1931–1932 Dodge DH Six Roadster: Open Bodywork With Side Curtains

Dodge built the Series DH for the 1931 model season, with production extending into the early 1932 calendar period, around a 211.5-cubic-inch L-head six rated at 68 brake horsepower. Its open roadster body used a folding top and detachable side curtains rather than the framed door glass associated with a convertible coupe.

Chrysler had controlled Dodge Brothers since 1928, and the DH combined established Dodge features, including four-wheel hydraulic brakes, with the production economies demanded by a rapidly contracting Depression-era market. Surviving roadsters attract collectors because open DH bodies are far less frequently encountered than the sedans and coupes that carried most of the series' sales.

Best known for preserving the traditional, side-curtain Dodge Brothers roadster format near the end of that body style's prewar life, the DH also represents an early Chrysler-managed Dodge whose engineering remained recognizably conservative and durable.

The description “final true Dodge roadster” requires qualification. It is useful when applied to the traditional early-1930s Dodge Brothers roadster with a separate windshield, folding fabric top and side curtains, but it is not an absolute statement that Dodge never again used the roadster name. Dodge later sold the Wayfarer Roadster and Sportabout after World War II, while other open Dodge models appeared between the DH era and the postwar period.

Quick Facts

The essential DH information is compact, but it also exposes a frequent source of confusion: “1932 DH” usually describes calendar-year production, registration or titling rather than a separate, comprehensively redesigned 1932 model series.

The DH code identifies the series, not a modern-style trim package. A state title dated 1932 does not by itself prove the existence of a mechanically distinct 1932 DH specification, so a car should be classified from its surviving serial, engine, body and documentary evidence rather than the title year alone.

Why the DH Roadster Matters

The roadster records a body type that the American industry was rapidly abandoning. It provided open-air motoring at relatively modest cost, but detachable curtains offered little weather sealing, security or winter comfort. Convertible coupes with roll-up glass answered those shortcomings and increasingly displaced the lighter, simpler roadster.

The DH also arrived when automobile demand had collapsed following the 1929 stock-market crash. Manufacturers reduced prices, consolidated components and depended heavily on practical closed cars. A two-seat open Dodge was therefore a harder commercial proposition than a sedan that could serve as a family's only automobile.

Mechanically, the roadster did not receive a special competition engine or homologation package. Its importance comes from the combination of normal DH running gear and uncommon factory open coachwork. That distinction matters during restoration, since an accurately preserved roadster should not be rebuilt as if it were a sporting special that Dodge never advertised.

Historical Context and Development

Dodge Brothers Under Chrysler

Chrysler's 1928 acquisition of Dodge Brothers gave Walter P. Chrysler an established dealer network, substantial manufacturing capacity and a respected medium-priced marque. By the DH period, Dodge engineering and production were increasingly integrated into Chrysler's broader system, although the cars retained Dodge identities and model designations.

The six-cylinder DH followed the earlier Dodge DD Six and appeared alongside more expensive eight-cylinder Dodge offerings. Its engineering priorities were tractable low-speed power, braking security, durability on poor roads and manufacturing practicality. Those aims mattered more to the ordinary Dodge buyer than maximum speed or competition success.

Depression-Era Competition

The DH competed in a market dominated by inexpensive, mass-produced cars from Ford and Chevrolet, with Plymouth serving the lower-priced rung within Chrysler's own organization. Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Studebaker and other makes offered additional six-cylinder alternatives at overlapping prices and equipment levels.

Ford's Model A retained a four-cylinder engine through 1931, while Chevrolet emphasized six-cylinder power as a selling point. Dodge answered with a larger-displacement six, hydraulic brakes and the reputation accumulated by Dodge Brothers cars for robust construction. The roadster's exposed cabin and abbreviated weather equipment, however, limited its appeal compared with a closed coupe or sedan.

Body Design and Proportions

The DH roadster has the upright proportions expected of 1931: a tall radiator shell, separate headlamps, running boards, cycle-style fenders and a near-vertical windshield. Its long hood visually balances a compact passenger compartment, while the folded top leaves the beltline and rear deck exposed.

Wire wheels and narrow-section tires create a light appearance beneath deeply crowned fenders. The body is visually simpler than a convertible coupe because the doors lack permanent window frames and winding mechanisms. Correct top bows, curtain fasteners, windshield hardware and rear-deck treatment are consequently central to the car's appearance and authenticity.

Engine and Drivetrain

The DH used a cast-iron inline-six with an L-head, or side-valve, layout. Both inlet and exhaust valves operated within the block beside the cylinders, allowing a simple detachable cylinder head without overhead rocker gear. The arrangement kept manufacturing and service costs under control, though its combustion chamber restricted breathing compared with later overhead-valve designs.

A single carburetor supplied the engine, and conventional battery-and-coil ignition fired six spark plugs through a distributor. Cooling relied on a belt-driven fan and liquid circulation through the block and radiator. The lubrication system, oil passages, pump condition and bearing clearances deserve close attention in any engine that has spent decades inactive.

A single dry-plate clutch connected the six to a floor-shifted three-speed manual gearbox. Drive then passed through an enclosed driveline arrangement to the rear axle. Synchromesh should not be assumed when evaluating a DH transmission, and sympathetic double-declutching is appropriate unless the exact gearbox specification and condition are known.

The following figures are the consistently published core specifications. Torque, redline, carburetor model and axle ratios are omitted because surviving references and replacement equipment do not provide one dependable specification for every DH roadster.

The 4.25-inch stroke is more revealing than the peak horsepower figure. It favors useful torque at modest engine speed, exactly what a relatively heavy, high-geared early-1930s car required. Sustained high-rpm operation is neither necessary nor kind to an original-specification long-stroke engine.

Chassis, Suspension and Braking

The DH body sits on a separate steel frame. A beam front axle, live rear axle and longitudinal semi-elliptic leaf springs follow contemporary practice, providing generous wheel movement and the ability to withstand rough surfaces. The layout is rugged and comprehensible, but worn spring shackles, kingpins and steering joints can produce pronounced wander.

Dodge's four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes were a meaningful distinction when many cars still used mechanical linkages. Hydraulic operation could distribute effort more evenly, provided the wheel cylinders, hoses or lines, master cylinder and shoe adjustment were in sound condition. Modern brake fluid, incompatible seals or incorrectly arced linings can spoil an otherwise correct restoration.

The chassis data below helps separate genuine DH proportions from later frames or assembled projects. Wheel and tire details should still be checked against factory literature appropriate to the individual body and production date.

A complete brake overhaul should be treated as a system rather than a sequence of isolated repairs. Equal shoe adjustment, round drums and properly rebuilt hydraulic components determine whether the car stops straight. Merely replacing the master cylinder will not correct contaminated linings or seized wheel-cylinder pistons.

Driving Experience and Handling Dynamics

A sound DH pulls from low engine speeds with a deliberate, even cadence. The long-stroke six is not intended to be rushed through its gears, and acceleration is best obtained by allowing each ratio to carry the car without excessive revs. Throttle response depends heavily on carburetor condition, ignition advance and freedom from intake leaks.

The unassisted steering is heaviest during parking and should lighten once the narrow front tires are rolling. Excessive free play is not an unavoidable period trait. It usually points to adjustment, worn joints, kingpins, wheel bearings or incorrect toe settings.

On the broken roads for which it was designed, the combination of a flexible frame, beam axles and leaf springs produces substantial wheel movement. The body will roll and pitch more than a modern car, yet a properly assembled example should not oscillate continuously or steer itself over every rut. Weak dampers and flattened springs commonly masquerade as authentic prewar handling.

The drum brakes demand anticipation, particularly after water exposure or repeated stops. Pedal travel should be firm and consistent, not long or spongy. The gearbox rewards a measured hand, a full clutch disengagement and pauses between ratios, especially when selecting first or reverse.

Identification and Originality

Series Evidence and Serial Numbers

The letters DH designate the model series, but restorers should not expect a modern 17-character VIN or a single plate that decodes every feature. Identification depends on the vehicle serial plate, engine number, body tag or body number where present, frame evidence, registration records and period Dodge literature considered together.

Plate location, fastener type and typography should be inspected before accepting any identity claim. A freshly stamped plate on a weathered body deserves investigation, as does a title whose number corresponds to an engine that is no longer installed. Early American jurisdictions frequently titled vehicles by engine number, serial number or year of first sale, which can explain legitimate discrepancies.

Exact DH serial ranges should be verified from recognized Dodge Brothers club references or factory records before purchase. Unsupported internet decoding charts often combine model year, calendar year and assembly data without explaining the distinction.

Engine, Body and “Matching Numbers”

Matching numbers has a different meaning here than it does on a postwar performance car. Dodge did not stamp every major component with one repeated identity number. The strongest case is an engine whose number and type fit the car's serial sequence, supported by old registrations, service records, photographs or a documented ownership chain.

A correct 211.5-cubic-inch six may still be a period replacement. Conversely, an original block can contain later pistons, valves, bearings, carburetor parts or electrical equipment installed during ordinary service. Collectors generally value an honest, correctly dated and properly documented replacement more highly than altered stampings intended to manufacture a false match.

Roadster Body Details

The defining roadster clues are the open doors without winding glass, detachable side curtains, folding top assembly and compact open body. A convertible coupe uses more elaborate weather equipment and should not be represented as a roadster merely because both have folding roofs.

Particular scrutiny belongs on the windshield posts and pivots, top irons, curtain sockets, door tops, cowl, rear deck and rumble-seat or luggage-area structure. These pieces are expensive to recreate, and incomplete projects sometimes receive generic hot-rod hardware that is visibly wrong for the DH.

Factory finishes should be established from period color literature, paint traces in protected areas and documented restoration references. Modern paint codes are conversions, not original Dodge Brothers formulas. Wheel pinstriping, upholstery grain, top material, instrument faces, plated hardware and wood top bows all contribute to an accurate result.

Variant and Body Breakdown

The roadster shared its powertrain with the broader DH passenger-car family. Body terminology in surviving catalogs can differ, especially where seating and rear-deck arrangements are concerned, so the table concentrates on distinctions that can be established from the body itself.

No factory high-output, homologation or dedicated motorsport DH roadster is documented as part of the normal series. Claims of a “racing DH” therefore require period evidence tied to the individual car, not simply nonstandard carburetion, a cut-down windshield or later competition use.

Performance and Dimensional Specifications

Published DH data are strongest for engine output and wheelbase. Standardized acceleration tests were uncommon, body weights differed, and surviving sources do not provide one dependable roadster top-speed figure. It is more accurate to omit those numbers than to repeat estimates as factory specifications.

Roadster weight can change materially with spare-wheel arrangement, top equipment, later accessories and restoration choices. Period road-test results for 0–60 mph and the standing quarter-mile are not consistently documented for this body style, and applying sedan or modern reconstructed figures would create false precision.

Compared With Related Dodge Models

DH Versus the Earlier DD Six

The preceding DD belongs to the immediately earlier phase of Dodge six-cylinder development and should not be identified from superficial body resemblance alone. Radiator treatment, wheelbase, engine specification, serial evidence and body details all need comparison. Parts advertised broadly for “1930–32 Dodge” are not automatically interchangeable.

DH Six Versus the Dodge DG Eight

The DG Eight represented Dodge's eight-cylinder alternative during the same general period. An eight-cylinder engine, associated chassis details and the correct series identity separate a DG from a DH, even if restored cars wear similar colors, lamps or wheels. Installing an eight or a later six in a DH roadster may create an entertaining special, but it does not create a rare factory variant.

DH Versus the 1932 Dodge DL Six

The DL is the succeeding six-cylinder Dodge series most likely to be confused with a DH titled as a 1932 automobile. Model-year transition, first registration and replacement paperwork can all blur the distinction. The solution is to examine serial and engine evidence, wheelbase, sheet metal, chassis construction and body hardware rather than relying on the year printed on a modern title.

DH Roadster Versus Convertible Coupe

The decisive distinction is weather equipment. A true roadster has side curtains rather than roll-up door glass, along with the corresponding door, windshield and top construction. A convertible coupe is not simply a roadster fitted with a better top, and converting one body type into the other compromises historical identity.

Ownership and Restoration Notes

Mechanical service parts are generally easier to source than roadster-specific body pieces. Ignition components, bearings, brake seals, gaskets and some engine parts can be found through prewar Chrysler specialists and marque clubs, but interchange must be confirmed by dimensions and original part numbers. A component that fits a later Dodge flathead six may not be correct for the DH.

Before starting an engine that has been dormant for years, remove the sump where practical, inspect sludge accumulation, verify oil-pump operation and check for stuck valves. Cooling passages can contain rust and mineral scale, while corroded core plugs and an obstructed radiator may fail soon after recommissioning. Cylinder-head removal also demands care because aged fasteners can seize in the block.

Gearbox noise may result from worn bearings, damaged teeth or excessive shaft clearance. Clutch drag can make an otherwise serviceable transmission appear impossible to shift. Rear-axle work requires accurate bearing preload and gear contact, not merely replacement seals.

Structural restoration begins with the frame and body mounting points. Inspect the frame around suspension brackets, crossmembers and rear kick-up, then examine the body sills, lower cowl, door bottoms, floor edges and rear deck. Water trapped around a rumble-seat opening or top well can destroy panels that are difficult to reproduce.

Roadster top irons, windshield hardware and side-curtain fittings should be inventoried before disassembly. Their absence can add far more expense than a routine engine overhaul. Generic reproduction lamps, gauges and handles may be functional, but their contours and plating often differ visibly from original pieces.

Period maintenance expected frequent lubrication of chassis joints, steering connections, spring hardware and driveline fittings. A restored DH still needs that attention. Long storage intervals also encourage hydraulic-brake corrosion and fuel-system deposits, even when annual mileage is low.

Buyer and Inspection Points

A DH roadster should be purchased on identity, body completeness and structural integrity before cosmetics. Mechanical work is substantial but predictable; missing open-body hardware can consume years of searching or fabrication.

Inspect the car in dry daylight and, if possible, with the floor covering and easily removable trim lifted. Fresh underseal, heavy seam sealer and upholstered panels can conceal repairs. An incomplete but honest body may be a safer basis than a shiny car whose identity and structure cannot be examined.

Collector and Market Relevance

Open prewar cars usually attract more collector attention than mechanically identical sedans, but rarity alone does not determine desirability. A DH roadster with complete original hardware, an appropriate engine, sound documentation and restrained restoration has a clearer historical identity than a heavily modified example assembled from several models.

Collectors place particular weight on authentic roadster coachwork because converting a coupe or shortening a sedan frame can imitate the broad silhouette. Correct proportions, door construction, windshield equipment and serial evidence therefore affect confidence as much as paint quality. Original photographs and long-term ownership records are especially persuasive.

The DH has no major factory competition program to drive demand, nor should it be marketed as a homologation car. Its appeal rests on early Chrysler-era Dodge engineering, the disappearing side-curtain body form and the scarcity of complete survivors. Hot rods have also consumed a share of the surviving open bodies, making uncut frames, original drivetrains and intact fenders increasingly valued by preservation-minded buyers.

Cultural Relevance

The early-1930s American roadster was associated with affordability, youth and fair-weather use long before it became a favorite basis for postwar hot rods. Its removable fenders, separate frame and compact open body made it easy to modify, while the resulting attrition reduced the population of stock examples.

There is no need to attach an invented racing pedigree to the DH. Its cultural record survives through Dodge Brothers clubs, antique-car tours, concours preservation classes and the traditional hot-rod movement. In each setting, the same basic form is read differently: as an original Depression-era Dodge, a touring car or raw material for period-style customization.

The “final true Dodge roadster” label is best understood within that club and collector culture. It describes the end phase of the early Dodge Brothers side-curtain roadster tradition, not an official Dodge model name and not a denial of the later Wayfarer Roadster.

Frequently Asked Questions

What engine is in the Dodge DH Six Roadster?

The DH uses a 211.5-cubic-inch, approximately 3.47-liter, L-head inline-six. Period specifications rate it at 68 brake horsepower at 3,200 rpm. It drives the rear wheels through a single-plate clutch and three-speed manual transmission.

Was the Dodge DH Roadster built in both 1931 and 1932?

The DH is principally identified as a 1931 model series, but production, sale and registration extended into the 1932 calendar period. A car titled as a 1932 DH may be legitimate, though its serial, engine and body evidence should be checked rather than treating the title year as proof of a separate specification.

Is the DH really the final true Dodge roadster?

Only in a qualified sense. The DH is among the last traditional early Dodge Brothers roadsters with detachable side curtains, but Dodge later used the Roadster and Sportabout names for the postwar Wayfarer. “Final true Dodge roadster” is a collector description, not a factory designation.

How can a DH roadster be distinguished from a convertible coupe?

The roadster has detachable side curtains and doors without roll-up window glass. The windshield, top, door construction and weather fittings differ from those of a convertible coupe. These structural details are more reliable than whatever body name appears on a later title.

What are the most serious Dodge DH restoration problems?

The costliest problems are incomplete roadster hardware, rust or damage around the body mounts and rear deck, a misaligned frame, cracked or frozen engine castings and an improperly rebuilt hydraulic-brake system. Missing top irons, windshield fittings and curtain hardware can be harder to solve than ordinary mechanical wear.

Are parts available for a 1931 Dodge DH Six?

Routine mechanical and electrical service parts can often be sourced through prewar Chrysler specialists, antique-parts suppliers and Dodge Brothers clubs. Correct roadster body hardware, trim, instruments and sheet metal are substantially more difficult to find, and alleged interchange with later Dodge six-cylinder cars must be verified part by part.

What makes an original DH Roadster collectible?

Collectors value genuine open bodywork, an unmodified frame, a correct-type 211.5-cubic-inch engine, complete top and windshield hardware, period-correct finishes and a documented ownership history. Proven identity and completeness generally matter more than cosmetic perfection.

Collector Takeaway

The DH roadster deserves preservation because it shows exactly what the American roadster was before roll-up glass and heavier convertible bodies made side curtains obsolete. Its 68-horsepower flathead six, hydraulic drum brakes and leaf-sprung chassis were standard Dodge hardware, but the spare open body gave that machinery its most elemental form.

The best example is not the brightest or most modified car. It is the one whose DH identity survives in its serial evidence, body structure, correct engine type and irreplaceable roadster fittings. The “final true Dodge roadster” phrase may be imperfect, but the underlying reason for its use is sound: the DH belongs to the closing chapter of the traditional Dodge Brothers roadster, when a folding top and a box of side curtains still counted as weather protection.