1927 Dodge Tourer ( Rodda)

DIRECTORY

1927 Dodge Tourer

The legacy the Dodge Brothers began by constructing durable and powerful cars starting with the 1914 "Old Betsy". The Dodge brothers adapted their skills to meet the needs of the fledgling automotive industry and found success producing intricate and innovative auto parts which coupled with unique designs started the Dodge's tradition of power, style and rugged dependability.

But in 1920, after the death of both the Dodge brothers, inspite of several pioneering moves to keep the company in profit, the widows ultimately considered they would be unable to run the business themselves in the face of stiff industry competition.

The widows sold the company to New York investment bankers Dillon, Reed & Co. in 1925 for $146,000,000, an astronomical sum in an era when a new Ford sold for less than $30

While Dillon-Reed apparently bought Dodge with the intention of selling it for a profit, it continued to operate at a profit after the takeover. Dodge management under Dillon, Reed went on to buy out the Graham brothers in 1926 (who went on to Paige-Detroit, renaming it Graham-Paige) and consolidate all truck manufacture under the Dodge Brothers name.

In the face of compromising situations and uncertain management moves, the Dodge design and development team manufactured the 1927 Dodge Four 128 touring sedan to sense the public reaction to the changes at Dodge Inc.

Following the traditionalism in the Dodge designs, the 1927 Dodge Tourer was a 4x2 rear wheel drive front-motor car with the following technical specifications:

* Straight 4-cylinder L-head, 212.27 cu.in. engine generating a

mod erate 35-40 BHP.

* Stewart up-draft vacuum type carburetor.

* 3 speed + 1 back gearbox.

* 5-bearing chrome-vanadium steel crankshaft

* Fuel consumption of 25 miles per gallon at touring speed

The Dodge motor company was acquired from Dillon-Reed by Walter Chrysler in 1928 after some aggressive and intimidating proceedings for $170 million.