Body Number???

[Ron42Dodge]

I have a 1942 Dodge and I am curious as to what the Body Number tag on the firewall actually tells you.  Is there a breakdown of these numbers?

 

My car is a Deluxe 4 door sedan with the Body Number tag of 2880S.  I assume the S references Deluxe as that reference is made in the Parts book.  C - Custom,  S -  Deluxe

 

The model number for the 1942 Dodge is D-22 for the American version and D-23 for the Canadian version.

 

Based on the Vehicle Serial Number this is a very early production car being in the first 2,000 produced.  Probably delivered in October of 41.

 

The original paint color was (and still is) Bombardier Blue.

 

The only reference to the Body Number I can find is in the parts manuals they say to include the Body Number when ordering parts  But it would sure be nice to know what the numbers mean.

[Reg Evans]

I'm not sure what the body numbers mean but thought I'd post my 42 Dodge body number here too in case someone does.

Mine is 1069TPO and is a business coupe.

[Guest]

It means your car's body was the two thousand eight hundred eightieth one built.  That number could be important if you were ordering parts because at some number some pieces changed.

 

[Ron42Dodge]

4 hours ago, Tinindian said:

It means your car's body was the two thousand eight hundred eightieth one built.  That number could be important if you were ordering parts because at some number some pieces changed.

 

That's what I originally thought but my serial number is 1903 into the the serial numbering series so it seems that I could not be the 2880th car built.   And then I'm more confused with Reg Evans number.

[Guest]

I am mostly a GM fan but in the case of most auto manufacturers  the serial number and the body number are two different things.  Until we got into uni-body construction the body was built  totally separate from the running gear (chassis, engine, transmission, rear end and wheels) hence two different numbers.  

According to your serial number your complete car was probably the one thousand nine hundred third car assembled.

I am sure a true WPC person will jump in here and answer your question correctly and prove that GM guys don't speak WPC properly.

You have a great car there, I hope you get lots of enjoyment from it.

[jpage]

The serial number is on a thin plate fastened to the right side "A" pillar. That is your cars I.D.number. The body number stamped on the firewall tag is a number probably assigned by the body manufacturer for their records and usually does not correspond with any other numbering system. It does not tell you when the body or car was built and  unlike the serial number, does not appear anywhere else on the car. I don't know about the '42 numbers, but in '36 the body number would carry a suffix such as "S" for sedan, "TS" for touring sedan, "C" for coupe and so forth. We don't know if the sequence for these body numbers ran consecutively or if they were separated into groups for each body style. Maybe someone will have an answer for that. The factory parts books want the body numbers and serial numbers to identify the model of the car and time of manufacture in case of any in year changes. To find out about your car, contact the Chrysler Historical Society and request a build card. You'll have to contact them through their website and there is a nominal charge. 

[Chrycoman]

 

The D22 was the 119.5" wheelbase Dodge built in the US and Canada.  The DeLuxe series was not built nor sold in Canada.  Both US and Canadian plants built cars for domestic and export markets.   31,681 DeLuxe models were built in the US of which 13,343 were 4 door sedans.   Custom production came to 36,841 in total (US and Canada) with 22,055 4 door sedans in total.  (Do not have a break down between US and Canada).

 

The D23 was the Plymouth-based 117" wheelbase Dodge, also built in the US and Canada.  The US-built cars were for export only, including Hawaii, at the Plymouth plant on Lynch Road.  The Canadian plant built for Canada and export.  .

 

2880S was the 2,880th 4 door sedan, with the "S" for sedan.  Each body style had a letter (or more). 

 

Very good possibility bodies were not taken in sequence for production on the assembly line.  Bodies were assembled and painted and then put aside to be used when needed.  Or someone may have replaced the body.    That does happen when someone finds a car with a solid chassis and powertrain but a body that missing parts and is full of holes.   If you want you can get the build record from Chrysler Historical which can confirm the body, colour and any options installed.

 

Dodge built their own bodies at Dodge Main (Hamtramck) as did Chrysler Canada at their Windsor plant.  Chrysler of Canada had a plate on the firewall having the model number, body number, paint code and trim code.   Plymouth bodies for the Detroit plant were built by Briggs Body at their Mack Avenue plant.   Briggs bodies had a body plate number that had a body code unique for each series,  the body plant (if not the Mack Ave plant) and the sequential body number. 

 

 

 

[jpage]

Just had word from a friend who recently requested a build card from the society. He received his card this weekend along with his check and a note saying they were too far behind and too understaffed to do any real research. It's a shame that many of these organizations cannot remain liquid enough to continue on. I think we'll see more and more organizations and museums go under simply because of lack of interest!

[Ron42Dodge]

On 10/22/2017 at 3:50 AM, Chrycoman said:

 

The D22 was the 119.5" wheelbase Dodge built in the US and Canada.  The DeLuxe series was not built nor sold in Canada.  Both US and Canadian plants built cars for domestic and export markets.   31,681 DeLuxe models were built in the US of which 13,343 were 4 door sedans.   Custom production came to 36,841 in total (US and Canada) with 22,055 4 door sedans in total.  (Do not have a break down between US and Canada).

 

The D23 was the Plymouth-based 117" wheelbase Dodge, also built in the US and Canada.  The US-built cars were for export only, including Hawaii, at the Plymouth plant on Lynch Road.  The Canadian plant built for Canada and export.  .

 

2880S was the 2,880th 4 door sedan, with the "S" for sedan.  Each body style had a letter (or more). 

 

Very good possibility bodies were not taken in sequence for production on the assembly line.  Bodies were assembled and painted and then put aside to be used when needed.  Or someone may have replaced the body.    That does happen when someone finds a car with a solid chassis and powertrain but a body that missing parts and is full of holes.   If you want you can get the build record from Chrysler Historical which can confirm the body, colour and any options installed.

 

Dodge built their own bodies at Dodge Main (Hamtramck) as did Chrysler Canada at their Windsor plant.  Chrysler of Canada had a plate on the firewall having the model number, body number, paint code and trim code.   Plymouth bodies for the Detroit plant were built by Briggs Body at their Mack Avenue plant.   Briggs bodies had a body plate number that had a body code unique for each series,  the body plant (if not the Mack Ave plant) and the sequential body number. 

 

 

 

Bill,  Great explanation.  I could see them grabbing the next available body vs trying to find the next one in number sequence. 

 

Do you know is convertible were tagged as a coupe "C" or if they had a different letter after the build number?  I know my convertible has a different  tag bolted to the firewall with a build number but there are holes for the other 2 tags above the pinch weld that I don't know if I have.  I may have to start digging through the boxes of parts to see if they are in there.  But if I need to get them remade I better know what designation it should be.

[Ron42Dodge]

So a few months ago I went to an auction of a 42 Dodge convertible that was mostly original and very low mileage.  Now I am really confused on the body Tag number.  Apparently my tag has a bolt through the first half of the number.  The Auction converttible had a body tag number  of  424-1505.  There were 1185 total 42 Dodge Convertibles made.  I had assumed mine was # 1134 of 1185.  This car had the Dodge Brothers red tag higher up on the firewall but also had 2 empty holes below it.  There was also a thin piece of metal with a number pressed into it  that appears to be attached just below the body number.  I might have to remove my bolt to see if I can read the rest of my number.