Projects 1922 Dodge Bros Roadster (almost none of this is true)

Wow, thanks Dave! I lack creativity and skills to do this sort of stuff, so it made me nervous to hack it up. I'm having a good time with it, now.

Thanks! That's awesome. Once I get through side two and the back, I will definitely be interested.

 

Here's my version of door repair. @lucky, being the truly wonderful guy that he is, gifted me this pristine door (to me) to replace the one that came with the car (which had a family of mice living in it that escaped out the bottom once the car was put in my garage!). I had to transfer the hinges and loosen the latch.


Spray copious amounts of "Knock 'er Loose" and PB Blaster into the affected areas. Allow to brine overnight.




While that's brining, center drill the hinge screwheads of the old door, then follow up with a 11/64 drill. Screws are 1/4-20, so that gives some wiggle room.


I skipped a few pics, but, once the heads are drilled off, the screw remains in the hinge. Gotta get them puppies out.




For the latch, I drilled a hole inside, parallel with the travel of the striker. There's the outer skin layer, then the inner structure that encases the striker.



This shows what I mean. Basically gotta punch it out. Beat it with a hammer back and forth, spray copious amounts of stuff on it, removing the handle once it starts getting loose.



Boink. There she goes.


I'm not great at keeping up with pictures, but this is the end result.

 

Next up, reassemble and see how far off it is from the body..




Fancy 1/4-20 flathead screws from Menards (woo)..


Same issues as the other side. Looks like someone pushed a grocery cart into this one.


Front lined up pretty well, with a little bit of conversation via sign language..

Much closer. Let's see if I can post a video.


Passenger side:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/nE2g5zqaEZ4

Driver's side:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rlrnT924jZw

 

wow... a true piece by piece jalopy!

 

OK, skimming through this did me no good. What part is not true?

 

Better be careful; too much more of this and you’re going to have a car.

This one’s going to be good.

 

Nice work on those doors and body!

Dave

 

I traded for it as a 1917, but @dwollam confirmed it's actually a 20-22 Dodge Brothers, at least the body parts that I'm using; the rest of it is being made up of primarily pre-war Ford pieces. It's also not a roadster, but a touring body that's been cut down.

 

First, thanks for compliments and encouragement from everyone. Other than several unforseen welder issues, its been a lot of fun so far, especially for a car I really wasn't that in to initially.

Aight fellas...I'm at a bit of an impasse. I felt like I was going to make my own rear panel with one or three pieces of sheet metal. Then I thought of the piece it came with and figured I might be able to make it fit...which I believe it could, with some work. So, I'd like some opinions on this; how did or would you do this rear panel? I'm sure there are other options I'm not thinking of, and some I'm not capable of doing.
Top pics are the panel I got with it, bottom three are a mock of a skeleton I'd wrap 18g around to make a rear.
It's admittedly pretty cool to have a fake back panel and get a feel of the completed body.

 

Looks great

 

That is actually a front seat back. Was it original to that car? Very easy to make it work nonetheless.

 

This was a touring cut in half, so, yes, it's a front seat back. This is what came screwed to the back of the body when I got it. Seems like it would be easier than making one or more all new panels, since I don't really have much for sheet metal tools.

I guess I've got nothing to lose trying to make it work..

 

Use the grab bar to tie your sleeping bag to .

 

Actually they were used for hanging blankets on to keep the back seat passengers warm in the colder climates during Winter. Some were rope and some were metal and called Robe Cords and used to store the blankets during warmer seasons.

 

I never knew that! I always told my kids on other old cars that it was the, "Look out Jimmy, you're going too fast!" rope.

 

This early Dodge was built in the mid-50's, had a long racing Drag Racing history with several different engines. Flathead, Ardun, Desoto, 426 Wedge, and 426 Hemi.

 

It looks like you may well be in the running to build a car and still have left over the car that you started with. Years ago, my father started with a model A sport coupe body and chassis and in the end, all he used was the gas tank and half of the frame. Keep it up because it's looking good!

 

Is it true that roadster guys always want coupes and coupe guys always want roadsters?

 

Nope

 

I'm a true car guy I want a Open car a closed car and a pickup

 

Roadsters are a lot of fun on days that it's not too cold or hot or wet or the forcast is for a chance of rain. Coupes are a lot of fun the rest of the time so I always say, have a closed car first and if you can swing it, get a roadster for your second street rod.

Also, I hope I didn't upset anyone with the phrase "street rod" because that is what I've been building for the last fifty years. Always 1930 to 1936 Ford steel with either steel wheels with ford caps or Halibrand magnesium or aluminum wheels and almost always shiny black if not satin black "suede". For motor, big block or small block Chevy or Ford flathead. Life is good here!

 

I very much like where this is going. My only suggestion (if it's not too late) is to sit in the car before you finalize that rear panel. Now is your chance to set the angle, width, and depth. And as I've learned from my own '26 T roadster, inches count. If you look at a T from overhead, the doors are not parallel, the body gets wider toward the back, and that width can make all the difference for seat comfort. So does the angle of the back body panel, especially if (like me) you attach your upholstery directly to it. Mock up the seat height and pedal position with chunks of wood or something if you have to. It'll be worth it.

Your door fit already looks quite good! I know I fiddled with my overlapping roadster doors quite a bit and they close and open OK but the fit is not even close to modern standards, I don't think they were even when new.

 

If "Street Rod" was good enough for Henry Gregor Felsen, then it's good enough for me. You nailed my car with the wheels and drivetrain. I'm trying to keep this one pre-1939; almost everything so far is running mid 30s. The coupe comes later; after this, I'm REALLY wanting to drag in the '40 coupe I picked up last month, but I'm trying my best to refrain until I get this DB running. I sorta have no choice since I'm all out of room.

Awesome, thanks for that advice and compliments. I haven't gotten ANYTHING done in a couple of weeks...something about the sudden Kentucky summer rolling in, and my lovely and talented wife asking for a few honey dos. I hear ya about the doors. I got a little intense with them once I cut the body apart. I figured it was now, or someone else's problem if it rusted out again 100 more years later. I'm not up to modern standards, either. ; )

 

I like it.

 

Picked up the last big piece to the puzzle yesterday. The final verdict is in! Wide 5s and cable actuated mechanical brakes it shall be!

 

Is that a V8 60 axle? Took apart a Chevy chassis for the frame, they used cables from the backing plate to the frame then rods to the pedal. Interesting setup.

 

A 60HP axle is the perfect choice for an early rod. Good score.

 

Yes sir. I've got the X member, actuator and front end from a car my buddy was pulling parts off of for one of his builds.

Thanks! I'm pretty damn excited about it.

 

This build is really interesting…. I’ve collected a bunch of pieces for a similar pet. Mine is supposed to be a 1918 Dodge touring body. Since I have a nice tub rear panel, my plan is to shorten the length of the rear section to proportions similar to a Ford body.

 

OH, that's cool as hell! That looks exactly like mine, except with the back half. Mine was sold to me as a 1917, but @dwollam told me it's a 20-22.