Fire Truck

[Hudsy Wudsy]

I was browsing Craigslist and came across a listing for a '35 Dodge fire truck. There's something about it that has me a little puzzled. First of, I admit that I don't know all that much about trucks, so forgive me if I'm asking a dumb question. If you click on the link it will take to the ad for the truck. If you look at the pictures in the ad you'll see that last picture is the manufacture's tag from Chrysler. It states that this truck was manufactured by Graham Brothers a division of Chrysler Corporation. I'm puzzled by the "Graham Brothers" reference. Is that correct for a truck of this vintage?

http://littlerock.craigslist.org/cto/5454523901.html

Edited February 24, 2016 by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history)

[keiser31]

Looks like a 1934 by the look of the dash and "exposed" cylinders on the block with no lower water jacket.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

John, is it correct for it to have that reference to Graham Brothers? I really thought that association was quite a bit earlier, like the late twenties.

[countrytravler]

Looks like vin #8352964

Model K32

Edited February 25, 2016 by countrytravler (see edit history)

[countrytravler]

http://www.dodgemotorcar.com/history/chrysler.php

[Hudsy Wudsy]

Here's some more info from allpar:

http://www.allpar.com/trucks/graham-brothers.html

 

Nothing very conclusive, I'm thinking. Again, I haven't followed trucks as much as cars. So, if it's a K32 model, it was built well after Chrysler Corp had acquired Dodge Brothers cars ('28) and retired the Graham name (1/1/1929). It's just pure speculation on my part, but maybe they used the Graham name on some specialty bodied trucks (like this fire truck) for a time into the thirties. The Graham brothers, themselves, left Dodge in '28 after acquiring Paige Motors, before Chrysler bought out Dodge, so they had nothing to do with a Dodge truck made in '33 -'35. Have any others of you who know Dodge trucks come across a Chrysler Corp model plate that still had the "Graham Brothers" name on it in the thirties?

[Guest DodgeKCL]

The dash is 1933 Dodge car. I have learned that the 1st of the 'new' Dodge trucks had the 1933 car dash,hence 'Commercial Car' as Chrysler called them. However if you look closely at the generator you will notice that it has the first 'voltage regulator on it. They were first put on sometime in 1935. Someone has also added a much later voltage regulator on the firewall. (Prior to that the drive train had no regulation just the brute resistance of the battery when charged.) It also seems to be missing the Dodge trademark 'spear' detail on the from fenders. Sooooooo,is it a 1933? or is it a chassis left over from 1933 that was sold,but updated, as a 1935. Or just what is it? (It is a 'cowl and chassis" btw.)     

Edited February 25, 2016 by DodgeKCL (see edit history)

[countrytravler]

Only 1933 to the 35 1st series 1/2 ton trucks and the 33 cars had the spears. Anything above 1/2 ton just has the belt line. The dash on the 33 cars and 33  and 34 trucks up to 2 tons shared the same dash clusters. The 3 tons still used the late and early 30s dash clusters.  The Graham name was dropped on the 1936 Dodge truck as shown. This truck also has the exposed water jackets. On the voltage regulator, I don't have the knowledge in this area. The 34 T7 truck shown had it also on top of the gen.

Edited February 26, 2016 by countrytravler (see edit history)

[Hudsy Wudsy]

Interesting! When I called your attention to the fire truck serial number plate in my first post I didn't see that not only was the Graham Brothers name on that plate, but also right under the Dodge name plate on the side of the hood (as on Dave's '34). Well, clearly it didn't absolutely have to be there. I guess that Chrysler Corp still felt that the name, which they owned the rights to, still had market value. I wonder when they finally discontinued it? Thanks for your thoughts on the matter, guys.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history)

[stakeside]

Dodge Bros kept the Graham Bros on these tag till I believe 1938. They wanted to keep the reputation of the Graham trucks for sales purposes.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

Dodge Bros kept the Graham Bros on these tag till I believe 1938. They wanted to keep the reputation of the Graham trucks for sales purposes.

Well, that answers that. I guess that I thought I read about their having discontinued the use of the name in the late '20s. Obviously not the case, though. Thanks again, guys.

[countrytravler]

Here is a vin plate from one of our 35. I would say that Graham name was dropped sometime in 35.