Dodge History

The Dodge brothers (John and Horace) got their start making parts for Ford and other makers. From the first Dodge Brothers automobile in 1914, the Dodge brothers’ durability and quality earned their company a strong reputation and good sales. They did not build an actual truck until World War I, though, and that was a panel van, not a pickup – with a half-ton capacity and a 35 horsepower – gross, not net! – four cylinder engine.
By 1921, after the deaths of the Dodge brothers, Graham Brothers started selling 1.5 ton pickups through Dodge dealers; it had Graham bodies and Dodge parts. A one ton model showed up later in the 1920s, still powered by that same four cylinder engine, and Dodge Brothers bought a controlling interest in Graham Brothers in 1925, picking up the rest in 1926.
In 1928, Chrysler acquired the Dodge Brothers company, just after launched its DeSoto and Fargo truck brands, both of which competed directly with Dodge Brothers. Fargo trucks sold in the US from 1928 through 1930, and continued for decades as an export brand; they had nothing in common with Dodge trucks, sharing parts with Plymouth and DeSoto instead.
Dodge introduced a half-ton pickup for 1929 just after its acquisition by Chrysler, the last “original” Dodge Brothers-designed truck. For this year, three engines were available – two Dodge engines with six cylinders (63 and 78 hp), and a Maxwell four cylinder that was substantially smaller than the Dodge engine, but produced more power (45 hp).
The trucks had four wheel hydraulic brakes, a significant safety feature by no means standard on competing pickups, but standard across Chrysler Corporation vehicles.

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