1922 Dodge Bros. Touring question

[Max4Me]

Planning to look at a 1922 Dodge Bros. Touring car. Owner said it has a starter/generator combo. I am not familiar with that set up. Are there issues with that setup? My thoughts are if one dies the other goes with it. Thoughts, please.

[nearchoclatetown]

No, one of mine quit starting but charged when I cranked it to get it running. Ran it like that for a while until I had it fixed. 

[Max4Me]

3 minutes ago, nearchoclatetown said:

No, one of mine quit starting but charged when I cranked it to get it running. Ran it like that for a while until I had it fixed.

Excellent.  Exactly what I needed to know. Glad to have learned something new today! Many thanks for your response.

[mrspeedyt]

A combination generator-starter was somewhat common back in the teens and 20s. Both my 23 Buick and my 26 Dodge were set up like that.

[Max4Me]

3 hours ago, mrspeedyt said:

A combination generator-starter was somewhat common back in the teens and 20s.

Thanks for the education. I need to get around more. Most of my work has been on Chevys, Fords and T’s, and my Maxwell. I hadn’t even heard of the combo system.  This is one of the things I really like about this forum-knowledgeable people willing to share their information with those of us that don’t know. My thanks to both of you. 

 

After looking at the car I‘m not sure I’m buying it. Pretty rough shape, question about the title and hasn’t been registered since 1989.

 

On the bright (?) side, on the way home I saw a 1941 firetruck for sale. That would be a challenge I’d take on if the price is right. 🤪

 

By the way, mrspeedyt, enjoyed Kingman when visiting my son. He taught there for two years until he decided teaching wasn’t for him. 

Edited August 27, 2022 by Max4Me (see edit history)

[Mark Gregush]

There were even a couple of different brands of add on starter/generators for the Model T that could be put on the pre starter cars. 

[mrspeedyt]

as to reliability i only have the little experience with my 23 buick and 26 dodge. no problems with either. but I would imagine that in the long run it would have issues just like any other car with a generator and or starter. it was different to start up the car by switching on the starter and listening to it get up to operating RPM before engaging the starter pedal. definitely different. it would take about 5 to 10 seconds depending on how cold it was. then you would push the starter pedal. I didn’t drive either car very much at all. One of the issues is that I was just too physically big to sit behind the wheel comfortably. 6 foot three and 235 pounds is just too big for most of these older cars.

[Max4Me]

3 hours ago, mrspeedyt said:

it was different to start up the car by switching on the starter and listening to it get up to operating RPM before engaging the starter pedal. definitely different. it would take about 5 to 10 seconds depending on how cold it was. then you would push the starter pedal.

How interesting to read how the starter works.  Amazing what was designed. Thanks for the lesson. I hear you about difficulty driving antiques. I am 6’5”, 270 lbs. Tried out a Model T runabout, hardly fit in the passenger side let alone the driver’s side with all the pedals and levers. I guess antique cars must have shrunk over all these years! (Wink, wink)

[22touring]

The Northeast starter-generator was quite dependable and a quality unit (exception; some of its pot metal parts, but they don't normally cause a problem).  It was expensive to manufacture (DB switched to 2 units to save money) and could deliver a large, continuous current output.  When a DB car was scrapped, the wrecking yard always removed its starter-generator and sold it, typically to farmers who would mount it on their tractors, driven by the PTO or belt drum, as an arc welder capable of 100-amp continuous operation.