1929 Dodge Brothers Series DA

The Dodge brothers, John and Horace, made a fortune as a supplier of engines and transmissions, first to Ransom Eli Olds then Henry Ford. With strong financial footing and vast knowledge of the automotive industry, the Dodge brothers began building automobiles independently in1 914 and the announcement of the new automaker was greeted with enthusiasm by the public and press alike.

The early Dodge vehicles quickly established a reputation for being mechanically robust, affordable, and delivering excellent value for money. They were the first mass-produced American car with an all-steel body, along with an advanced 12-volt electrical system.

The Dodge brother's quick rise in popularity and its rapid expansion was curtailed by the premature deaths of both brothers in 1920. The company changed hands twice in what decade, first to a New York bank before Walter P Chrysler ultimately took control in 1928. Under Chrysler's guidance and influence, a revised model range of vehicles appeared in the period 1929-1930, beginning with the new DA Series.

The Dodge Series DA rested on a 112-inch wheelbase and was powered by a 208 cubic-inch L-head six-cylinder engine offering 63 horsepower at 3,000 RPM. It had a cast-iron block, solid valve lifters, 5.2:1 compression, and used a Stromberg one-barrel carburetor. The engine was backed by a three-speed selective sliding gear transmission with a single plate dry disc clutch and floor shift controls. Hydraulic brakes provided stopping power. The cars were suspended by either wood-spoke or optional wire wheels.

Joining the Series DA was its larger Series S sibling. While the Series DA used a 112-inch wheelbase, the Dodge Senior Series S rested on a 120-inch wheelbase. The Dodge Senior was priced from $1,545 to $1,800 and was equipped with a 241.6 CID inline-6 delivering 78 horsepower.

The Series DA was similar to the previous Victory Six and came standard with NorthEast ignition, Lovejoy shock absorbers, a gasoline filter, and a new exhaust manifold that was now attached to the front of the motor rather than the rear. The exterior hardware was finished in Chromium plating instead of nickel-plating, and the fenders were of one-piece full crown design. The headlamps were positioned on a bowed tie-bar and the bodies were of mono-piece construction.

The business coupe was the least expensive, priced at $945, followed by the roadster, brougham, and sedan priced at $995. The Phaeton, Deluxe Coupe, and Victoria Coupe were priced at $1025. The Deluxe Sedan was the most expensive in the Seris DA, listing for $1065.

Within the Chrysler Corporation, the Dodge vehicles were priced and positioned between Plymouth and Chrysler, and thanks to the DA, the company reversed the decline in sales to climb back to seventh in the American market during 1929, up from thirteenth the previous year.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2021