F.A.Q.

Questions:
  Does the DB Club "judge" cars at meets?
  How do I join the club?
  How do I submit an article to the club magazine?
  What are the benefits of membership?
  What happens at the club's annual meets?
  What is the club's policy on "hot rods," "street rods,"
  What's the meaning behind the Dodge Brothers emblem?
  When did "Dodge Brothers" become "Dodge"
  When did "Dodge" become a part of "Chrysler"?
 
Answers:
  Does the DB Club "judge" cars at meets?

The Dodge Brothers Club welcomes cars and trucks in all levels of restoration or repair. We do not "judge" vehicles brought to our annual meets or any other function. Our object is to have fun with these vehicles. We have enjoyed "concours quality" restorations along with "barn fresh" originals side by side at our meets. You can see brush-painted home-made trucks and Hershey First Seniors, neither of which is judged or compared. We have had unrestored projects brought to our meets on trailers as well complete restorations driven thousands of miles. Many awards at our annual meets are in the category of "people's choice." We usually allow attendees to vote in several categories: four-cylinder, six cylinder, 1920s, 1930s, etc. We also award the oldest car, the newest car, the longest distance driven, longest distance trailered, the oldest driver, youngest driver, etc. None of these awards is based on authenticity or quality of restoration.

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  How do I join the club?

You do not need to own a vehicle to join. While our major activity involves the vehicles, we have many members interested in the history of the Dodge family and company. Join On-Line, or send your check, payable in US funds, to P O BOX 1543, CAMBRIDGE, OH 43725 . Print out the form provided or include a sheet with your full name and address, phone, e-mail, and as much as you wish of the following details about all Dodge Brothers and Graham Brothers vehicles you own: Year, Model Designation, Body Style, Serial Number, Engine Number. This information will be published in the roster. Only DB and GB vehicles, 1914-1938, including Horace Dodge, Jr., marine products, will be included in the roster. Please list all vehicles, running or not, restored or not, parts cars or complete, cars, commercial vehicles, busses, trucks, and boats. Note: we only include "Graham Brothers" products produced during their association with Dodge Brothers. We do not cover 1928 and later Graham or Graham-Paige cars. Please go to the Graham Owners Club if you have these vehicles.

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  How do I submit an article to the club magazine?

1. The preferred way is to contact the editor first with your proposal. The editor may make suggestions on how best to write and submit the article or which photos and drawings may be preferred.

2. If you already have an article prepared, just send to the editor via e-mail Tracy Lesher:  dbclubeditor@gmail.com . Be sure photos are protected and if they are valuable, insure or at least opt for the "delivery confirmation" sticker. Please write your name and some identification on the back of each photo and drawing. Do not use ball-point pen as this will indent the photo and show up in the printed article. Use removeable labels but do not mark on rare and original photos.

3. Editor can accept manuscripts in any condition from hand written to computer files. If computer files, please save as generic text (txt) files in Windows (PC) format, not Mac. Digital photos need to be 300 dpi, no more no less, saved as tif or bmp. If you attach a jpg photo to an e-mail, some quality may be lost but try it, The editor may return to you with suggestions on how to better submit the photo electronically. We can accept files on floppy disks, CDs, and 100 MB Zip disks.

4. Manuscripts are always edited by the editor for spelling, typos, and content, so do not worry about your writing abilities. If you just get the information to the editor, any how, any way, he usually can make something out of it.

5. Usually we can not use photocopies of photographs or drawings. In some cases good laser copies can be reproduced but always at some loss of quality. Usually we can not reprint articles already published by other magazines or newspapers. However, it sometimes is possible for your editor to abstract portions without risking copyright infringement. Go ahead and send the item to us for review or at least for background information. Be sure to include the name and address of the publication or newspaper so we can write to the editor/publisher for reprint permission.

6. Lead times till publication vary, but can be up to two years! Please do not think your article was rejected if it does not appear in print immediately after submission.

DEADLINES Note the deadlines for each upcoming issue, is published at the beginning of the Flea Market section of every issue. If you have urgent materials to be published (letters to editor, For Good or Order announcements, or advertisements), be sure to get them to the editor as soon before the deadline as possible. Remember that last-minute submissions will not get preferred placement in the magazine. Editor checks his e-mail on the morning of the deadline for the last time, and goes out to his mailbox mid day of the deadline. Items arriving after those times will not be in the upcoming issue. As a guideline, deadlines are one month before the issue date.

DODGE BROTHERS CLUB NEWS

Yearly issue schedule and deadlines

Issue Issue Date Deadline* Mail Date**
1 Jan/Feb Jan 31 Feb 1
2 Mar/Apr Mar 30 Apr 1
3 May/Jun May 28 Jun 1
4 Jul/Aug Jul 30 Aug 1
5 Sep/Oct Sep 30 Oct 1
6 Nov/Dec Nov 31 Dec 1

*Issue closes at 11:00 a.m. EST/EDTon the deadline date for US mail, Fed. Ex, courier, etc, and 8:00 a.m. for e-mail/internet. If date falls on Sunday or holiday, deadline is previous day.
**Or within next three weekdays after.

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  What are the benefits of membership?

--Six full magazines per year. Each issue includes Flea Market, "Q&A" (a question and answer department in which you can post specific questions or discuss problems you are having), several feature articles, letters to the editor, and general hobby or club news. Every few years the "Directory of Vendors" is updated and published in the magazine, listing suppliers and services recommended by members.
--Roster listing members by name and by year of vehicle owned. The latter is useful in contacting owners of cars like yours. Roster also lists members by location, useful when you travel. Roster is updated and sent to all current members free of charge every two or three years. New members get the latest roster upon joining (until the supply runs out).
--Technical advisors for your vehicle (with a few exceptions)
--Website
--Annual meet. A chance to meet with others and to see cars similar to yours. Share solutions and discuss problems you have.
--Help in locating parts: Flea Market ads in the magazine and on website, access to vendors specializing in DB/GB parts, access to individuals who are reproducing needed parts or offering specialized services.
--Club store with discounts for members
--Hershey Annual dinner, club Flea Market tent at Hershey
--Regions. While we only have a few, you can form one in your area with guidance from the club directors
--Archives. The club is building up a substantial collection of manuals, technical literature, and other information. We hope to begin offering these materials on CD-ROM sometime soon.

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  What happens at the club's annual meets?

Our annual meet schedules include driving tours, each to an historic site or other interesting destination. Often we'll enjoy a meal there along with a tour of the site, and then drive back. Nothing's more impressive than to see a string of your most favorite vehicles winding its way through the countryside on a pleasant summer's day. You do not need to bring a car or truck to the meet. Those coming without old cars almost always find rides in someone else's car or truck. You also do not need to drive a car brought to the meet on the tours if you choose not to. All care is taken to ensure that the routes and associated traffic will accommodate the oldest of vehicles with ease. "Trouble trailers" are always available for those unlikely problem events. We pride our meets on being "family oriented." Children and other family members who may not care for a full week of automotive involvement always find much else of interest at our meets. Our tours take us to local attractions that are bound to be fun for the whole family. Most meet planners also include some alternative tours that are distinctly not auto related for those who need a diversion. These may be bus rides to nearby shopping malls, antique malls, and so forth. At most meets, one morning is devoted to "technical sessions" at which experts are recruited to present valuable restoration or maintenance information. The swap meet and "car show" near the end of the meet is open to the public. The meets end with a final banquet at which awards are presented. There's usually entertainment and fun for all at these banquets. Many members include the Dodge Brothers Club Annual Meet as a regular part of their summer vacation. Friendships are made across the continent and, in fact, across oceans, at our meets. These meets provide an inexpensive way to see new parts of the country, enjoy some family time together, while sharing in the old-car hobby as a family. Meet organizers strive to find unique and reasonably priced venues for these events. Prices are low because the Dodge Brothers Club does not rely on the annual meets to make money. Meet organizers usually provide for near-by camping and RV facilities for those who prefer this option. Plenty of safe parking is available at or near the meet site for car-haulers, trailers, tow vehicles, and modern cars. Antique vehicles are parked safely near the guest rooms. Most all venues have ADA handicap accessibility although those with special needs ought to contact the hotel facility to ensure all is satisfactory. A hospitality room, message board, and all the usual niceties are provided. Most meet accommodations are provided at a special club rate for the duration of the meet. Some may extend these rates for those wishing to come early or stay late to further enjoy the location. Attendees are required to make two separate arrangements. The meet registration fee is paid to the meet organizers. The accommodations are reserved directly with the facility or campsite. Meet locations alternate yearly to be east and west of the Mississippi river.

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  What is the club's policy on "hot rods," "street rods,"

At the Fall 1996 Board of Directors meeting, the directors agreed that hot rodding was not acceptable. In subsequent magazine articles soliciting member opinions, it was further determined that a vehicle became a "hot rod," "street rod," or excessively modified when the costs to reverse the alterations would exceed the market value of the restored vehicle. Hot rodding is discouraged by the Dodge Brothers Club. Regarding modifications less than "hot rod," while the club encourages authentic restorations when ever practical, we realize that people's needs, budgets, and expectations are different. We encourage people to try to perform modifications so they can be reversed by the next owner of the vehicle. Save all the original parts and keep careful notes of the work done. Most modifications are to improve speed, performance, and handling of the vehicle. Before doing this, be sure you have exhausted all means of improving the original engine, driveline, and equipment. Carburetor and distributor rebuilding, tune up, and timing often will add horsepower to an old engine. So will engine rebuilding. Make sure you are using the correct carburetor and distributor and that the coil, switch, points, cap, rotor, plugs and wiring are in new condition. Replace shackle bolts, king pins, refurbish leaf springs, u-joints.

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  What's the meaning behind the Dodge Brothers emblem?

Unfortunately, John and Horace Dodge died before they publically told anyone how they arrived at this symbol. If any family members knew the reasons behind this, nothing was ever revealed or discovered. Apparently no one thought to ask them!
Among the possibilities:
1. These are two interlocking Greek letter "deltas" or "D s" for the two Dodge brothers
2. A midieval symbol of mysticism and the joining of mind and body, also possibly the joining of two brothers, who were known to be personally very close, in this business venture.
3. An abstraction of the square and compass of the Freemasons.
4. Nothing more or less than a badge with six pointed star similar to those used for law-enforcement officer's badges, some outlined with triangles. Sheriff, Marshall, and police badges frequently were and are six pointed stars. The old-west Dodge City badge had six points. Horace Dodge was said to enjoy accompanying local law-enforcement officers on their runs.
5. There are other instances of a company 'logo" selected for no particular deep meaning other than that it suited the fancy of those who selected it. The Chevrolet "bowtie" is a classic example, as it was copied from the wall paper of a hotel room.
6. At the time the emblem was selected (most likely 1912-1914) it's likely that the Dodge brothers were unaware of its use in Judiasm. In fact, at this time, that symbol was not used universally in this context.
Rumors that are wrong include:
1. They chose the "Star of David" as a Jewish symbol to anger Henry Ford.
Fact: The brothers were actually friends with Ford at the time the emblem was selected. They were business partners with Ford and even were guests at Edsel Ford's wedding.
2. They chose the "Star of David" as a Jewish symbol to appease Jewish bankers who financed the business.
Fact: There were no outside investors.
3. The Dodge Brothers were Jewish
Fact: They were not.

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  When did "Dodge Brothers" become "Dodge"

Officially, Chrysler changed the name from "Dodge Brothers" to "Dodge" in 1930. In actuality "Dodge Brothers" still appeared for several more years, slowly fading from use and memory during the 1930s. By 1938 "Brothers" was pretty well gone from all mention, including most company stantionery. It does survive surprisingly late however, as we have found Detroit phone-book references to "Dodge Brothers" into the 1950s. The founders of the Dodge Brothers Club selected 1938 to be our cut off point for car inclusion because this seems to be a reasonable date to assign to the demise of the term. (Ref: Chrysler, The Life and Times of an Automotive Genius, p 387-388)

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  When did "Dodge" become a part of "Chrysler"?

Walter P Chrysler bought Dodge Brothers at 5:00 p.m. on July 31,1928. It was purchased from Clarence Dillon of Dillon, Read, the investment bankers who pretty well drove the company into financial trouble, milking it for profits. Model production already in progress at this time included the Senior Six, 140/141 Standard Six, 130/131 Victory Six, and 128/129 (also called the Fast Four), and Graham Brothers trucks. At that time Chrysler also was just introducing the first-ever Plymouth, with DeSoto and Fargo trucks not far behind. Aside from immediately replacing all former Dodge management, Chrysler made very few changes in the existing vehicle line-up at Dodge Brothers for the rest of the calendar year. One change, as reported in some histories, almost immediately Chrysler stopped all further production of the Dodge Brothers four-cylinder cars--the end of that era--probably because these would compete directly with the new Plymouth fours. He also, at the end of 1928, terminated the use of the name "Graham Brothers" on all publicity for the truck line. All trucks became Dodge Brothers, although you can find reference to GB on ID plates for several years into the 1930s. (Ref: Chrysler, The Life and Times of an Automotive Genius, p 385, )

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