Engine and transmission suppliers to Ransom Eli Olds and then Henry Ford, the Dodge brothers - John and Horace - diversified into automobile manufacture in 1914.

Featuring a 35hp four-cylinder engine, welded all-steel body and 12-volt electrical system, the first Dodge was a robust, ‘right-first-time’ design that changed little over the course of the succeeding ten years.

Dodge was second only to Ford in the US in 1920, but in that year both brothers died and the firm went into decline.

In 1928 it was acquired by Walter P Chrysler who wanted a cheaper car to complement his more upmarket offerings.

After WW2 Dodge, like the majority of its rivals, recommenced production with face-lifted 1942 models, which in Dodge’s case would remain little altered until 1949 when the first new body styles were introduced.

The model names ‘Wayfarer’, ‘Meadowbrook’ and ‘Coronet’ were adopted for these new longer and lower Dodges, and all three models used the same 230ci (3.8-litre) 103bhp six-cylind...