LennyDaVinci

Getting back to Ian Greenlaw ... I had a Richards-bodied DA roadster and as they were imported as rolling chassis, I sent the engine/chassis number to the archive and got a build card for the rolling chassis as sent to Richards in Sth Australia. Please see attached.

Found this recently ... is it a Dodge?

I had a DA6 2-seater passenger convertible with an engine with numbers beginning with "T" .... no-one was ever able to identify that engine, although we suspect it was from a truck and made in Canada. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Australian brand names but the "truchwash" is called Chemtech Superwash CT18

Somewhere else in these Dodge Bros conversations is one on (maybe last year) the batch of VERY faulty EEC tubes from Denmark. I bought 6 with new tyres here in Oz and had to return all of them for replacement. Each split at the joint with the neck of the nipple. Beware of EEC as well.

I found using straight (undiluted) "truck wash" which is concentrated detergent and a fingernail brush kept my new set looking good every time they started to turn brown. I was told that the tyre companies were not sealing between the black and white rubber layers during manufacture and that was causing the bleed through of black.

Much appreciated Jason. I will continue the search in Oz. "Stooy's" local manufacture options would break the bank unfortunately.

Interesting ... clearly expensive to make them new, but not uncommon to happen with age. I have new tyres on all wheels now, but I don't know how long they had old rubber before I got the car. I might try welding (professionally) and see how they go. With a 6-wheeler ... it gets expensive!

If I was to seek a replacement wheel (19" 48 spokes), are they available in the US? and around how much? The shipping will probably cost more than the wheel, but maybe that's cheaper than trying to have a new one built.

I have recently found the INSIDE rim of my split-rim wire wheels has split around the circumference of the wheel allowing the tyre bead to bulge out. Has anyone else had this problem, and how did they fix it? I am lucky that a friend saw it while parked, but I have been driving on it for some time I guess. Can they be welded? or is it fatigue that requires replacing the whole wheel? This is a problem down under with so few spares!

I can only agree whole-heartedly with Ian ... Contacts and info about these cars can be very scarce in non-US countries, and I could not have got my car on the road without the generous help of all the people in AACA-Dodge Brothers. Not to mention the endless stream of fascinating and witty discussion of rodding!

I don't know if you tried it already, but type "dodge" into the search box on that Old Motor page and you get some interesting period photos/stories of the Brothers.

OK Jason... I've sent you a PM.

Sorry to re-ignite this thread after so long .... but I have just managed to find another hardcover copy of "From Horse to Horsepower" by S. A. Cheney. --- previously described as "The best History of Dodge Brothers in Australia". If anyone wants it (Oz or US) let me know and we can work out some postage etc... I can get it for around $30 AU.

Brilliant summary, John. My roadster (special) is a Richards with the square louvres on the bonnet and central air vent. Thanks for that.

If needed, I have a copy of the original book and I could scan the chapter later this week into .pdf. Useful?

Just responding to Jason .... The history of T.J.Richards discussion was at http://forums.aaca.org/f143/australian-dodges-history-268816.html

Perhaps the reference in "statesides" attachments to a TE model truck might explain the engine number on my 1929 Dodge DA previously discussed? - TE1-xxxx

Most useful site ... and I have followed up with them for more details. Thanks 1930.

Who said men couldn't do more than one thing at once ?? ... and maybe this thread should have gone to the Dodge Truck forum to begin with ... but I press on regardless.... [1930] Thanks for that manual page showing the oil pump. I agree it's a sweet motor and if mine falls into that category I'm happy. Many similarities to mine .. downdraft carby, exhaust, distributor etc.. [Manuel] With some finagling of my old Nikon I managed to get a close up of the engine number (attached) ....definitely TE1-2784xxx, so maybe you are right about it being a truck motor.

Ah ha [manuel]... That makes sense. I am used to pumps within the sump case, but of course, there wasn't one on this motor. I will seek more info on these pumps. My pressure is excellent, so it hasn't been an issue.

[for 1930] Sorry for the delay in getting pictures of that "TE1_ xx" engine, but please see attached shots. The engine is a 6-cylinder Dodge flathead with a 25" head and a B&B downdraft carburettor (as you can see). It also has this strange side mounted plate under the exhaust manifold that was probably for some sort of take-off drive (see shot). This is what makes me think it was a truck/tractor motor. Someone in the Dodge Club (perhaps John Bittence) said T=truck and E=export, explaining how it might have arrived in Australia. Any leads would help. Thanks.