1935 Dodge Series DU - 4-Door Touring Sedan

The Dodge ‘New Value’ (also known as the Dodge Series DU) was launched in January 1935 as a successor to the Standard, Special and Deluxe models. Like its predecessors, the car was fitted with a side-valve, in-line six-cylinder engine with a capacity of 3'569 cc, producing 87 bhp. This vehicle also featured a single-plate dry clutch, a three-speed gearbox and rear-wheel drive. A semi-automatic transmission (with a vacuum-operated clutch) was available as an option. The New Value was available with two wheelbases: most body styles were built on the chassis with a 2,946 mm wheelbase; the 7-seater saloon and the 5-seater ‘Caravan’ saloon had a 3'251 mm wheelbase. The bodywork had been redesigned: a narrow, rearward-sloping radiator grille and a more steeply raked windscreen made the vehicles appear more aerodynamic. New all-steel body styles included a 2- or 4-door saloon, each available in a ‘standard version’ (without a boot) and a ‘touring version’ (with a fastback and a rear-mounted boot). In addition, there were two different 2-door coupés (Business and R/S), and a 2-door open-top on the short wheelbase. The R/S coupé and open-top were available with a choice of 2 or 4 seats. The Dodge Series DU on offer here, with its 5-seater Touring body, was first registered in the USA in 1935. The history of this attractive saloon is unknown there, but it was evidently restored many years ago. In the early 1990s – as indicated by the custom registration number entered in the vehicle registration document – the Dodge was imported into Switzerland and entered the collection of its last owner in the autumn of 1996. The owner initially enjoyed using the car, but after a few years began parking it in a dry shed for most of the time. In recent years, the saloon has hardly been driven at all – a completed logbook shows that, since March 2005, it has covered just over 250 miles. Today, the Dodge is in fine condition – the bodywork is sound, the paintwork is neat and the interior shows only normal signs of wear and tear. The robust inline six-cylinder engine – for which a displacement of just 3‘293 cc was incorrectly recorded upon import – turns over, but has not been started. The car requires a new battery and professional recommissioning, including a service. The last veteran MOT was carried out in June 2016.