My First Old School Mopar - 1949 Dodge Business Coupe

[mm289]

Hi everyone, just thought I would pop in and introduce myself.

 

I am over the pond in the UK and have just picked up this Dodge Business Coupe, think it is a '49. I have had a few Americans and currently run a modern Mustang (if that isn't swearing ) as my daily driver. Also restore/rebuild a few old VW's along the way but nothing pre 60's until now.

 

Saw the pictures for this and was hooked by the dashboard of all things, just looks so art deco. But also there are very few business coupes over here so this was unusual enough to catch my interest.

 

Got a couple of other projects on the go as well so this won't be a quick rebuild but something that is a nice difference to the stuff i normally do.

 

Couple of pictures for you below.

 

 

Apart from the footwells which have had some patches screwed on ( ) the car looks remarkably solid. Starts and runs with a flathead six under the hood and fluid drive. Looks like it was being prepped for a mild custom but someone ran out of time, and it was then imported to the UK last year from Oklahoma.

 

Engine code is D30-23840 with a code on the cylinder head of D1311804-4 The tag on the firewall says body number is 1148TPC

 

Have had a look on Allpar but if anyone is able to give me any info on the above codes and if it is infact a '49 that would be awesome.

 

Look forward to "speaking" to you all over the coming months

 

Thanks,

 

MM

[48ply1stcar]

Very Nice.  Enjoy your new toy.

[casper50]

Nice looking car.  I also like the dash.  I have a 47 Dodge BC.  Where abouts in GB are you?  I lived in Scotland for 3  years and North Yorkshire for 6.  Welcome.

[_shel_ny]

Welcome to the forum.

 

D30 would be a 1949 engine.

 

There should be a S/N tag on the drivers side "A"pillar. (where it hinges)

That will tell for sure.

[48mirage]

That front grill says '49 also.  I haven't seen many '49 Business Coups, I am curious about the taillight used on them.  The '49 Coronet I drive was a 1 year only design.

[DonaldSmith]

Look up 49 Dodge Business Coupe on the internet, and several photos of the back end should appear.

The fenders stop at the rare rear sheet metal, instead of extending as the 50s do.  

The tail lights are inset from the fender-to-body joint.  The other 49s have the tail lights sprouting from that joint. 

Edited November 16, 2014 by DonaldSmith

[mm289]

Thanks guys for the info. Reading Alpar it implied  the 49 on was a new model and different to the 45 to 48's but wasn't sure what the differences were

 

I will take a picture of the rear for you tomorrow so you can see the light arrangement and will see if I can find a tag on the A pillar.

 

@casper, I am down in Kent right on the English Channel.

 

Cheers,

 

MM

[kented]

Sweet! Interesting to see the differences between my 49 plymouth business coupe and your dodge version of it. Keep up posted

[Seaside Pete]

Hi MM

 

Welcome to the Forum, Nice Car.

 

I am in Kent, Broadstairs, Where are you?

 

Pete.

[mm289]

Hi Pete, I am down Folkestone way so not far

 

MM

[61farnham]

Hi  MM,

 

Welcome to the forum,lots of good people and info here.

 

Nice looking Dodge you got there, I recognise the house in the photo's I brought my '48 Plymouth Business Coupe from Alan too.

 

 

regards....... Simon.

[mm289]

Hi Simon, good to see there are a few of these cars around in the UK

 

Serial number is 37000238 and below is a picture of the back end.

 

 

Cheers,,

 

MM

Edited November 16, 2014 by mm289

[_shel_ny]

 

Serial number is 37000238 and below is a picture of the back end.

 

 

That would make it an early production 1949 D29

Detroit production started at 37000101 and went to 37058328.

 

D29/D30    have engine code D30

 

 

EDIT: 9342 2-dr Cpe-3P produced

Edited November 16, 2014 by shel_ny

[greg g]

If I am not mistaken there were two different wheelbase chassis offered by dodge in 49 the Wayfarer at 115 inches and the Meadow Brook/ Coronet on 118 inch. The Wayfarer was sold in biz coupe, 2 door fastback sedan, and a single seat roadster. The longer cars had biz coupe, club coupe, 2 and 4 door sedans, a 2 door hardtop and convertable. I believe that there were different taillight treatments across the model lines and body styles.

[vht]

I got a 51 I'm doing. Good to see another build pop up. Looks like a nice solid car. I was doing research on mine when I got it. I would find 1 pic of a 51 with 1 design grille and then another pic with a different grille. I got various extra parts with mine and I was trying to sort through everything and find out what was what.

[BobT-47P15]

Hi  Welcome.  The grille looks like a 49 model.  A 1950 model has a lot of similarities, including the dash.   

[mm289]

Thanks guys, I think the serial number nails it as a '49, in theory the 137th car off the production line that year - so surprising it has lasted this well. From the pics I have found it looks like the same dash was fitted to '49 and '50's.

 

Amyone know what the body code "1148TPC" means?

 

Found a online version of the owner handbook http://oldcarbrochures.org/NA/Dodge/1949_Dodge/1949_Dodge_D29-D30_Manual?page=1http://oldcarbrochures.org/NA/Dodge/1949_Dodge/1949_Dodge_D29-D30_Manual?page=1 which was great fun to read, mine has a "Model 100" heater and the "high end" radio.

 

Few small bits missing like the ashtray, bumper overiders and chrome trim for the fenders - it was part way to being shaved I think, so will have to start looking out for these parts.

 

Need to get the radiator re-cored as that is shot, but won't put too much on here I will start a seperate build thread to log all that

 

Cheers,

 

MM

[51cambridge]

.

Edited November 18, 2014 by 51cambridge

[TodFitch]

. . . Anyone know what the body code "1148TPC" means? . . .

Can't say for sure for something that new but for the early 1930s I would expect that to mean either the 148th or possibly the 1148th body built of the "TPC" type depending on if they started at number 1001 (as seems usual) or not. And I would expect "TPC" to mean two passenger coupe.

[mm289]

Thanks TodFitch, that makes sense, given the serial number shows it to be 138th of the line then being the 148th body sounds sensible allowing for a few pre production bodies being made

 

Seems I attract low build number cars, my Mustang is a Bullit special edition numbered 0300 out of the 8000 and something produced

 

Cheers,

 

MM