Off the road since 1958, and what appears to be a Victory Six model (it’s not stated), is this 1928 Dodge sedan, built the first year that Dodge was under the control of Chrysler Corporation. It’s a barn find and appears to have been well stored over the last 63 years so let’s take a look and check it out. This Dodge is located in Witchita, Kansas and is available, here on craigslist for $8,000, OBO (no, it’s not a buck!). Thanks to Sam A for this tip!
This find is continuing proof that there are a lot of old cars that have been stuffed away, everywhere, for years and some are actually in surprisingly nice condition. And true to form, they keep surfacing. This 38K mile example is in a very complete condition, showing no evidence of missing parts such as headlights, taillights, bumpers, and running boards – frequently the MIA components of cars from this era. The seller sums it up by saying, “The car has been garaged or in a barn since they stopped driving. This is a very solid car…the top is vinyl with metal cross members. The top is in really great shape for its age“. In spite of the dust and dirt, this old Dodge still has some semblance of a finish. Of note, the seller suggests that the wooden wheels will either require repair or replacement.
Again, going with the Victory Six model designation assumption would mean that this sedan has a 58 HP, 208 CI, in-line, six-cylinder engine which we are told does turn over manually. As with the rest of this sedan, the simplistic engine compartment looks complete though the wiring is looking shaky. Considering the mileage and the non-seized nature of the engine, actual engine operation may be in this Dodge’s near future.
The interior appears to be steering towards mouseville – always a problem with stored cars, cotton batting, and rodent access. Other than the obvious upholstery degradation, the environment looks original and untouched. The austere instrument panel’s gauge cluster is still fairly clear and the floor covering, at least in the rear, is in reasonable condition. What qualifies as a headliner is even in decent condition and there is a dome light attached to the middle cross-member – I never considered that possibility in a car with a fabric roof panel. As you cruise through the images, note the back seat footrest – this Dodge was designed in an era when a back seat was a back seat!
Years ago when this Dodge was parked, it was of an age (30 years) where an old-car interest in it would have existed. That interest likely grew over the years, and then, as of more recent times, has faded. That’s the conundrum with an old automobile of this generation – it’s complete and in reasonably good condition, with an unseized engine no less, but probably little interest on anyone’s part in undertaking a restoration. Refurbishment is not undertaken for investment value, it’s done for the love of an old car like this Dodge and hopefully, someone will step up and take it on, wouldn’t you agree?
My grandparents had a 1928 Dodge. My dad was driving it after he got back from WW2.
It was rotting in peace in the 1960’s. I’m sure what was left sold in the farm sale of 1967.
These were $100 cars in the early 60’s. The junkyards were full of them. I should have bought a couple dozen !
I shoulda been an astronaut but i didnt…
Why? Did they say you were taking up space in school?
I see what you did there…
All the old cars I wanted to keep over the years…too bad having a place to keep them (safe and dry) is the hardest part. It’s not like collecting stamps!
In the 1960s my dad and my granddad owned gas stations and my granddad I remember bought a 34 Ford pickup from this man that he bought it new and he gave him $45 for it my dad I can remember sold several old cars to a scrapper that come through for $8 a piece this was in East Texas
Nice old Dodge and would be interesting to restore it. Hope someone does.
This car is remarkably well-preserved. I fully expect the next owner to repair only what is necessary to make it roadworthy, then show it as-is. Every original car has a story behind it. Every restored car has a checkbook behind it.
and usually a fool who spent too much and waited too long for the end product.
Is this the same basic engine as was used up until 1959? (and even a little longer in Rams) In my old age I tend to forget so much, sure looks like an L Head. Can anyone tell me for sure?
I have a 1929 Dodge DA and that has a similar but different engine, I believe they changed again for 1930 to a Chrysler sourced unit and that was the engine than ran up to the 60’s as a slant 6.
My Canadian built Dodge lives in London England and I bought it in Westville South Africa, it is RHD.
Hi Pat. Did you buy this car from Dave Ryan in SA? If so it is the car that I rescued for him from a farm in Ixopo. Dave changed the engine as the original had a siezed piston and bent conrod. Regards, Ken Tilly
I have a 1930 Dodge and it has a flat head straight six, not a slant six.
The guy I bought it from was ex Rhodesia, he also has a 33 Plymouth 5 window coupe that he made me buy, I bought an Austin 7 from you to fill the container, bought it in 2003.
Those were the days hey Pat. Now you are in Ireland, I am in UK, and we are both on an American website. The world really is gettig smaller and smaller.
SoloSolo,
In the 1980s I used to sell vintage Rolls-Royce spares. One of my clients lived in Dallas, Texas, and we spoke several times a year by phone. I live in Maryland.
One year I was in my stall at the Beaulieu Autojumble when a man picked up a Flying Lady mascot and asked about it. I immediately recognized his voice, and I asked are you Joe from Dallas? and he also recognized my voice. Yep, we finally met out in a field in south central England!
Thanks to the old car hobby, things like that continue to happen to me.
Very similar but mine was dark blue with wooden wheels, the cowl lights were further forward,
Now that is what i call a Barn Find.
Nice to restore providing you can find parts. When you have a car like this its a shame to cut and weld. Some clown will buy it and turn it into another street rod with a Hemi in it, flame flipflop paint and big tires.
There is zero point in restoring this car to bone stock. I’d build this car stock appearing including the interior but give it a modern driveline and suspension. Why restore a car that will sit in the garage all year and maybe run in a parade when you can build it to be fun and reliable? I’d want to be able to put some miles on this stately ol gal.
These cars were fine on the highway, why a modern drive train? If you just must have more than 60HP, transplant in a late 50s 230 flat head. Looks and sounds original but you will have 50% more HP. See, a compromise, something no one wants to do these days.
@Gary this car has wood spoke wheels. You really want to run that on the highway? Compromise is great and all, but I’m into building cars safe for todays roads so 120 HP in a car this size just won’t cut it for me.
HOO-boy …
Ok…I guess I won’t suggest “drop in a Hemi” on this one….. I agree with CCFisher…. Restore enough to make it safe and clean it all up and DRIVE IT….. Damn I really like it …!!👍👍🇺🇸
What happened to the guy who wants to put a 318 Poly in everything?
I have owned my DA for 18 years and daily drove it in the summer until I retired four years ago, I alternated it with my BMW 2002 touring, still use it for local trips, longest day trip was a 200 mile round trip to the Goodwood revival twice! I plan to add a stand alone overdrive as the gearing is too low for motorway use, over here trucks are limited to 60 MPH but it is revving too much to keep up with them,
This is a landmark in automotive history. It is the first sedan (and the first car ever) with a body that was designed to make full use of the properties of steel. There is no wooden frame, and thus no rotten structural wood to replace ans the body panels are part of the stress carrying structure.
I hooe the buyer ov this car recognizes itsj historical significance and doesn’t chop it up. The restoration should be fairly easy, with a turning engine, no missing parts and no rotten wood. This is a very good buy.
That was my first thought, bet the wooden body frame needs replacing, glad that isn’t the case. The wooden wheels definitely need replacing, but would look great with new oak polished to a high sheen. This would look great restored to bone stock, maybe used to ferry people from the airport to a Victorian B & B in the mountains.
Ferrying travelers in this car sounds quaint but you better hope they don’t have much luggage lol.
That roof could hold a large luggage rack.
Dream on someone will buy thinking wow this will cool to restore ,
O it going to cost how much, back in the burn it goes,
I would love to buy this car and turn it into my daily driver. I would have it painted in its original colours, get the engine and transmission overhauled, get the interior redone in original where necessary and keep what is still intact in place. There are wooden wheel restorers here in Canada, let alone Stateside. I would drive it at reasonable speeds and use it to motor around town. I would keep one of my modern cars as a backup but would prefer to use it whenever possible. What a car!