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Keeping It In The Family: 1940 Dodge Sedan 4×4

When this 1940 Dodge Deluxe 2-door sedan, here on Craigslist in southeast Ohio for $1,200, was built the engine would have been the flathead six. At some point that engine gave up the ghost, so the owner transplanted a 440 that powers it now. When this car was built that engine wouldn’t be built for another 25 years! Let that sink in for a minute. If you bought a new car today the power plant that you’d be swapping in would be manufactured in 2042!

The frame is from a Jeep Cherokee and it would have to be the first generation (SJ) since the XJ is unibody. That would give it a period-correct frame to go with the 440 V8 and 727 transmission. Check out the rust at the bottom of the trunk lid!

Unfortunately the owner says that the engine doesn’t turn over and he wants to sell it. That is a shame because someone could certainly find a use for the 440/727 combination even if they didn’t keep the body. No information is given about which 4×4 system is in use but it probably came from that donor Jeep Cherokee.

The body on this Dodge is rough but not beyond repair. It will need new glass (the driver’s side windshield glass is broken) and the interior is shot.  But it is also tempting to get that 440 freed up and part it out. We don’t know when the frame and drivetrain swap was completed but Jeep wasn’t related to Dodge at the time, but now they are all part of the same family. What would you do with it?

Comments

  1. Avatar Gaspumpchas

    is it me, or is the Jeep frame a tad short for the body? Wheels don’t center in the wheelwells.Too bad, done correctly this could have been a period correct hot rod.I never use the term old school because I don’t know where the hell this old school is that everyone is talking about?? Love the body lines.maybe someone is ambitious enough to take this on…

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  2. Avatar Andrew Tanner Member

    Honestly, I don’t hate it! Unique rod that could only be better if, like Gaspumpchas said, the frame was just slightly longer. I would drive it!

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  3. Avatar Alex

    I would keep it as is and fix it. Make it a mud car and I know a guy have a 440 he wants to sell if I had the money for it I would pay it.

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  4. Avatar 86 Vette Convertible

    From what you can see of it, that Challenger behind the 40 looks interesting.
    A bit too hacked up to think about the 40 unfortunately.

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  5. Avatar NickH

    Looks like a good start for a gasser

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  6. Avatar Hayden Williamson

    I would turn this into a moonshine hot rod remove the backseats

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  7. Avatar RNR

    Look in the garage – there is a ’65 Valiant with a gasser style straight axel front end. Lock up your MoPars – the guy has a torch and he’s not afraid to use it!!!

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  8. Avatar Royal Ricci

    Too bad old Mr. Hitsman didn’t do this one like he did the Ford/Wyllis Conversion you has on here a short while back.

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  9. Avatar bill coron

    i have a bone stock 41 dodge luxury liner. never banged up. engine was getting tired, parked it about 15 years ago. anybody interested in it. i have not put it up for sale yet…

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  10. Avatar Ed

    Throw on a coat of OD paint, a set of skinny NDT tires and a put big white star and the door, it would make a hell of a staff car.

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