Pearl Harbor made Detroit's 1942 a very short year, but Dodge was not alone in offering its brashest, shiniest cars ever, as seen with its 1942 Dodge Custom.
Classic Convertibles Image Gallery
The rare Dodge Custom convertible was one of the Detroit automaker's finest.
See more pictures of classic convertibles.
Like other Chrysler Corporation cars, the '42 Dodges wore a heavy facelift of their new-for-1940 bodies. Custom and price-leader DeLuxe models returned with broader front fenders and a lower, more horizontal grille that bulged in the center. Customs again offered optional rear- wheel skirts, now with chrome moldings to match added brightwork on front and rear fenders. The Custom dashboard (still symmetrically arranged) was just as dazzling. In all, the '42s were the shiniest Dodges ever -- until Washington ordered chrome reserved strictly for war use. Dodge and other makes then switched to painted moldings, creating the even rarer and now highly prized "blackout" models unique to 1942.
 The Dodge Custom's stylish interior boasted a full dashboard compliment and luxurious seating. |
There was little unique mechanically about that year's Dodges, which continued with a trusty but dull L-head six dating from 1934. Displacement, however, was upped by about 12 cubic inches to 230, where it would remain until 1960 and the old soldier's belated retirement. Horse-power rose from 91 to 105, but Dodge in 1942 was still some years away from being a "performance car" in any sense.
For more classic convertibles of the 1930s and 1940s, see:
|
|
|
|
For more information on all kinds of cars, try these:
- Classic Convertible Cars: See profiles on more than 70 classic convertibles.
- Muscle Cars: Get information on more than 100 tough-guy rides.
- Consumer Guide New Car Reviews: Looking for a new car? Get the Consumer Guide rating.
- Consumer Guide Used Car Reviews: Considering a used car purchase? You'll want to check the Consumer Guide used car rating.
