Hey, long time lurker 1st time builder. Recently picked up a 1914ish dodge truck roadster body and this 1926 T doodle bug this past weekend. Currently removing the large truck rear end in hopes to swap to a car rear axle. Hoping to utilize the t power plant as my goal is pre WWII build. The motor vin checks out as April 1926. The divorced trans says “plant number 2 syrcuse new york vin #130737. It only shifts foreward and backwards like another low and overdrive? Prob will be removing that divorced trans as well and looking for more options to transmission possibilities. I know ill be asking a ton of questions along the way so please be patient with this noob. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Has the same windshield posts and rear side panels like this 1914 dodge some other fellas helped ID it on another post that i had. The id code on the fire wall lines up with sone early dodge numbers ive been looking up as well. But might be mistaken im no expert by any stretch of the imagination Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The number on the firewall has nothing to do with serial numbers or the year. It is indeed a Dodge Brothers TOURING car front half. It is later than 1914 because first of all there were only 250 built in 1914 so finding one is extremely rare. Also the early cars didn't have hood lacing slots on the cowls and yours for sure does. The teardrop speedo hole and the glovebox narrow it down as those changed a little later. Those doors were last used on 1919 DB tourings so that sets the date before 1920. DB quit having the glovebox in 1917 from serial number 159101 overlapping to 169913 which translates to 1st of June 1917 to about July 15th 1917. 1914-15 had a 3 gang lighting switch on the left upper side which had a square hole in the dash and I can't see it but I assume it has a slot for a sawblade like choke pull on the left side instead of a round hole for the later choke plunger so that makes it between Jan 1st 1916 and April 30th 1917 since it has the round lighting/ign switch hole. The diameter of the windshield post where it goes through the cowl could narrow it down a little more. They got bigger every year or two. I'm talking about the size of the threaded lower shaft that has a big nut at the bottom. This all narrows it down to most likely a late 1916 or early 1917. BTW, serial numbers were stamped on the right frame rail and on the toe board on passenger side. Hope this helps and isn't too much useless info!! Dave
The rest of the T is earlier than 1926 as evidenced by the front crossmember, spindles and cowl and the rear end is TT Truck all on a shortened frame. If ya use the T engine and trans you will also benefit from having the auxiliary transmission as the T trans is only 2 speeds. and ya have to hold the left pedal down for Low. With Aux. trans you can have the T trans in High and the Aux in Low for pulling steep hills and High for upper?? speeds! Assuming it is overdrive and a under gear. Some have 3 speeds, under, straight through, and over. Don't use the TT rear end. They are so low geared you can almost walk faster than that! Dave Yeah, I have a lot of this crap!
Thanks everyone for the new insight on whats here. Im in the process of removing the TT truck rear axel. Under all the grime i found that the aux trans is a Warford. I might keep it? Depending on what it is. It there a way to tell what gears it has in it? Should i be sourcing a T rear end or can a model A rear end be put in the back so i can utilize better rear brakes. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Model T's don't actually have rear brakes. What they have are parking brakes only. The brake band is in the transmission. If ya break and axle or axle key ya have no brakes! My '27 T roadster has a Ruckstel 2 speed rear end with Rocky Mountain brakes. Both are almost a necessity. The Warford will replace the 2 speed rear end. Model A rear end is much advanced over the T. Get a matching front axle too so wheels are easier. Driveshaft on either will have to be shortened/modified. If ya run a T engine, spend the bucks and buy a "Z" aluminum high compression head. Night and day difference. 1926-27 had the lowest compression of all T's and weighed the most. I run a distributor too. 6 volt alternator direct bolt in replacement for the generator. Model A's have decent brakes and e-brake as well. Model A front axle has brakes too, T doesn't. Warford is a good tranny. Dave
Thanks dave for all the i sight. I do have a 40 ford drop i beam axle that that has had bat wing plates on it to run suicide front. So I might entertain that beam as a possibility. I do like the look of suicide front ends. Picked it up recently at the last NSRA show in kalamazoo Michigan. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
From what i understand Gow job is a term that predates the saying of hotrod? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I would say it “go-job” even though it has a w in it. Lol like go man go. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Well made small progress this week. Removed the TT truck rear axel out. And the frozen front rims off. Set the Dodge body on the frame to get an idea on where new body mounts need to be made. And start re-enforcing the body so its jigged right and the doors can close. Need to source a rear cross member and rear axel. The Pioneer auto show and swap meet at the St Joseph county fairgrounds are next month. They usually cater toward older hot rods. So im hoping to find some stuff to score there. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Going to grapht the front fire wall out of what the doodle bug had and put it in where the dodge has nothing. Lets hope it confuses some folks. Lol Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
@hillbilly4008, it's pronounced like Cow. Great uncle Bill let me know this, he was a veteran of Muroc dry lake racing. Some old hot rod movies had the proper 'zest' on it, like "Hot Rod, 1950." Jimmy Lydon was on the outs with some of the kids, and walked up to a 'Gow job' with some guys around it. A tough guy was heard to say, "Ought to get plenty of GOW with that setup..." (cow)
For future reference: One of the old sayings was: "Ford for gow, Chevy for plow". Said so it rhymes. Guess you had to be there back then along w/a all the other slang-of-the-day. Marcus...
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