The colorful, roistering Dodge Brothers had sadly been gone a decade when their company, recently purchased by Mr. Walter P. Chrysler, introduced a car of which they most likely would have thoroughly approved: the Dodge Eight DC. Introduced smack dab into the Great Depression, the poor eight-cylinder Dodge never gained traction with its potential audience, and it was canceled after 1933. Those that survive, however, are an uncommon reminder that Chrysler, at least under its founding namesake, was a company that took some chances (cough, cough…Airflow). Of the 25,127 DCs built in a prolonged 1930 model year (that included some early 1931 models in the tabulation), 20,315 of them were sedans such as this solid example that you can now find on eBay in Cincinnati, Ohio. The seller has been posting some interesting no reserve cars lately, and this 47,982-mile Dodge is no exception. The current high bid is just $1,559.

The DC’s engine was a traditional flathead straight eight displacing 220.7 cubic inches. With an extremely undersquare architecture (2.88 inch bore x 4.25 inch stroke), the Dodge produced 75 horsepower, not bad for 1930. It’s barely visible in this photograph, but Dodge beat a lot of its competition to the punch with a downdraft carburetor, which was still something of a novelty in an era where the updraft was king. Mechanical access is excellent, with the distributor practically handing its points to the waiting mechanic on a silver platter. The seller says that although it had been sitting for 40 years, they “pulled it out, cleaned out the gas tank, replaced the spark plugs, battery and master cylinder and started it right up. It runs like it needs a complete tune-up.” Remember that Chryslers of the period used hydraulic brakes, as does this Dodge, and it now “has brakes…[and] is ready to be driven onto a transporter.”

Unfortunately, the interior is covered in “a mismatch of materials,” so most of a buyer’s restoration costs will certainly go to interior restoration. The transmission is a three-speed manual, and you’ll get to practice your double-clutching, because it’s of a “selective sliding gear type,” according to sales materials.

Yes, the interior is a bit indecisive, but the door panels, dashboard, and lower rear seat are original. Luckily, the exterior is “rust-free,” with “very old paint and patina,” a good roof, and good glass.

It’s interesting that the Dodge Eight didn’t make more of an impact on the market. The timing certainly couldn’t have been much worse, but although it did outsell its cheaper DeSoto counterpart, it lost ground to mid-priced makes like Buick, whose more powerful (and expensive) sixes outsold the Dodge Eight. Even though it might not have been a huge success at the time, it makes for an interesting (and potentially quite inexpensive) collectible that’s certain to be the only one on your block.