1939 Plymouth Instrument glass VARIATIONS

[36 Ply]

(Vancouver) Bill-
Thanks for the background on B.C. North central Illinois can potentially have temperatures ranging from minus 20 F. in winter to 100 plus F. in the summer, although these extremes don't occur every year. And mosquitos and Japanese beetles too. If we get a foot of snow, that's a lot, although we did have sizeable amounts in 1967, '77 and'78.

I have a friend who lives in Melbourne, Australia; his complaints about government are very similar to yours.

Regards, and thanks for the info,
Pat O'Connor

[Chrycoman]

Hey Bill,

I understand that you had some excitement out your way recently. Something about ice hockey, downhill skiing, snowboarding....
I watched some of it; you live in a beautiful part of the world. I've been to Alberta, maybe someday BC...

Regards,
Pat O'Connor
Magnolia, Illinois

I grew up on the Prairies - summers with mosquitoes and 90F+ temperatures - winters with snow up to the arm pits and -40F.  Red, white and blue were more than patriotic colours, they were the colours of your skin, depending upon the season!

Those mountains you saw in the views of Vancouver they showed on TV I get to see when I walk out of my apartment block.  They are usually covered in snow, but this year there is more green than white. A much nicer view here with a much nicer climate.

The office I work in was two blocks from the site of the Olympic hockey tournament and one block from BC Place, location of the opening and closing ceremonies.    To say getting to and from work was interesting would be an understatement.  Transit was the only way as the major road from the east side of the city, where i live, was blocked off to all traffic.  Everyone had a great time by the looks of it, although the death of the Georgian athlete was a sad and unfortunate beginning.

Travelling across B.C. to Vancouver is one beautiful trip.  You cross five mountain ranges (Rocky, Selkirk, Purcell, Monashee, Cascade) and get to see everything from lush mountain valleys to arid plateaus. 

Vancouver is indeed one beautiful city.  Just wish it was a bit cheaper to live in!  The average price for a house is over $500,000, and thanks to the present provincial government prices of utilities and transportation will be going through the roof.

Bill
Vancouver, BC

[36 Ply]

Hey Bill,

I understand that you had some excitement out your way recently. Something about ice hockey, downhill skiing, snowboarding....
I watched some of it; you live in a beautiful part of the world. I've been to Alberta, maybe someday BC...

Regards,
Pat O'Connor
Magnolia, Illinois

[Chrycoman]

The 1939 Canadian Dodge D12 is based on a 1939 Plymouth body. The "PLODGE" (I hate that name) was a Plymouth bodied car with "Dodge" grill and trim grafted on. In order to make the dashboard a "Dodge" they had to use the 1939 Plymouth Instrument cluster. So it appears that the gold colored glass is Canadian Dodge only. Regardless it is a unique part I wanted others on the forum to see. Now if anyone knows why? .... the parking brake handle on a CDN 39 Plymouth is different then the US 1939 Plymouth. I still can not figure out why a 2" longer engine would facilitate needing a different parking brake handle/mechanism? Thanks
roadkingcoupe

The D12-D13 models (only the D13 was Canada-only) used a different instrument lens to make it look closer to the big Dodge, which had horzontal bars on the instrument panel face.  The 1935-38 "Plodges" used the big Dodge intrument panel.

Unlike the 1934-38 Plymouth-based Dodges, the 1939 version could not use the Dodge front clip as the 1939 Dodge used a different body.  So, Chrysler used the Plymouth front end sheet metal and placed the trim to mimic the big Dodge.  The 1940-52 "Plodges" used Plymouth front end sheet metal with the holes punched to accept a Dodge-like grille, trim and parking lights.  It was not until 1953 that the "Plodge" again used the Dodge front clip when Dodge once again used an extended version of the Plymouth body.

The 1933 Dodge DQ was a Dodge through and through, being a stripped version of the DP, contrary to what everyone claims.  The DQ, though, remained on the 111?" wheelbase when the DP went to a 115" wheelbase.  The very first "Plodge" was the 1932 Dodge DM, basically a Plymouth 4 with a unique front end and, for some reason, front doors.  The rest of the car was Plymouth.  The DM was for export only and built at the Plymouth plant in Detroit.

Bill
Vancouver, BC

[Andy Wylie]

The badge engineered cars were sold all over the world, not just Canada and the Australian versions were US sourced. There were variations of those cars in different markets, for instance the British Kew Plymouth based 39 Chrysler Wimbeldon is different from an NZ Plymouth based Chrysler. There's some strange stuff in the parts book like tail lamp lenses with an amber section that I've often wondered what country required those factory turn signals and how they were switched. I have a 39 radio panel which is a great lump of diecast like the glove compartment door which has Plymouth cast in the ribbed section across the top. I've never seen another one of those.
I've never noticed the difference in the hand brake levers, I'll have to take a look, the difference in the toe board I covered in an earlier post is stranger yet.

[Roadkingcoupe]

The 1939 Canadian Dodge D12 is based on a 1939 Plymouth body. The "PLODGE" (I hate that name) was a Plymouth bodied car with "Dodge" grill and trim grafted on. In order to make the dashboard a "Dodge" they had to use the 1939 Plymouth Instrument cluster. So it appears that the gold colored glass is Canadian Dodge only. Regardless it is a unique part I wanted others on the forum to see. Now if anyone knows why? .... the parking brake handle on a CDN 39 Plymouth is different then the US 1939 Plymouth. I still can not figure out why a 2" longer engine would facilitate needing a different parking brake handle/mechanism? Thanks
roadkingcoupe

[Andy Wylie]

I'm guessing that's D12 or 13 Dodge, the SP7 Desotos had a wavy gold pattern. Note the different diecast trim across the top, it's just bolted on top of plymouth bezel.

[Roadkingcoupe]

Over time I have been able to chronicle the differences between US and Canadian (export included) Mopar vehicles. In the 1939 Plymouth there are numerous differences between identical looking cars. Recently on ebay an Instrument cluster glass was pictured from a Cdn car. Most forum members are familiar with the sinlge tone brown glass face. There is a very interesting variation on Cdn cars. Pictured below are the two instrument glass treatments.
All US cars had stainless moldings. CDN cars have a mixture of mostly pot metal and some stainless. The 70 year old pot metal literally crumbles in your hand. So the US version is superior, no pits, no rust etc.
In this case the Instrument glass on the CDN car is unique and actually might be an improvement on this original US designed car.
auction # 300381364049 is the Canadian
glass ebay link -

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...fvi%3D1&_rdc=1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300381364049&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fmotors.shop.ebay.com%3A80%2F__%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp2127.m39.l1313%26_nkw%

auction #130347456409

ebay link-
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1939-Plymouth-Speedometer-Instrument-Dash-Glass_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem1e59505799QQitemZ130347456409QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories