1927 Dodge cabriolet - available - any thoughts?

I'm going to look at a 1927 Dodge cabriolet this weekend, I haven't seen the car in 10 or more years, it's been sitting in a basement for at least 25 years. Good sound car with tired engine and a slipping clutch.

Very little information on this car on the 'net, although apparently they (this body style) were built for only three months. Supposedly first true cabriolet, with top that goes down and windows that go up (and down!).

Any thoughts? Value? It's rare, but rare doesn't always equate to value. If I pass on it, anyone interested? At this point I don't know price, I know a figure that was discussed at one time but not sure that's a good one now.

From The Dodge Story....

thanks, yes that's it, wire wheels and Spanish leather (a fancy name for a fancy early vinyl), this one's painted the wrong color.

Too bad I'm not closer should you pass on it.... Neat car.

If it's a teal/ blue/ green one in N.C. buy it. It's been for sale for years and was expensive about 5 years ago, maybe 15000. But you won't find another and it looked very complete. If you buy it I will be able to forget about it.

Nix on the NC one, it's east of me, not South ( and yes, I'm from Louisiana and South is capitalized!!

I understand the South part, but those of us that served at Fort Puke called it LousyAnna. If the car is a green color it's probably still the same car. I still have a picture and the ad. It would be a fine piece! Good luck.

Yes, Fort Polk! LouWEEsiana was used as a training ground for WWII, because it best replicated the European and, specifically, Italian, climate. Then again, in the 60's, one would sweat and swear because it was close to the Vietnam humid environment.

Nope, not green, but paint is just temporary.

I was reared (not raised, my father said only cattle are raised) in Alexandria La, just a short drive from Fort Polk, due east!

I have been collecting 1927 cabriolet parts for 20 years. I have one car that was made into a truck and another that was modified in the 1970's. Plenty to build a nice car.

here's the car being discussed...very few people know of this car.

You'd better buy it!!

My only thought is, "is it home, yet"?

Made a deal on the cabriolet, plan on getting it out of it's storage space this weekend. It's in a basement garage, the garage door has been framed and insulated so there'll be some demo to get it out, hasn't seen the light of day for quite a while.......so, no, not home yet, but will be soon!! Has original interior, "Spanish Leather", front seat and rumble seat. For those of you who might not know, "Spanish" was the code word for "imitation"!!

Color me jealous!!

Good catch!! The wire wheels were worth the price of admission just themselves. A friend had a Cordoba with Corinthian leather. Chrysler Products had a way with words.

Wasn't it "cor-WRINN-theon" leather? Like the wire wheels too, can't wait to get it back on the road again! My understanding is the car was sold new here in Winchester, last owner has had it for fifty or so years....

Simply beautiful!

And of course we expect a full photo display when you get it home!

^ Ditto on THAT!....... :cool:

Beautiful Dave.

It may be too late, but it would be fun to video you putting a hole in the wall and "discovering" a long lost car.

Just an update, bought the car, title in hand.....we're figuring out a good day to break down wall and open garage door, and yes, Dwight, I've asked my son Austin to be the videographer for the adventure....there was also a 1914 Model T touring at this place, and I was able to arrange a sale to a wonderful caretaker, super nice guy who's a curator for a major museum, and who was looking for a brass T...he got one of the best out there, restored many years ago, which with T's is a plus, since just about every piece is original.....

Very excited about owning this car, that's been in my sights for years, the owner was an old codger who'd been into antiques for years, back to the 50's. He and I were friends, I'll miss him, his son and daughter knew of my interest in the Dodge and got a very good deal on it, as they knew it was going to a good home.

Picture is of the car in a parade a number of years ago, the car was driven into a basement garage, boarded up and car put on blocks and covered, and it looks exactly as the picture now....

You are one lucky dude!!

Cool beans.

Very nice! The video will be so much better than Heraldo's foray into Capone's 'vault'...

Yep, we know this garage isn't empty!!

The other funny thing about this car, it's maybe 2 miles from me as the crow flies, 4 miles along back winding roads...so short trip home! Car sold new in Winchester Va where I live, so will be researching history of dealer too....

Yep, we know this garage isn't empty!!

Sounds like something from the Valley of the Kings . Howard Carter made a small breach in the top left hand corner of the sealed up doorway with a small chisel that his grandmother had given him for his seventeenth birthday and by the light of a candle, peered into the preserved tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. When Lord Carnarvon asked "can you see anything"?, Carter replied with the famous words "yes, wonderful things!"

Ray.

Guess I'll have to bring a candle!!

Anyone with any further information on the cabriolet of 1927, please let me know. Are there any production numbers? Guess on how many survive?

I believe they are "rare", and this is one case where rare doesn't mean valuable, I'm just curious as there seems to be so little information on this body style.

thanks

I thought I would try and lighten up the parade photo to see if it would help. It turned out ok, it's really a nice looking car and I too am looking forward to current pictures. Great find. Scott...

Thanks, I should have scanned, I took a picture of a picture....thanks for compliments, I had nothing to do with it but pursue for 15 or more years! I like the wire wheels, my wife doesn't like the color and wants to repaint, we'll see...the paint is very nice as is, the car's been in a heated/cooled basement for a long time...

A bit more info....

Thanks, I don't think I have that reference. 31 x 5.25 tires?!? What the heck are those...that would be a 20.5 inch rim, is that correct? Sounds like an odd size. This car has been on blocks and tires look OK, but they're old so will need to be replaced to drive of course.

Just did a Coker search for tires, they make a 5.25/21, which must be the match, black wall of course, I don't think white walls would look good on this car. http://www.cokertire.com/525-21-firestone-blackwall.html

"Only" $179 a tire, add tubes and flaps and it's a thousand bucks, no wonder it's hard to get new people in the hobby! Sheesh....and I need two more tires for my 1910 Buick, 34X4 at $300 each....double sheesh!

Besides the teal one I knew of in N.C. there was one at Detroit this June, a dark green one. The hubcaps for those wires are hard to find.

Besides the teal one I knew of in N.C. there was one at Detroit this June, a dark green one. The hubcaps for those wires are hard to find.

Here are a couple of cabriolets that showed up in Detroit....looks like a 1928 and a 1927.

Edited November 2, 2014 by keiser31 (see edit history)

The '28 would be a six, correct? The comment on the hubcaps is interesting, there are spare parts with the car, including a half dozen or so hubcaps, all left with the car (I haven't picked up yet). Now I'm curious if they're wire wheel hubcaps!

The dark green '27 always pops up on a Google search.

Do you have pictures of the teal one?

thanks dc

The 1928 '128' is listed as a (Fast Four) four cylinder.

I still have the ad from the magazine on the teal one, will have to figure out where? The hubcaps only fit these wires, from what I'm told. A friend made some a few years ago.