Gene Herman has posted a few shots that involve his vintage Dodge (1949, First series) encountering contrasting cars, like this Dodge Viper. They’re about as different as two Dodges can get. Well, they do both have black wall tires, but that’s about as much in common as I can think of.
If the Viper has about four or five times the horsepower of the Dodge’s flathead six, this rare Honda N600 has about a fourth or a fifth.
And finally, the handsome Dodge coupe meets up with a car that is not so far apart, power-wise. And I can’t tell if the Dodge has a back seat or not (business coupe), but if it doesn’t, it’s closer to the Smart in more ways than one. Who would have thought?
More on some of these cars:
I love those N600’s, and would be happy with the green one but if I had a choice, make mine white over red, please!
Hard to believe that those N600’s were once quite common in California, though probably less so in Vermont. But then, even at my age it’s hard to remember when we’d regularly see those Dodges, or similar, on the road. It’s a good counterpoint to the recent Chrysler coupe post. Though I’ve never been a fan of the late-’40’s Mopars, the proportions were certainly much better than what they devolved to over the next 20 years.
That little N600 was, in fact, imported from California. They were VERY scarce back here back when the were new. This entirely rust-free example unfortunately suffered an engine failure that took a local vintage motorcycle shop many months to put right. Parts were VERY hard to came by.
I don’t believe that Honda officially distributed them much past the west coast. They were fairly common in WA I had one for a while and knew several other people who had them over the years. When I had mine there was actually one in the local wrecking yard that I snagged a couple of things off of like a pair of better tires, and some clutch pieces. Of course that was back in the mid 80’s. I also didn’t have a problem ordering parts at the local Honda car dealership though all I ordered was an oil filter and exhaust manifold gaskets. A week or so later and I had my parts.
Back in the late 60s and early 70s they were not unusual in NYC. My mother in law’s neighbor had one that was parked in front of the house.
I love these pictures! I was looking at these just last night on the cohort. I especially like the profile shot with the Smart car. What a contrast! They are both cool cars in my book, but they are so completely different, it’s hilarious.
My point exactly, Mike. 😉 And thanx for your kind words.
I do like the photos. And if you think about it, the Smart is not so dissimilar to the Dodge, modernized and distilled. Small, rear-mounted engine, with modern technology allowing it to be comparatively tiny. No need for that long hood. Storage isn’t a priority, so no need for that long trunk. Tuck the tires underneath, and you have what is a 2-person passenger cabin with all the excess stripped away.
It could also be said that all the style is stripped away, too, unfortunately. Great for the form-follows-function crowd. Not so great for those of us who like to admire the automotive scenery!
The third photo is amazing. Without any stretching or fiddling, it makes the Dodge look twice as graceful and pretty as it looks in reality. Perfect lighting, I guess?
Too bad Monteverde wasn’t around when Chrysler was setting up its advertising in ’47.
I think the Smart is the source of that effect. I like that Dodge, but you’re right, it just looks sleeker next to the Smart. Not so much next to the Viper.
Even my body looks quite sleek next to a smart. Otherwise, not so much.
I think it is the lighting. The reflections off the upper areas of the the fenders and the sill accentuate the stream lining effects. It stretches the coupe optically.
Spot-on!
Thanx, occam. I missed the ad copy deadline by just a couple of years.
I’ve seen that Dodge… to me it is the perfect curbside classic for the Vermont and Brattleboro scenery.
Thanx, T. Have we met?
No we have not, but when I see your car again I’ll make the effort to either flag you down, or leave a note on your windshield. I’m partial to that car because my Aunt used to take me and friends to the beach in her tan version of your car in the mid 50’s. After a day at beach we would all pile in and fall asleep to the drone of the flat six on the way home. Good memories.
Entirely consistent with your sleepy memories of your Aunt’s car, the factory name for the paint on mine is Lullaby Blue.
Glanced at the opening shot and assumed it was a Dodge Viper meeting a Volvo PV…..
Thanx for using my photos, Paul. My Dodge is actually what is called a First Series 1949 Custom Club Coupe and does have a back seat. It is virtually identical to the 1946-47 cars which, in turn, were pretty much the prewar car with a facelift.
Chrysler restyled all their lines for 1949, but didn’t have them ready to ship until March or April of that year, so they just kept cranking out the old models. They had no trouble selling them because the market still had not recovered from the Great Car Famine caused by the Second World War. The new, slab-sided ’49’s are called Second Series cars.
That is one great looking car, and that full profile shot is very nice. I also like how in the 2nd pic, it appears to be looking at “the little foreign car” with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, as though it was back when the Honda was a new and unusual sight. Ah, if you only knew, big ol’ Dodge, how many friends that funny little foreign car would be bringing over.
Thanx, dave. You definitely got what I was going for and just a little more.
Every time I see Gene’s Dodge I go into a swoon. The other contrast with these shots is that the Dodge is pure warm vanilla pudding-style comfort and smoothness compared to the others, that actually require like, you know, driving. 🙂
I once drove a 51 Dodge with the flathead 6/3 speed/Fluid Drive combo that I think this one has. I would imagine that they are quite similar. I enjoyed it A LOT. These may be as nautical as driving a car ever got. Accelerating with the Fluid Drive gives a sensation not unlike a powerboat in the water.
You get the same effect in old Buicks with the Dynaflow; press on the gas, the motor speeds up, and finally the rest of the car catches up with the process. Very smooth if not especially quick off the line. Some modern cars with CVT’s will motorboat as well; a former co-worker has a Nissan Rogue that seemed very bad about this. I expect you get used to it but I always found it a little off putting.
Thanx, jp. You’re absolutely right about the drive train and the ride is positively cloud-like. It’s no accident they used the slogan, “Smoothest car afloat” in period ads.
It doesn’t get any better than to own the twin of a car used in the ad campaign. I think I have only had one of those in my life, maybe two.
In each scenario the Dodge would be my choice. Too easy.
😀
Damn that Dodge Coupe is BEAUTIFUL ! .
Love the pix .
I saw an Honda 600 Coupe for sale last weekend on Mulholland Drive just pas The Rock Store .
I’d take the Dodge with it’s silky smooth ” Floating power ” (Google it) engine .
” Put a DODGE in your garage honey ! ” .
-Nate
Thanx, Nate. It’s a 70,000 original mile, unrestored car.
Sweet ! they’re only original once .
A true Survivor .
Me , I’d run the wheels off it , I don’t believe in static displays .
The color matches the body *perfectly* .
I just bet you really enjoy the annual hot valve adjustment ! =8-) .
-Nate