How many Dodge D15 built?

[Erwin]

Good evening, gentlemen

How many Dodge D15 were built in total?
(mind : NOT how many military DODGE overall, or how many CMP overall eetc)

Just how many Dodge D15 GS and water bowser?
Any clue?

Thank you!!
😃👋Erwin

[Lang]

From Chrysler Factory Serial Book. The columns are the start and finish numbers for each run. Looks like heaps were built. 7,974. The post war run from 1946 is not recorded because my book only goes to 1946 and production was still rolling for the general market?

[Colin Alford]

Here are some images of the D15 page in Volume IV of the design record.

[Lang]

I think those totals include prewar and post war civilian orders. Possibly many civilian orders were produced during the war for essential services. No doubt they exceeded the military orders as they were (and still are) a very popular size truck

The 8,000 odd in the Chrysler number book look like military orders only.

[Erwin]

Colin, Lang

THANK YOU! Cool!

So it‘s 27.000 vs 8.000 odd, right?
Any proof to either number?

Thank you SOO much, gentlemen
Erwin😃👋

[Lang]

The 8,000 military order is as close as you will get to proof as it is in the Chrysler Corporation serial number manual as per picture above.

You must remember these were basically civilian trucks painted green coming from a very popular line that was in production for around 10 years. It is quite reasonable to suppose Colin's 27,000 grand total is accurate ie 8,000 for military orders and 19,000 for civilian and other Government department orders (including exports).

[Colin Alford]

Gents,

I have never attempted to study Dodge Modified Conventional Pattern vehicles as produced by the Chrysler Corporation of Canada during WWII.

To give some additional information regarding my source of information, it is the “Design Record - Canadian-Developed Military Vehicles - World War II” issued by the Army Engineering Design Branch of the Department of Munitions and Supply in Ottawa, Canada on Dec 31st 1945.

Attached are images of the cover, the forward to volume I, and the total vehicle production.

Given the source, I am tempted to believe that the production figure quoted applied only to Military orders.

I have consulted this web page in an attempt to understand Dodge truck production during the relative time period: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_T-,_V-,_W-Series

My read on this information seems to indicate that the Chrysler Corporation of Canada D15 was a different vehicle than the WD-15 produced in the USA.

I note differences in the wheel base, engine displacement, tire size, and the code T-222 (D15) vs T-114 (WD-15).

I am currently tempted to believe that the production figures related to the WD-15 shown above are actually related to US civilian production rather than Canadian Military production.

I am currently inclined to believe that the figure of “approx 27, 000” is likely accurate for Canadian D15 production.

[Lang]

Good possibility Colin.

I will see what else I can dig up.

Do you have this book?

[Lang]

If anyone wants Colins Book here are 219 pages.

https://electriccanadian.com/forces/Design_Record04.pdf

[Colin Alford]

Lang,

I was not aware of that book, but your image lead me to this version from 1952:

https://armyvehiclemarking.com/wp-co...compressed.pdf

The “Dodge Trucks built for the Canadian Government” can be found on page 9-1.

My calculations indicate a total of 28854 T-222 (D15) built. Upon review, I realize that my calculation excluded one vehicle in each block of serial numbers. The correct figure should be 28866.

Note: If someone has the ability to add page 9-1 as an image I believe it will be a useful reference in the future.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Colin Alford

To give some additional information regarding my source of information, it is the “Design Record - Canadian-Developed Military Vehicles - World War II” issued by the Army Engineering Design Branch of the Department of Munitions and Supply in Ottawa, Canada on Dec 31st 1945.

Attached are images of the cover, the forward to volume I, and the total vehicle production.

Given the source, I am tempted to believe that the production figure quoted applied only to Military orders.

I have consulted this web page in an attempt to understand Dodge truck production during the relative time period: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_T-,_V-,_W-Series

My read on this information seems to indicate that the Chrysler Corporation of Canada D15 was a different vehicle than the WD-15 produced in the USA.

I note differences in the wheel base, engine displacement, tire size, and the code T-222 (D15) vs T-114 (WD-15).

I am currently tempted to believe that the production figures related to the WD-15 shown above are actually related to US civilian production rather than Canadian Military production.

I am currently inclined to believe that the figure of “approx 27, 000” is likely accurate for Canadian D15 production.

Colin,

Correct, the WD-15 is a different vehicle from the D15. Both built by Dodge, commonality in parts but a different truck.

Re. the Design Record, it is accessible on this forum for those who have not seen it yet: http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=32966

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Colin Alford

Lang,

I was not aware of that book, but your image lead me to this version from 1952:

https://armyvehiclemarking.com/wp-co...compressed.pdf

The “Dodge Trucks built for the Canadian Government” can be found on page 9-1.

My calculations indicate a total of 28854 T-222 (D15) built.

Note: If someone has the ability to add page 9-1 as an image I believe it will be a useful reference in the future.

Here is that page:

[Colin Alford]

Hanno,

Thank you, I have feeling that page will be a handy reference for any future WW2 Canadian Dodge production questions.

Colin

[Mike Kelly]

Originally Posted by Colin Alford

Lang,

I was not aware of that book, but your image lead me to this version from 1952:

https://armyvehiclemarking.com/wp-co...compressed.pdf

The “Dodge Trucks built for the Canadian Government” can be found on page 9-1.

My calculations indicate a total of 28854 T-222 (D15) built.

Note: If someone has the ability to add page 9-1 as an image I believe it will be a useful reference in the future.

Some ramblings. That publication is a great resource for the Chrysler people. I had a 1946 Dodge ute. The Chrysler Windsor tag on the door pillar stated: model DD1-16. The engine prefix was T112. Looking at the production figures listed, the Canadian plant only produced around 2000 DD1 models for that year. The book doesn't indicate what numbers of each type were built RHD for export to places like Australia and New Zealand.

Also, I can't find the 1941 DeSoto RHD chassis model code SP11 , maybe these chassis' were included in the Plymouth P11 figures. These sedan chassis were used for the 1941 military 12 cwt utes here in Aust. bodied by Richards

Restoration blog of a D15 https://hmvf.co.uk/topic/38577-dodge-d15t/

[Lang]

Good research Colin.

[Colin Alford]

Lang,

Thank you, your lead to the Chrysler serial number book certainly helped.

Colin.

[Colin Alford]

This evening I managed to get my hands on the pictured parts book. It was published June 1, 1945 and covers the entire production run.

The title page also includes the list of serial numbers and the associated contract number. (This list covers all of the same serial numbers as the later Chrysler Serial number book, but breaks up some of the sequential blocks into separate contracts).

I now feel quite confident that the complete production run included 28866 vehicles. (I amended my calculation above as I miscalculated and excluded one vehicle from each serial number block).

[Lang]

Winner! Colin

Your books have some good info.

I always thought they would be a zippy little truck but with 6.3 diffs they would have been turtles. Probably sound like you were doing a thousand miles an hour until a kid on a bicycle passed you.

2,500rpm is starting to flog a Dodge engine for sustained highway running although they will do more. At that speed they will be sitting on 40mph according to my calculator. I know there are people who have driven their Dodges at 9,000rpm for a million miles and never had a problem but my experience puts me at 2,500rpm safe.

[Erwin]

Thank you very much everybody.
In particular - Colin! 28.866 vehicles - very precise answer!
Very well done, am grateful.
The figure is needed for information to the public at vehicle expos etc

My D15 is s/n 91048555. FEB 10, 1943. Picture below.

Bonus question:

Does anybody have a rough idea how many D-15 (again only GS and water bowser)
are around in a restored driving state worldwide?

[Lang]

Erwin

That would be impossible to answer but it would seem there are still plenty around. Just a click on Dodge D-15 on Google comes up with lots of modern photos and if you track each of those they expand into further leads. P-Interest probably have a whole section on D-15.

You have a beaut little truck absolutely ideal for travelling to shows with plenty of room in the back (if it is not a tanker) without having a lumbering full-size truck to wrestle around. I am probably biased but think the Dodge flat 6 was overall the best of the big 3 engines for reliability and ease of maintenance. The Chevrolet was not far off (but blessed with a far superior gearbox) and I think Ford people are wondering what is going to happen next while blessed with the same reliable but lousy, from a driving point of view, gearbox as the Dodge.

Seconds out of the ring!

Lang

[Mike Kelly]

Nice D15 you have there Erwin

A chap here who is into WW2 Dodge vehicles was telling me he knows of a few of the military D15 trucks here in Aust. I mentioned that I have never seen or heard of any but he was adamant and said he has found a few ! Has anybody found one here ?

I have to agree with Lang's comments re: the big three and their pros and cons

My 46 Dodge I used it as a everyday car for ten years, it was in original condition not restored, the wooden ute deck was rotted, the ply cab floor was falling to bits . I still can't get over how it kept going despite almost nil maintenance, even went on a few interstate trips.

My experience with the Chevy 216 ... if in the original factory configuration it does have it's limitations. The cast iron pistons do not handle over-revving , about 2500 is the limit for a prolonged life span. There were a number of brands of aftermarket aluminium alloy pistons available, this sort of tells a story. The fibre timing gear is a issue and they can let go at any moment. The poured big ends , a big and expensive pain. Big pro for GM is the steering box is far superior to the other two.

Ford. Ignition system was dodgy. Distributor access a nightmare. The coolant system needs to be in top condition anything less and there will be problems. The non-adjustable valve tappet clearance is very awkward if you don't have access to the correct tools.

[Lang]

Mike

There is one that goes to every Corowa

A little Video in UK?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giRy_D44gOY

[Erwin]

Thank you Lang, Mike to Australia!
Yes, I love my little truck very much, my son literally spent parts of his early childhood in it…

Am aware it is difficult to state the number of survivors still rolling.
Still a rough guess would be interesting…100? More / less?

I know 2 in Austria, a few in Belgium, Netherlands, but not so many.
Are there any in Canada? Down Under?
Would be nice to see them here.

Cheers Erwin👋🙏