Dodge Phaeton 1926

POINT

<Introducing the history that started as an independent manufacturer "Dodge Brothers">

Dodge as "Dodge Brothers" before it became part of Chrysler is now in stock! Introducing the history of Dodge, which began in 1914.

Dodge started as an independent manufacturer

Dodge has long been a member of Chrysler and has been responsible for mid-range cars. In the 1950s and 1960s, when Dodge was at its peak, Chrysler was an automobile manufacturer consisting of four brands: Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto, and Chrysler. The name Dodge also carries images of high performance, with models such as the 1960s Charger, 70s Challenger, and recent Vipers.

However, Dodge did not become part of Chrysler until it was purchased by Walter Chrysler in 1928, and was still an independent manufacturer in 1926 when this car was created. The Dodge brothers, John and Horace, founded the company in 1914 and began making cars that bore their name. Having grown up in the machine processing factory run by their father, they acquired excellent processing techniques at a young age. In the early days, the company used its technology to produce bicycles, but when automobile production began in the 20th century, the company turned to processing and producing parts. Eventually, he became acquainted with Henry Ford and was put in charge of producing his engines.

Engine evaluated as a “reliable car”

Although the engines they produced were highly praised, they left Ford in 1914 and began producing their own cars. The car's name was Dodge, or Dodge Brothers, and some elders who knew Dodge when it was an independent manufacturer still refer to it as Dodge Brother. The Dodge brothers only produced cars with 4-cylinder engines, not other types such as 6-cylinder or 8-cylinder engines. But the Dodge Brothers name was already known for producing engines for Ford.

It quickly gained popularity because it was made with high-quality processing technology and was highly reliable. General Pershing of the U.S. Army was the one who supported this idea. When he used the Dodge, he said it ran 18 hours a day without any problems. Since then, Dodge has been highly praised as a ``reliable car,'' and 250 cars have been adopted as staff cars. At the same time that General Pershing achieved great military success in the war against Mexico, Dodge's name became popular.

Innovation ahead of the times

Dodge Brothers produced reliable middle-class cars from 1914 to 1928. During the first half of its production period, open bodies still accounted for the majority in the United States, but steel closed bodies were quickly added to the catalog and gained popularity.

At that time, wooden or cast wheels were common, but the company was ahead of other companies in offering steel wheels as an option. In 1926, when this car was created, Dodge sales reached 265,000, ranking fourth in the United States.

Founding brothers passed away in their 50s

Dodge Brothers was a highly anticipated automobile manufacturer, but in 1920, one of the founding brothers, John, died of the worldwide Spanish flu pandemic, followed by his younger brother Horace at the end of the same year due to liver disease, both in their 50s. Dodge Brothers lost two outstanding leaders and was absorbed by Chrysler in 1928, but the Dodge name remained at the core of Chrysler for a long time, producing many memorable models.