How many Dodge D15 built?

[Colin Alford]

This evening I managed to get my hands on the pictured parts book. It was published June 1, 1945 and covers the entire production run.

The title page also includes the list of serial numbers and the associated contract number. (This list covers all of the same serial numbers as the later Chrysler Serial number book, but breaks up some of the sequential blocks into separate contracts).

I now feel quite confident that the complete production run included 28866 vehicles. (I amended my calculation above as I miscalculated and excluded one vehicle from each serial number block).

[Lang]

Winner! Colin

Your books have some good info.

I always thought they would be a zippy little truck but with 6.3 diffs they would have been turtles. Probably sound like you were doing a thousand miles an hour until a kid on a bicycle passed you.

2,500rpm is starting to flog a Dodge engine for sustained highway running although they will do more. At that speed they will be sitting on 40mph according to my calculator. I know there are people who have driven their Dodges at 9,000rpm for a million miles and never had a problem but my experience puts me at 2,500rpm safe.

[Erwin]

Thank you very much everybody.
In particular - Colin! 28.866 vehicles - very precise answer!
Very well done, am grateful.
The figure is needed for information to the public at vehicle expos etc

My D15 is s/n 91048555. FEB 10, 1943. Picture below.

Bonus question:

Does anybody have a rough idea how many D-15 (again only GS and water bowser)
are around in a restored driving state worldwide?

[Lang]

Erwin

That would be impossible to answer but it would seem there are still plenty around. Just a click on Dodge D-15 on Google comes up with lots of modern photos and if you track each of those they expand into further leads. P-Interest probably have a whole section on D-15.

You have a beaut little truck absolutely ideal for travelling to shows with plenty of room in the back (if it is not a tanker) without having a lumbering full-size truck to wrestle around. I am probably biased but think the Dodge flat 6 was overall the best of the big 3 engines for reliability and ease of maintenance. The Chevrolet was not far off (but blessed with a far superior gearbox) and I think Ford people are wondering what is going to happen next while blessed with the same reliable but lousy, from a driving point of view, gearbox as the Dodge.

Seconds out of the ring!

Lang

[Mike K]

Nice D15 you have there Erwin

A chap here who is into WW2 Dodge vehicles was telling me he knows of a few of the military D15 trucks here in Aust. I mentioned that I have never seen or heard of any but he was adamant and said he has found a few ! Has anybody found one here ?

I have to agree with Lang's comments re: the big three and their pros and cons

My 46 Dodge I used it as a everyday car for ten years, it was in original condition not restored, the wooden ute deck was rotted, the ply cab floor was falling to bits . I still can't get over how it kept going despite almost nil maintenance, even went on a few interstate trips.

My experience with the Chevy 216 ... if in the original factory configuration it does have it's limitations. The cast iron pistons do not handle over-revving , about 2500 is the limit for a prolonged life span. There were a number of brands of aftermarket aluminium alloy pistons available, this sort of tells a story. The fibre timing gear is a issue and they can let go at any moment. The poured big ends , a big and expensive pain. Big pro for GM is the steering box is far superior to the other two.

Ford. Ignition system was dodgy. Distributor access a nightmare. The coolant system needs to be in top condition anything less and there will be problems. The non-adjustable valve tappet clearance is very awkward if you don't have access to the correct tools.

[Lang]

Mike

There is one that goes to every Corowa

A little Video in UK?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giRy_D44gOY

[Erwin]

Thank you Lang, Mike to Australia!
Yes, I love my little truck very much, my son literally spent parts of his early childhood in it…

Am aware it is difficult to state the number of survivors still rolling.
Still a rough guess would be interesting…100? More / less?

I know 2 in Austria, a few in Belgium, Netherlands, but not so many.
Are there any in Canada? Down Under?
Would be nice to see them here.

Cheers Erwin👋🙏