Pete K.

Mike, I may have your axle. I will need measurements from you to verify mine is the correct part.---Pete.

Thanks Mike, This was very interesting!

I sent you a PM.

I may have your one headlamp. Not quite sure as to exact year this is. It is for sale, reasonable.

Jay, Glad to hear and see you've got it tackled. This was a good case of one step forward and three steps backward. When these things happen, I step back and think about how OLD these cars really are and thank heavens we can fix most every leak and squeak that crops up. It could be worse I guess. Your engine compartment is gorgeous. I too, have not seen that rounded type air plenum before. If that is a re-make, it certainly came out nice. I have the remnants of an original Dodge heater plenum that is squared off, rather than round. It's beyond restoration though. I'll be needing a raccoon coat and hat if I ever get my Dodge registered and drive it in chilly weather.

Yes, there are worse scenarios than mine. Far worse. I'm now in the process of getting the seller to prepare a letter stating the time line of the Dodge up to my buying it. It will be notarized. He claims there is no Probate Court paperwork naming him as executor, as he stated it is mentioned in his mother's Will, whereas a Will in place cancels out Probate hearings and settlements.----I don't know---I'm not a lawyer and I sure as Hell can't afford one for this car deal either. This is my HOBBY only. The sales tax money that I'm going to have to come up with,was slated to buy new tires for the Dodge, since the old tires are not really considered tires anymore. I am on a very fixed income. Maybe instead of fooling with antique cars, I should be collecting door knobs.

Sometimes it feels like I'm under the rock Ray. It seems like a gamble when you go into a branch office, what info the one employee tells you, differs or omits important directives for one to achieve. The time spent to "learn" their ways takes up valuable time, which I have very little of. Other folks on this forum have been very helpful with my plight, but all ideas will in turn take up much time too, so I'm pounding this out at the branch where it started, since they know me by sight now and may well be getting tired of seeing me. I do understand they have rules and regs, which I'm set to comply with. It's just a matter of getting my ducks in a row. I need more paperwork from the seller to prove the car was legally sold to me by the estate I got it from.

Travis, I would set them at the standard settings. The Model A groups have been using S.S. valves for years, myself included, and they're set to factory spec's. Similar engine as the Dodge too.

I paid $1200. for the car. Non running condition. Part of the deal was for me to trade my services for a month to seller also, (approx. $2500.+ value). Got bill of sale for Dodge @$1200. RMV will NOT recognize a bill of sale. RMV says I owe 6.25 percent sales tax on $4900. The NADA book for vintage auto's does not list the '25 Dodge values. It starts at 1926. RMV "made a call" and came up with this figure that I now owe on. I feel this is a "value tax", not a sales tax. All car owners in this state pay an excise tax, annually, based on their car's value. Antiques included. RMV uses the NADA book for their value assessments. I plan to file a CA-6 Mass. DOR form, for an abatement if I can ever get that far. Was told that the chance for an abatement is slim to none. I don't know what kind of interest they're charging me--I don't really want to know now, but I can't pay a tax on a car "I don't own", so says the RMV.

I made my way back to the RMV today. Their computers were up and working OK. I was lucky to get a very nice young lady, a manager, who took her time to inform me I still didn't own my Dodge. Apparently, the paperwork I got from the seller did not prove a thing. Copies of Death Certificates and a copy of his notarized "Power of Attorney" to liquidate tangible items of the deceased is not going to do it. I was now instructed to secure a notarized affidavit from seller & myself, how the entire story unfolded, from his father's ownership, why and when the Dodge was taken off the road, how he became the seller and how I became the buyer. I also need copies of his paperwork from the Probate Court, stating verification of his executor-ship of his dad's estate (the '25 Dodge). The bill of sale and the completed RMV form TV-7 and my RMV 1 form with my phone number, all to be mailed to the Registry of Motor vehicles, Title Division, 25 Newport Extension,4th floor, Quincy, Ma. The Title Dept. evaluates the info & runs a check on the vehicle, the Dept. "decides whether a title can be issued to you". ----Anyway, I hope this helps some folks down the road when they put their old car on the road if a title is not available. Meanwhile, my sales tax fee is multiplying daily with interest now, as before, since I'm past the 10 day limit to pay the fee.

"Century" was an old bicycle manufacture. Could be part of an early one. Great find!

Don't get kidnapped by any Amazon's while in Brazil Lothar. I hear they're very big. The frame number on your Dodge may be a real bugger to find. They were usually stamped very lightly and located right near and above the aft spring hanger of the front right spring. You may need a bit of sandpaper to get to the numbers---I did. Enjoy your trip!, Pete.

Hello Lothar, That's a fine looking Dodge you have there. Your serial number of that car should be on the identification plate AND on the frame behind the front right wheel. At least the "U.S.A. cars" had the number on the right frame member. If you download the parts catalog you will be able to match up your number to the production list you will see. This one catalog is; myersearlydodge.com. They sell parts for 1914 - 1930 Dodges. Also, try Romar, Inc. Vern Barker runs it and his E-mail is; sales@romardb.com. His phone # is (814)-827-7601. Reprint manuals are available and worth the money! Good luck Lothar, Pete.

One hurdle accomplished after work this Friday as I visited my police department again. After explaining to the new dispatcher-ess I need a visual inspection done on an antique car, she started with the inquiry about numbers in some database, they have none for auto's that have been off the road as long as my Dodge has been. I had to stop her and tell her about last week and the overly flustered patrolman needing to see an 18 digit VIN # and leaving my garage grumbling. I told her this is not a case for Lt. Columbo and a long lost stolen '25 Dodge, just an on-site verification of a short string of numbers on my car. She seemed to now understand as she and two other detectives had a short pow-wow on the subject. Within an hour, another patrolman came to my garage whereas I had the Dodge out in the Fall sun, running like a champ. He had NO problem signing off the TV-7 form I'll need for the RMV. ---Friday afternoon now, 2 hours left for my RMV to stay open before the weekend, I drove my modern to the branch office at a very large and congested mall, only to find a hand scribbled note on their steel drop-gate saying they're closed due to computer failures and to go to another branch office. All the other mall stores were open. I must be such a pessimist since I immediately uttered out loud,"All their computers??" No one was in the dark office there fixing them. I could not get to another branch today.

Thank you "Turn", I've had a lot of great help on this subject, I may be calling my Senator's office soon if I run into anymore stone walls with the Serial # verification. I couldn't get to it ( the Police station) today since we had a small blizzard over night and slowed down the whole work day for me. Unfortunately. moving the Dodge to another state or country is out of my realm. I'll keep you all posted as soon as I receive results, one way or another. Thanks again all.

I don't have AAA and don't plan on getting it. I do appreciate your input and I'm sure AAA may be some kind of help with it's members but I feel this problem should not have to go way out of normal channels. Several years ago, I bought a '31 Ford out of state, (N.Y.), it had no title, I went through the normal channels and it went OK for applying for a Ma. title. The clear YOM plates were a different story though. I just don't understand why there seems to be a tilted playing field for antique car owners applying for title. Unfortunately, the RMV manager is a different person now and may not like old cars and their owners. I feel they make their own rules as they go along. It could be a "Revenue Enhancement" ploy also. It's almost impossible to get a hearing or talk with anyone higher than the branch manager. At least Dorothy was told to "Come back tomorrow, the Wizard isn't seeing anyone today". The Ma. Registry doesn't even want you to come back!

Thanks for the help with ideas all. I plan to get back to the police station to talk with the Chief tomorrow. I can't re-visit my RMV until I get the visual serial # form signed off first.

Yes, It is really incredible. There is one officer on the "Mayberry" Force here that understands the older cars and their numbers. I found out he has switched his shift onto the night patrol. I must try to get him over here for the TV-7 form RMV wants. It is the Vehicle Identification form, in which the officer visually checks the I.D. numbers on a car, then signs the form with his badge #. This is still a "free" service here, but I'll bet it won't stay that way.

Yes, Jack there are other branches around, (two), within 15 - 20 miles. The employees all come from the same "School of ------"! (Fill in the blank).

Keeping my temper at the Registry is a very tough thing for me to do, but I do it. And I smile. At least up to now. Since the RMV has no records for this Dodge, they are asking me to provide a paper trail as to the seller being the legal body to sell the deceased one's car. The RMV will NOT recognize my notarized bill of sale. I was lucky to get hold of this man who graciously copied his parent's death certificates and wrote a cover letter stating he was the executor to their estate. None of this paper work is certified. RMV may not accept it. AS far as the sales tax goes, my 1925 Dodge is NOT LISTED in the NADA Giude for vintage auto's. Their list starts at 1926 and goes up. Anyone can check this out online. This is the guide RMV uses for tax value basis. This conundrum was found to be fact at the RMV's manager's desk. She, in turn called the Boston Dept. of Revenue. THEY told her the value of my Dodge from "A List" they seem to have for the '25 Dodge. Three times the amount I actually paid for the car. I asked "What lists?", since I am privy to only the NADA lists. She said "They have a list". Again I kindly, with my SMILE, asked "What list?" and she in turn just stared at me and then told me to politely "Leave". So, if I can prove to them I OWN this Dodge, my sales tax will be a minimum of $319.00 and now growing with interest daily, compared to $78.00 I actually should owe them from the sale of the Dodge. I am still trying to convince the Police that this car does not have a 15 digit VIN #. " Rod Serling Lives"

I finally got the ole' girl running great. Still in big need of new tires, but had a couple of weeks left of clear roads and Fall driving up here North of Boston, Ma. I bought this 1925 Dodge brothers touring car last March, not running by a long shot. It had been sitting idle in a barn for many years since the owner died some time ago. The property was up for sale now by the family who was holding onto it until the market sort of recovered here. Everything needed to GO. I was at the right place/right time. I paid for the '25 Dodge in full, as my bill of sale states. (Notarized). The remaining son could not supply me with any past registrations or a title for the car. I contacted Grundy Insurance in PA. to have some insurance on it about 2 months ago. When I got to the registry to pay the sales tax and with my RMV 1 form all filled out properly to apply for a title, and with my bill of sale, I was told I didn't own the car. And my insurance was null & void. This was the manager telling me this. Registry said they have no record of the car in their computer. I told them the car had been off the road before computers. She wouldn't let me pay the sales tax on it. Now, it's over the 10 day limit and I'm being levied interest charges on the tax. To top this off, I can't even get the local cops to sign off the RMV form #TV-7, which is needed to verify the serial number. They said it's supposed to have a 15 digit VIN #, NOT my ORIGINAL tag with the 6 digit number. He ran my car's number and came back with zilch. I am not going to change the tag or numbers, ever. I am so angry, while my interest charges grow everyday.

As I must claim amateur status with many old Dodges, here's what I noticed about those wheels. The rear '22 Dodge wood wheel is supposed to have a tapered, or a "fat" spoke where the large drum bolts pass through to the outer face of the spoke. I just don't think they're Dodge Brothers wheels.

Jay, I believe the outer "drive hub" is missing. I don't recall ever seeing a truck with dual rear wood spoke wheels. Can someone prove me wrong? I'm not so sure they're even '22 Dodge. "Where's Keiser"?

Very nice tool roll! Thanks to John1918, I just won a $7.99 bid on E-bay for one of those dual-cylinder tire pumps with the wood handle that I saw pictured in his post #8. It needs a new hose, but new repro's are available. I kinda hope I won't ever need it on the road, but better safe than sorry. I carry a bicycle tube patch kit with me also with a few larger rubber patches from an older kit I have. Besides the Dodge, I'm quite active with my original '31 Ford Model A pick up truck with tube tires of course. I regularly check my spare tires. The '25 Dodge is still not on the road because of registering woes, or should I say nightmares.

With the fuel tank cover shown, the two openings for the filler and the gauge right next to each other is the same for the '25 Dodge. All I do know is "earlier" tank covers had the holes off-set from each other a couple of inches. But how earlier? See if you can read the serial number stamped on the frame right near and slightly above the rear leaf spring hanger on the FRONT RIGHT spring. It may start with an "A" and have 6 digits after. Again, this will be behind the front right wheel on the frame.