50'S Dodge postal truck

[1930fordpickup]

http://barnfinds.com/the-short-bus-dodge-postal-delivery-van/

Am I the only one that has never seen one of these before?

Edited May 14, 2014 by 1930fordpickup

[Harry P.]

No, you're not the only one. Me neither!

[Ace-Garageguy]

I've seen those as short-route milk trucks a hundred years ago, and fitted out as ice-cream trucks too.

[Danno]

That's mega-cute! A couple of big eyeballs on the windshields and it would fit right in down in Radiator Springs!

And, yes . . . I do remember these when they were red-white-and-blue and ran around all over the place!

[Rob Hall]

Funky...googling turned up some more..

[slusher]

I also have never seen one of these. Someone will buy it and restore it...

[1930fordpickup]

Thanks Rob the Bing search turned up nothing for me. LOL

[Ridge Rider]

Is that a transformer? But seriously I have always liked the art deco designing and the obscure . A quinella. Thanks for sharing.

[charlie8575]

Neat. That should at least get turned into a resin model. I'd be in for one or two just for something different.

Charlie Larkin

[Art Anderson]

Quite possibly the most unique US-built panel delivery trucks of all: Dodge built these to have a very low cargo floor, which dictated their mounting the differential unit in the rear solidly to the frame itself, eliminating the need for clearance for bouncing and rebounding on bumpy pavement, so........

This model was built using a DeDion rear axle setup, not at all unlike the rear axle/suspension systems used in many high-performance European sports cars from about 1930 until well into the 1950's. The DeDion setup consisted of a solidly mounted to the chassis differential, the rear wheels being attached to a separate, solid rear axle. This axle moved up and down completely independent of the differential, to which it was connected by a pair of half-shafts not unlike today's high-performance sports cars, even Formula 1 and Indianapolis cars While not really "independent" suspension, the DeDion axle setup certainly reduced "unsprung weight" while not posing the problems of correctly locating the rear wheels in relation to the ground or vehicle. In the case of the Dodge truck shown, the advantage was in not requiring nearly as much clearance below the floor for a conventional axle and differential to move up and down.

However, as an article about this series of Dodge trucks in "This Old Truck/Vintage Truck" some years ago pointed out, there were two notable drawbacks: The first was that in order to provide extra clearance for the spring perches (it used 1/4 eliptic springs above and below the axle, coupled to a pearch at either end of the axle (in very much the same layout as the DeDion front axle setups on Miller '91" front drive race cars, and the 1929-32 Cord L-29 Front Drive cars) there was a considerable "hump" on either side of the rear of the cargo floor--which turned off a lot of commercial buyers; and the second disadvantage being the price--the DeDion rear suspension, having many more parts than a conventional solid rear axle, cost a lot more to produce.

Most interesting vehicles those!

Art

[pharoah]

It needs the top chopped..

[disabled modeler]

Reminds me of one of the Italian cars from the movie(Cars)...its so ugly its way cool!

[1930fordpickup]

Thanks Art .

[scale trucker]

guy here in town has one that was used as a milk truck with roll up rear door