Original Finish? 1933 Dodge DP Coupe

Meet Phil! Phil’s a 1933 Dodge five-window coupe, known as a “DP,” and he’s been with the same family for 50 years. And this spiffy-looking, not-the-usually-found-Ford from this era is said to be wearing its original finish – how unusual; after all, this Dodge is only 93 years old…Mr. Zappenduster found this rumble-seat equipped coupe for us; it’s holed up in Croswell, Michigan, and is listed here on craigslist for $18,500.

The Dodge DP, the six-cylinder-powered variant, was offered in multiple body styles, including a business coupe, a standard coupe with seating for two or four, two and four-door sedans, a convertible, and a Salon, which was a variation on the four-door sedan. The seller refers to this Dodge as a business coupe, but I see no place for transporting a salesman’s wares, especially with a rumble seat out back, so my thought is this Dodge is a standard coupe with seating for two. As for body count, Dodge produced about 20K standard and business coupes in ’33. The two-tone finish may not be perfect, but it is in remarkable condition considering its age. One could nitpick here and there, of course, but the aesthetic issues are minor. For my money, cars of this era made for standout visual appeal.

Power is provided by a 75 HP, 201 CI, in-line six-cylinder engine that drives the rear wheels via a three-speed manual transmission. The seller laconically mentions, “runs and drives,” and what’s under the hood looks to be stock and unmodified. The mileage is stated as 78K miles, and that appears to be what’s displayed on the odometer. Cautioned are the tires that have been installed “forever” and will need to be replaced.

One area that’s not original is the interior; it was redone several decades ago. Well, maybe so, but it still looks great! Whether the upholstery material and pattern are original or not is not stated, but they appear to be period-correct. The steel dash is showing some wear, but the cool thirties instrument panel is clean and clear. There isn’t a concise image of the rumble seat, but what is visible appears to match the interior’s style and condition.

Here’s another car whose fate is to be considered. This is a great discovery, as it seems anything other than a Ford or Chevy from this era can be counted among the seldom seen. But as many have opined here before, via the comments, interest in cars from the thirties seems to be on the wane. I understand that, but think it would be a shame for this Dodge DP not to go to a good home. And that got me thinking: if you were interested in making this acquisition, what would you do with it? Stock/restore, hot-rod, restomod, or…?