What was the last year DB built Touring cars(4door convertables)

[imported_Big Mark]

anybody know?

[nearchoclatetown]

I think it was '38, they were called convertible sedans.

[Manuel]

We had open cars up till the late 1930's in Australia.

Manuel in Oz

[imported_Big Mark]

Are there any 32-35 Touring cars (convertible sedans) registered in the club? Anyone know if any are avalable?

[Guest imported_Bill-W]

Touring cars (no roll up side windows - snap in place curtains instead) were built from 1915 (the very first Dodge Brothers model year) through 1928. For 1929 Dodge started calling them phaetons and built them through 1931. 1931 model DG 8 phaeton production came to 43 units while the DH 6 saw 164 built.

The phaeton was replaced by the 4-door convertible (roll up side windows with removal upper "B" pillar) for 1932 in the DK 8 series (88 built). The DL 6 (12 built) and export DM 4 (48 built) had a 2-door convertible sedan.

The 4-door convertible appeared again for 1933 (DO 8 - 39 built) and 1934 (DS Special 6 - 350 built). No 4-door convertibles appeared for 1935 but were reintroduced for 1936 and built through 1938 (750, 473, 132).

The last Dodge 4-door convertible was the export 1939 Dodge D12, based on the Plymouth. Thirteen were built at the Lynch Road plant. No 1939 Dodge convertibles of any kind were built in Canada, and the export D12 convertibles were not sold in Canada.

Australia was a different situation, with the touring cars holding their popularity through to the end of the 1930's. T.J.Richards built the bodies for Australian Mopar products with chassis imported from either the U.S. or Canada.

Please note that touring cars/phaetons are not convertibles. All convertibles have roll up side windows while touring cars, phaetons and roadster have snap in place side curtains. Convertibles protect the passengers from wind, rain and cold better as the roll up side windows and removal "B' pillars where needed provide much better sealing.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

[Guest imouttahere]

McPherson in "The Dodge Story" does say that the 4-door convertible sedan was produced in 1937. The '37 models were designated D5. The '37 convertible sedan, comparable to what had previously been known as a touring car, had a 115-inch wheelbase and only 473 were built. It was the most expensive car in the line at $1,230, and weighed 3,262 lbs.

The book doesn't specifically say whether the 4-door convertible sedan was produced in 1938. However, McPherson does say that in 1937 the Dodge price range was from $715 to $1,230, while in 1938 it was from $808 to $1,185, or an 11% inflation in the price of the cheapest model in just that one year. Therefore, I don't think the 4-door convertible sedan was produced in 1938 because if it had been, it would have cost more than $1,185. It would indeed likely have cost considerably more than $1,230, its 1937 price. Since the 4-door convertible sedan was the most expensive model in 1937, yet the price of the most expensive model in 1938 went down despite apparent inflation, I conclude that the model was probably dropped for 1938.

[vergil]

There is a picture of a 1938 Dodge D8 convertible sedan at

www.bsaac.com/cars.html

On some now forgotten Auto Gallery I have seen that 132 were built at a price of $1275.

[nearchoclatetown]

There's a convertible sedan shown on page 116 of The Dodge Story, price $1275.

[Guest imouttahere]

'There's a convertible sedan shown on page 116 of "The Dodge Story"'

Oops, I didn't see it there. Well, there's a definite contradiction between McPherson's statement on page 115 that the most expensive Dodge in 1938 cost $1,185, and the picture on page 116 saying that the 1938 convertible sedan cost $1,275.

Anyway, sorry about my earlier post.

[Guest DodgeKCL]

Just putting in my 2 cents worth, the difference between roadsters and convertible coupes is also the wind up window thing. Roadsters have snap in 'plastic' door windows while convertible coupes have roll up door glass. The first Dodge VIPERs were true roadsters because they had snap in side windows. I believe all CORVETTE roadsters are incorrectly named because they all had roll up door windows.

As noted, touring cars are in the same style as roadsters and convertible sedans are in the same style as convertible coupes. (Also from what I've seen, convertible coupes are separated from roadsters by 'fold down' windshields. You can not have a fold down windshield on a roll down side window convertible coupe. I would assume the same situation also applies to convertible sedan versus touring cars. Touring cars invaribly have fold down windshields.)

[keiser31]

DodgeKCL got it right. Years ago when I was about 17 (1969) The Falvey Motors Jaguar/Triumph/MG sales company had an ad in Playboy magazine advertising their new "roadsters". They were all convertibles, so I wrote them this letter stating exactly that. Never thought I would actually get a response. They actually wrote me back quoting from Webster's dictionary the definition of a roadster. The sales rep told me that we were BOTH correct in our statements, but I feel that I was more correct as is DodgeKCL.

[nearchoclatetown]

Just to nitpick a little, '53-'55 Corvettes had non rollup side windows. I'm not sure exactly what Mark wants because his title says both for Touring cars and 4door convertible. Technically they are differant but are kind of the same. Knowing him he's looking for a BIG car, that's why they call him BigMark. SO what is it Mark, what are you buying? BTW Mark, I have phone # for a REAL military DB truck. Wanna go look?

[imported_Big Mark]

YES of corse, where is it located?

What I am looking for is a 4 door car with a top that folds down and is fast enough to tour with cars of a much later date. i.e. a fast 4 or a 6 cylinder touring car or convertible.

Your right about the car size, I my first car was a 68' Caddy and I never shook the big car bug. likewise I was never intrested in coupes eather.

[idrjoe_sandiego]

Big Mark, I don't know if you saw this 1929 Phaeton on eBay, check it out. WARNING: its just loaded with incorrect features! I think his reserve=$25K. You'd probably need another $10k just to straighten it out!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dodge-Phaeton-TOUR-BEAUTIFUL-1929-DODGE-PHAETON-T

OURING-VERY-RARE_W0QQitemZ140288827358QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=ite

m140288827358&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A64%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3

A1318

[idrjoe_sandiego]

Sorry The eBay link I used doesn't seem to work when pasted into this forum... but you can see the '29 Dodge DA Phaeton using eBay advanced search for Item number: 140288827358

Joe

[idrjoe_sandiego]

Question for Bill W. >> Thanks for sharing your amazing wealth of knowledge on these cars; any chance you have production figures for the 1929 Dodge DA Phaeton, both domestic and exports? Thx, Joe

[imported_Big Mark]

I have seen that car on ebay, It's been on there about 4 times. I gues he's just not getting what he wants for it.

Thanks, Mark

[Guest backyardmachinc]

Mark,

Good luck in fineing a Conv.sedan in the 30's and if you do you probley pay les for your home then you will have to shell out for one.There was a '36 conv.sd.at this year national meet freshly purchase by the owner at a reported price of $40,000.and I belive that was a steal .

Until next time,

Vern

[SplitPersonality]

Very interesting topic!

I just found a 1934 Dodge 4-door Convertible... Very interesting and special car, but in a rough condition. I am not able to find much info about this version of the Dodge...and noe pictures anywhere on the Net. I ready there were only made 350 of this model. Does anybody on here know anything more about this DS-model from 1934? Any pictures so I can verify that the car I found is exactly this?

I am completely new to the forum and new to Dodge also, really.... My father has a 36 Dodge 7-seater and myself I have mainly pre-war Fords and post-war German cars. This 34 COnvertible really caught my interest and I want to restore it..

Any and all info appreciated - contact me via email or right here in the thread.

[keiser31]

'There's a convertible sedan shown on page 116 of "The Dodge Story"'

Oops, I didn't see it there. Well, there's a definite contradiction between McPherson's statement on page 115 that the most expensive Dodge in 1938 cost $1,185, and the picture on page 116 saying that the 1938 convertible sedan cost $1,275.

Anyway, sorry about my earlier post.

It also states that it was the last year (1938) that the convertible sedan was offered by Dodge. I have personally seen at least two '38 convertible sedans in the flesh (metal), but never a '39 or later.

[alsfarms]

This is a fun topic to watch and I can't resist the urge to respond to one comment made in response #10. It was suggested that the difference between a roadster/touring and the convertable counterparts was that the roadster and tourings had a fold down windshield. Then mentioned that the convertables do not have that ability to fold down. This is the point I want to respond to. I have purchased a complete FOLD DOWN windshield assembly from a 1934 Dodge Conv. coupe. What a nice, well built set-up. This assembly does look nice. Try a google search for 1933/34 Dodge conv. coupes and you will see what I mean. This convertable fold down windshield set-up used by Dodge is sexy enough to make even the Packards take a back seat.

Al

[keiser31]

Here is a '34 convertible Dodge coupe with fold down windshield. It IS rather rare to have a fold down windshield with rollup side windows.

Edited August 27, 2009 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[bobs1916]

Big Mark

How about a quick update on the Lincoln Highway trip

bob