36 D2 Coupe

Car came out of Warhoops wrecking yard - Joe Bortz has it and is restoring it - had it at Amelia Island last year along with the restored LaSalle II roadster concept that also came out of Warhoops in pieces. I just had to find out what happened to it!

Bob- I had a go at making the radio control head bracket and it turned out very well indeed. The dimensions saved me a lot of fiddling trying to get it right. Again, thank you very much!

Thanks a lot Bob. Now I can make one to fit properly. Much appreciated!

Just had a look at your new pictures Steve. The motor has been rebuilt or replaced with a rebuilt unit. See picture 5 - that blue circular medallion on the block is the remanufacturer's badge. Ontario Reman perhaps - a professional shop. That may not be bad news as it looks like a correct block for '34. (I had '34 Chrysler & Desoto Airflows in my past). Trying to recall if this car had engine splash panels around it - there aren't any in the picture. Regarding the upholstery, what you are looking at is a set of slip on seat covers. The original upholstery is likely underneath. It may be really nice or really bad and you won't know until you can get them off. The door upholstery looks about right and if the seats are in comparable condition, you may be all right. I'll go with the other comments by ply33, Ian and Taylormade. Not a perfect car by any means but there's not much missing. At the right price, a good place to start if you're handy at all.

35cz8 - From picture 4. could you send the dimensions of the radio head anchor bracket on the right. I am missing that piece and it looks simple enough to make. The measurements will make it a lot easier than the `by guess and by gosh` method. Thanks in advance. Dave - I think I have an extra Standard Model Dodge heater like the one in the lower left of the Accessory Brochure provided by 35cz8. Not sure of the condition but can check tonight. Also the remains of a `36 Dodge radio head with some bits missing. We used 2 to make one when I had my radio rebuilt last summer. Not perfect but a place to start.

Hi Stevemo If this is a '34 Dodge "Special Deluxe" then it is likely model DR - 217.8 cu. in. Canadian serial number range is 9401391 - 9403280. US range is 3680001- 3756367. If it is a Canadian build, you likely won't be able to get a build card from Detroit because they only have US production archived there. Canadian production archives are not available to the best of my knowledge. I wish they were so I could get a definitive report on my '36 Dodge. Looks like a great car. Hope it turns out to be as nice up close. I'd be happy to have a look at it if it's close to me. Good luck!

One more for 36 Dodge! I don't think I can rescue the original woodgraining and would like to see how you do it.

Very attractive renditions. Do you do commissioned work or are you a "pure" artist who does only what speaks to him or appeals to him? I can appreciate both positions.

The Airflow Club of America has a judging class for period dress and as the period is narrow - 1934-37 - it is relatively easy to stay to the period if one wants to participate. Again mainly the ladies like to do this but a few gents did as well. This can be a fun challenge that involves the girls who often complain that they have no part in the cars or restorations and just come along for the ride. My wife spent 3 months researching mid-30s styles, locating patterns and sewing outfits to wear to the meet. Antique shops were not safe as she scoured them for appropriate hats and accessories. She even created a display binder illustrating period costumes for the others to look at. All this and we no longer have an Airflow. But it added to the event and we sure had a lot of fun!

I just pulled down my copy of Cars Of Canada by Durnford and Baechler to have a look at the makers they list. Up to the publication date in 1973, they list about 71 makers - many only for one year and very limited production. A lot were experiments by ambitious mechanics and inventors that failed either for lack of funding or technical finesse. In many cases no examples survive but there are still in existence some one-offs from these early times. The latest on the list is a Frontenac from 1931. But for example there was a Lavoie built in Montreal in 1923 and one of the descendants who I know personally has located a lot of the original car along with engineering drawings and hopes to reassemble it if at all possible. Apparently Lavoie Sr. was a brilliant and quirky engineer and inventor and the car is said to have had some interesting and innovative features. I would need to get more specific details from my friend on what those actually were. If you are able to locate and buy a copy of this book. I think it is the definitive source for information on early Canadian automobile manufacturers and would be quite helpful for your research. Just had a look at the link in Dave Mellor's post and it covers a lot of the cars listed in Cars of Canada - and nicely presented with handy links to other pertinent resources. Thanks Dave! Good luck and Merry Christmas

Hi Dave - your pics show the correct handle and striker assembly for 1936 Dodge.

I guess I have been relatively lucky. In selling parts made to order I have (so far) in 26 years only lost one payment and that guy had declared bankruptcy so there was no recourse. My standard deal is I ship you the parts with an invoice and you either send me a check or send the parts back if you aren't satisfied. Only had that happen once. Perhaps I have been rather naïve but so far the folks I have dealt with have been trustworthy. BUT I am well aware there are skunks out there as you have so clearly shown. May they all be blessed with seized motors, cracked blocks and busted springs!

First picture - top piece is a leg for the front seat - seat adjuster rails attach or are welded to the top of it. The triangular pieces are mounting pads for the seat legs. Look at the holes on the leg - they line up with the holes in the pad. The pads mount on angle brackets to the frame and sit under the plywood floor - the seat leg is aligned on top of the plywood I think. It's been a while since I worked on a '34 SE Desoto but that's how I remember it. Can't place the two brackets in front. Maybe someone else can help. By the way, I have a SE Desoto die cast hood trim strip - lower - and a '35-6 C2-C10 fender skirt available reasonable if anyone can use them. Cars are long gone:(

I had wondered what that sealing strip was made of. Thanks for shedding some light on this puzzle. The strips on the '36 Dodge are hard and brittle - no hint that they were ever very flexible.

Got onto something like this in New Brunswick Canada with the GPS leading the "way" to our daughter's cottage - except it was a logging road with trees and scrub crowding the narrow rutted track - not showing anywhere on the hard copy - and night coming on fast:( Locals later told us that 3 weeks prior we would have been bogged miles from anywhere. Lost my confidence in it real fast!!

My 1934 Preliminary Parts List has part no 614370 for the headlight switch. Hope this helps. Sorry I don't have a switch for you. Good luck!

Hi Loren - sent you a PM re: tool kit Jim

This is a really nice original with all the hard to find bits in place. The interior looks especially good and could be used (carefully!) as is. The dash is nice enough and the garnish mouldings seem to be in good shape. I would leave them as is - I have seen too many attempts at wood graining that don't look so hot. A rare feature is the radio - these are not all that easy to find for this car. It would need to be seen by a good old-time radio guy - don't let some hack at it. I just had my '36 Dodge radio done by a pro - not cheap but not outrageous either. You have a real opportunity to get a really nice car - hope you do. The cost of making it roadworthy will be well worth it in terms of fun and satisfaction. Just eat the elephant a bit at a time - drive her first and look at more upgrades as money and inclination dictate. It is beautiful and I'm mildly jealous:)

Brilliant! Slickest mouse trap I have ever seen! Simply cannot fail.

WOW!!! I have never seen anyone actually doing hand lettering. This guy really is a master of his art and as you said, makes it look easy. Bet it didn't look anything like that the first time he picked up a brush. I am impressed!

Hi Dave - This skirt is specifically for 1936 Desoto Airflow. I see one - are there two? Try putting it in the Airflow and Desoto forums to reach more potential buyers. Good luck!

Guess I must be one of the lucky ones! My wife has spent the last 3 months working on (SEWING!) an assortment of 1930s outfits from some original 1930s patterns just so we can go to next week's car meet in period costume. And we don't have a car ready to take yet. She loves the camaraderie with the other ladies - and some of the guys too - and can't wait for the annual get-together with now-old friends. She's proud of her new-found sewing skills and can't wait to show them off. Can be pretty handy with a sander too and has a real good eye for flaws in the paint. A multi-talented lady with a great attitude. But not everyone is wired this way. I despise shopping with a passion and thankfully she doesn't demand that I accompany her on those adventures. But we do some girl type stuff together so there's a bit of a balance. And I think that's the secret but that balance will be different for each couple.

OOPS! Sent it twice - sorry

Great ad, Pat! They got it right - impressive is the word. The old white haired fella did a heck of a job!(the paving's not bad either!) Nice to see that the '34 can go out to play now too

After all the time and work you have put into it I can really understand not wanting to have to open it up to de-bug it. It just looks so darn nice! Well done Pat!