetime and when he sees a car similar to one he owned he will say his would have been like that if he'd had the time and money. That's the story of my life too - time and money. I have had one or the other but hardly ever both at the same time!
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Very cool, BTW, 37 Dodges have a one piece windshield already.
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I have a 29 Dodge four door sedan, and I know first hand the sheetmetal is TOUGH. Regular body hammers don't work well. Then the frame is very stout. Can't wait to get it on the road again.
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The Dodge Bros. were very much into manufacturing a quality auto. They had been making parts for Henry Ford and thought they could do better making their own car. Too bad they both died young.
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Would you be willing to submit this car to my group a-past-renewed.
Its a beauty.
Michael
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I pressed the button to agree, thank you!
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My uncle Russell had one of these! The only car he ever completed restoration on. He said it was simple, since all you had to do was paint everything black.
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My kind of restoration! This Dodge was complete and restorable but the owner is keeping it original as much as possible. A little rust removal and black paint when necessary. I've got a photo of the engine with a nice rust patina and a little oil can clipped to the firewall (I'll submit it to IRWT). Those Dodge brothers were pretty advanced for the day.
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