I just joined (out of desperation) and hope one of the members can help me. I'm 59, semi-retired and live in California.

I have what is either a 1937 or 1938 Dodge Business Coupe. I have the body only from the original car. The chassis has been replaced with a 1972 Camaro Z28 chassis w/400 small block.

There are only 2 "serial" numbers on the body that I can find:
1) On the right front door pillar is a riveted plate (apparently the factory place) that has all of the printing weathered off, but still has the stamped-in serial number visible. This number is: 30027750. No other info can be gotten from this plate. It all weathered away.

2) The other plate is screwed (not riveted) to the middle of the firewall (so I'm not even sure it is supposed to be there from the factory). This plate again has all printed info weathered away, but the stamped numbers are still visible. This number is: D8 4166BC.


My problem is that I need to positively ID the body as either a '37 or '38 so I can go to Cal DMV and get a title and get it registered.

Can anyone help me? Or point me in the right direction to find out?

Thank you!

As the Moderator here, I would like to WELCOME YOU HERE....

Why join out of desperation ? We do not have weird initiations, charge for the fun or beat on new members.....

I am not a resident of California nor do I know much about Mopars so I am of little help. BUT I do not that 1972 Camaros do not have a chassis. They have a sub frame in the front and maybe the previous owner installed a clip.

We do have a lot of Mopar knowledgeable members.......

Chances are you will need a copy of the factory service manual, in the back should be a a reference data area. I think you will find that the sequencial serial number (likely from the rivited tag) will break back wether it's a 7 or 8.

I'm doing a 37 Dodge truck, and had to buy a shop manual when I got mine just to find out where the serial number was!!!! By the way trucks were marked different than the cars (the only serial number was on the front frame rail).

If you just take the serial number to DMV they should be able to tell you the year if it's a valid number.

You might also try DeSoto.org They are DeSoto oriented but some of the same parts will fit DeSoto, Dodge and Chryslers in those early years. They might be helpful with your vin number as well.
Duece is right, I have a Camaro sub frame on my 38 DeSoto. Probably a similar set up as yours.

I think the riveted plate on the right front door pillar is the serial number and the plate on the firewall is the body number. Try the Dodge Brothers Club forum on the Antique Automobile Club of America site. There is a lot of very knowledgible people there that know stuff like this backwards.

http://forums.aaca.org/postlist.php...BB55&PHPSESSID=

My 37 Dodge business coupe had a tag on the front frame rail held on with two screw's..the numbers where not readable...my door post tag was missing.


Tazz

Andy,

The D8 is probably the model number, a Dodge D8. Probably the best place to check out info with the serial number etc would be at the P15-D24 website. They are a great bunch of guys that discuss mainly the 46-48 models of plymouth and dodge, but owners of 30's to early 50's are there as well.


www.p15-d24.com


Allan

I think you have a 38. Check the dash and windsheild frame. If you have the mechanism to crank out (open) the windsheils and hinges at the top, you have a 37. 38's had a non openable windsheild.
Do you have the front fenders?? 38's had the headlite set on the fenders...37's hung from the grille shell.
Good luck.

This may be a repeat. I was cut off in mid reply, so I'm trying again.
You have a 38 Dodge. The 37 models had one fewer numbers in the serial. Since your serial starts with a 3, the car was made in Detroit. It it started with a 4, like my 38 D-8 2-dr Trunkback Sedan, it would have been made in Evansville. The engine numbers started at D-8 1001 and went to D-8 114530. Mine, although a 38, is registered as a 37. It was a new 38 that came out at the end of 37. I'm told that back then they registered it as the year it was purchased. Here are a couple of web site URLs that will give you some interesting facts about your car:
http://www.allpar.com/old/model-guide/
http://www.geocities.com/dodgesanti...l?1015562227500
Hope that helps.
ARF

my (restore to absolute original) is a '37, model D7, I am not 100% sure the D7 was ever sold in the US of A as mine is a Canadian version. In Canada at least so far as I remember, in 1937, the D5 was the bottom of the line (Think '57 Chev 150) while the D7 was the most deluxe (think Bel-Air) and the D6 was the "in between" model (think '57 Chev 210)

My Canadian D7 shares virtually NOTHING with any US Dodge as Canadian Dodges were on Plymouth Chassis (shorter wheelbases) but had a bigger, more powerful engine than the US Dodges had - so I am having a bit of "fun" finding pieces for it. However, it was my grandfather's car (he bought it new in '38 and it was titled as a '38), and after his passing it stayed in my grandmother's garage. On her death, I became the second owner, and it will be about the only thing in my driveway that is staying stone stock.

However, if you do a bit more research, I think you will likely find that the D8 is a 1938 model.

(PS: All of the above is invalid if model numbers were different in the US of A

However (year ID for "then") - All the '37 Dodges all had the headlights mounted to the sides of the grill shell, while the '38s mounted them to the tops of the fenders (partially inset into the fender tops). (the 39's set them IN the fenders like Ford was doing around then) Since you don't seem to have the original front suspension, the other main difference is not helpful for you but the 37's were solid axle while the '38's were independent front susp.

My serial number and model were both on the tag on the passenger side front door post.