24 Dodge Brothers is on the road

[austinsailor]

I've been all over the place and my "new" 24 Dodge brothers roadster just sat in the trailer. The last time I was home a couple weeks ago I got a new battery (12 volts) and siphoned the 3 or 4 year old gas out.

I had tried the starter, but it has a problem. This morning I figured, what the heck, I'll give it my best shot.

Drained the gas line, vacuum tank and carb to get the rest of the old stuff out, what a mess came out. Put new gas in the vacuum tank, then cranked it over about 4 times with the ignition off, hoping to sort of prime things. Set the spark, choke and throttle, using the wild ass guess method, cranked it once 1/4 turn and off it went!

Drove it about 20 miles, what fun!

 

 

 

Edited August 16, 2015 by austinsailor

[greg g]

must be fun on yer head like that.  That's a nice looking car.  like the wheels.  Did you fell the Spirit of John and Horace doing burnouts???

[austinsailor]

What's with these I phones putting pictures upside down?? I'll try to fix it tonight .

But - all is not perfect. Later my don and went out to take a ride, started right up, got behind the wheel and it died. Didn't take long to tell there was gas streaming out of the carb. Popped the top and the float was sitting on the bottom, completely sunk. It was half full of gas.

Closer inspection found many very tiny cracks in the brass. I had to look close, but they were there. Guess I need to go get all the piles of parts that came in the deal and hope there is a good one. Otherwise, I guess I'll be making one.

[soth122003]

You can try this site. I am fixing to get a float and rebuild kit for my P-15.

 

http://www.carburetor-parts.com/search.asp?keyword=check+ball&search.x=14&search.y=9

 

Joe

[Uncle-Pekka]

What a mighty car!

Thanks for sharing the great story of the awakening of an old Dodge.

Best of luck and keep the story coming, we'll be looking forward to your adventures with this nice car.

 

Cheers,

Uncle-Pekka

from up North

[austinsailor]

OK, I fixed the picture.

 

When I was driving around, my top comfortble speed was about 35. I was holding up traffic on the narrow windy 2 lane roads here and figured I'd get some 1 finger salutes.  In reality I got a number of thumbs up salutes, nobody blowing horns and lots of smiles. That was cool. Not one pissed off driver.

 

Now I need to locate a spare wheel. I wonder how difficult that will be?

[sp15cspecial]

Looks great i cant wait to be driving my 24 but i think im about a year away hope to finish paint this summer ant then spend the winter doing an interior. I have a 23 tourer as well all original 35 miles is about the best speed have taken it up as fast as it would go .Was scarry as hell as 23 has 3/4 eliptic springs on back everybody asked how the heck do you control it as it bounces all over the road. Your'e right more people give you the thumbs up than a one finger salute.

[kented]

Awesome car! Looks almost like a bare bones racer, you'll need some numbers on the door!

[austinsailor]

Well, if 35 mph is racing, maybe! 40 is really pushing it.

Went for another drive yesterday afternoon with my home made float. Works great. Going to a cruise in tonight, we'll see how that goes.

[1952B3b23]

Very cool car! Do you have anymore pictures?

 

-Chris

[Don Coatney]

 

 

Now I need to locate a spare wheel. I wonder how difficult that will be?

Is the required wheel specific to a 1924 Dodge? Will other years work and or other makes?

[austinsailor]

Don, I really don't know. this is new territory for me. It's a 33" split ring wheel with a 4 1/2" wide tire. Guess I need to start researching.

[austinsailor]

Well, phooey - searching for info on wheels I learned something else.

Don't have the starter working yet, but it starts with just a flick of the crank. How cool is that?

Well, not as cool as it sounds. The crank goes through a hole in the radiator. There is a big plug that scews in to fill that hole. I figured it was for looks. Not so - with the plug out there is a direct path for dirt and rocks to the oil pan. It's not simple to srew in and out.

Guess I'll have to attack the starter problem.

Edited August 21, 2015 by austinsailor

[mrwrstory]

Yeah, that is a great looking car.  More pics please.  Remember, "without pics, it didn't happen."   

[kented]

Well, if 35 mph is racing, maybe! 40 is really pushing it.

Went for another drive yesterday afternoon with my home made float. Works great. Going to a cruise in tonight, we'll see how that goes.

Well it probably was fast in 1924!

[austinsailor]

Ok, now did it happen? (I hope at least some are right side up!)

(Stupid I phone - it has a mind of it's own.)

Edited August 21, 2015 by austinsailor

[Merle Coggins]

Nice pics. Hold your iPhone so that the home button is on your right side. This should put the camera lense at the top left. In this position your pictures should post right side up. If you flip the phone the other way they will show normal on the phone but will by upside down on a PC.

[46Ply]

Those seats are gorgeous!

[austinsailor]

I think I have the starter figured out. Got a wiring diagram, found several poor connections and it turned over some. Not fast enough to start. Digging in I found new carbon brushes. Supposed to be copper brushes. I have 3 more generator/starters, so tomorrow I'll dig in and hopefully find a set of usable copper brushes.

At least it going the right way.