Dodge always gets the blame, but in this case it may be correct. I'd say that door is from the late 19teens or early 1920s. There were only around 2,000 auto builders around the USA during that time frame, but many used wood as a framing structure, Dodge was mostly all steel construction for their car bodies from the beginning, in 1914. Their first (and only offering ) was a 4 door sedan with the rounded lower corners, it was built pretty much unchanged from Nov 1914 through the 1916 model year. Dodge was the # 3 auto producer in 1914-1915 (behind Ford and Willis/Overland), and was the #4 auto producer up beyond the death of the two Dodge Brothers in 1917. Walter P Chrysler bought the Dodge motor company in 1924 from the holding company that was still producing Dodge cars and trucks. According to the Standard Catalog of Chrysler, 1924-1990.
There used to be a website that you could look up a model year, and look at pictures of most of the major auto manufacturers for that specific year. Then, if you wanted, you could even break it down more by adding a brand name and look at many pictures of cars from that time frame for that specific brand, but that website no longer exists. You are looking for someone who may posses a door like you have that knows exactly what it came off of. That may take some time.
The current web page that lets you look at detailed pictures of many cars is bringatrailer.com, which is an online auction. They usually have a whole bunch of pictures inside and out, underneath, etc. But they don't have too many early cars, so that will hamper things a bit. Things like the inside door handle will help you confirm if it's the same car or not...little details like that make all the difference. in this case, there's a 1917 dodge touring car on BAT, take a look at the door on it compared to the mystery door. Is it the same? Might be? Perhaps a different year?
This is supposed to be the left rear door on a 1916 Dodge touring car according to the web. It looks close.
Heres my 2 front and 2 rear Dodge Brothers doors and the 110 year old holes they have to fill. The latch and bulge look like a decent match.
That is indeed a Dodge Brothers door. It is an early '22 and earlier DB Screenside door. They didn't have any upholstery on them like the cars did. Also, touring cars changed the doors in 1920 but the Screenside (Commercial Cars as Dodge called them) kept the early style doors thru early '22 and the roadster kept early doors thru '23 with the addition of outside handles on the roadsters starting in late '22 and '23 with all models changing to new bodies and frames in 1924. Dave
@34 GAZ Your touring body is a 1919 or earlier and your doors are '20-'22. Different doors, different hinges and won't fit that body. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Look at @squirrel 's door pics and notice the narrow forged hinge vs your wide stamped hinges. Also the top of the early doors are attached with wood screws whereas the later door tops are an integeral part of the door skin. Dave
I have'nt touched this thing in the last 20 years . Now i remember why . The big pallet became firewood and the castors went under engine stands.
The Jalopy Journal
