1923 Dodge Brothers Series 116 Coupe: 116-Inch Wheelbase and All-Steel Body

Dodge Brothers sold the 1923 Series 116 on a 116-inch wheelbase with a 212.3-cu-in side-valve four-cylinder engine, commonly listed at 35 brake horsepower. The coupe combined that running gear with closed bodywork and a three-speed manual transmission driving the rear axle.

Best known for extending Dodge Brothers' durable four-cylinder formula into a longer chassis with practical enclosed coachwork, the Series 116 Coupe belongs to the period when a closed automobile was becoming attainable beyond the luxury market. It retained the conservative engine and driveline architecture on which Dodge had built its reputation while offering substantially better weather protection than the roadster and touring bodies that still dominated American roads.

For collectors, the coupe's appeal lies in details rather than spectacle. Correct serial identification, authentic body hardware, a sound wood-and-steel structural assembly where applicable, and a complete 12-volt electrical system matter more than nominal performance. Surviving cars also document an important stage between the early Dodge Brothers Model 30 and the longer, more heavily developed models introduced later in the decade.

Quick Facts

The following reference separates documented Series 116 fundamentals from specifications that are often confused with later Dodge Brothers models. The 116-inch wheelbase is the defining dimensional feature of the series.

The Series 116 designation is not an arbitrary modern catalog label. It identifies the longer chassis that followed Dodge Brothers' earlier 114-inch-wheelbase cars. That distinction becomes essential when buying frame, spring, brake, running-board and body-mount components.

Why the Series 116 Coupe Matters

The coupe demonstrates how quickly the American automobile was changing after World War I. Open touring cars remained common, but improved roads, higher production volumes and advances in pressed-steel body manufacture made closed cars increasingly practical. Dodge Brothers could offer weather protection and security without abandoning the simple four-cylinder mechanical package familiar to owners and repair shops.

The car also preserves the engineering priorities established by John and Horace Dodge before their deaths in 1920. Dodge Brothers cars were not built to undercut the Ford Model T. They competed through robust construction, conventional controls, electric starting and lighting, and a specification intended to reduce the compromises associated with the cheapest automobiles.

That approach gives the 1923 coupe historical weight. It shows a major independent manufacturer refining an established product during a period of fierce price competition, before Chrysler acquired Dodge Brothers in 1928 and before six-cylinder engines became central to the marque's passenger-car range.

Historical Context and Development

From the Model 30 to the 116-Inch Chassis

Dodge Brothers entered automobile production under its own name for the 1915 model year after years as a major supplier to other manufacturers. The firm's early cars established a recognizable formula: a medium-sized four-cylinder engine, a conventional gearbox and shaft drive, steel body construction, and electrical equipment that compared favorably with the most basic cars on sale.

For 1923, the 116-inch chassis gave the established mechanical package a little more room and supported a broad body catalog. The extra wheelbase was not a sporting measure. It served cabin packaging, body proportions and ride quality while retaining an engine whose basic dimensions were already familiar to Dodge dealers.

Market Conditions and Competition

Ford's Model T dominated American volume, while Chevrolet was becoming an increasingly serious General Motors rival. Buick, Studebaker, Hudson and Essex covered overlapping price and size classes, and the industry's rapid adoption of closed bodies raised customer expectations. Dodge Brothers therefore had to defend its reputation for durability while making its cars more civilized and visually substantial.

The Series 116 Coupe's upright windshield, high roof, pronounced fenders and nearly vertical radiator followed early-1920s practice. Its passenger compartment appears compact against the long hood and rear deck, while the body sits high above narrow tires and running boards. Brightwork was restrained, leaving the radiator shell, lamps, door hardware and wheel treatment to provide most of the visual contrast.

There was no homologation requirement behind the car and no factory racing program that dictated its specification. Reliability, all-weather use and ease of service mattered far more than competition results.

Engine and Drivetrain

The 212.3-Cubic-Inch L-Head Four

The Series 116 used Dodge Brothers' large-displacement inline-four, with a 3.875-inch bore and 4.5-inch stroke. Its 212.3-cu-in displacement gave useful low-speed torque without demanding high engine speed. The side valves sat in the cylinder block, operated by a camshaft through tappets rather than overhead rockers and pushrods.

Period references commonly publish 35 brake horsepower at approximately 2,000 rpm. The 24.6-horsepower figure also associated with this engine is the N.A.C.C. rating calculated from bore and cylinder count, not a measured maximum output. Confusing those two standards can make an accurate specification appear contradictory.

A single carburetor fed the engine, with fuel delivery reflecting the vacuum-feed practice common to the period. Ignition used a battery, coil and distributor, and Dodge Brothers' 12-volt starting and lighting equipment was a notable feature in an industry where electrical standards were not yet uniform. Cooling was by a front-mounted radiator with engine-driven circulation, while the lubrication system combined an oil supply and pump with the bearing and splash practices of the era.

The documented core dimensions are more useful than unsupported compression or torque claims, neither of which is consistently quoted in surviving 1923 material.

These figures describe an engine designed to pull from low road speeds rather than accelerate hard. A properly rebuilt unit should run steadily and respond cleanly without being driven at sustained high revolutions. Oil pressure behavior, cooling-system cleanliness and correct ignition timing are more consequential than extracting extra output.

Clutch, Gearbox and Rear Axle

A conventional clutch connected the engine to the three-speed manual transmission. The gearbox requires deliberate movements and full clutch disengagement, particularly because it lacks the synchromesh expected in later cars. Double-declutching reduces gear clash when changing down, while an unhurried pause through neutral helps on upward shifts.

Power traveled through a propeller shaft to the rear axle. Wear in universal joints, pinion bearings and axle gears produces vibration or a pronounced whine, and restoration should preserve correct driveline alignment rather than treating the engine, transmission and axle as unrelated assemblies.

Chassis, Suspension and Braking

The Series 116 used a separate pressed-steel frame carrying the engine, driveline and body. Both axles were rigid and located by leaf springs, a durable layout well suited to rough roads but one that transmits axle movement and steering disturbance more directly than an independent suspension.

Mechanical rear-wheel brakes place the car firmly in the early 1920s. The driver must plan stops, account for road gradient and maintain the linkage so both rear wheels contribute evenly. Later four-wheel-brake conversions may improve stopping ability, but they materially alter originality and should never be mistaken for 1923 factory specification.

This table concentrates on hardware relevant to identification and restoration. Tire and wheel details should always be checked against period literature for the exact body and production date.

The long springs and tall tires absorb broken surfaces well at modest speeds, but the rigid axles carry considerable unsprung mass. Worn spring shackles, steering joints or wheel bearings quickly turn that underlying flexibility into wandering, shimmy and poor brake control.

Driving Experience and Road Manners

A sound Series 116 Coupe moves away with the measured authority expected from a long-stroke four. Throttle response is immediate at low engine speed but not fast, and each power pulse remains perceptible. The engine works best when the driver uses its displacement, shifts early and allows road speed to build rather than chasing revolutions.

At parking pace the steering is heavy, especially if tire pressures are low or steering-box adjustment is too tight. Once rolling, the large wheel gives useful leverage and the narrow tires reduce steering effort. Response is slow by later standards, but a properly rebuilt front axle should hold a line without constant correction.

Body roll and fore-and-aft movement are part of the chassis' behavior, not faults to be eliminated with excessive spring stiffness. The coupe body raises the center of gravity and adds enclosed-body mass, so abrupt direction changes reveal more roll than an open roadster. On roads of its own period, the combination of long leaf springs, tall sidewalls and a 116-inch wheelbase supplied a more settled ride than the visual delicacy of the tires suggests.

The brakes demand the greatest adjustment from a modern driver. Pedal effort is substantial, retardation depends on dry and correctly adjusted rear mechanisms, and locking a rear wheel can destabilize the car. Engine braking and advance planning are normal parts of operation.

Identification and Originality

Serial Numbers and Chassis Evidence

A 1923 Dodge does not have a modern 17-character VIN. Identification rests on the original car or serial-number plate, engine number, body evidence, chassis dimensions and historical paperwork. The 116-inch wheelbase should be measured directly when a car has incomplete tags or uncertain registration.

Serial-number tables maintained in marque literature can establish an approximate model-year range, but a detached plate is not proof of identity. Inspect the plate's material, typography, fasteners and mounting area for disturbance. Compare the engine number separately and do not assume that a later registration number represents a factory-stamped chassis identity.

The modern phrase matching numbers requires care. Dodge Brothers did not market these cars around collector-style matching-number certification, and surviving documentation may not provide a one-to-one factory record for every body, engine and chassis. An engine consistent with the car's production period and installation details can be historically appropriate without being provably original to that specific chassis.

Body, Hardware and Finish

Correct coupe identification depends on more than a roof and two doors. Door shape, beltline treatment, windshield construction, rear-quarter panels, deck arrangement, seat layout and interior wood framing should agree with period photographs and sales literature. Converting a business coupe body or assembling a car from unrelated panels can produce a convincing silhouette while leaving incompatible internal details.

Surviving bodies often conceal ash or other structural timber beneath steel panels and upholstery. New wood is acceptable in a restored car, but it should duplicate original joints, dimensions and mounting points. Poorly patterned replacement wood changes door gaps, roof tension and the way the body sits on the frame.

Modern basecoat-clearcoat finishes can appear too deep and glossy for an early-1920s Dodge. Restoration research should begin with surviving protected paint, period color literature and documented unrestored cars. Generic claims about factory paint codes are unreliable because modern code systems do not map neatly onto Dodge Brothers' period finish names and materials.

Correct lamps, door handles, instruments, radiator fittings, hood latches, hub hardware and electrical components carry considerable collector value because they are difficult to recreate accurately. Carburetors, generators, starters and distributors were often replaced during a century of use, so casting details and model numbers deserve specialist review before expensive rebuilding begins.

Series 116 Body and Trim Variants

Dodge Brothers used the 116-inch chassis beneath open and closed bodies rather than creating a separate mechanical series for each body. Terminology in advertisements, registrations and later catalogs is not always consistent, particularly where coupe and business-coupe descriptions are concerned.

These were body choices, not performance packages. No verified factory homologation or competition coupe formed part of the 1923 range. Exact production totals by body style are not consistently documented in the surviving summary sources most collectors encounter, so claims for a precise coupe build count require factory-grade supporting records.

Performance and Dimensional Specifications

Period American literature for cars in this class emphasized durability, operating economy and hill-climbing more often than standardized acceleration tests. Reliable 0-to-60-mph, quarter-mile and maximum-speed results for the 1923 coupe are not consistently documented, and assigning modern-style figures would create false precision.

Weight figures can differ according to body description, equipment and whether a source quotes shipping or road-ready weight. A prospective owner should use an authenticated 1923 specification sheet for the exact body rather than applying a sedan, touring-car or later Series 116 figure to a coupe.

Compared With Related Dodge Brothers Models

Earlier 114-Inch-Wheelbase Dodge Brothers Cars

The most important distinction from the immediate predecessors is chassis length. Earlier Dodge Brothers cars commonly used a 114-inch wheelbase, while the Series 116 extended that dimension by two inches. Mechanical familiarity can disguise frame, spring, running-board and body differences, so a part advertised merely as fitting an early Dodge may not fit correctly.

Later Series 116 Cars

The Series 116 name continued beyond the 1923 model year, but later examples can incorporate running changes in body construction, trim, lamps, controls and mechanical details. A component suitable for a 1925 car is not automatically authentic for a 1923 coupe, even when both cars share nominal engine dimensions and wheelbase.

Ford Model T and Chevrolet Contemporaries

Against the Model T, the Dodge used a more conventional selective transmission and a larger engine, while Dodge Brothers' electrical equipment and body construction supported its higher price. Chevrolet's contemporary four-cylinder cars were closer rivals in control layout and market intent. Buyers comparing restored examples should not interpret sheer parts availability as equivalence: Model T support is exceptionally broad, whereas a Dodge coupe demands more model-specific research.

Ownership and Restoration Notes

Engine and Cooling System

The long-stroke four is fundamentally durable, but age introduces problems unrelated to the original design. Check for cracks, corrosion around water passages, cylinder wear, loose valve guides, worn timing components and degraded babbitt bearings. A rebuild may require specialists capable of line boring, babbitt work, valve-seat restoration and careful balancing at modest operating speeds.

Cooling faults are often blamed on the radiator when sediment in the block, incorrect ignition timing, a restricted water circuit or poor belt condition is contributing. The entire system should be evaluated before fitting a modern core. An original-looking radiator that cannot reject heat under load is no bargain, but an obviously modern installation can reduce historical coherence.

Transmission, Axle and Brakes

Gear wear is expected, but chipped teeth, damaged shafts and badly worn selector components can turn a straightforward overhaul into a parts search. Rear-axle noise may arise from bearings or incorrect gear contact as well as damaged teeth. Preserving the original casing while replacing consumable bearings and correctly setting the gears is preferable to installing a later axle of unknown ratio.

Brake restoration must include drums, linings, pivots, rods, clevises and equalization. Relining the shoes without correcting oval drums or worn linkage produces a hard pedal with little useful retardation. Lubricants should be kept away from friction surfaces, and adjustment should follow marque-specific instructions rather than a generic mechanical-brake procedure.

Body Structure and Interior

A coupe can look presentable while its roof rails, door posts and lower body framing are weak. Sagging doors, cracked paint at structural joints and irregular gaps often point to deteriorated wood or corroded mounting points. Correcting the frame and body foundation before upholstery or paint prevents expensive cosmetic work from being damaged later.

Interior restoration is labor-intensive because patterns, hardware and materials are less standardized than on mass-restored cars of later decades. Instruments, garnish moldings, window regulators, latches and seat fittings should be inventoried before purchase. Missing small pieces frequently cost more in time than major mechanical components.

Parts and Specialist Support

Routine ignition parts, bearings, gaskets, wiring supplies and some brake or engine service items can be sourced through antique-car specialists. Body hardware, correct lamps, gauges, wheel components and coupe-specific trim are more difficult. Reproduction quality ranges from excellent functional replacements to pieces that require machining or refinishing.

Owners benefit from Dodge Brothers marque clubs, early-car swap meets and specialists familiar with pre-Chrysler Dodge engineering. A complete but worn car is usually a stronger restoration candidate than a cosmetically attractive example missing its original hardware and identification pieces.

Buyer and Inspection Points

A useful inspection must determine whether the car is structurally complete, mechanically recoverable and accurately identified. The following checks concentrate on failures and substitutions that materially affect a Series 116 Coupe restoration.

A road test should follow a static inspection, not replace it. Listen from cold start, verify charging and cooling behavior, assess clutch take-up, and test the brakes at low speed before entering traffic. Excessive steering correction or driveline vibration usually signals accumulated wear rather than harmless antique-car character.

Collector and Market Relevance

Closed early automobiles often survive in smaller numbers than open touring cars because their bodies were more complex and costly to repair. That does not automatically make every coupe more valuable, but completeness has an unusually strong effect on restoration viability. A complete instrument panel, correct lamps, sound window hardware and reusable body structure can outweigh fresh paint applied over unresolved problems.

Collectors generally reward accurate proportions, authentic mechanical systems, documented ownership and restrained restoration. An older restoration with correct hardware and usable finishes may be more persuasive than a highly polished car fitted with a later engine, hydraulic brakes, modern wheels or an improvised interior.

The car has no major factory motorsport legacy to support competition-derived premiums. Its market case rests instead on pre-Chrysler Dodge Brothers history, the 116-inch chassis, the long-serving four-cylinder engine and the comparative scarcity of complete enclosed bodies. Provenance from early ownership records, registrations, photographs or club documentation adds confidence where factory build records are limited.

Cultural and Club Relevance

The Series 116 belongs to the cars that normalized enclosed motoring in the United States. A coupe gave doctors, sales representatives, tradesmen and private motorists protection for occupants and luggage without requiring a large sedan. That practical role explains why business-coupe terminology appears so frequently around surviving early cars.

There is no need to invent a racing pedigree for it. Its active life after restoration is usually found in antique-car tours, Dodge Brothers gatherings, preservation events and early-automobile club activities. The low-speed torque, electric starter and familiar three-pedal control layout make it more usable on suitable roads than some older cars with planetary transmissions or acetylene lighting.

Period film and photography often use early closed cars to establish an American streetscape, but a specific screen appearance should be documented by chassis identity before being attached to an individual vehicle. Club culture, technical archives and owner-maintained parts networks have had far more influence on Series 116 survival than cinema or competition.

Frequently Asked Questions

What engine is in the 1923 Dodge Brothers Series 116 Coupe?

It uses a naturally aspirated L-head inline-four displacing 212.3 cubic inches. The bore is 3.875 inches and the stroke is 4.5 inches. Period references commonly list 35 brake horsepower at approximately 2,000 rpm, while 24.6 hp is the calculated N.A.C.C. rating.

What does Series 116 mean on a Dodge Brothers car?

The designation refers to the chassis' 116-inch wheelbase. Measuring that dimension is useful when tags, paperwork or replacement bodies create uncertainty, particularly because earlier Dodge Brothers passenger cars commonly used a 114-inch wheelbase.

How can a 1923 Series 116 Coupe be identified?

Check the original serial plate, engine number, title history, body construction and wheelbase together. No modern 17-character VIN exists. Serial tables can establish a date range, but a detached tag or later registration number should not be treated as conclusive evidence by itself.

Is the standard coupe the same as the Series 116 Business Coupe?

No. They shared the Series 116 chassis and four-cylinder drivetrain, but the business coupe emphasized utility and enclosed storage, while the passenger coupe used a more passenger-oriented body arrangement and trim. Because period and later terminology can be inconsistent, body details should be checked against dated factory literature.

Did the 1923 Dodge Brothers Coupe have four-wheel brakes?

No. The 1923 Series 116 used mechanically operated rear-wheel brakes. A car fitted with front brakes or a hydraulic system has been modified unless documentation proves a later-period conversion.

What are the most expensive problems to repair?

Severe body-wood deterioration, a cracked engine casting, failed babbitt bearings, damaged transmission or axle gears, and missing coupe-specific hardware can dominate a restoration budget. A complete unrestored car is often preferable to a disassembled project with freshly painted panels but no latches, regulators, instruments or trim.

Are restoration parts available for the Series 116?

Many service items can be sourced through antique-car suppliers and Dodge Brothers specialists, but body hardware, correct electrical units, lamps, gauges, wheels and coupe trim are less plentiful. Marque clubs and established prewar Dodge specialists are essential resources for authentic patterns and rebuildable original components.

Collector Takeaway

The 1923 Series 116 Coupe matters because it records Dodge Brothers' proven early formula at the moment closed-body motoring was moving into wider American use. Its 116-inch chassis, 212.3-cu-in side-valve four, 12-volt electrical equipment and conventional three-speed transmission made it a substantial alternative to the cheapest cars without relying on mechanical novelty.

The best example is not necessarily the brightest one. It is the coupe whose identity survives scrutiny, whose body sits correctly on sound framing, whose rear brakes and steering have been rebuilt rather than excused, and whose difficult original fittings remain in place. Restored with that discipline, the Series 116 is a direct, usable record of how Dodge Brothers earned its reputation before six cylinders, hydraulic brakes and Chrysler ownership changed the marque.