Turbo Your DB!

[Guest 1930]

You might also find a model code of either DDT ( 3/4 ton ) or SD which will be your half ton

[Texacola]

Jason..if I'm not mistaken Juan has a "C" motor (slow four) like mine.I agree...never heard of a 1/4 ton.Mine is a 3/4 ton (commercial car) which sits on a car chassis. What I don't know yet is if the 3/4 ton has the same rear springs as the car used (i.e. # of leafs/thickness?). Also the rear and trans may be larger??

Juan... do you have a DB serial#? I guess that would settle any question if its a DB or GB

[juanatejeda]

You are right about the 1/4 ton. I meant 1/2 ton, but even at that I am not sure. Like I said, I am no expert and am just going by my memory. As for a Serial number, are we talking like the VIN, engine or frame #. Wheel base, I believe is 108, but I would have to measure to be sure and it will have to wait until I get a chance to do it this weekend.

[juanatejeda]

Here is my Data plate, kinda hard to read, but it is a DB Data Plate and the VIN / SR# starts with 'A'.

[juanatejeda]

Here is a picture of a 1928 DB Pick-up and it has the same doors, with the horizontal lines.

Imay be mistaken, but I believe that the 4 Screen Express Van, starts out on the 1/2 ton Pick-up chassis.

[Texacola]

Juan, Ok, first ...your truck is a 1927,based on your DB serial # (looks like A-795XXX) was built around 10/10/26.Mine is A-770913,built around 9/11/26. I have seen later #'s that were titled as '26 models. Mine was 1st registered in Pa. on 6/15/27 as a '27 model. Either way both our VIN's fall in the "1927 series". You also have the C motor .

Mine I believe started its life as a screenside which most likely is what yours is.When I bouhgt it at auction it was listed as an "Express" and is currently a p/u.Do you have a plaque on the right side of the dash? It would identify it as a 3/4 ton and have weight & load info as well as a caution not to overspeed 25 mph. If you don't have the plaque are there 4 rivet holes there?

[juanatejeda]

Yes, you are right, mine did come off the assembly line in late 1927, but was registered as a 1928. Don't know why, but the registration slip I had showed it to be registered as a 1928. I do have the plaque, it was mounted on the floorboards on the right side and that is where we placed it during the restoration. Here is a picture of it. Kinda fuzzy, but readable.

[juanatejeda]

And no there is no other plaque or rivet holes.

[juanatejeda]

Here is a picture of the floor boards and dash area of our truck, prior to restoration. You can see where the ID plaque was mounted and also see the right side of the dash where you say the other plaque is supposed to be mounted. I don't see any holes or a plaque.

[Texacola]

Juan,please look at my last post.Your VIN# says it was built October 1926 not 1927. The plaque you are showing is the VIN data plate which should be attached to the toe board as you have shown.I was referring to an additional plate that was attached to the dash to the far right of the speedo which identified it as a 3/4 ton truck and gave weight info and a caution about overloading and overspeeding.

My guess now (and only my guess) is your truck is a 1928 body that someone,sometime swapped out a late 1926 engine and maybe its VIN tag.To me that would explain why the doors and cab looks like a '27 GB or maybe a '28 DB.

[Texacola]

Oh...have you ever found the serial # on the frame? Matches the toe plate? Could be just the cab was swapped?

[juanatejeda]

This sure looks like my four screen, only in a Pick-up and it has the two horizontal ribs on the doors.

But whatever, mine is registered as a 28 DB because that's what the paperwork showed and CA DMV accepted that. The VIN number verifies that it is a DB and it came off the assembly line in late 27, and could have very well been registered, the first time, in 28. Like I said, I believe it was a US Army vehicle that was surplus and purchased after it did it's military duty. WOuld like to be able to verify that, but I was unable to interview the man that purchased it from military surplus. My info was at least second hand, mostly 3rd hand.

[Texacola]

Juan, The pic of the VIN plate you provided appeared to me to start with A-795xxx .Maybe I read it wrong (pic was blurry).Do you have a copy of the Dodge Brothers Club News Aug/Sept 2010? In it you will find the serial #'s and corresponding build dates.The # I read was for a vehicle built about 10/10/1926. As you said yours may have been surplus .It was typical back then for some states to reg. vehicles for the year when 1st titled not necessarily the year built..that could explain it. Also your engine appeared to be a "C" motor (at least the exhaust mani with air cleaner). That engine would not be late 1927 as the fast four was out by then.

[juanatejeda]

Yes, the number is A795272 and no I don't have that DB Club News for Aug/Sept 20 10. Not sure why it's so confusing. All I know is that t his truck was all original and this is what it is. I am sure that it was registered when it was first titled. The engine, if I recall is a C. Don't know why it has that engine, but it does and it is the original engine, as best as I know. I also don't know why it was not painted OD green, as most all military vehicles were painted, unless it was never meant to go over seas. If they ordered it for the Prisoner of War Camp in Goleta or if was used at the Military Prison at Camp Cook (now Lompoc Federal Prison), they may have kept it the color it came from the factory in. There are many unanswered questions, but it is what it is.