Hot Rods Drug Home: 1917 Dodge Brothers Touring (& Halloween Yard Art)

Thanks for all the info guys, this is all going to come in VERY HANDY when I get into this build.

Until that time, she sure makes for GREAT YARD ART!

And check out how bitchin that track nose looks on this car!

 

I cant wait to see how this one turns out

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Thanks, yeah I'm pretty jazzed about how the car looks with the track nose. It's definitely staying in the build pile for this one.

 

I Like it!!

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You should check out "the lively set" movie it has a Dodge bodied T style bucket. Google it if you care to.

 

I need a windshield frame exactly like the one pictured for my 1919 Dodge Touring, anybody?

 

@verde742 I'm not sure I'll part with mine, but I see them constantly on epay misidentified as Model T by sellera who just have no clue what they are.

 

Thats awesome, at least it makes for good entertainment value until you get to build it. The track nose looks good too.

Btw, i was cruising eBay and did a search for "Dodge Brothers" like i usually do and a door popped up for sale. I don't know if it's what you need but i believe its still up.

 

Yeah there's usually a couple up there, but knowing I'm getting the exact one I need is a concern.

I'll go take a look though, thanks.

 

Not that I need to add more HEAVY SHIT to my parts hoard, but there's a 1954 plymouth flathead 6 with trans for sale near me cheep, what are folks' opinion of that mill for this car?

 

I think that would be the Spitfire 6?? All I know about them is rebuild kits seem to be almost as pricey as that of a Hemi. If it is decent needing only gaskets, softplugs, and some attention I think it would be a nice little power plant for you.

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I think that'd be pretty damn cool. You could hop it up a little and with the right gearing it'd move the car right along.

I'm pretty sure I know the engine you're talking about as I saw it for sale too. For the price it's a great deal. Even if you don't use it you ought to be able to re-sell for more than what they're asking. Unless of course there's something really wrong with it and that's why the price is so low.

 

Yeah, but I've really taken to disliking trying to buy/sell heavy items. They take up precious floor space and they're difficult to move around with the way my property is set up. I've already got 3 engines and 4 transmissions that I'm tripping over or aren't stored properly. For a car I won't get to for a couple years that might be too much of a burden to snag right now at any price. Plus I lose a whole day any time I go get something big and or heavy between travel and unloading, no matter how close it is.

There are speed parts for those flat 6's though, aren't there?

As for gearing, plan was to use a Champ QC rear anyway so dialing that in would be a breeze.

 

I hear ya on the running out of space, I'm in the same boat. Either I need to stop buying or learn to pack things away better.

The following guy makes flathead 6 hop up equipment:

http://www.edgyspeedshop.com/products.html

You can also find dual carb intakes on eBay. Just saw one last night for $699. You can also find dual exhaust headers there too. I just saw a set at a swap meet this weekend, can't remember the price.

 

Lit up the Halloween Yard Art this weekend:

 

You need to play phantom engine revving as the kids get near. That's rad.

 

So, now that the 4' of snow has burned down to a foot or so and I can actually SEE this car again, It's been back on my mind... not that I don't have my other project and 100 other things I should be thinking about...

I've been keeping an eye out for engine candidates that would make for a cool build up of this roller... but early HEMI stuff is hard to come by in my neck of the woods and it's EXPENSIVE. Not to rule it out, but it would push this further to the sideline.

The inline Flat 6's pop up from time to time but they still seem a tad pricey (that may be because they tend to be fresh pulled runners though). Does anybody know if there is a bell conversion to mate these to a flathead trans? I ask because I've got several banjos and one has the bells from a truck that's set up for parallel leaf. I also have an intact 47 torque tube that might be the right length as it sits to get where it needs to go in that long frame.

Now that I've beaten around the bush enough, any thoughts on just dropping in a Ford Flathead? I've seen it done and though I really like the MOPAR in a Dodge Bros idea, it's WAY easier to find decent flathead ford stuff around here.

I found a pic of one (ignore the bucktooth radiator):

 

Started a round of work on the DB. Installing a Ford Banjo with truck bells for the parallel leaf. Trying to figure out what U bolts to use is proving a brain teaser. I'm not convinced a set of OE Ford U Bolts will reach. I've got the lower brackets for the bells though.

I was looking at some cheapo auto parts store cut-to-lentgh u bolts, AutoCraft Square U Bolt 9/16X2.5X12 but I'm not convinced they'll fit either since I can't find the complete measurements for the OE u bolts, which I think are 21C-5701-B, anywhere thus-far.

I'm contemplating just drilling some flats and bolting it on that way for the sake of being able to roll it around.



I'm also thinking I'm going to brush it down, hit it with converter and lacquer primer since it's gonna sit a while longer if I don't end up selling it this season, which I've decided to try. So, this year's Halloween 17 DB Yard Art will feature a For Sale Sign.

 

Pulled some more pictures from the internet. Posting here for future reference and inspiration, since I keep flip flopping on what to do with this car. This one looks like it's got a Dodge or Plymouth flat six in it.

Not sure how I'd tie that to a Ford rear end with a torque tube. Is there an easy adapter for a Ford trans to MOPAR 6? The easier and cheaper it is to add things to this car the better, since I'm using it as a distraction project when I need a break from overthinking my lakester build.

Also, DB guys, what hubs will fit the original spindles? Just period Dodge Brothers hubs or is there something easier to source that works?

 

Hey Pat, Duff spring on Mystic ave. Medford. They will make anything spring related, including u-bolts. Tell Frank I said hello

 

I'll keep it in mind if the off the shelf route does not bear fruit and if I end up building this out for myself for real. Right now I'm just mocking up and getting it to roll so I can do more epic yard art and maybe attract a buyer. As she sits, it'd be a PITA to load on to a trailer.

 

I focused on the 17 all weekend. The U bolts I bought didn't line up right (the measurements were misstated online) so I had to cut and drill some angle Friday night and TRY to find some appropriate bolts at the HW store. I ended up with 7" 1/2-13 Galvanized because that was the ONLY thing they had in stock that had any hope of fitting; I'm not going to go down the road like this anyway so, whatever, they fit. I think the OE Ford U bolts with the 7 1/2" length would work here.

Getting the rear end under there was much more of an undertaking than it could have been. Once I finally got the whole thing up high enough and the springs lined up with the pads, it snapped together pretty easy. It took me 2 days to do this though. The dog was not much help.

I discovered the hard way that I should have put the pas side hub on before I put the rear under there. As it sits, I can't get it on because of the proximity to the shed. I'm going to have to get some help and either drag it away or tip the whole thing on its side. I'm 3/4 rolling now though!





I'm also using the '17 as the subject of my paint thread, RATTLE CAN LACQUER PAINT JOB TECH, to get a coat on. I've gotten the grill shell so far.

 

My neighbor came by and showed me how it's done, as usual. He put that piece of plywood underneath, straightened its rollers, jacked it up and told me to PULL! Hub and wheel went on fine after that and I was able to roll her out from behind the shed to get cleaned up.



As I mentioned previously, I'm also using the '17 as the subject of my paint thread for Tech Week, RATTLE CAN LACQUER PAINT JOB (TECH WEEK), go check it out so you can follow along in depth there for what's going on with the paint and rust treatment. Here's some pictures from that thread of where I got this weekend:

 

Started templating and planning a new door(s) for the touring last night. The rust converter is still curing according to the instructions on the bottle.



Now to figure out how I want to doll the edges to look like the originals.

 

What are the edges of the door supposed to look like, can you post a close up pic? Maybe you can create the detail(s) using a custom die in a bead roller.

-Chris

 

Like the rear doors, with the flat band all around. I shouldn't need anything special. I should be able to step the edge up then roll the outside down with that I've got. It's very tempting to just make them with the lip at the top and just tip along the door outline though.

 

I assume you've seen this picture already but just in case, my favorite Dodge bodied hotrod, don't know any more about it.

 

I've got primer on the 17 now. Hopefully she'll be in paint this weekend. Here's a couple shots from my Tech Week Thread, TECH WEEK - RATTLE CAN LACQUER PAINT JOB:




Night time with the Ice Flame light running:

 

You know you could build a nice modified by cutting the body behind the forward part of the rear door and sliding it forward.

As for the engine I would go ply/dodge 6! They are surpriseing for what they are. And light years ahead of a flathead Ford. Modern distributor, oil pump, water pump etc. They suffer from sucky carbs and poorly designed bearings. But have a better trans than a Ford.

My 37 engine runs a flange on the back of the trans. I am building a small adaptor plate to run a common spicer driveshaft flange with 1310 u joints.. Simple

 

If All I had was the body, I'd turn it into a Modified for sure, but for this car, I'd need to shorten the frame, which I don't want to do. With what's there, I think a tub is a good thing to make out of it. I think there's room in the world for hot rods that seat four.

I've considered that engine many times. Right now though, the only ones around me are priced a little high and/or have sat disassembled for years.

Currently there's a full setup out of a 47 truck with a stuck block for sale cheap that I'm debating putting a call in on. I'd have grabbed it already if I had more free time and a good way to move heavy stuff around my property. Right now, I don't have any good way to move 600lbs of iron across my yard and I don't have any room to spare in the shop. But the brakes, axle, steering and trans would be great, particularly if the block will unstick with mystery oil.