Guest Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 I'm still trying to figure out for sure what car I have. Many people have been trying to help and the closet I 've come yet was from somone on here. He said he thought my car is a 1931 Dodge. I tend to agree with him that it looks a lot like a 1931 Dodge. The cowl vents match, the cowl light holes match and even the contour on the visor looks the same. The difference is the door hinges my car has 2 and the only 31 Dodge picture I've been able to find shows 3 hinges. There is also a body contour point or crown on the top of my cowl and I can't tell if the Dodge in the picture has this contour. I'm attaching a photo showing what I have tried to describe. Thanks again to all who helped me try and figure this thing out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 I looked at the Dodge book again and I'm ready to bet money it is a 1931 Dodge. Only one photo shows a bit of the top of the cowl and it has that return scollop, in the center. One other item I just noticed is the last photo of the sun visor, that center dart shows in several closed bodied cars. All three photos of 3 windows have two door hinges. If you don't build it do I get first refusal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R W Burgess Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 Uh Oh!, There goes the neighborhood. Bob wants another car for the back yard. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 Wayne,Thanks for your help...is there anyway you can e-mail your Dodge Pic. I found a 31 Dodge on a web site and can't seem to find it again. It was black and for sure had 3 door hinges. If you can't e-mail the pic can you provide the title, author etc. of your book. my e-mail iniguy@direcway.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 iniguy, I think you got Wayne and I confused, I'm the guy with the big rust colletion, Wayne has the fast moving Peterbilt. You don't need to know what he hauls,but the folks are glad to get rid of it. I found that 3 window on a Google search, NICE car! Dodge offered two series in 1931, maybe the bodies differed and that is why I see two hinges in the book and the one on the internet has three. The internet car doesn't have the visor,and the cowlvents are filled.The book I have is The Dodge story by Thomas A. McPherson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 Well thanks Thomas.I am way out of my league on this real old stuff. I am learning though. This a great site and thanks to all!Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeSoto Frank Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Iniguy,I think you probably have a late '30 or '31 Dodge Brothers... all of the '30-'31 MoPar coupes are very similar: with the arched door windows, "cadet" visor with the raised "peak" embossed into it, twin cowl vents....The unique characteristic about the DB over the other three marques is the placement of the cowl lights: DB had them farther back on the cowl, towards the windshield post, whereas Chrysler, De Soto and Plymouth all had them mounted on the "surcingle" band, right at the rear edge of the hood.If you can, take a tape measure and see of you can approximate the wheelbase of the chassis (going from the mid-points between the front & rear spring shackle and respective eye mounting to "locate" the axle position; or using the rebound cushions on the frame rails if they're still there) and post that info... if we have a clue as to wheelbase, we might get a closer ID....Dodge Bros., De Soto and Chrysler all offered both six and eight cylinder model series between 1930 & 32, so there's still many possibilties....I spent about an hour scanning my 1920-1939 Car Spotter's guide trying to get a definitive answer.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Frank,I sure appreciate the help. I'll get the tape out and send you a PIC of the cowl light mounting area.ThanksDave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ply33 Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Starting in 1930 Chrysler used a simple ascending numerical serial number for cars. For the 1930's the serial number is on the front passenger (right) door hinge post.The range of numbers was different for each make and factory.So if you can find the serial number deciding what it is should be easy. I have numbers for Plymouth but believe that the Standard Catalog lists numbers for Chrysler, Dodge, DeSoto and Imperial so finding a match should not be too hard.There should also be a body number tag on the engine side of the firewall, this will be a different sequence of numbers (and possibly alphanumerics). Body numbers are not very useful for tracking this vintage Chrysler product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 OK Frank,I have attached the PIC you requested if it's not correct let me know. As for the wheel base... I centered up between the front spring mounts and dropped a line down to the floor. On the back...the rear portion of the spring mount is gone, but there looks to be a reinforcement plate mounted to the the bottom of the frame "maybe a snubber plate" looks like it would be right over the top of the axle. I also measured the rear wheel radius and divided by 2 and dropped a line to the floor. I then eye-balled it all and I'm getting a wheel base center to center of 114". One other thing the rear fenders on this car have a larger radius than my 31 Plymouth PA.Thanks againDave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 Thank you for looking into the serial number issue. The problem is I looked this thing over with a magnifying glass and there is not a tag left anywhere. There is a number however die stamped almost in the middle of the firewall engine side. That number is 228. I have attched a PIC of that number.Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Hoover Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 iniguy,From looking at your earlier picture from your other post, I believe your car is a '31 Chrysler CM Coupe. The frame looks correct for a CM as far as I can tell from the photo. The serial number was also stamped in several locations on the frame. See if you can locate one and also see if it doesn't start out with CM. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 Based on the help I've received I want to say thanks to all, but we still don't know for sure what this ol' rusted hull really is? I am going to look the frame over from end to end for numbers and I have attached a few more pics in my last few posts. We think the wheel base is 114" and a new possibility has surfaced. One fellow here seems to think it might be a 31 Chrysler CM Coupe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeSoto Frank Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 Aaaaaaaaaaaaargh !Went back to the books and stared at the pictures again, until I was going cross-eyed!Looks like Chrysler, Dodge and De Soto all had models within the 112"-115" wheelbase range.Also, regarding cowl-light placement: Dodge Brothers had two cowl-light placements: one series had them back by windshield post (not so w/ your mystery coupe) ,the other series DB (as well as the Chrysler & De Soto) all had the cowl lights set back slightly from the the surcingle band. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />I am condfident of one thing; it does not appear to be Plymouth.Are the motor mount brackets still on the frame? Should be one set of holes on the front crossmember, and either frame brackets or another crossmemberunder the cowling...if so, what's the distance between them?Maybe we can figure out the make by comparing motor-mount locations ?Your first picture of the right side of the cab shows no vent on the side of the cowl...is there a side vent on the driver's side ?Frnak McMullen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 Frank,Yes a vent on each side of the cowl, I have a pic of it posted here somewhere. I am attaching a pic of the left motor mount bracket and will post right after this post a passenger side trans mount pic. The trans mounts have rubber also. I am only guessing based on the distance 30" between the trans mount and motor mount that this car was a 6 or 8 cylinder. I agree with you this is not a Plymouth. So that leaves desoto, chrysler and dodge brothers. One other interesting thing about the frame... in the rear as it begins to sweep up over the axle it picks up an angle on the the very bottom of the frame. Its not a standard C channel rail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 Attached Pic the right side trans mount Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 4, 2003 Share Posted June 4, 2003 Hey all...just wanted everyone to know I still don't have firm answer, but I like some of the others who posted here think it's a dodge brothers piece.I really need to confirm this does anyone else have any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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