Dodge 1937

[keiser31]

I believe 1937 was the first year of the "solid" wheels and went away from the "spoke" look, so they could very well be for a '37.

[RickBrinker]

Rear end doesn't look like my 38 Dodge

[keiser31]

Rear end doesn't look like my 38 Dodge

In 1938 Dodge claimed that they were "restyled inside and out" so maybe that rear end change was part of it. I guess a '37 Dodge car or truck owner will have to verify what you have there.

[RickBrinker]

I was looking at the u joint flange,mine has the ball and trunnion

[Guest claudiu1988]

Very hard here in Romania to know if the rear axle is original or not because soviet car copied dodge a lot, cars like Pobeda, Gaz, IMS, etc. I will look for markings may be there are some. I found a dodge rear axle on ebay and it's exactly like mine, what do you say? And also can you tell me if this is a dodge steering wheel?

[Guest claudiu1988]

No idee about the steering wheel?

[Rusty_OToole]

It doesn't look right to me but if you refer to the original pictures previously linked you will see for sure

[Guest claudiu1988]

So I am still trying to find out if my car is a Dodge or a Plymouth.

1. On the car I found a steel plate marked D5 25123 TSA<!-- google_ad_section_end --> (so it's a Dodge)

2. The grill is from a Dodge

3. The dash is from a Dodge

4 The emblems are Plymouth

5 In the Romanian archives the car is a Plymouth

So I really don't know what to say. You said that the front grill could have been changed (maybe) but what about the stell plate marked D5 25123 TSA, If it was a plymouth the first letter must be P not D.

I have an other question: why chreisler sold plymouth as dodge and they didn't sell dodge as plymouth?

I really don't know what to say

[Rusty_OToole]

My guess is that at some point the registration was changed illegally. They put the Plymouth emblems on and called it a Plymouth even though it was really a Dodge.

Chrysler Corporation, like other car makers, offered a variety of models at different prices. But wherever possible they used the same parts on different cars. This was a matter of convenience and cost savings.

For example they could make one engine. But by putting in different crankshafts with longer or shorter stroke, they could get different displacement and different horsepower.This was in America.

In countries where cars were taxed by horsepower or by displacement it would be an advantage to use the smaller engine.

Then there was the question of gas economy.

The Plymouth which was a low priced car in America, was similar in size to large expensive cars in Europe. But the European cars were better finished with leather upholstery, more gauges on the instrument panel and more luxurious appointments generally.

For this reason, in export markets, they would sell a Chrysler, DeSoto or Dodge that was really a Plymouth but with better appointments than in the Detroit Plymouths.

It was a matter of using what they had, to make a product to appeal to different markets.

Here in Canada we used to get cars made for the Canadian market, usually low priced cars like Ford, Chevrolet and Plymouth disguised as medium price Mercury, Pontiac and Dodge models.

For many years one of the best selling cars in Canada was a Pontiac which was really a Chevrolet in disguise. The American Pontiac was not sold here at all.

[Guest Bill-W]

So I am still trying to find out if my car is a Dodge or a Plymouth.

1. On the car I found a steel plate marked D5 25123 TSA<!-- google_ad_section_end --> (so it's a Dodge)

2. The grill is from a Dodge

3. The dash is from a Dodge

4 The emblems are Plymouth

5 In the Romanian archives the car is a Plymouth

So I really don't know what to say. You said that the front grill could have been changed (maybe) but what about the stell plate marked D5 25123 TSA, If it was a plymouth the first letter must be P not D.

I have an other question: why chreisler sold plymouth as dodge and they didn't sell dodge as plymouth?

I really don't know what to say

I suspect that an independent company sold Chrysler Corporation cars in Romania and not Chrysler itself. That was quite common before the 1950's as Chrysler relied on other people's money to start up and run sales and, in some cases, assembly operations.

Before World War II the British and Canadian operations were the only foreign companies Chrysler Corporation owned outright. Operations started in Mexico in 1938 but the firm was owned by local investors. Turkey got its start the same way.

So, I suspect the Romanian distributor determined that "Plymouth" had more sales appeal than "Dodge". The Dodge car fit in size and price between Plymouth and DeSoto/Chrysler so they may have marketed the Dodge as a large Plymouth. In Britain during the 1930's both Plymouth and DeSoto cars were sold under the Chrysler nameplate.

Part of the joys of restoring old cars outside of North America, trying to determine what various sales and marketing firms had going through their minds to make their vehicles more popular with the local car buying public.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

[Guest claudiu1988]

Very interesting, the same in Romania like in Canada a lot of Chevy, Ford and Plymouth (I think it's the most common car in Romania model 1938). Dodge what I can say not so much, honestly is the only one I know.

I think you are right the car had the dodge emblems removed and they put plymouth emblems, because the car didn't sell. Also some other interesting thing the rear bumber light it's from a 1939 Plymouth. So what I think the car didn't sell in 1937,1938 so they transformed it in to a Plymouth and sold it in 1939. My car has a 1938 Plymouth emblem that was cut in the front, because it didn't fit on the dodge, and a 1939 rear number light.

I have an other question, can you tell me how long and with is a plymouth 1937-38 and a dodge 1937. So I can mesure my car an see the diference.

[Guest claudiu1988]

Here are the diferences.

On my emblem you can see that it was cut.

And also the rear number light model 1939

[Guest claudiu1988]

Can someone help me whit some pictures. I want to see how the reare lights look like and the light for the number that were on the 37 Dodge. Also I am interested if you have pisctures whit dodge 1937 rims because I don't know how original ones look.

[keiser31]

Here is a rear shot for you. I hope it helps.

[keiser31]

Here's a 1937 wheel and hubcap. There will be 5 stud holes and clips to hold the hubcap on. Hope this helps.

[Guest claudiu1988]

Thanks very much for the phots they help a lot.

[keiser31]

I am not certain, but there may be a few extra smaller holes in the wheel. Some Chrysler products around that era had an alignment pin on the drum to line the stud holes up correctly.

[Guest claudiu1988]

Found this today, it is marked: Made in USA. What do you think could it be? Ford, Dodge, Chevy?

[Guest claudiu1988]

Here is my latest find a 1939 Chrysler rear axle (that is what the seller said). What do you say is it good for my car?

[Guest claudiu1988]

[Guest claudiu1988]

Here is how the car looked before being cut down. It was very modified.

[Guest claudiu1988]

Guys I am still waiting for you opinions.

[Rusty_OToole]

I like stewed rhubarb because it tastes more like cranberries than apples do.Besides, raspberries have seeds that get stuck in your teeth.

Will that do?

[keiser31]

I do not know if 1939 stuff will interchange with 1937 stuff, so I would guess that you may just have to measure the stuff like the spring mounts and the length of the rear end to see if it will fit in your car. It should be fairly close to the same dimensions.

[nearchoclatetown]

There's only one opinion that matters, that would be yours. But I like raspberries too.

[Rusty_OToole]

"There's only one opinion that matters, that would be yours."

That's what I keep telling everybody but it's not catching on.

[Guest claudiu1988]

My engine arrived this week and now I am starting to look for a place to start to restore my dodge. I don't know what color to make the car so If you have for sale I am interested in buying the original 1937 dodge paint chips. Also any old books regardin Dodge 1937 I am interested in buying, I am especially interested in the original Dodge 1936-1942 Parts List Book.

[Rusty_OToole]

For some reason the most popular color on 37 Dodges around here was dark green. At the time, most cars were dark colors. Black, dark green, maroon, and navy blue.

There were lighter colors. There is a 1940 coupe in a cream or light tan in the area.

I think your car would look best in maroon or navy blue. But of course that is up to you.

Here are the original color choices.

http://www.tcpglobal.com/autocolorlibrary/aclchip.aspx?image=1937-plymouth-pg01.jpg

Evidently, a scan of an old 1930s paint catalog. The color chips have gone muddy over the years, you can't go by them as a true color sample.

[Guest claudiu1988]

Thanks for the help with the paint chips thay really helped. I will make the car navy blue, I like the color very much.

Now I have an other problem, my right rear fender is really damaged, I found here in Romania some pieces of a 1938 Plymouth, 4 doors, front and rear fenders, and some other parts. Do some of the parts fit my dodge 1937. I sow that the front fenders are different but maybe the rear fenders are good. What do you say? Only if they are the same I will put them on the car. I am asking for you help because the pieces are 500 km away from me and I don't want to make a trip just to see the pieces. Tahnks again for your help.

[Rusty_OToole]

My guess is that the fenders will interchange. The 1937 and 38 models used the same body, updated slightly for 1938. Plymouth and Dodge shared many parts in common.

I would expect the fender to bolt on but the holes for tail light mounting to be in the wrong place. You might have to weld up the holes and drill new ones.

Can you get pictures and measurements before you buy?

[Guest Whip-lash]

claudiu1988:

I have a 1937 Dodge Coupe - D5, the motor manuel and the Mopar -Streamliner book for the 1937 Dodge,Plymouth,Desoto and Chrysler six. In this book it tells what parts are exchangable with other years. For the 1937 fenders it tells me that the 1937 Plymouth and Dodge are the same. I can check any other parts if you wish to find the correct exchange.

Robin

[Guest claudiu1988]

I tried for two weeks to go to see the car but I didn't managed to go, the seller sent me one picture. but I can't see the fenders, also what Whip-lash said is very important because if the wreked car isn't a dodge or a plymouth 1937 I don't need it any more, maybe only for the axels.

Whip-lash can you tell me if the front and rear axles from a dodge 1937 interchange?

Here is a picture whit the car

[Guest claudiu1988]

Also found this today. It's mopar but is it from the 1930's or 40's. Because I am interested in buying it. Also if it's not working can it be fixed? How can I check if the piece is restorable.

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[Guest claudiu1988]

Hello, I have a new problem, found on ebay to kind of rims, both seller say they are from a 37 dodge. What do you say? Did the dodge 1937 had more models of rims?

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[1936 D2]

I know it is a bit late for color info but here is another site that has DuPont paint color info for '37 Dodge. (I like their chip pages better. Colors are more realistic).

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Click on the blue numbers ahead of the car model and year. There are two listed here for '37 Dodge. (001134 - 001135).

[1936 D2]

Found this today, it is marked: Made in USA. What do you think could it be? Ford, Dodge, Chevy?

This is not looking like a Dodge (or Chrysler Product) jack at all.

Keep an eye on this forum thread as more info on "Tools" develops.

http://forums.aaca.org/f143/tools-276649.html

[1936 D2]

The steering wheel shown in post #45 is not a Dodge steering wheel for this period. Not sure what it is. Take a look at the earlier photos posted in this thread for a good rendition of the '37 Dodge steering wheel.

[1936 D2]

The '39 Chrysler rear axle looks quite a way off from what you need. The brake set-up is different and the U-Joint connection is wrong. I would stay away from this axle. It sounds as though you want to go more "37 correct" with all your parts. I think this would be too far off. Just my opinion.

[1936 D2]

I think you have hit it right on the engine block you found! Attached is a photo of my '36 Dodge engine block casting number. It is all the same as the one you found except for the last number (after the dash). Mine is a "3". The engine you found is a "9". This would be typical for the difference in year. My block is of course an American manufactured block. I suspect the one you found is also of American manufacture. The silver color is correct too! Only things like the generator and starter were black. All the rest is silver.

[1936 D2]

Also found this today. It's mopar but is it from the 1930's or 40's. Because I am interested in buying it. Also if it's not working can it be fixed? How can I check if the piece is restorable.

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Check out this eBay listing. The similarities of these two heaters is sort of uncanny.

30'S,VINTAGE,HEATER,HADEES,ART DECO,RAT,STREET,HOT ROD: eBay Motors (item 330436591707 end time Jun-02-10 19:12:11 PDT)

The things you need to watch are that the core of the heater is not damaged and leaking and that the fan works. Best way to check this is to pressurize the core with some water in it, push in a little air to bring it up to maybe 7 - 8 pounds of pressure and see if it holds and stays dry. Then you know the core is good. Otherwise a repair, similar to fixing a radiator, is in order.

The fan motor should spin very free. Apply 6 volts with (most likely) negative ground and see if it spins quietly and efficiently. If all this is true, you are "good to go", mechanically anyway. There seems to be some missing parts though. The mounting bracket in the back is missing and possibly some handles on the front doors. (You wouldn't want to burn yourself adjusting the front doors without handles!) You know, on second glance, it doesn't look like it had handles and it possibly mounted directly to the firewall with the hoses connecting on the engine side of the firewall! Oh well...

Also, does it have the variable speed switch with it? Most heaters have either a rheostat type of variable resistance control for the fan speed or a switch with a few different positions for varying the fan speed.

Good luck!