Can anyone help me I.D. what this car looked like originally?

Here's all the info I can find on the car:

Dort Eagle logo is in brass on radiator
Car # 15460 Model # 9 (?) Flint, Mich
Motor # K6495 Lycoming Foundary and Machine Shop
Transmission - Mechanics Machine Co, Rockford
Steering - Jackson-Church-Wilcox Co, Saginaw, Mich Ser# 14897 Patented March 17, 1903

The chassis is a near match to a 1916 diagram I found on line.

George

Where Are You From? South Carolina, USA

Do You own a car built by Durant? I own about 1/2 (salvagable) of a DORT "Eagle"

George,

The Dort Model 9 was a Touring Car. This would be a four door style body with a convertible top. These were made from 1916 thru 1918. Your car is a 1917.

I've seen pictures of the car you have. Dort did not make a model called an eagle. This is a brass script that someone has attached to the front of the radiator core.

I hope this helps,

Bob

Where Are You From? Scituate, RI

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1920 Dort Roadster 1923 Star Speedster 1924 Star Touring

I've seen the Model 9s on the net, but this car's chassis looks to be too short to have been a touring, but who knows. Also, the cowl clearly did not have doors. It's rounded and finished right down to the seat line about 6 inches above the frame.

As I said in the initial post, this chassis is a 99% match to a 1916 Gray-Dort illustration I found. The motor, trans, etc looks identical. The wheel base on this car is 105 - 106 inches. The frame width is about 28 - 28 1/2 at the front and about 36 +/- in the rear, with the spare mounts securily bolted on the end of the frame rails.

The other oddity is there is a about an 8 - 10 inch "pipe" that comes up through the center of the cowl and appears to be "factory" up under the cowl with a well-designed brace. Was that for some wind-deflector?

Where Are You From? South Carolina, USA

Do You own a car built by Durant? I own about 1/2 (salvagable) of a DORT "Eagle"

The chassis has been cut off behind the rear axle. This is where the gas tank would have been mounted.

The Dort cowl was originally framed in wood. The front doors are rounded at the forward edge and would have attached to the wood frame of the cowl.

I would assume that someone made a speedster from this Dort. I did not see the pipe in the picture and don't know why it would be there.

Where Are You From? Scituate, RI

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1920 Dort Roadster 1923 Star Speedster 1924 Star Touring

Yep. . . maybe that's the answer. I'll look for that.

The was a large oval gas tank parallel to where the seat would have been. . . sitting above the frame. Straps holding it in place and the tank has a fancy brass lid. After the tank, there isn't much frame left!

Did Dort make original Speedsters? Isn't that what the Moxie people used to make their Horsemobile?

Is there a good source to find more pictures and models of the teen-Dorts?

Many thanks.

GRF

Where Are You From? South Carolina, USA

Do You own a car built by Durant? I own about 1/2 (salvagable) of a DORT "Eagle"

Dort did not make a speedster, however I assume there were a lot created thru the years. It looks like yours was well done, with all the right period equipment.

I have seen a picture of the Moxie car, but I'm not sure if it started life as a Dort.

There is a web site for the Gray Dort Club which is the Canadian version of Dort. The site is www.graydortmotors.com

Where Are You From? Scituate, RI

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1920 Dort Roadster 1923 Star Speedster 1924 Star Touring

You are correct.

With all the rust, I did not notice the frame cut/weld just past the fulcrum of the rear springs. That also explains why there is one less running board brace on each side.

A closer look at the hole and bracket in the center of the cowl appears to be a later modification. . . maybe for a wind screen.

Thanks for your help. If you happen onto more info, please pass on to me.

Many thanks.

George

Where Are You From? South Carolina, USA

Do You own a car built by Durant? I own about 1/2 (salvagable) of a DORT "Eagle"

Bob,

A friend tells me that the hole/bracket in the middle of the cowl was for a light. This was apparently done when the car was converted to a speedster.

Thanks,

George

Where Are You From? South Carolina, USA

Do You own a car built by Durant? I own about 1/2 (salvagable) of a 1917 DORT