Martin-Parry

[30DodgePanel]

Recently one of my research projects has included trying to track down any catalogs that show the relationship with Martin Parry and Dodge Brothers/Chrysler Corp.  If anyone has one of the catalogs from 1928-1930 showing this relationship, I'd very much appreciate seeing which models were built by Martin Parry. 

 

I understand the coachbuilt.com website has some good information and has answered some questions, but I was hoping to find photographic or artist renditions of the era to confirm what those models were so that present and future members of our club can learn from it. As always, I'm a serious buyer of any said literature or copies in hopes of sharing freely with my fellow members who own 1928-1930 Dodge Brothers trucks. 

 

Appreciate any help in advance. 

Thanks

Dave

[1937hd45]

Hope you find what you are looking for Martin - Parry made bodies for Model T Fords as well as Model A's

[Mark Gregush]

In the book American Woodys, David Fetherston, says that GM bought MP in 1931. Mostly MP was a Northeastern supplier from information in same book. There is only a little bit of information in the book on the early Depot hack or Estate wagon.

[30DodgePanel]

14 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

Hope you find what you are looking for Martin - Parry made bodies for Model T Fords as well as Model A's

Thanks Bob.

Yes, they did make bodies for other manufacturers as well (here we go with "assembled" again). A lot of folks (including myself) assume the bodies were made in house or by Budd if Dodge but not necessarily true for this era of DB truck bodies. I know it's rare to find any documentation, but I have to try. 

Thanks again

 

12 hours ago, Mark Gregush said:

In the book American Woodys, David Fetherston, says that GM bought MP in 1931. Mostly MP was a Northeastern supplier from information in same book. There is only a little bit of information in the book on the early Depot hack or Estate wagon.

Thanks Mark.

Hmm... there must be conflicting information on the dates GM (Chevy body division) took over. I've seen on Coachbuilt.com it was March/April of 1930, and on the Martin-Parry registry it has October of 1930. Would be good to verify the date but I'm more interested in just concentrating on the Dodge truck bodies from 28-32'. I have enough OCD issues regarding DB trucks, so I'll let someone else fight that battle.  .

 

Seriously though, my truck build card date was March 11, 1930, from Chrysler so I was hoping to get the dates right eventually but for now I'd really like to find some kind of catalog or brochure. It's on someone's shelf somewhere...

 

I'm attaching a confidential bulletin that verifies two of the trucks but was hoping to learn if there were more from 28-30' and to see which larger bodies and bed designs were credited to Martin-Parry. I presume there were more but would like to find Martin-Parry photos or renditions to associate with the body style directly in a presentable article since it only lasted approximately four years.

 

If MP were supplying the bodies from 28-30' then who was the supplier of some of the new F series bodies from 31-32' after they sold out to GM since the body styles were virtually unchanged? It's probably futile for most people but I find these kinds of questions fascinating. 

Edited January 23, 2022 by 30DodgePanel (see edit history)

[stakeside]

My early "E" Series has this plate on its front header. I believe these cabs were built by Graham prior to Chrysler take over.

[1937hd45]

These photos turned up on the HAMB yesterday, thought you might enjoy them. Bob 

[Mark Gregush]

I would take any of the cars shown in those three photos, and not just the ones that are the main subject!

[John E. Guitar]

A few nice trucks.

 

 

 

[Restorer32]

30 years ago I found a large Martin Parry color illustrated catalog of their standard bodies. Unfortunately I sold it and have no idea where it is now.

[chistech]

When I was 13, my dad bought a 23’ T depot hack. It needed some wood work and at 13-14, armed with my whole junior high, and first year of high school industrial arts classes ( our town’s fancy name for shop class), I went about restoring the body. Under the lift up seat pad, used to access the fuel tank, there was a 3/4” high “1826”  stamped in the wood work. When my dad took the truck back by the original owner’s garage to show him the truck fixed up, he mentioned that number. He told my dad that it was a Martin Parry body and when he had changed the upper roof wood out, he misplaced the MP tag that was on one of the roof bows. We no longer own that little truck but wish we did. It was my first restoration.

[30DodgePanel]

On 1/26/2022 at 5:02 AM, Restorer32 said:

30 years ago I found a large Martin Parry color illustrated catalog of their standard bodies. Unfortunately I sold it and have no idea where it is now.

Thanks for your encouraging response, it gives me hope that one is out there somewhere... just a matter of finding it.

[Walt G]

Mentioning that that color sales catalog even exists lets us know that they were even printed. You can't look for something, ask for it unless you know at least one has been seen and proves they were made. This has happened tome several times when over the years I casually mentioned and interest in something and someone perked up and said " really - would you like to see.............." It has happened at places like Hershey and at antique stores as well. The end results on several occasions were spectacular and the end result was some great things to add to my archives or toy collection .

[1937hd45]

Good point Walt! You never know what someone may have, and some highly unlikely people may have it. When I worked at the restoration shop once a month a Springfield Rolls owner would stop in. Over the years we had heard every story about his car, and he always wound up talking about the camshaft and lifters. One day he parked close to the door and unloaded several boxes of paper, he wanted me to have them, 1948-1952 issues of Hot Rod magazine and California Timing Association newsletters, all with his address on them. You just never know what people saved from their past. Glad I was the one that listened to all his Rolls-Royce stories. 

 

Bob 

[30DodgePanel]

8 hours ago, Walt G said:

Mentioning that that color sales catalog even exists lets us know that they were even printed. You can't look for something, ask for it unless you know at least one has been seen and proves they were made. This has happened tome several times when over the years I casually mentioned and interest in something and someone perked up and said " really - would you like to see.............." It has happened at places like Hershey and at antique stores as well. The end results on several occasions were spectacular and the end result was some great things to add to my archives or toy collection .

 

So true.

I know that they exist because I'd seen one years ago when I was green to research long before I started studying these old trucks and didn't even realize how priceless it was until now. It was very expensive (for my budget at the time) so I didn't pull the trigger, I wanted to but just couldn't justify it. I'd watched it for months wondering what the heck it was (I owned a Chrysler Business Coupe 66 then, so I had little interest in DB trucks). I know they exist, and I kick myself daily to think I could have owned one. Live and learn....

[Restorer32]

I passed the catalog on to Fred Rosenmiller for whom we restored 3 York built cars. He also had a Model A with a Martin Parry body. He retired and his collection was dispersed several years ago. You might check with the York County Historical Society.  He may have donated his extensive collection of York auto paperwork.