RockSthlm Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 Hi everyone! My mom has a 1938 (?) Dodge that I will try to bring back to life. Just bought a shop manual for 1937 to 1939 which brackets the year nicely. Since the car is in Europe I don't actually know if it is a 1938 model or if it was just registered in 1938 after being imported. So, how can I confirm what car I actually have! Thanks a bunch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 Should be a serial number tag on the right front door hinge post. Putting that number into the lookup tool at https://www.ply33.com/Misc/vin should tell you what the car is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 (edited) The engine number stamped into the block above the generator will if it is the stock engine will give you the engineering code for the year or years it was produced. Was the car a new export to Germany? D8, D9, and D10 http://carnut.com/specs/gen/dodge30.html Edited January 7, 2021 by greg g 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockSthlm Posted January 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 TodFitch: Thank you so much! Both location and tool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockSthlm Posted January 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 GregG: Thanks! I think the engine is stock; will check for stamped numbers. However, I don't know where it was made or the full history, but I think the first owner in Sweden was my grand father who bought it new or almost new just before the war. The car is now in Sweden and he could have imported it himself or maybe bought it from someone in Germany and drove it home. I hope the VIN and engine block numbers will tell more of the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 A picture will help also.........andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidevalvepete Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 Welcome aboard. As a fellow 38 owner, I look forward to seeing some pictures and hearing about your vehicle's story. This is a good community to be a part of, no matter where you are in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 Go to allpar.com, it is a site with a wealth of Chrysler Corporation history. Use the search feature and search exports. Chrysler exported to many countries some cars built in Detroit, some built in Canada, some shipped as parts to be assembled in the market countries. You can sometimes get a facsimile of the vehicles build card which was the order, origination document that was the cars map for content as it went down the assembly line. Unfortunately the Canadian records have incomplete or missing years. But you may get some idea how the car got to Europe and then to Sweden. There is a fee and you need proof of ownership and the cars serial number. Dodges and Plymouths seem to be popular in Scandinavian countries. Hope that may help you a bit. Welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockSthlm Posted January 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 Andy: pictures will be coming! Pete: Yes! I am so happy I found it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockSthlm Posted January 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 GregG: did some digging on the link you sent. It seems the car might have been built from a kit in a factory in Sweden. Found the registration and the car is registered as a 1938 Dodge Royal A4. I Googled it and found only 1 result. My car.... (It looks nothing like a 1950's Dodge Royal) I haven't yet had time to look at the car itself, but the chassi identification (in the registration) starts with DP and then 6 numbers. The DP engine code matches to 1933 built cars, which it does not match either.) However, the manufacturer was called Philipson's so maybe DP is Dodge-Philipson's. Very confusing. More to follow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 Interesting that it may have been assembled in Sweden......Phillipson may have been the name of the Swedish assemblers.......here in Australia we had a company called T J Richards who were the Oz assemblers who made the bady shells and assembled the cars using imported chassis, engines, various panels and grilles etc so your car maybe from a similar senario..............welcome aboard from Australia anyway........andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockSthlm Posted January 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 The plot thickens! I found the VIN, which makes it a 1938 D9 Export. It was assembled in Sweden (found a tag under the hood). The engine block is marked DP6*26 14 44. Still haven't made sense of that. She looks like a D8 when I Google, whith head lights on the fenders, not in them. The car has only had two owners in its entire life, my grand father and now my mom. Also, found boxes and boxes of parts. Every thing is stuck and a bit rusty, but a bit of love will probably fix that. Thanks everyone for getting me started! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidevalvepete Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 Your DP6..... engine number means it is the Plymouth P6 series of motor. When used for the Dodge D9 they stamped a D in front. I have a 38 D9 Dodge sedan with original motor stamped similarly. This will be an export model Dodge with all Dodge trim based on the smaller Plymouth body and engine. Look forward to seeing the pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockSthlm Posted January 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 Pete: Thanks for thr clarification I bought the D5/D8/D10 shop manual. Should I get the Plymouth P6 instead? Or are they close enough. So confused! ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidevalvepete Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 You have enough for now. Will contact you in a couple of hours. Off to milk the cows........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 (edited) These cars were known as knockdowns. They were sent as chassis, and crates of "parts". This allowed escape from fees and tarriffs collected on completely assembled vehicles. The car as noted was probably Plymouth based with trim and badges from Dodge. Chrysler did this in Canada and with Desotos built in Central and South America that were Plymouths with DeSoto Bling called diplomats. This maybe the difference exhibited by the head lamp location. Lok up a 1938 US Plymouth. There may be diferences in the engine also. It may also manifest in Plymouth the engine being Plymouth 201 cubic inch in place of the 217.8 Dodge displacement. It is interesting to be able to explore all these permutations employed by Chrysler to get their products info the market place. There was also an assembly plant in England know as the KEW (sp) Garden Assembly works that provided cars to the UK market as well as other European countries. Good luck with your research and resurection. There does seem to be an active group of Chrysler enthusiasts in Sweden. There were a couple members on this board for a bit. Once things return to normal maybe you can get out to meets and shows and find some other owners of these cars. Edited January 7, 2021 by greg g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockSthlm Posted January 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 Yes, I saw a lot of 30's Mopars with Swedishs tags when I did some googling. I will try to find some local people to pester for knowledge too. ? Thanks for the help. I will look at the Plymouths and measure the engine block. Then the real work starts. Shes been sitting since 1978. Fortunately roofed the whole time. I would classify her as right between miracle barn find and parts bin. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidevalvepete Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, greg g said: These cars were known as knockdowns. They were sent as chassis, and crates of "parts". This allowed escape from fees and tarriffs collected on completely assembled vehicles. The car as noted was probably Plymouth based with trim and badges from Dodge. I agree with this with a proviso.....some were still exported complete. Mine was, New Zealand had no assembly industry for the mopar vehicles and they were imported complete. The serial number on the A pillar tag can be referenced in the Parts or Shop Manual provided you have the Export version of the Parts Book. Note the 'Export Division ' written on the bottom of the cover. This book has all the D8, D9 and D10 parts information and not just the USA D8 info. I like what I see in the pic. Looks in pretty good shape. More pics please. There is good advise here on how to get it up and running safely without damaging anything in the process. You will have to decide how far you go or whether to stay original or modernised a bit. Again, lots of help here for either. My opinion, which means nothing really but I will offer it anyway, is that you seem to have an family vehicle with a known history in pretty good knick and original condition. Seems worth keeping it original.......of course entirely up to you. 1 hour ago, RockSthlm said: Thanks for the help. I will look at the Plymouths and measure the engine block. The engine number will tell you what you have. If you have the Parts or Shop Manual it will have that info. Or take a photo of the serial and engine numbers and post them here and I will look up in my books what you have. Look forward to seeing more. ? Edited January 7, 2021 by sidevalvepete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted January 7, 2021 Report Share Posted January 7, 2021 By the looks of the lens in the headlight it looks like a bulb and reflector, what we used to refer to here as European style conversions like a Bosche, Cibie, Marchell, etc. I wonder if the car has been changed over to 12 volt I have a similar set in my Studebaker Pickup but it's a 56 so already 12v. Look at the data tag on the generator, red is 6v green is 12v. Looks like the car was well cared for. Easy to check to see if engine is free, put it in 3rd gear and try rocking it. If you can get it to rock 2 or 3 inches it's likely free. These motors tend to have valves hang when sitting. The ones that are at the top of the cam lift tend to hang there when you get cranking a long sitting engine so typically there will be two meaning 0 compression in 2 cylinders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockSthlm Posted January 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 I am overwhelmed and very thankful for all the responses to my very stupid question. I feel very welcome, thank you so much! Pete: will look for the export manual. Thanks! Greg: I think I will try to keep it as much original as possible, i would not dare to venture into a place where I have no manuals. No LS-swap here.... The brakes are locked up and rust-welded to the shoes, so I will start there. The block has been renovated once before and the cylinders bored one size over. I am not sure if they can be bored again (or if they need it). Are sleeves an option? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 Pistons can be had to plus .060, sleeves shouldn't be needed unless there is a serious problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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