Carrol McHenry's friend Jim Warren left him his prized 1923 Dodge Brothers business coupe with one request -- that he take care of it and continue to show it at car shows. It's a commitment McHenry takes seriously.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
McHenry's slick 1951 Chevy pickup often serves as the tow vehicle for the old Dodge. Powered by a 3.1 liter Buick V-6, the truck has adequate power to haul the 2,600 pound coupe to shows within a 75-mile radius of El Dorado; a more modern heavy duty pickup is used for longer road trips.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Producing a whopping 24 horsepower, the 1923 Dodge was powered by a 212 cubic inch flathead 4-cylinder engine. A chain drive on the front of the engine powered both a water pump and the distributor on the passenger side of the engine, and a combination 12-volt starter/generator on the driver's side.
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A huge wood-rimmed steering wheel dominates the coupe's interior, which remains factory-stock, aside from a musical horn added by the previous owner for parade duty.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Simple, but luxurious, the leather-covered bench seat provides adequate room for two occupants of the Dodge coupe. The gear shift uses a reverse shifter pattern to allow extra knee room in the cozy interior.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The Dodge's speed is displayed via a rolling horizontal speedometer The odometer indicates the car has covered 52,468 miles, believed to be the correct mileage.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The 1923 Dodge carries the distinctive Dodge Brothers emblem and motometer radiator cap, which still functions. Although both of the Dodge Brothers died in 1920, the independent company bearing their name built its own line of cars from 1914 through 1928, when the brand was acquired by Chrysler.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Not only does the Dodge coupe have a working adjustable sun visor, it has a two-piece windshield that can be opened up for cab ventilation on sweltering road trips.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
McHenry believes the 12-spoke wooden wheels on the car were originally painted black, but says his friend Jim Warren spent hours stripping the paint off to show the beautiful wood finish beneath. A close look reveals the big band-style rear drum brakes behind the spokes.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Believed to be one of the original tires issued with the car, the Firestone spare displays a tread pattern that spells out `NONSKID.'
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Originally powered by an inline 6-cylinder engine, McHenry's 1951 Chevy pickup now gets its get-up-and-go from this 3.1 Liter Buick V-6, which tucks into the engine bay with room to spare. A Turbo 350 automatic transmission sends power back to a later model GM rear end.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Another wood-rimmed steering wheel is featured in the cab of the Chevy pickup, which also sports a faux wood-grained dashboard.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The Chevy pickup got a new wood bed stained in a medium-light color to match the interior upholstery.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Chrome rims and button hubcaps mount blackwall 235x75R15 tires at all four corners of McHenry's hauler.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The rear of the coupe features a beautifully sculptured deck lid and fenders with compound curves. McHenry believes the car may still retain its original black enamel paint job.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
A two-tone combination of suede and vinyl was used to freshen up the interior of the pickup, with the door panels and headliner upholstered to match the original bench seat.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
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