Bus Cpe Project -MN

[Dennis_MN]

I noticed a 47 ply business coupe for sale in Hudson Wisconsin, 20 miles East of St Paul, MN $2000

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/car/357689457.html

[BobT-47P15]

Dennis, i tink that one's a Dodge. Too bad you don't get the red one in the deal......

[knuckleharley]

I noticed a 47 ply business coupe for sale in Hudson Wisconsin, 20 miles East of St Paul, MN $2000

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/car/357689457.html

Nope,it's a Dodge. Plymouth didn't have 3-window business coupes until the 50's.

Here are a couple of photos of the VERY rare (only 18 made) 1942 Dodge business coupe I just bought. The grille is different,but the rest looks a lot like the 46-48 Dodge business coupes. I got lucky,and this one is complete right down to the radio and clock in the dash,and the keys hanging out of the switch.

IMHO,these are some of the prettiest cars ever built.

[Plymouthy Adams]

"The grille is different,but the rest looks a lot like the 46-48 Dodge business coupes"

42 introduced the rolled rocker and the abscense of the running board, however the 42 still carried forward the front fender that stopped at the cowl and did not blend into the door as the post war 46-48 models. I for one agree that the Dodge Business Coupe is excellent looking automobile..and as an owner of a 41 model. we have a lot in common. Do you have a picture of your dash..the 41 dash I do not like as well as the 46-48 and thus I installed the later model in my car. Also the tail lights were moved from the rear fender tops to lower as later models. AND does your car have the spare in the trunk or did it still carry forward from the 41 year being behind the drivers seat behind a curtain?

[knuckleharley]

Tim Adams wrote: >>The grille is different,but the rest looks a lot like the 46-48 Dodge business coupes"[/color][/u][/b]

42 introduced the rolled rocker and the abscense of the running board, however the 42 still carried forward the front fender that stopped at the cowl and did not blend into the door as the post war 46-48 models.<<

You know what? I really hadn't noticed that. I knew there was something a little different that made me like the lines on the 42 better,but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

>> Do you have a picture of your dash..the 41 dash I do not like as well as the 46-48 and thus I installed the later model in my car. <<

Here it is. The keys are still hanging out of the switch,and the steering wheel isn't even cracked. I hope to be driving this car by the end of the summer. No,it won't be finished,but that won't stop me from driving it after I redo the brakes and brake lines,and make it safe to drive.

>> AND does your car have the spare in the trunk or did it still carry forward from the 41 year being behind the drivers seat behind a curtain?<<

It's in the trunk. Still there,too. So are a bunch of spare parts. (G)

I just bought this car a few days ago and am still waiting for it to be trucked to me. I am as excited as a 8 year old on Christmas Eve. Been looking for one of these things for years that wasn't retored or hot rodded with a frame clip that was complete and affordable,and I finally found and bought one.

BTW,any of you have any leads for me on a finned aluminum STREET head and a split exhaust manifold set?

[Plymouthy Adams]

Thanks for posting the pics..the dash looks to be a combination of the 46-48 and the 41 carry-over. Interesting....I thought maybe the 41 was the last year for the curtain behind the drivers seat for the spare.

I have no leads on dual intakes/exhausts...

If you are excited now..wait till that big butt coupe shows up at your door...these are awesome automobiles and the single seat makes them in a class of their own.

I have been only piddling with small stuff and digging out the small parts I will need next...the temps here are out of control...humidity is awful...

I need to go online and source some quick connects for to complete my exterior engine wiring..

[knuckleharley]

Tim Adams wrote: >>Thanks for posting the pics..the dash looks to be a combination of the 46-48 and the 41 carry-over. <<

Could you post a photo of a 41 dash so I can see what they look like?

>>If you are excited now..wait till that big butt coupe shows up at your door...these are awesome automobiles and the single seat makes them in a class of their own.<<

I just called the local NAPA store to order wheel cylinders,a master cylinder,and new brake hoses for it,and the trucker won't even get there to pick up the car for another 7 or 8 days. I'm already looking forward to my first ride,but I suspect I will have to put the rebuilt 48 engine in there first. The one in the car hasn't been spun since at least 1974. Still,knowing me,it is always a good idea to fix the brakes BEFORE I get one running.

Well,just had the NAPA guy call me back. No listing for a 42 Dodge,but they do list the rebuild kits for a 42 DeSoto. The problem is I have seen them online cheaper. This is the first time in memory that NAPA has been higher on old car parts than the specialized suppliers.

>>.the temps here are out of control...humidity is awful...<<

Yeah,NC is no bargain in the summertime,either. If you are going to do anything in a garage that doesn't have ac or out in the yard,you start early and quit before noon.

[BobT-47P15]

Evidently the grille of the 42 Dodge is a bit different than that of the 42 Plymouth.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Always been a big difference in grille between the models....my 41 is butterfly design everywhere...the grille, hood and front gravel sheild, front bumper is butterfly...the 42 Plymouth you show is distinctly different than the 41 grille ..appears to have the center divider carry over from the 41 and the grille is same size bars compared to the post war which are alternating sizes...

DeSoto is just so massive in the grille...BOLD...Chrysler is well, just Chrysler...no offense to you Chrysler owners. I think you see less of these so it is just not something one is very familar with.

[Reg Evans]

Knuckleharley,

Here's a photo of my 42 Bizzy coupe purchased a couple of years ago on eBay. She's called J Lo around here for obvious reasons. Congrats on your purchase !!!

PS....according to this site more than 18 of these were made.

http://www.autogallery.org.ru/m/dd1942.htm

[knuckleharley]

Reg Evans wrote: >>

PS....according to this site more than 18 of these were made.

http://www.autogallery.org.ru/m/dd1942.htm<<

Thanks for the photos. I was going by what the old-timer who sold me the car told me. He has another one that he restored years ago,and told me he bought the one he sold me because it was so original he could use it as a guide to restore his black one. BTW,his black one still has a military courier pouch attached to the dashboard.

I am glad there were more than 18 made because I bought this car to drive,and might as some point need body parts if it's in a accident.

I do have a hard time believing that Dodge made over 5,000 of these things in 42,while only making a little over 3,000 club coupes. I have always thought the business coupes weren't as popular as the coupes with the rear seat. Guess I was wrong?

[Plymouthy Adams]

Standard production in off-war years were about 16,500 units per year for the business coupe.. as it is a Business Coupe I can see the war year having greater need in business verse the other road models.

[knuckleharley]

Standard production in off-war years were about 16,500 units per year for the business coupe.. as it is a Business Coupe I can see the war year having greater need in business verse the other road models.

Ahhh,but the military was really fond of 4dr sedans and stationwagons. In fact,I have never seen anything else with military paint and markings. I guess they would have taken anything they could get at first,but don't see them allowing anything but sedans and stationwagons to be built once they took over control of production.

Which leads to the obvious question,"Where the hell are all the stationwagons?"

[Plymouthy Adams]

x-number of cars were allowed for production on war support production facalities and farms related business...I said what I did based on that..yes sedans and such would have gone to the military...business still operated in America..just on a lesser scale in the private sector.

[Norm's Coupe]

Ahhh,but the military was really fond of 4dr sedans and stationwagons. In fact,I have never seen anything else with military paint and markings. I guess they would have taken anything they could get at first,but don't see them allowing anything but sedans and stationwagons to be built once they took over control of production.

Which leads to the obvious question,"Where the hell are all the stationwagons?"

Actually, if you go back into the old books etc., for the war years you won't see many stationwagons being used by the military. You do see a few, however sedans were used for staff officer vehicles in the states and at overseas headquarters post. For movement of other personnel they relied on either trucks, tanks, or jeeps because they could be used in the field. Plus you can't get as many people in a stationwagon as you can in a 2 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton truck. I was stationed in an Ordnance battalion headquarters in Seoul, Korea in 62 - 63. Our battalion headquarters controlled all vehicles and weapon maintenance for South Korea back then, so we could have our choice of vehicles. However, we only had one staff car for the Battalion Commander, a 4 door sedan, plus his jeep if needed. Our other vehicles were either jeeps or trucks too. There wasn't one station wagon in the whole command at any level. Even the MP's (who got their vehicles from us) only drove around in jeeps and trucks. Of course their commander also had a 4 door sedan, as did other battalion commanders that were not on the DMZ line. Commanders on the DMZ only had jeeps.

So, that's probably why you don't see that many station wagons of the WWII era.

[knuckleharley]

Norm's Coupe wrote: >>Actually, if you go back into the old books etc., for the war years you won't see many stationwagons being used by the military.<<

They were popular with hospitals and airports,but there can be no question that sedans and trucks were used more ofen. For one thing the stationwagons back then had a lot of wood in them and it took longer to make them.

>>You do see a few, however sedans were used for staff officer vehicles in the states and at overseas headquarters post. <<

I know. I was a career Army NCO. I was in SF though,and since we didn't have heavy weapons and operated different than the regular army,our line companies didn't even have vehicles. Or I should say were weren't authorized in our TO&E to have vehicles. Which is not the same thing as saying we didn't actually have any. (G)

[Norm's Coupe]

I know. I was a career Army NCO. I was in SF though,and since we didn't have heavy weapons and operated different than the regular army,our line companies didn't even have vehicles. Or I should say were weren't authorized in our TO&E to have vehicles. Which is not the same thing as saying we didn't actually have any. (G)

I was only in the Army for 6 years. However, I could never figure out what good those TO&E rosters were. No one paid that much attention to them. Most unit's always had things that weren't authorized on the TO&E. When inspection time rolled around we just hid what wasn't authorized to have. Even the TO&E personnel rosters weren't right most of the time. For example when it came time for me to be promoted to E5 while at SHAPE Headquarters in Paris. I was sitting in an E4 position in the personnel office on the roster so could not be promoted to E5 in that position. All of the personnel office E5 slots were filled at the time too. So..........we found an empty E8 slot that was supposed to be the Chief Clerk for the General in charge of the Infrastructure branch. So........I got that slot and was promoted right away. Stayed in my personnel job though. That lasted for about a month or two and the General started yelling about us not filling what he thought was the empty slot. So........after that I had to move over and work for him. I have to say though, that was a real gravy job to have. He was a Danish General and spoke very little English and I spoke no Danish, so we got along well. Hardly ever saw him. The military does that a lot with both personnel and equipment, so why have the TO&E's.

[Don Coatney]

My army MOS was 63B20 "wheeled vehicle" mechanic. I never worked on anything but Jeep up to duce and a quarter vehicles. Vietnam 66-68. Never saw a station wagon nor sedan in the motor pool. The 3/4 ton trucks were Mopar flathead 6 powered.

[Ed Griffin]

knuckleharley or is it Bill? You mentioned this earlier "Nope,it's a Dodge. Plymouth didn't have 3-window business coupes until the 50's."

The Plymouths had the extra window behind the passenger and drivers windows in 46 as the Dodge didnt but the Plymouth 1937/38's had the 3 window Biz Cpe's same as Dodge of that time and the postwar model Dodge. Basically looked like this 38, my fav, but small differances.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/19489Dodge/IM000037.jpg

[knuckleharley]

My army MOS was 63B20 "wheeled vehicle" mechanic. I never worked on anything but Jeep up to duce and a quarter vehicles. Vietnam 66-68. Never saw a station wagon nor sedan in the motor pool. The 3/4 ton trucks were Mopar flathead 6 powered.

I guess this is really off-topic,but our headquarters and signal companines had all the vehicles,and there were several 4dr sedans in our motor pool. Of course,we had LTC's for company commanders,and Colonels do love to ride around in staff cars with drivers.

[knuckleharley]

Ed Griffin wrote: >>knuckleharley or is it Bill?<<

Nope,it's actually Arthur

>>... the Plymouth 1937/38's had the 3 window Biz Cpe's same as Dodge of that time and the postwar model Dodge. <<

Thanks. I didn't know that. Had never seen a 37 or 38 business coupe,but have seen a few 39 and later,and they were all 5-window coupes.

[knuckleharley]

[quote name=

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/19489Dodge/IM000037.jpg<<

BTW,did you post the URL for the wrong photo? The one shown is a 5 window coupe.

[Ed Griffin]

<<

BTW,did you post the URL for the wrong photo? The one shown is a 5 window coupe.

Sorry about that Arthur, as in your name I also made the mistake on the post about the 38 Dodge. Correct link but incorrect about the 3 window. There's a fellow down the road who owns a 37/38 Plymouth biz cpe and for the life of me I cant remember if or if not it was a 3 or 5 window. I needed to visit him anyway He's kinda hard to catch but I'll make it a point to do so and even take a picture.

I do know that 46 to first series 49 Dodge only had the 3 window as the Plymouths had the 5. But now I have the feeling that the buddies Plymouth down the road is also a 5 window but will have to confirm that one. Sorry to mislead you and especially sorry about getting your name wrong. The forum has gotton so many new people or folks under a differant forum name that I havent kept up. As with a tape measure I need to think twice and talk once Ed