More custom vans (sorry not Dodge)-UPDATE

[Guest DodgeKCL]

Yes I know this should go on Dodge Trucks but there is not much movement over there and I've been getting private e-mails telling me to keep it up. Apparently 'clum switches' and 'diff lube' is getting boring and a break would be appreciated. These trucks are basically commercial cars in any case.

The first photos I have included are of a custom GMC van built for the T. Eaton Co. in 1938. It was farther gone than my Dodge KCL so I just used it for reference. As you can see it had the sliding doors started by my year of specials in '35. It appears to be a 'windshield cowl and chassis' meaning the manufacturer's 'A' posts were included. My KCL did not get the Dodge windshield. The unusual 'treble clef' driver assist handles are still there. At the time I took these photos the wrecking yard would not allow any parts to be taken off. They knew what it was and thought they would find another idiot like me to buy it and restore it. The bottom was mostly under the earth and rotted beyond salvage. The wheels and tires had been removed many moons ago putting the frame and undercarriage in the dirt. You can make out an outline of the 'Diamond E' device on the right side panel photo which is also visible on my avatar van photo from the Archives of Ontario. They never did get a buyer and it was crushed in 2010 when the yard was cleaned out. I've finally got a couple of the long lost Diamond E logo devices reproduced by a firm in Toronto. They were cut by laser from a drawing I sent them by e-mail. I had a hell of a time getting somebody to do them. Too small a job I was told. (Ain't the internet wonderful?) They are stainless steel and this is the best photo I could get because of their brilliance. Eatons removed all this stuff from their trucks when they sold them to private individuals and I assume moved them on to newer vans. But today they are gone. Vanished into antiquity. I'm into $ 300 Cdn. for them if anybody's wondering.

I mentioned in a previous post that there were 2 companies in Canada in the large dept. store business for most of the 20th century. One being the T. Eaton Co. and the other was the Robert Simpson Co. (now Sears Canada Ltd.) both headquartered in Toronto. You Americans had the exact same rivalry in Macys and Gimbels both headquartered not far away in New York City. (See the "Miracle on 34th Street".)The internet is a wonderful tool and I've now been told of a custom Simpson van still in existence rotting away east of Toronto in a farmer's field. It's an International of maybe 1938 vintage. The rear door slides up and down unlike the '38 GMC and my Dodge which have 2 center opening rear doors. This truck is similar to the vertical sliding rear door dry cleaner custom Ford V8 van in a previous post of mine. The front doors again slide back into pockets and lock there like the GMC and my KCL. Simpson's livery was maroon and black with arctic white stripping. The door photo shows the loop handles that mine was missing but I was able to replace. These loop handles must of been common on custom vans around Toronto as photos of Eatons vans from the Archives of Ontario show the exact same ones as on this Simpson van. This International also appears to be a windshield cowl. Believe it or not the engine is a 4. Obviously set up just for economical local delivery around Toronto.

Edited July 8, 2012 by DodgeKCL
Spelling/syntax (see edit history)

[Guest 1930]

I do like those handles

[1936 D2]

I am finding this info very interesting! Keep it going! I can surely appreciate the research time! Thanks KCL!

[Dodgy6]

Ditto. I find this stuff fascinating.

[Guest DodgeKCL]

These are the two unusual types of handles used on these custom vans. Sorry for the pixs but I find it very difficult to scan or photo chrome or nickle. The 'treble clef' handles were installed on both sides of the front doors as a driver assist. I nickle plated all the handles as that was how they were found. The loop type front door handles are really unusual because you can't lock the door. I wonder what the driver did when he had to leave the truck out of his view? It could of been packed full of parcels of goods on their way to customers. The rear doors overlap and the one door has a locking handle on it so I've designed a locking device for the front doors. I bought 2 'pip pins' we call them up here. They come in various lengths and thicknesses and have a ring on one end and the farm implement stores sell them to farmers. The 'pip' is a spring loaded ball captured in one side near the 'front' end and usually 'pops' into a cavity on the device it lives in to hold it in place. I then installed a small block of hard wood above each sliding front door just behind the front sliding track wheeled thingy. The doors are hung with 2 each,one near the front,one near the rear. I then drilled a hole in the blocks so the pip pins can be slid into the blocks and stop the doors from being moved back and open. I keep them in the glove box. I then have to exit the van out the rear doors and lock the rear door with the key.

Edited July 8, 2012 by DodgeKCL (see edit history)

[Guest Jen_]

thank you for sharing

[Ron Lawson]

No need to lock everything up like Fort Knox.People were honest those days Wish it was still like that Ron

[1936 D2]

Would it have been possible that there was a divider inside just behind the driver's seat that cordoned off the cargo from the driving compartment? This may have been a solid partition with a lockable door or maybe a chain link "gate" type affair? Then that could be closed and locked along with the back door being locked. Then the rear would be secured and the front would use the usual anti-theft devices (ignition locks, battery cutoffs, etc) to protect the vehicle itself? Did you see any signs of a divider type thing? This style thing is common in paddy wagons and current delivery type vans.

[Guest 1930]

These are the two unusual types of handles used on these custom vans. Sorry for the pixs but I find it very difficult to scan or photo chrome or nickle. The 'treble clef' handles were installed on both sides of the front doors as a driver assist. I nickle plated all the handles as that was how they were found. The loop type front door handles are really unusual because you can't lock the door. I wonder what the driver did when he had to leave the truck out of his view? It could of been packed full of parcels of goods on their way to customers. The rear doors overlap and the one door has a locking handle on it so I've designed a locking device for the front doors. I bought 2 'pip pins' we call them up here. They come in various lengths and thicknesses and have a ring on one end and the farm implement stores sell them to farmers. The 'pip' is a spring loaded ball captured in one side near the 'front' end and usually 'pops' into a cavity on the device it lives in to hold it in place. I then installed a small block of hard wood above each sliding front door just behind the front sliding track wheeled thingy. The doors are hung with 2 each,one near the front,one near the rear. I then drilled a hole in the blocks so the pip pins can be slid into the blocks and stop the doors from being moved back and open. I keep them in the glove box. I then have to exit the van out the rear doors and lock the rear door with the key.

Great looking handles

I have an ignition assy from a 29/30 Dodge that apparently ( guessing ) was used for a fleet vehicle of some type as it has a key that is seemingly permanent with the ignition cylinder, there is a small knub protruding from cylinder, the key ( which BTW does not in any way resemble the original key ) is inserted thru this knub into the lock cylinder, there is a small pin that passes thru the knub thru the key thru the knub. I can post pictures if this is not clear enough.

The key would not have been removed unless someone worked at it as in servicing the unit.

How can this be explained other than as Ron said I don't believe that theft was such a huge problem as it is today, I believe it was becoming a problem and solutions such as the fedco numbers as an example ( 1930 ) were put into place to discourage such behavior.

Dodge Brothers Corp. were even releasing special confidential bulletins at this time to its dealers stating car numbers that were stolen so these cars would hopefully turn up quicker, I am not sure what is the earliest I have of these but I believe the latest is 1932 or 1933. I don't know when they stopped issuing these. Do you have any of these for 34?

I would also say ( hopefully you can confirm for your particular year/model for us here ) that just a few years earlier locks in some cases were an additional cost option, the dealer or cust. purchasing the vehicle in New Jersey for instance would only order car with locks and the same in Demoine IA would not even consider it.

I would guess at this point there would have been a possibility your vehicle could have been purchased with locks that you feel are missing but original purchaser just saw no need.

Edited July 9, 2012 by 1930 (see edit history)

[Guest DodgeKCL]

I have installed 2 coupe seats from a 1931 Ford A and had them covered in brown artificial leather. This is so my wife and I can use the van as a 2 passenger vehicle. But that's not how it was originally. It had one seat for the driver similiar to a modern UPS van. It was still in the Dodge when I got it and I put it away for safe keeping. It was custom made of 1/4"(!) plate steel. The whole seat was mounted on LARGE triangle type barn hinges to the wooden floor. The seat could be tilted forward and leaned against the steering wheel allowing the driver access to the parcels in the rear nearest him at the front. The seat also spun around like a bar stool to allow easy movement on and off the seat. It must weigh 100 pounds at least! It brings a whole new meaning to 'bulletproof". I duplicated the covering and piping with the brown fake leather. We think the original covering is 'oil cloth'. So, no, there was no barrier between the driver and the back.

If you look closely at the Simpson's van photo with the loop handle on the front door like mine, you'll see they too had no lock. It may be that you're right in that it was another time. Theft certainly was known in Toronto but people did leave their houses unlocked. A practice they no longer do. And burglar alarm companies and systems are legion now. (My own childhood home was left unlocked in the 40s and 50s. (My sister and I didn't have keys in any case!!) I now live out in the boonies where people still leave their vehicles unlocked and many leave their houses unlocked. I still find it un-nerving up here to go up to a house looking for a friend and find nothing but the screen doors closed and the radio or tv running. They have gone 'into town' for some shopping. But in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) where I come from everything is locked up tight. Perhaps there were no locks because no one would rip off one of these drivers or the contents of the trucks. However as I said I've set up this system to keep today's sticky hands out of my van. Shame ,I guess, if this is the case.