1922-To 1983 a brief history of

 

 

The American company Dodge Brothers was assembling its imported parts in Britain in 1922 and in 1933 commenced manufacture of British chassis, but with American engines and gearboxes, at its works at Kew with its associated company, Chrysler.

In the mid-1930s it concentrated on production of a semi-forward-control design of lorries and achieved some success with a 4-5ton short-wheelbase tipper.

There was also a 30cwt van and a 2ton lorry. After the war production recommenced at Kew with a range from 2ton to 6ton with a cab similar to that fitted to the Leyland Comet and in 1957 a 7ton chassis was offered with a Perkins R6 engine.

An entirely new range made its appearance in 1956/7, of normal-control outline, and two years later a range of forward-control vehicles extended the range to 22ton gvw.

These vehicles used proprietary parts such as Perkins engines and Motor Panels cabs as used on some Leyland and Albion models.

When Chrysler finally gained control of the Commer concern in 1973 there was much changing of badges and in 1976 the Dodge badge appeared on Commer-designed vehicles from the 1-ton Spacevan to the 7-12ton Commando.

The Kew plant closed in 1967 and all production was switched to the Commer/Karrier plant at Dunstable. Further changes still took place and in 1980 the K series with tilt cabs were withdrawn.

The control of Karrier (likewise Commer) passed to Chrysler UK Ltd in 1970 and the firm is now owned by Renault/Peugeot which took over the Chrysler European operations, and it is now partly merged with Dodge.

And as we now know Renault stoped making Dodges in 1994/95 ish. Silly Sods.