Dodge Brothers offered the Screenside Business Car from 1917 through the early 1920s as a factory-built half-ton commercial vehicle rather than a passenger car converted by an outside body company. Its 212.3-cubic-inch L-head four-cylinder engine was commonly rated at 35 horsepower and drove the rear wheels through a three-speed sliding-gear transmission, while the commercial chassis used a 114-inch wheelbase and a nominal 1,000-pound payload rating.

Best known for its tall wire-screen cargo enclosure, the Screenside gave bakers, grocers, laundries, florists, and other urban trades a secure but well-ventilated delivery body on the same broadly proven mechanical foundation that had established Dodge Brothers passenger cars.

The model belongs to the first factory-developed Dodge Brothers Commercial Cars family, introduced while many light delivery vehicles were still assembled from passenger chassis, aftermarket bodies, or the stripped Ford Model T and Model TT. Survivors matter because they preserve an early stage in the separation of the American passenger automobile from the purpose-built light truck. They are also substantially rarer than contemporary Dodge touring cars, and complete body hardware is much harder to replace than the familiar engine and chassis components.

Quick Facts

The essential specifications identify the Screenside as a light delivery vehicle, not a heavy truck. Dodge Brothers did not use a modern generation code for this commercial-car series, so applying a later-style chassis designation can create confusion in registration files and sale descriptions.

The 114-inch wheelbase was long enough to support a useful delivery compartment without turning the vehicle into a heavy freight carrier. Its mechanical relationship to Dodge passenger cars helped operators obtain service, but the springs, gearing, body structure, and commercial duty cycle distinguish a genuine Business Car from a touring-car chassis carrying a newly fabricated delivery body.

Why the Screenside Business Car Matters

The Screenside addressed a practical problem faced by retailers using horse-drawn vans or open-bodied motor vehicles. A solid panel van protected merchandise but trapped heat and odors, while an open express body exposed goods to theft and weather. Wire-mesh side panels gave the driver visibility and ventilation while keeping baskets, parcels, and containers within a lockable body.

Just as significant, Dodge Brothers supplied a complete vehicle. Commercial buyers did not have to order a bare chassis and negotiate separately with a local body builder. Factory production encouraged consistent dimensions, hardware, and service parts, even though running changes and the survival of dealer or owner modifications make exact restoration research difficult.

The Business Car also demonstrates how quickly Dodge Brothers expanded beyond the touring cars that had launched the marque in late 1914. The company applied its established four-cylinder engine, electrical equipment, pressed-steel chassis practice, and full-floating axle experience to a growing light-delivery market. This was a working vehicle designed to earn daily revenue, not a sporting derivative or a homologation model.

Historical Context and Development

From automotive supplier to complete-vehicle manufacturer

John and Horace Dodge had been major component suppliers before producing automobiles under their own name. Their Detroit organization brought extensive foundry, machining, and mass-production experience to the first Dodge Brothers cars. By 1917 the company was already one of the largest American automobile manufacturers, supported by a reputation for robust construction and standard equipment that was not always included on lower-priced rivals.

The commercial program arrived during the First World War, when motor transport was proving its worth in military and civilian service. Dodge vehicles had already been used in demanding government and military applications, including staff and reconnaissance work associated with the 1916 Punitive Expedition into Mexico. That experience did not make the Screenside a military model, but it reinforced the commercial value of a conventional, readily serviced automobile chassis.

The light-delivery market

Ford introduced the Model TT chassis in 1917, offering buyers a low-priced route to a heavier truck through a vast network of independent body suppliers. REO's Speed Wagon name covered more substantial commercial work, while GMC and numerous regional manufacturers competed across several payload classes. Dodge approached the half-ton customer with a more integrated, automobile-like package than many assembled trucks.

The Screenside's proportions reveal its intended work. An upright windshield and compact driving compartment sit ahead of a tall rectangular load body. Solid lower panels protect cargo from road debris, while the screened upper sides reduce visual mass and provide the feature that gave the model its lasting name. Narrow wheels, generous ground clearance, separate fenders, and a plainly finished radiator shell belong to an era when accessibility and load space mattered more than styling continuity.

Management changes after 1920

Both Dodge brothers died in 1920, John in January and Horace in December. The company continued under professional management, and existing passenger and commercial products evolved through running changes rather than an abrupt mechanical break. For restorers, that continuity means a 1921 or 1922 vehicle can resemble an earlier example while differing in controls, electrical components, body fittings, wheels, or production details.

No motorsport or homologation program shaped the Screenside. Its development priorities were starting reliability, low-speed pulling ability, load capacity, braking simplicity, and ease of maintenance. Any surviving example with competition equipment or a speed-oriented engine conversion should therefore be treated as a later modification rather than a factory sporting version.

Engine and Drivetrain

212.3-cubic-inch L-head four

The Dodge four uses an inline cylinder layout with side valves housed in the block, the familiar L-head arrangement of the period. A 3.875-inch bore and 4.5-inch stroke produce approximately 212.3 cubic inches. The long stroke, modest compression, and conservative operating speed suited low-rev delivery work better than sustained high-speed running.

Period literature commonly lists 35 horsepower, but that number predates modern SAE net testing and should not be compared directly with a contemporary engine rating. Published torque and governed-speed figures are not consistently documented for the Screenside, so precise values should not be inferred from later Dodge engines with similar displacement.

A single carburetor supplies the mixture, with fuel and carburetor details subject to production date and service replacement. Ignition uses a battery-and-coil system with a distributor, while Dodge's 12-volt electrical equipment and electric starting were meaningful advantages at a time when some inexpensive vehicles retained more rudimentary systems. Water cooling uses a front radiator and engine-driven circulation equipment characteristic of the Dodge installation.

Lubrication combines mechanical oil circulation with period splash practice rather than a modern full-pressure system. Correct oil level, clear passages, sound bearing clearances, and an accurate gauge or indicator are crucial. A freshly painted engine with blocked internal feeds can fail quickly even if it idles quietly during an inspection.

Clutch, gearbox, and rear axle

A mechanically operated dry clutch connects the engine to a three-speed selective sliding-gear transmission with reverse. There is no synchromesh. Drivers must pause between shifts or double-declutch, particularly when selecting a lower gear, and worn shafts or gears can make an already deliberate change noisy and difficult.

The propeller shaft carries power to a live rear axle through a spiral-bevel final drive. Period Dodge engineering made extensive use of a full-floating rear-axle arrangement, which reduced the wheel-supporting duty imposed on the axle shafts and simplified shaft service. Commercial gearing emphasized starting with a load and coping with poor roads, not maximum speed.

The table confines itself to specifications consistently associated with the early Dodge commercial chassis. Carburetor brands, compression ratios, and minor electrical fittings can differ by year or may have been replaced during a century of service.

Output alone understates the engine's suitability. A loaded delivery car depended on low gearing and flywheel effect, allowing the long-stroke four to move away without excessive clutch slip. The same gearing limits comfortable road speed and raises engine wear if an owner attempts to drive the vehicle like a later highway truck.

Chassis, Suspension, Steering, and Brakes

The Screenside uses a separate ladder-type frame with the engine and transmission mounted conventionally at the front. The cargo body is structurally distinct from the chassis, and the wooden framing, sheet-metal skin, screen frames, doors, and mounting points all need to work together. Chassis flex that was acceptable on period roads can become destructive when weakened timber or corroded brackets no longer distribute the load.

Front and rear beam axles are located by semi-elliptic leaf springs. The arrangement provides strength, generous articulation, and straightforward repair, but it also gives the unloaded vehicle a firm ride. Worn spring leaves, shackles, pins, and bushings permit axle movement that owners sometimes misdiagnose as steering-box failure.

Steering is manual through a period steering box and drag-link linkage. There is no hydraulic assistance and little self-centering by modern standards, especially at parking speed. Excess play may come from several accumulated sources, including the box, steering arms, kingpins, wheel bearings, and front spring mountings.

Braking acts at the rear wheels, using separate service and parking mechanisms typical of early Dodge practice. Correct adjustment is vital because there is no front-wheel braking reserve. Oil contamination from axle seals, distorted drums, weak springs, and mismatched linings can produce a severe pull or almost no useful retardation.

This chassis summary is most useful when checking whether a candidate retains the architecture expected of a half-ton Dodge Brothers commercial vehicle rather than a later driveline installed under an old body.

Period wheel, rim, and tire specifications can differ with production date and later service updates. Surviving commercial vehicles frequently received replacement wheels because rims became damaged, tire availability changed, or operators wanted a stronger assembly. A restorer should establish the vehicle's build period before purchasing an expensive set of wheels or commissioning tires.

Driving Experience and Handling Dynamics

Starting a correctly sorted Screenside should not require drama, but the driver must understand manual ignition and mixture controls where fitted. The long-stroke four settles into a measured cadence, with substantial flywheel inertia and useful pull just above idle. Throttle response is progressive rather than sharp, and the engine communicates distress through heat, vibration, or bearing noise well before it offers anything resembling high-speed performance.

The clutch and transmission reward slow, positive inputs. First gear is for moving a load or tackling a grade, while second carries much of the work on congested period roads. An upshift needs a deliberate pause, and a clean downshift depends on matching shaft speed with a double-declutch rather than forcing the lever through unsynchronized gears.

At the steering wheel, low-speed effort is high and the response contains movement from tires, axle location, and steering joints. Once rolling, the narrow tires reduce effort, but ruts and road crowns can steer the front axle. The tall cargo body adds wind sensitivity, and an empty rear body can bounce over sharp surfaces because its springs were selected to carry merchandise.

Body roll is visible but develops gradually. The vehicle works best at a speed that allows the chassis to settle before the next steering input. Rear-only brakes require anticipation, firm pedal pressure, and generous distance, particularly on a downgrade or wet surface. Engine braking and early gear selection are part of normal operation, not emergency techniques.

Identification and Originality

Serial numbers rather than a modern VIN

A 1917–1923 Dodge Brothers commercial vehicle does not have a standardized 17-character VIN. Identification depends on period serial or chassis numbers, engine numbers, surviving body plates, registration history, and comparison with marque records. Exact number locations and sequences should be confirmed against year-specific Dodge documentation because production changes and replacement engines make broad internet decoding charts unreliable.

The engine number should be recorded before purchase and compared with the title, old registrations, and available production references. A matching engine and chassis can strengthen a vehicle's historical case, but the modern phrase matching numbers should be used cautiously. Dodge did not market these trucks around the collector-era concept of every numbered component matching a factory build sheet.

Recognizing an authentic Screenside body

The defining body has solid lower cargo panels and framed wire-mesh upper sections behind an enclosed or substantially enclosed driver's compartment. Correct proportions, door construction, roof profile, screen-frame joints, hinges, latches, floor height, and chassis mounting points matter more than the presence of fresh wire mesh. Screens and timber are straightforward for a skilled craftsman to reproduce, so neither component alone proves that a body is original.

Examine the underside for old mounting holes, splices, asymmetrical brackets, and evidence that a touring body or later pickup box once occupied the frame. Newly fabricated bodies may be visually persuasive but often reveal modern fasteners, plywood, welded square tubing, synthetic sealants, or screen mesh with the wrong wire gauge and pattern. A reconstructed body is not automatically undesirable, provided the seller describes it accurately and the dimensions come from a documented original.

Mechanical details and finishes

Common substitutions include later carburetors, electric fuel pumps, alternators, modern distributors, sealed batteries, replacement gauges, hydraulic brakes, and newer rear axles. Some changes make touring easier, but they alter the vehicle's engineering character and can complicate a return to factory form. A hidden safety modification is generally less visually disruptive than cutting the frame or dashboard.

Paint research should begin beneath brackets, inside door joints, behind the instrument panel, and at protected body seams. Modern paint-code claims should be treated carefully because early factory color descriptions do not translate directly into contemporary mixing formulas, and commercial bodies were often repainted in business colors. Period-appropriate finishes tend to have less gloss depth than modern basecoat and clearcoat systems, while chassis, hardware, wood, and screen finishes need separate research.

Date-coded components are less comprehensive than on postwar cars. Carburetor tags, generator and starter markings, cast dates, patent plates, wheel details, and manufacturer stamps can still establish whether major pieces belong to the correct period. Photographs taken before dismantling, old company lettering, sales invoices, and title continuity may be more valuable than a cosmetic restoration unsupported by records.

Variant and Body Breakdown

Dodge Brothers sold related commercial body configurations on the same broad half-ton mechanical package. Terminology in advertisements and surviving paperwork is not perfectly uniform, but the distinctions concern cargo-body construction rather than engine performance.

These are body and sales configurations, not performance trims. There was no factory racing Screenside, high-output engine package, or homologation derivative. Exact Screenside production totals are not consistently documented separately from other Business Cars, and claims of a precise surviving population should be treated with caution unless supported by a marque registry.

Performance and Dimensional Specifications

Early commercial-vehicle literature concentrated on carrying capacity, wheelbase, and mechanical durability. Standardized acceleration tests, quarter-mile figures, and instrumented maximum-speed results were not routinely published for this model, so later estimates should not be presented as period road-test data.

A dependable factory curb weight and independently measured top speed are not consistently established across the 1917–1923 Screenside run. Body construction, equipment, year-to-year changes, and later repairs can materially affect weight. More importantly, axle gearing, rear-only brakes, wheel construction, and engine speed make a modern top-speed exercise mechanically inappropriate even when a restored example is capable of keeping pace with local traffic.

Compared With Related Models

Screenside versus Panel Business Car

The Panel Business Car is the closest factory relative and the easiest source of mistaken identification. Both use the same general half-ton commercial concept, but the Panel encloses the cargo area with solid sides. Converting a Panel into a Screenside requires much more than cutting apertures and inserting mesh because the framing, joints, doors, and weather sealing differ.

The Screenside ventilates its cargo and gives the driver a clearer view through the load compartment. The Panel provides better protection from dust and rain and offers uninterrupted exterior space for painted business signage. Collector preference often depends on body completeness, since replacing either style correctly can exceed the difficulty of rebuilding the shared drivetrain.

Commercial Car versus Dodge passenger car

The engine family and numerous service principles connect the Business Car to contemporary Dodge passenger models, which improves mechanical familiarity. The commercial chassis, load springs, body mounts, gearing, and cargo structure nevertheless make it incorrect to describe any period Dodge touring chassis with a delivery body as a factory Screenside.

A passenger-car-based reconstruction may be enjoyable and visually close, but its identity should follow the chassis and surviving documentation. Commercial-specific details can be expensive to recreate, and a body transfer does not erase the donor vehicle's serial history.

Dodge half-ton versus Ford Model TT

The Ford Model TT catered to a broad truck market and commonly appeared with locally supplied bodies. Its planetary transmission and Ford control layout create a very different driving experience from the Dodge's conventional three-speed sliding-gear gearbox. TT chassis were also associated with heavier, slower freight work, while the Dodge half-ton Business Car retained stronger passenger-car influence in its controls and proportions.

Ford's immense production and parts ecosystem generally make a Model T or TT easier to restore from incomplete condition. The Dodge offers 12-volt electrical starting, a conventional gear-change layout, and a less commonly preserved factory delivery body. For a collector choosing between them, completeness matters more than superficial paint quality.

Ownership and Restoration Notes

Mechanical rebuilding

The L-head four is conceptually simple, but an accurate rebuild calls for an engine shop familiar with early poured bearings, long-stroke crankshafts, low-compression combustion chambers, and non-modern lubrication systems. Crankshaft condition, bearing alignment, cylinder-wall thickness, valve-seat integrity, oil passages, and water-jacket corrosion require inspection before parts are ordered. A shop accustomed only to later insert-bearing engines may not have the tooling or patience needed.

Cooling problems often come from accumulated scale, restricted block passages, an ineffective radiator core, incorrect ignition timing, or a worn circulation system. Replacing the radiator without cleaning the block can move debris into the new core. Likewise, an electric fan may conceal poor coolant circulation without correcting the cause.

The gearbox should be checked for chipped teeth, shaft wear, damaged bearings, and excessive end float. Gear noise is normal by contemporary standards, but jumping out of gear, severe rumbling, or metal in the lubricant is not. Rear-axle work requires careful gear setup and attention to seals because leaked lubricant can contaminate the already limited rear brakes.

Body structure and corrosion

The cargo body is usually the largest restoration expense. Water enters around the roof, screen frames, rear doors, lower body joints, and floor edges, then attacks timber and the steel fasteners buried within it. Swollen joints, loose screens, sagging doors, cracked paint around fasteners, and distorted lower panels often indicate structural decay rather than a minor cosmetic problem.

Inspect the frame around spring hangers, crossmembers, steering mounts, drivetrain supports, and body brackets. Commercial use encouraged overloading, while later owners sometimes welded cracks without correcting the movement that caused them. Poorly executed boxing plates or heavy weld beads can conceal thinning metal and complicate alignment.

Parts supply and documentation

Engine service parts, ignition pieces, bearings, and some drivetrain components benefit from overlap with Dodge passenger cars and the work of early Dodge specialists. Screenside body fittings, screen frames, latches, commercial brackets, and correct interior hardware are much scarcer. These pieces may require pattern-making, machining, casting, or fabrication from an original example.

Routine service should be based on a correct period manual and adjusted for limited use. Frequent oil-level checks, chassis lubrication, brake adjustment, spoke or rim inspection, coolant monitoring, and fastener checks are more important than applying a modern extended service interval. Long periods of storage introduce their own risks, including stale fuel, corrosion in the cooling system, stuck valves, and dried axle or transmission seals.

Buyer and Inspection Points

A complete but worn Screenside is usually a better restoration basis than a polished vehicle assembled from unrelated parts. The following checks concentrate on model-specific risks that can determine whether a project is viable.

A road test should begin only after confirming wheel and brake safety. Run the engine long enough to reach normal temperature, then listen for bearing knock, observe coolant behavior, and check for clutch drag. A five-minute demonstration on level ground will not reveal overheating, axle whine, or a gearbox that jumps out of gear on the overrun.

Collector and Market Relevance

Collectors value the Screenside for three concrete reasons: it is an early factory Dodge commercial vehicle, its body visually explains its delivery function, and few survived hard working lives in complete form. Passenger cars were more likely to be stored after becoming obsolete. Delivery vehicles were commonly worn out, rebodied, stripped for parts, or left outside after their commercial value disappeared.

Market interest tends to favor vehicles with a documented commercial chassis, an original or accurately reconstructed Screenside body, correct period mechanical equipment, and a clear restoration record. Historic business lettering can add considerable narrative value when photographs or documents tie it to an actual operator. Newly invented signage may be decorative, but it should not be presented as original commercial history.

Condition rankings need nuance. A cosmetically aged survivor with its screens, doors, fittings, engine, and old paint can be a more valuable historical reference than a highly finished restoration with an undocumented body and modern drivetrain. Conversely, advanced timber decay can make preservation impossible without dismantling the very material that gives the vehicle its authenticity.

Public auction appearances are infrequent enough that isolated sales do not establish a stable price guide. Body completeness, provenance, mechanical usability, and restoration accuracy produce large differences between examples. Exact Screenside production numbers and survival totals remain insufficiently documented for responsible numerical claims.

Cultural Relevance

The Screenside belongs to the period when motor vehicles replaced horse-drawn delivery wagons on American city streets. Its body was shaped by commerce: high sides for volume, mesh for ventilation and security, and broad lower panels suitable for a shop name or telephone number. It represents the neighborhood delivery economy as directly as a touring car represents private motoring.

Dodge Brothers' wartime reputation and early government use helped establish the durability expected of the marque, but the Screenside itself is not known for a distinct competition record. Its historical setting is the loading dock, market street, warehouse, and service alley. That lack of racing history is not an omission from its story, it explains why low-speed gearing, access, payload, and reliable starting defined the design.

Early Dodge clubs, commercial-vehicle collections, and living-history museums provide much of the specialist knowledge needed to keep these vehicles operational. Screenside restorations also preserve crafts seldom required on later trucks, including structural timber work, period sheet-metal joining, mechanical brake setup, early electrical rebuilding, and hand-applied signwriting.

Frequently Asked Questions

What engine does the 1917–1923 Dodge Brothers Screenside Business Car use?

It uses Dodge Brothers' naturally aspirated L-head inline-four, with a 3.875-inch bore and 4.5-inch stroke producing approximately 212.3 cubic inches. Period specifications commonly rate it at 35 horsepower, a historical rating that is not directly comparable with modern SAE net output.

Is the Dodge Brothers Screenside a half-ton truck?

Yes. Period descriptions generally place the Business Car in the half-ton class with a nominal 1,000-pound payload rating. It is a light commercial vehicle rather than one of the heavier trucks represented by models such as the Ford Model TT or larger Speed Wagon configurations.

How can I identify a genuine Screenside Business Car?

Begin with the chassis or serial number, engine number, body plates, title history, and period Dodge production references. Then inspect the commercial body mounts, frame details, screen framework, doors, lower panels, and evidence of earlier bodywork. The presence of mesh does not by itself authenticate a factory Screenside body.

Does the Screenside have a chassis code or conventional VIN?

No modern 17-character VIN or widely used generation code applies to the 1917–1923 vehicle. Dodge used period serial and engine numbers, and these must be interpreted with year-specific documentation rather than a universal modern decoder.

What are the most serious restoration problems?

Structural decay in the wood-framed cargo body, missing screen hardware, cracked or altered frames, cooling-system corrosion, poured-bearing engine work, worn sliding-gear transmissions, and oil-contaminated rear brakes are the principal concerns. Body reconstruction and missing commercial fittings often cost more effort than rebuilding the shared Dodge mechanical components.

Are parts available for an early Dodge Brothers Screenside?

Some engine, ignition, bearing, and drivetrain parts benefit from interchange with contemporary Dodge passenger cars and specialist reproduction support. Correct screen frames, latches, hinges, body brackets, commercial interior pieces, and original wheels are much harder to find and may require fabrication from documented patterns.

What makes the Screenside Business Car collectible?

Its appeal comes from the combination of early Dodge engineering, factory light-commercial construction, and a body form that rarely survived intact. Collectors give particular weight to documented identity, complete body hardware, an original drivetrain, old commercial provenance, and restoration work that preserves period construction rather than disguising a modern recreation.

Collector Takeaway

The Screenside Business Car deserves attention because it records the moment Dodge Brothers turned a proven automobile drivetrain into a complete half-ton delivery tool. The 212.3-cubic-inch four, three-speed gearbox, 114-inch chassis, and rear-only mechanical brakes tell one part of the story. The wire-screen body tells the rest, revealing exactly how urban businesses carried goods before the standardized steel panel van became commonplace.

Buy the body, identity, and documentation before buying shine. Engines can be rebuilt and screens can be rewoven, but an authentic commercial frame, original body structure, scarce hardware, and traceable working history are much harder to recover. A properly restored Screenside is not compelling because it is fast or ornate. It is compelling because every mechanical and structural detail was selected to perform a job, and so few examples survived that job with their essential fabric intact.