DA body and "B" pillar pics please

[Dodgy6]

I did a mock up of my panels today before I remove the cowl off the chassis, and I gotta say I'm a little confused. My truck for those unsure, is a DA with an Australian wood framed body with a wooden tray or bed on the back. Steel framed guys may not be able to help but I welcome all input because I don't think there are too many wood framed guys on here.

Notice the "B" pillar on my truck is 7 3/4" wide. None of the pics of DA body styles I have seen show a "B" pillar that wide. :confused:

I'll put up a few pics first then get to some details after:

[Guest 1930]

You have prob. noticed your cowl isnt quite the same as Budd Bodied DA either, looks to me like your B-pillars and rear cab are just another mod. that someone has made to make something else work.

Look at some of the posts on Aust. history and you will see the kind of stuff you guys were doing over there to convert these cars into what you refer to as a ute.

[Dodgy6]

The rear side of the "B" pillar wooden frame also has one half of two hinges in it that makes me think my body has been adapted from a four door model. "Touring" maybe?

This is a pic of the back side of my "B" pillar. I'm sorry I had to take this picture with the panel lying down because the timber frame is so far gone that it is in pieces. The top of the panel is to the left and the wide "L" shaped bracket on the right fixes the panel at the bottom to the wooden "Frame rail".

Note the two hinge pieces on the rear edge. The holes for the "door" half of the hinge have been filled. That is the white blobs you can see in the centre of the hinges. There is also original(?) paint there that makes me think this rear edge of the frame was exposed.

[Dodgy6]

The front seat forms the rear of the tub but you will notice there is a gap between the outer skin on the "B" pillar. The gap is where the wooden frame on the "B" pillar is supposed to be.

Disregard the Bracket in the foreground. That is the side support bracket on the bed.

[Dodgy6]

So what I need is pics of DA bodies from the back side of the "B" pillar with the rear door open where the front seat joins. This will let me know what that part of my tub is going to look like if I keep it this way.

Many thanks

[Dodgy6]

You have prob. noticed your cowl isnt quite the same as Budd Bodied DA either, looks to me like your B-pillars and rear cab are just another mod. that someone has made to make something else work.

Look at some of the posts on Aust. history and you will see the kind of stuff you guys were doing over there to convert these cars into what you refer to as a ute.

Yup, but that someone has to have been bloody good! This is no backyard "cut and shut" job. It might be hard to see from the pics and the current condition of the truck but there is some good craftsmanship going on here. I have seen other very similar styles of TJ Richards bodied "utes" using the same "MO" so it makes me wonder.

Edited April 29, 2012 by Dodgy6 (see edit history)

[Guest clare30]

Dodgey,

Some pic's of the centre pillar and windscreen supports will post more pic's when can get the car out of the shed.

Regards Gary.

[Dodgy6]

Dodgey,

Some pic's of the centre pillar and windscreen supports will post more pic's when can get the car out of the shed.

Regards Gary.

Thanks Gary! More gold in those photos I hadn't thought about windscreen supports and how they work until now. Iv'e got the brackets under the cowl but don't have a windcreen!!!

When you are taking more pics could you run a tape measure from outside to of "B" pillar to out side top on the other side? That will give me a really good starting point of how it is all supposed to sit.

Thanks again, Ross

[Guest 1930]

That looks just like your panel dosent it Ross? Might be you have found your body

[Dodgy6]

Hello Dodgy6,

It appears to me that you have what used to be a DA-6 Richard's bodied phaeton. The back doors and sill covers are single enough that any good panel beater could make them but the real challenge will be finding the rear tub section. I am posting a side profile picture of a Budd bodied DA-6 phaeton just so you can see what you could have with enough effort. Have fun!

Regards,

David

Thanks David. I'm fairly sure my "buckboard" conversion only utilised the front seat back as the rear of my tub. The bed/tray timbers seem to fit nicely in behind the seat back where it is scalloped out - where back seat passenger's feet would have originally sat, if that makes sense. I'm not sure a Phaeton or tourer tub back would work with the rear wheel-well cut-outs. I could be wrong.

Could you, or anyone else, elaborate on any differences between the Phaeton and tourer models? It could help eliminate another piece of my jigsaw puzzle.

Thanks

[Dodgy6]

That looks just like your panel dosent it Ross? Might be you have found your body

Yep, same panel for sure and a lot of other features match up too.

[Guest 1930]

Could you, or anyone else, elaborate on any differences between the Phaeton and tourer models? It could help eliminate another piece of my jigsaw puzzle.

Thanks

No such thing as a Tourer for the DA line-up. Phaeton only and as mentioned via e-mail I can provide body measurements but they would be a Budd body and not your Aussie body.

I doubt any such records exist so might have to rely on some other Aussie DA owners.

[Dodgy6]

No such thing as a Tourer for the DA line-up. Phaeton only and as mentioned via e-mail I can provide body measurements but they would be a Budd body and not your Aussie body.

I doubt any such records exist so might have to rely on some other Aussie DA owners.

Thanks Jason. I think with any measurements from the cowl back at least I'm going to have to go with Richards bodied vehicles to compare with.

How do these stats stack up? Notice any differences with US DA's?

<TABLE style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" border=0 cellSpacing=0 borderColor=#111111 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width=890 colSpan=2><CENTER><TABLE id=AutoNumber1 border=1 cellSpacing=1><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Make</TD><TD vAlign=top>Dodge Brothers</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Year</TD><TD vAlign=top>1929</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Model</TD><TD vAlign=top>DA

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Body</TD><TD vAlign=top>Tourer (Phaeton).

5 Wheel equipped.

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Engine</TD><TD vAlign=top>

Dodge 6 cyl. side valve,

208 ci. (3.4L) N.A.C.C. Horsepower rating 27.34 68hp @ 3,000RPM

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Gearbox</TD><TD vAlign=top>3sp, non-syncro.</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Diff. Ratio</TD><TD vAlign=top>4.2:1</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Wheelbase</TD><TD vAlign=top>112" (2845mm) Overall length 169.75 inches.</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Brakes</TD><TD vAlign=top>Foot - 4 wheel hydraulic.

Hand - On transmission.

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Weight</TD><TD vAlign=top>2,736lb (1,244kg)</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Wheels</TD><TD vAlign=top>Wood spoke artilliary.</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Tyre Size</TD><TD vAlign=top>5.50 x 19"</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Origin</TD><TD vAlign=top>USA, Australian body by T.J. Richards.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=890 colSpan=2></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Guest 1930]

People often called the open cars tourer or touring cars but Dodge never built a model designated as Tourer for the DA series

I have viewed this information and have looked at the large pictures of this car available on-line and it looks to be a very nice car with the exception of the paint. In my opinion if you want a modern car look go buy a modern car.

The stats they give are only what their own car carries but for the overall DA line-up not all of those statistics stand true.