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1948 Dodge Business Coupe help


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O-M-G!!! :eek: :confused: :( :mad:

That runs the gamut I guess. :rolleyes:

Hey "R.White" - Is this what you meant by: ..."I am sure you will eventually settle on a colour scheme which suits both the car and you; even if it is different from the original - regardless of what that may have been. ..... this decision is one which will be personal to you ,the car's owner."... on the other post - "Victory Six paint ??" :D

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Guest mochevy69

I guess that color is not for everyone but I bought it painted like this. I'm now just going through it and repairing a few major screw ups of previous owners. I've already stripped out the interior and repainted and reupholstered the inside. Who ever painted it sprayed the grille and most of the inside the same body color. That would be seats, door panels, carpet, glass and all!! What a MESS!! I plan to keep it this color. The paint job is a 20 footer. No negative comments so far since I've owned it. Any comments here? Good or bad, I can take it. I tried to post two pics. Did they come through??

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  • 5 months later...
Guest 1970L78
Thanks Jim,

Not quite the model that I want. I did have the later body style when I was in high school. A 50 Plymouth CP. I liked that car. But I want a 46-48, prefer Chrysler, but a Desoto would do.

Any other leads would be appreciated.

Thanks, JACK

My son has a 1948 3 BC we are thinking of selling , he wants to go corvette or nova

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  • 6 months later...

OK, just looking around on the forums and found this thread. Here's a picture of my 46 Dodge BC awaiting restoration. Currently I'm into working on two others, including a 67 Olds Toronado and the latest is a 42 DeSoto Club Coupe. She's got the west-side (Seattle Portland) rust issues. Classy is the do it yourself grille guard, and this car has the TOW PACKAGE. It's amazing any of these survive.

428577_295791337153655_1025743618_n.jpg

420939_295791417153647_1753596318_n.jpg

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  • 9 months later...
Guest Zionist

Dear D24 Fans:

I'm new to the forum and recently picked up a '48 Dodge business coupe project with a hot-rodded flat 6 (engine hasn't been started since it was gone through). Anyway, the seller said it was a '48 but the title has it listed as a '49. The serial number is 45042824 ~ can someone help me place it in the right year? :confused: Many thanks!

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Guest Zionist
Got a photo?

Hi Keiser31!

Thanks for getting back with me so fast. Hmm, yes I do have a pic but I haven't downloaded it off my camera yet. This is a project coupe, mind you... and judging by the excellent pics you posted, mine is a '48 model. The serial number is 45042824 if that makes any difference. I'm hoping to get some official "proof" to show our CA DMV officials who will no doubt look with duplicity on me when I ask for a correction to the title... I may be better off just leaving the pink slip alone and accepting the fact that it's a '48 but titled wrong. If you or anyone else reading this thread could direct me to a publication where the production numbers would lock my car into a specific year, that would also help. Many thanks again for writing me, Keiser31.

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Guest Zionist

Hi Keiser,

These info-pics are extremely helpful. I think I have one of the last CA-built D24 bus coupes assembled... and it could have been either at the very end of '48 or the start of '49. Oy vey. Makes it all very interesting. Now I have to decide if I want to install the built 6 or look for a Chrysler hemi...

Thanks for your help! ~ DMC

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You will need to change the front suspension to get a Hemi in there.

Or at least the steering column, but those front suspensions don't handle very well either.

Nothing wrong with the flatties.

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Guest Zionist
You will need to change the front suspension to get a Hemi in there.

Or at least the steering column, but those front suspensions don't handle very well either.

Nothing wrong with the flatties.

Hi Jack,

I appreciate your input on the hemi v. the flat 6. My six has been built (cam, hi-comp pistons, dual manifold, split exhaust, etc) so maybe there's more power there than what I imagine. The engine has not been started since it was built ~ I have no idea of its condition beyond what the seller told me (he's a friend of mine so I'm sure he didn't misrepresent the work he had done). If I keep the flat six I might invest in an Edelbrock head as the seller stopped short of going to that expense and just had the old head reconditioned.

Anyway, thanks for the heads-up on some of the challenges that await me if I go the hemi route. Can you point me to a good source for new & used parts for these coupes?

DMC

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My serial number look up tool at Plymouth First Decade: Where is the VIN? shows:

[TABLE]

<tbody>[TR]

[TH=align: right]Serial Number[/TH]

[TD]45042824[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TH=align: right]Found in range[/TH]

[TD]45022453 to 45045426[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TH=align: right]Serial[/TH]

[TD]20372 of 22974[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TH=align: right]Year[/TH]

[TD]1948[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TH=align: right]Make[/TH]

[TD]Dodge[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TH=align: right]Model Name[/TH]

[TD]DeLuxe or Custom[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TH=align: right]Model Code[/TH]

[TD]D24[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TH=align: right]Plant[/TH]

[TD]Los Angeles[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TH=align: right]Engine[/TH]

[TD]6 cylinder 230.2 cu. in. L-head[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TH=align: right]Wheelbase[/TH]

[TD]119 1/2 inches[/TD]

[/TR]

</tbody>[/TABLE]

Looks like your are just over 2000 units from the end of production. Not sure what date that would map into. If you really want to know, send some money, the serial number and proof of ownership to the Chrysler Historical Collection and get a copy of the "build card" that will show when it was built, what engine and body numbers are correct for it, what options it had and what dealer it was shipped to.

I don't think that Chrysler considered the late D24 or P15 cars 1949 models, just 1948 models that might have been built in early '49. I think that is just a modern take on the production by hobbiests. Same as considering the Plymouth model Q as a 1928 model when Chrylser originally billed it as a '29. But since there was a later Plymouth model U released in '29, collectors now call the Q a '28 to keep the confusion down (or build it up depending on your point of view).

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Guest Zionist

Hi Ply33

Thanks a million for this. I wanted it to be a late '48 so this is most excellent news. I may go ahead and get the build card you mentioned for the sake of knowing the history. Since I live in so. CA it is interesting to think my car started out right here (in LA) and still resides nearby.

Again, my humble thanks to you & to all who have helped me.

DMC

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Hi Jack,

I appreciate your input on the hemi v. the flat 6. My six has been built (cam, hi-comp pistons, dual manifold, split exhaust, etc) so maybe there's more power there than what I imagine. The engine has not been started since it was built ~ I have no idea of its condition beyond what the seller told me (he's a friend of mine so I'm sure he didn't misrepresent the work he had done). If I keep the flat six I might invest in an Edelbrock head as the seller stopped short of going to that expense and just had the old head reconditioned.

Anyway, thanks for the heads-up on some of the challenges that await me if I go the hemi route. Can you point me to a good source for new & used parts for these coupes?

DMC

Join this site.

Forum for P15-D24.com & Pilot-house.com

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