1929 Dodge DA Motor with an unusual feature

[idrjoe_sandiego]

I know there are lots of 1929 Dodge DA owners on this forum, but I wonder how many have seen a DA engine like this one. The engine # stamped on the block is H65-772. Check it out. It has a mechanical fuel pump! I have seen only one other DA engine with this feature. It was in a 1929 DA built for export.

"No two Dodge DA's built the same" -nearchoclatetown 2010

[Guest ffoeg]

I have a block like this but thought it must of been a lot later model

[idrjoe_sandiego]

Ffoeg -What is the engine # out of curiosity?

[idrjoe_sandiego]

And does anyone have any info on the other markings near the engine # on the pictured block? One of my other DA's has one of these marks but not all this one has.

[Guest ffoeg]

Dont know came with a lot of parts i picked up

[Guest 1930]

Joe, I havent a clue but I was interested to ask my friend David on this and he speculates that these are possibly 30 DA truck motors, he went into detail on some areas that would lead him to think this as a possability.

I have been given scraps of information myself about the differences between the truck and auto motors so this ligns up pretty well.

David is pretty thorough and does not talk out of turn.

I dont see what you mean when you mention this so if you care to clarify so I can better understand than maybe we can get further with this.

Quote......does anyone have any info on the other markings near the engine # on the pictured block? One of my other DA's has one of these marks but not all this one has.........I dont know what you mean by other markings?

One thing you might want to look at is to compare the exhaust outlets size to an automobiles, trucks may be larger, David mentioned the manifolds exhaust port as being larger, do you have the manifold, also compare the rib that runs down the center of the head for waterflo, is this is any way larger diam. ?

It would be easier to identify if you had some more of the bolt on items, I know that the truck motor water inlet for instance was a completely differnt animal than auto, longer neck ect.

[idrjoe_sandiego]

Sorry, Jason, I agree , that wasn't very clear! What i was referring to are the "extra" stamping marks visible near the motor number illustrated in the next few pictures. I am also including another DA motor's stampings. On closer inspection, the two sets of markings have some common elements. I included the pictures in regular color and inverted color. I find it easier to see some of the details on these stampings and part numbers when you look at the "inverted" or "negative" image enhancements.

Regarding this being a truck motor, Harry Reding, the DA technical adviser also suggested this. While this is possible, I have seen a truck motor and it is not the same in many ways. I know this motor came out of a car and the engine is in every way (save for the hole on the side of the block) the same as every other DA car motor I have ever seen. To add to this, check out the scan of the Master parts book for PASSENGER CARS re: DA CAMSHAFTS with/without the fuel pump.

This is really very curious. Apparently Chrysler may have installed a series of DA motors using fuel pumps, perhaps as a test run, knowing that vacuum tanks were about to be history and fuel pumps would be the next generation of improvements. From the motor number , we do know that this motor was manufactured in the middle of the DA assembly run. It ia also possible that this was only for exports, but this is a total guess. Exports seemed to get a different treatment on many fronts.

[Guest 1930]

The engine is my car has these extra stampings as well though not identical, I only have the one spare now and its still dark so I cant look at that one, that engine is early so it may show something interesting. I have some of the truck parts books, specific I mean, also the master trucks. I will take a look and see if anything there.

Wasnt there someothing in John Bittence bible about extra marks, I will look at this as well

[Guest 1930]

Several different manifolds

dist or magneto on both import and export DA engines

fuel pump assy part # 300562 united motors, ( general part# covers too many models to be model specific )

These are just some of what I was able to find in the trucks master with a very brief glance

Quote.......While this is possible, I have seen a truck motor and it is not the same in many ways...........if you see a master trucks come up on e-pay pick it up, you will see a small percentage of how many 6 cyl variations were avail, different ton trucks required different variations of the engine. Hard to believe I know, you will see manifold changes which brought carb changes, dist changes, generator and starter changes, the side cover ( water jacket covers ) and valve covers. Completely different from what we are used to seeing on DA auto which was bascally the same engine throughout its prod. Yes these are DA engines but truck DA.

Quote.......Chrysler may have installed a series of DA motors using fuel pumps, perhaps as a test run, knowing that vacuum tanks were about to be history and fuel pumps would be the next generation of improvements..............I am embarrased to admit that I am not 100% sure on this but I believe DA was last model auto with fuel canister YES????

I dont believe there is any possability that Chrysler would revamp an engine, not the DA auto engine since it had storerooms absalutely filled with them ( so filled that the engine #s were as far advanced as 50-70,000 possible plus in some cases when issued to the autos. The expense of running a new casting with a fuel pump would not have made sense. Not even for export but I will agree that they did some pretty strange stuff to export.

Also dont forget that there was zero need for a test motor as DA trucks were already running mechanical pumps and I wouldnt be surprised if Victorys did the same although I have not looked into this.

Quote.........From the motor number , we do know that this motor was manufactured in the middle of the DA assembly run. ..........Again this signifys to me that it was not any special test engine as you suggested although I am only giving my opinion..

H 34-156 I think is what reads on my other motor and as well it has some extra marks, I wil take pict. of both of these and post them hopefully later, still working on reorganizing everything.

Lets look at JBs bible and see what we can find.

I believe that these fuel pump engines were still designated to trucks, lighter duty trucks to be sure since there are no major casing changes, remember when we see valve side covers changing in shape and size it would tell us there are some major head/valve changes.

I believe that there is a much richer possability that there were hands down more lighter duty trucks being sold back then than the heavy duty versions because people were back then as they are today in that they wanted to stretch their dollar as far as it would go and if they felt they could get 1.5 tons of load on a 1 ton truck than they did it, I believe that since you have seen 2? of these engines and Froeg has also it would only show that there were so many more of these produced but would show also why there are so few left, because of the changes and because the motors differed from the cars and because the trucks were prob beat to death and because of the few # lefts of these trucks because they were beat to death and because of a lack of interest that has always followed the trucks in the later years it would suggest why there are so few of these engines showing up out of trucks.

I think I have some model specific DA truck book, maybe only one, have to find it but I have 6-8 Victory six model specific truck parts book and the changes are like those of DA, I would never have thought that there would be such a wide variety of truck engine changes.

Again just a theory and please prove this wrong

Edited June 10, 2011 by 1930 (see edit history)

[mribbich@wi.rr.com]

Clean off the mounting flange on the fuel pump and see if there are any numbers on it. Thanks!!!

Marv.

[idrjoe_sandiego]

Sure Marv, it just won't be today! Probably can have a look at it sometime this weekend.

Jason, with regard to the truck engine theory, it would be helpful to know what the motor #'s were on the trucks. I'd be surprised if they just used the same series of #'s for trucks and cars. So they just plucked out some motor #'s here or there and designated them truck motors? Doubt it.

I'd like to see a sheet that tells the production figures and VIN's and mfr. dates on the DA trucks like we have on the DA cars.

Where's Bill-W when you need him?

And if this was a truck engine, why then are two camshafts available in the PASSENGER car parts book?

[Guest 1930]

Quote.........with regard to the truck engine theory, it would be helpful to know what the motor #'s were on the trucks. ...........Yes, that would be helpfull

quote..........I'd be surprised if they just used the same series of #'s for trucks and cars. So they just plucked out some motor #'s here or there and designated them truck motors? Doubt it.........Not sure what you mean by series......DA series, or H series, is that what you mean, well you might be in for a surprise if you view some truck engines and yes they prob. did just pluck them as you say and that would help to explain why there are thousands of motor # variances on the cars between the serial #s of vehicles.

Bill W. prob. dosent comment because he does not have anything to add, this is all guesswork, if it werent guesswork than we would have the data sheets you are requesting

Quote.........And if this was a truck engine, why then are two camshafts available in the PASSENGER car parts book.............I should have thrown in the term commercial cars as well, taxicabs, panel wagons ect, all of these might be considered a truck or passenger car in some cases as well. The latest version of the DA parts book is dated June 1 of 1930, I dont think there were any later because that was the end of prod. No listing for this that you mention in the master parts book is within the DA parts book and as you mentioned this motors #s indicate mid-term production.

DA parts book is a passenger parts book and when it was printed they would have been more carefull in how they categorized things, I say would have but that is false because there are alot of screw-ups in that catalog but evidently in my opinion they at least had the knowledge at that point not to add a heavier duty engine to its listing.

Sometimes you have to make a decision on when to trust these parts books, the master parts book printed in 34 has many more errors than the earlier model specific parts books. This I know to be true.

Edited June 11, 2011 by 1930 (see edit history)

[Dodgy6]

Sorry, Jason, I agree , that wasn't very clear! What i was referring to are the "extra" stamping marks visible near the motor number illustrated in the next few pictures. I am also including another DA motor's stampings. On closer inspection, the two sets of markings have some common elements. I included the pictures in regular color and inverted color. I find it easier to see some of the details on these stampings and part numbers when you look at the "inverted" or "negative" image enhancements.

Regarding this being a truck motor, Harry Reding, the DA technical adviser also suggested this. While this is possible, I have seen a truck motor and it is not the same in many ways. I know this motor came out of a car and the engine is in every way (save for the hole on the side of the block) the same as every other DA car motor I have ever seen. To add to this, check out the scan of the Master parts book for PASSENGER CARS re: DA CAMSHAFTS with/without the fuel pump.

This is really very curious. Apparently Chrysler may have installed a series of DA motors using fuel pumps, perhaps as a test run, knowing that vacuum tanks were about to be history and fuel pumps would be the next generation of improvements. From the motor number , we do know that this motor was manufactured in the middle of the DA assembly run. It ia also possible that this was only for exports, but this is a total guess. Exports seemed to get a different treatment on many fronts.

I read this old thread a few days ago and thought I'd post up a pic of my numbers. The "2" to the top left of the main "H" number is totally upside-down. Maybe they stamped them this way on the ones that were destined to go "down-under". hehe

[Guest 1930]

I was considering to find this post just the other day because I have some intereresting news to add to it. Is Anyone heard from Joe lately?

Thanks for pulling it up

Edited April 17, 2012 by 1930 (see edit history)