1917 Dodge Center Door Sedan Michigan $10,500

[Hudsy Wudsy]

I guess that I shouldn't be surprised by this, but I've never seen a Dodge center door sedan before. We've all seen Model T center doors, I'm sure, but this is new to me. It's been years, but if I remember right the Ford center door was all about offering an enclosed sedan body at a weight that the little 20 hp engine could cope with -- four

doors added too much weight! When they did finally offer a four-door body, it had aluminum doors for the first couple of years to keep the weight down. My knowledge of Fords is limited so beyond that, any one of you knows more than I. This '17 Dodge appears to have a really cute interior in addition to it's other qualities.

Marketplace - 1917 Dodge Brothers Touring | Facebook

 

Edited August 27, 2022 by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history)

[trimacar]

I've had a number of Dodge Brothers cars, still have a 1927 fast four (Ha!) cabriolet.

 

Have known about center doors, they are neat.  Wire wheels, nice interior, decent paint.....as far as I'm concerned this is a bargain for the car.  Similar to Model T center door, but twice the car for the time period.  Even more or less correct color, I think they were darker blue.  Lots of steel, so no worries about wood rot.

 

Someone needs to jump on this one, and I have no interest in it's sale, just my 50 plus years of enjoying Dodge Brothers reliability.  As WC Fields said, ah yes, if I were a younger man.....

[wayne sheldon]

This one really hurts! But where is it? 

I was beginning to look for a car to buy, then got hit by an unexpected major expense. So no buying a car for awhile yet for me.

 

Not all Dodge bodies were all steel construction! I do not know if the center-door sedan was or not? I know of slightly later four passenger coupes that had wood structure like most cars of the era did. I knew a couple people that owned them. One was a 1925, the other I think about 1922?

Touring cars and roadsters from the beginning, and the regular coupes as well as I think both the two-door and four-door sedans of the 1920s I think were all steel. The center-door sedans of the 1910s, I just don't know, and doubt any book I have would say for sure.

[John_S_in_Penna]

8 hours ago, wayne sheldon said:

...The center-door sedans of the 1910s, I just don't know, and doubt any book I have would say for sure.

I saw a Dodge ad, I believe from 1923, proclaiming their

all-steel bodies.  Therefore, period Dodge literature may

give the answer.

[Mark Huston]

9 hours ago, wayne sheldon said:

This one really hurts! But where is it? 

Croswell, Michigan 

 

 

Edited August 28, 2022 by Mark Huston (see edit history)

[wayne sheldon]

Thank you Mark H. But it still hurts.

I generally do not do Facebook.

[42319DB34]

DB Convertible Sedans were built for 3 years 

Manufactured  100% in-house by DB in Hamtramck ( note badge on lower right cowl )

Unlike the Budd All-Steel bodies on touring and roadsters ,the so called 

“ center door “ sedan was constructed with steel skin over wood frame structure 

many ,as this one appears to have the ( 4 ) removable pillars which store beneath 

the rear seat , rear quarter windows are removable like wise ,and store  in a compartment behind the rear seat ,doors are rear hinge mounted ,door glass drops 

( by strap ) into each door ,this accomplished one has an open touring sedan with front bucket seat and a rear bench , 5 Wire wheels (25”) were standard , on both the sedan and coupe with removable ( 2) pillars .

Early cars had ‘bale’ type handles ,later cars the bore conventional  (T) type handle 

Sedans were just shy of 7 feet tall at the rear most point 

They were fitted with dome light and switch , 2 piece articulating windshield 

Internal door lock on left ( drivers door) ,External lock ( Yale ) with vertical cover provided  to secured passengers door

Bodies were DB Blue , fenders , hood ,cowl  black , wheels finished in cream and 

cream pinstripe accented the blue body lines.

 

 

 

Edited September 3, 2022 by 42319DB34 (see edit history)

[Hudsy Wudsy]

On 8/28/2022 at 3:02 PM, wayne sheldon said:

Thank you Mark H. But it still hurts.

I generally do not do Facebook.

Are you unable to click on the link that I provided?

[wayne sheldon]

16 minutes ago, Hudsy Wudsy said:

Are you unable to click on the link that I provided?

This time? Yes. Often, FB links will not load on my computer, I don't know why. My wife does Facebook a fair amount, likes a bunch of their groups. Sometimes, if there is something I want to look at, she will pull it up on her computer for me to see it.

Other times, her FB account gets hacked, she suddenly has hundreds of "friends" all around the world spamming her page and email with horrible, or pointless, or obscene BULL C---!

And then she wonders why I want nothing to do with it?

[Hudsy Wudsy]

16 hours ago, wayne sheldon said:

This time? Yes. Often, FB links will not load on my computer, I don't know why. My wife does Facebook a fair amount, likes a bunch of their groups. Sometimes, if there is something I want to look at, she will pull it up on her computer for me to see it.

Other times, her FB account gets hacked, she suddenly has hundreds of "friends" all around the world spamming her page and email with horrible, or pointless, or obscene BULL C---!

And then she wonders why I want nothing to do with it?

Interesting. I'm sorry to hear that. I don't know much about the subject I'm afraid.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

20 hours ago, 42319DB34 said:

DB Convertible Sedans were built for 3 years 

Manufactured  100% in-house by DB in Hamtramck ( note badge on lower right cowl )

Unlike the Budd All-Steel bodies on touring and roadsters ,the so called 

“ center door “ sedan was constructed with steel skin over wood frame structure 

many ,as this one appears to have the ( 4 ) removable pillars which store beneath 

the rear seat , rear quarter windows are removable like wise ,and store on a compartment behind the rear seat ,doors are rear hinge mounted ,door glass drops 

( by strap ) into each door ,this accomplished one has an open touring sedan with front bucket seat and a rear bench , 5 Wire wheels (25”) were standard , on both the sedan and coupe with removable ( 2) pillars .

Early cars had ‘bale’ type handles ,later cars the bore conventional  (T) type handle 

Sedans were just shy of 7 feet tall at the rear most point 

They were fitted with dome light and switch , 2 piece articulating windshield 

Internal door lock on left ( drivers door) ,External lock ( Yale ) with vertical cover provided  to secured passengers door

Bodies were DB Blue , fenders , hood ,cowl  black , wheels finished in cream and 

cream pinstripe accented the blue body lines.

 

 

 

Thank you for all of that info!

[RAH]

Guys, This one is a rare model. Yes it had a wooden frame body covered in steel panels supplied by Budd. I had a very late '18 years ago and driving one is an experience. You will notice that the driver seat is up against the side which puts you off to the left of center of the steering wheel.  Those 'Bucket' seats are spread apart to provide access to the front compartments and as such are a Royal pain to do any work on the dashboard (gauges, switches, speedo). I kind of miss the ole girl but am not in a position to make that kind of purchase right now. Here is a pic of my late '18 center door sedan next to a friend's early '19 four door sedan some years ago at a meet.. Looks like twins at a meet until closer inspection and counting doors and the like.  Enjoy!

[RAH]

Just an addition to the above comments. The Dodge Brothers closed cars (sedan and coupe) were produced from late '16 to late '23 and were wooden frame bodies. I also have a '22 type A sedan that is wood frame. It is rumored the Brothers Dodge did not have trust in a wooden body with their weight or something. You will notice that the "All Steel" closed cars were NOT produced until after the demise of both Brothers Dodge. Enjoy!

[RAH]

Just one more thing (I promise). You will note the only side door on the 'Center Door" is in the exact position as the rear door on the Four door so there may have been some anticipation of the 'Next' model? 

[wayne sheldon]

For whatever it is worth?

About thirty years ago, I had a 1916 model T Ford center-door sedan. It was an old 1950s restoration of a solid original car, that had a lot of wrong parts on it. A previous owner took the car almost completely apart to re-restore it, and then lost interest. After a few other owners, I got it, and restored it myself. I replaced nearly all the wrong parts with proper era pieces, and freshened up the 1950s paint (it was very nice!). I then drove it on tours with several clubs for awhile. My wife wanted us to get a bigger car, so we sold the center-door sedan to buy the 1915 Studebaker we had for many years.

Some people don't like the center-door sedans. They complain about how difficult they are to get in and out of. My model T had the same slightly offset driver's seat (took a bit of getting used to!). I took the passenger seat out to change the transmission bands, and found that easy enough to do.

I really enjoyed that car! As much as I loved the Studebaker, I really wish I could have kept that center-door sedan. It was wonderfully different. I had the only one everywhere I took it. Getting in and out with passengers sitting in the back was difficult to do gracefully, but in general, I never found it difficult for me otherwise.

I would love to have another center-door sedan, model T Ford or any other marque that offered them.

[Leif in Calif]

I've always liked and been intrigued by "center doors". Why did they put the door in the middle like that?  They knew where the doors should be in roadsters and touring cars, so why split the difference and make it awkward for both front and rear passengers?  Was it left from carriage practice?  

Edited September 2, 2022 by Leif in Calif
miss spelling (see edit history)

[wayne sheldon]

History in the context of its time. There were two real reasons for placing the door in the center that way. One, was structural. With a full box frame forward and rearward of the door, the body was easier to make strong and relatively safe.

The other reason was simply cultural. It was a natural progression from enclosed horse drawn carriages to place the door that way. Horse drawn carriages usually had the driver/horseman sitting high outside up front. Smaller enclosed carriages may have had only a single seat with the door forward of the seat and behind the driver. Larger enclosed carriages often had two seats inside, with the door located in the center like this. The forward seat would face to the rear so that passengers could carry on conversations.

When adapted to a motorcar, the driver of course needed to face forward, and often the front passenger also faced forward. It should be pointed out that some sedans and larger coupes during the 1910s would have the driver facing forward, but the front passenger facing to the rear! )I have ridden in such a car!).

By the end of the 1910s, most manufacturers had gone to what we would now consider more familiar styles of four-door and two-door sedans, coupes, and coaches.

[RAH]

Guys, Like I said the Dodge Brothers 'Center Door' sedan door was NOT in the center of the body. Rather it was in the exact place where the rear door on the fore door sedan was located. I presume they were using diagrams and dimensional data for the 4 door ahead of anticipated production of the 4 door. Perhaps to get sedans in production to test the market, so to speak. Just sayin'.

[RAH]

AND, look at the pictures of that '17 DB 'Center Door' if the door was in the center of the body panels you will imagine a LOT of leg room for the rear passengers and squeezing carefully past and around the back of the front seat to enter.  I seriously doubt Horse Drawn carriages had any significant influence on their design!