juanatejeda

Here is what I have in my available file. I can get some better shots later.

I will see if I have one and post it.

No, it does have a key, but not sure on manufacturer.

Hello all! Anyone out there, maybe, have a good, workable Ignition / Light Switch sitting around not doing anything? I may be in need of one for my Paddy Wagon. We are going through it right now and it doesn't look good. Hoping we can rebuild it, but we are not sure it is rebuildable. If you have one or know where I can get one, PLEASE let me know ASAP. If you have one, let me know what you want for it and what the avialability is. Juan juantejeda@yahoo.com

Bill (Texacola), The best I can tell you is that I am no expert either. When I first started the reiteration project back in 1987 all the research I did showed that it was a Dodge Brothers. It was registered as a 28, even though the serial number showed it came off the assembly line in late 1927. I will be honest with you. All indicators told me Dodge, it had the Hub Caps with the DB logo, it had the original DB Emblem for the hood, so I expect it is a DB. I don't know anything about the doors and the single versus double horizontal ribs. You say it's a 3/4 ton, I was under the impression that it was a 1/4 ton utility vehicle, at least that was what I was told. I was informed, by a good source that it was called the Dodge Brother's Four Screen Express Van and that it was considered a 1/4 ton Utility Truck. Other than that I can not attest to anything else. I am open to any info that anyone has to offer. I am still trying to find it's heritage from the factory to who originally purchased it. Again, I was told that it had originally been a U.S. Army vehicle and that it had been sold at Surplus. I would like to find out where it did it's service. I suspect that it was sold some where near Goleta, CA in Santa Barbara County. I know that we had a Camp built just north of Goleta in the area of Dos Pueblos Canyon, along Hwy 1. The camp was to be used for the displaced Japanese citizens, but I don't think it was ever used, mostly because of the Torpedo that was allegedly shot along the beach area of where Ellwood Ranch comes out to the Pacific Ocean. We also had a U.S. Army Camp in northern SB County, Camp Cook, what is now Vandenberg AFB. Just north of SB County, in San Luis Obispo there is Camp Roberts (still there) and Camp San Luis, also still there. So I am guessing that it probably came from one of those places. I just don't think that a Goleta Rancher would go too far and drive a truck back home at a top speed of 48 MPH. Anyway, keep in touch. Always open for any info you might bring. Juan

May need to re-build my Light / Ignition Switch on my truck. Are there any good posts showing a break down of the switch or any recommendations?

@R.White The paint we used was a modern version, it is Imron by DuPont. The color is Cooley Blue. As far as a I can remember, when I researched the Dodge Brother's colors for 1927 / 28 the color was Cooley Blue. Back then it was lacquer, I believe.

@DWOLLAM Dave, the Paddy Wagon is actually Blue and Black. The blue was called Cooley Blue. I researched it back when we did the rest, around 1987 or so and found that they used Cooley Blue on special orders. When we they were doing the rest we found a couple of places on the body panels where we could still see the original color and it was Blue, so we assumed that Cooley Blue was the correct color. Here is a picture were you can see the Blue. This was taken at the Solvang Windmills Car Show 2011.

@DWOOLAM No Dave, actually it is, what was called "Cooley Blue" with Black fenders. Here are some pics that may show the color a little better.

No, the tail light does not work ether, no stop light, no lights at all. Guess I need to get the old volt meter out and start checking. Thanks.

Here it is, installed and running. Made an appearance at the local Saturday get together. Pismo Beach Derelicts. A weekly gathering of local car enthusiast. No club just car guys. Rain or shine! Today is Sunshine galore!

Hello all. Just got the Paddy Wagon back with a new (used) Exhaust Manifold. All is well! Just got back from a showing at the Pismo Donut Derelict, here in Pismo Beach, CA. The sun is out and the weather was great! This gathering is not a car club or a show, just a weekly occurrence, every Saturday, rain or shine, where a bunch of Car Guys bring their cars out and gather at a local Strip Mall, in the parking lot in front of a donut shop. Usually about 100 to 150 cars show up, al kinds. New, Old, Custom, Classics, Rat Rods, Motor cycles. U name it they are there. The Paddy Wagon was a hit! It was my first showing of the Paddy Wagon. I usually take my 59 TBird. Now for my problem...... At the showing I was checking out the Paddy Wagon and found that none of my lights are working....... The bulbs appear to be OK, but I haven't really checked them with a meter yet. Question....Does the 28 Dodge Brother's Four Screen have a fuse for the lights? I looked around, but so far have not found one. Please HELP!

@1930 I did get a response back from that club that has the 20's Paddy Wagon. He informed that he would send some pics as soon as he could get them together. Apparently they garage the truck when they are not having some type of affair at their little town. So now I will just wait and see. Thanks for the info.

Thanks. I have found that most agencies back in those days had no signage or stars. They used the vehicles the way they came from the factory. The modifications were mostly done locally, by the agencies that purchased them. They would make the mods as needed. I am sure that eventually there was a company that made them and many of the Paddy Wagons we see were these. The ones with solid sides and were used for doing raids during prohibition and arresting drunks and prostitutes. Ours is more of a Jail Wagon, used for transporting our prisoners from the County Jail system to State or Federal Prison systems. This was why they used the screen sides, they wanted ventilation during transport. Anyway, I am always looking for any info I can find. Thanks for your input.

Oh! and I am looking for Leg Irons and Ball and Chains used during the 20's. Also would like to find an era uniform. If you have any contacts, I would appreciate anything you have. Thanks

@1930 Yes, I plan on doing that. I like emails first and hope for the best, but I will recontact if I don't hear from them. All I'm trying to do is make sure I have an acurate depiction of what a Paddy / Jail Wagon would have looked like during that time period. In doing our restoration I used old pictures and the movies to create our wagon. Santa Barbara county had Emergency Services vehicles back in the 20's and from what I found in our archives, they were the Dodge Brothers Four Screen Express. They did not have the Star on the door, but they did not use logos on any of their vehicles during that time period. The Star and Sheriff signage were my add ons for display purposes only. I would like to make it as close as I can to the Paddy/Jail Wagons of that era.

@1930 Thanks for the info. I'll see what happens. Just sent them an email.

Have looked for those pics and can't find them. How long ago were the pics posted?

Do you have any pictures where the 26-27 or any of the 20's for that matter, were used as Paddy / Jail Wagons?

Hello everyone. I've got a question. I would like to find information on old Military records, U.S. Army, more than likely. I have a 1927 / 28 Dodge Brothers 4 screen that was restored about 20 years ago. When it was found I was informed that it had been a military surplus truck, but did not have enough to verify where it came from. The truck was found in Central California and purchased by a local rancher. I assume that if he purchased it at Surplus, he probably purchased it out of the old Camp Cook, no Vandenberg AFB, but I was never able to verify this fact. Does anyone one know of any way to access old military surplus records? If you have any info, please advise. juantejeda@yahoo.com Thanks.

@Jason Yea, that was the plan, once I saw that it worked, just never got around to doing that. I figured that if it worked OK, I rarely opened the hood, so no one would know anyway. Then I found a replacement and forgot about making it look better. But all in all it works pretty good, at least on short trips.....

Here is a pic of my 4screen. The wheels and rims were redone about 20 years ago. At first we had them painted to match the colors of the truck, blue with gold pin striping, but with all the movement the paint started to chip and crack. We had them sand blasted in place and used black stain. They have held up very well!

This the current set-up I have in my 4screen. I had to strap it together to get through the show season. Looks "Mickey Mouse" but actually worked pretty good!

You are probably right about being modified, my current set-up is not welded. and the nut with notches had to be reproduced when we did the rest as we could not find a replacement for the original. Hope we don't have a hard time getting this one off. If worse comes to worse I guess we can cut the exhaust pipe and weld our pipe onto the replacement. Although we are pretty sure we can get it off.

This is a picture of the Manifold I purchased for $50. Very good shape.