Vehicle Description
Very nice older restoration still in excellent condition. Runs and
drives very well. Beautiful, correct interior with spectacular
woodgraining. Great-running inline-6 with excellent reliability. A
very nice entry level pre-war car ready to tour!You can think of
Dodge as Chrysler's step-up brand from Plymouth, akin to Pontiac or
Oldsmobile over at GM. Dodges were well-engineered, well-built,
sturdy cars that earned a reputation for reliability and competent
road manners. In short, they just worked. They were also handsome
cars, with styling that avoided the Airflow's drama and instead
focused on a more traditional look. Those reasons are probably why
we like this 1938 Dodge so much-it's handsome, comfortable, and it
just works like it's supposed to. The handsome dark red finish is
appropriate to the era and looks dynamite on the curvaceous Dodge's
bodywork. There's a barrel-shaped grille up front, which was a
Chrysler Corporation hallmark, rounded corners on the greenhouse,
and a 'humpback' trunk that adds cargo space and gives it a big car
look. There's not a lot of chrome, but it uses what's there quite
well and it's in great shape, having been refinished when the rest
of the car was restored some years ago. The paint and bodywork are
very well done, offering doors that snap shut with authority, good
panel gaps, and no signs of rot or sub-standard workmanship. This
car makes a great first impression and it holds up under scrutiny.
There's big car comfort inside where tan mohair upholstery covers
the seats and door panels. It's exactly right for 1938 and your
whole family will enjoy touring in it with no complaints about
space. The driver gets a familiar set of controls, starting with a
big steering wheel that keeps effort low, a 3-speed manual shifter,
and big, round gauges that feature easy-to-read markings. All the
gauges are fully operational, which is a nice surprise, and this
car is equipped with an optional heater and radio, which were a
step up in a Dodge. The locking T-handle on the dash manages the
hand throttle for warming the car up, and there are auxiliary
switches for the heater and fog lights. And just check out the
beautiful woodgraining on the dash and window moldings, and
especially the ornate glove box lid-this doesn't look like a
moderately-priced car! There's room for three in back and all your
luggage will fit in the surprisingly spacious trunk, which includes
a matching full-sized spare and jack assembly.The six-cylinder
Mopars have always been over-achievers and I will admit that on my
first test drive in this Dodge, I was very impressed by how nicely
it runs. It starts easily, idles smoothly, and just goes about its
business with a minimum of fussing. There's plenty of torque on tap
so downshifting is optional in most situations, and it will happily
cruise at 55 MPH without much effort. Having toured with a friend
who had one of these cars, I'll vouch for the fact that it managed
to keep up with our 8-cylinder Buick without ever seeming to work
very hard. Impressive. The engine is nicely detailed with correct
corporate silver engine enamel, a factory air cleaner for the
downdraft carburetor, and evidence of recent service work. The
transmission shifts smoothly with synchromesh on 2nd and 3rd gears
and we believe there are 4.10 gears out back, so it's peppy around
town. The undercarriage is clean, if not detailed for show, but
that's the beauty of a tour car-no worries. Chrysler products
always used hydraulic brakes, so it has impressive stopping power
for the era, and there's a recent exhaust system that gives it a
hushed, appropriate sound. It even has tube shocks, front and rear,
which were fairly advanced for 1938-no one could accuse Chrysler of
skimping on the Dodges. Factory 16-inch steel wheels offer hubcaps
and trim rings and carry stylish 6.50-16 BFGoodrich wide whitewall
tires.Extras include a shop manual and some spare parts.This is one
of those rare old cars that under-promises and over-delivers. We
love the way it drives, but even more than that, we love the way it
doesn't hassle us. Turn the key and start having fun-isn't that how
it's supposed to be? Call today!Harwood Motors always recommends
and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in
our inventory prior to purchase.