The sight of a long-forgotten classic emerging from a barn is stunning. Even better is when the car starts up and can be driven with a little effort. And I’ve witnessed it occur with cars that have lain unused for 30 or 40 years. If you think that’s incredible, wait till you see this 1924 Dodge rescue film, which will astound you because it was revived 83 years after it was originally created.
Yup, that is not a typo. According to YouTube’s “Classic Car Rescue,” this two-door was parked in a barn for over eight decades as of 2023. Specifically, it was retired in 1940 and hasn’t been started since. But that’s not the only mind-numbing thing about it. Even though it sat since before the US joined World War II, this Dodge is still in solid condition.
I’ve never seen a historic car come from storage after such a long period of time as a rust-free vehicle. Sure, it’s dirty, and the black paint has lost some of its luster. The condition of this 1924 two-door is astounding, to say the least, considering how many 1950s and 1960s cars revealed significant rust holes after 20 to 30 years in a barn. Furthermore, our host was able to start and drive the automobile without having to replace the engine, which is the factory-correct one.
The interior is also in fabulous condition. The vinyl on the bench is still in one piece, while the door panels look like they would clean up nicely. There’s no rust on the floors or the dashboard either. Moreover, everything on this car appears to be original, so we’re looking at an authentic time capsule. It’s also a great example of how a vehicle should be cared for while in long-term storage.
Built about 100 years ago, this vehicle was born while Dodge was still a privately-owned firm called the Dodge Brothers Company. Established in 1900 by brothers Dodge and Horace Dodge, the carmaker was sold by their widows to the investment group Dillon, Read & Co., which had rescued Goodyear from going bankrupt in 1921. Dillon, Read & Co. purchased Dodge Brothers for $146 million, the largest cash transaction in history at the time. In 1928, Dodge was sold to the Chrysler Corporation in a stock transfer worth $170 million.
The Dodge Series 116, which was produced from 1922 to 1925, included this two-door. It was available with different body types and was powered by a 212-cubic-inch (3.5-liter) flathead four-cylinder engine with a three-speed manual transmission. The Series 116, one of the first US-built cars with an all-steel body, could reach top speeds of up to 50 mph (80 kph) and was offered with options like roll-down windows, exhaust heaters, and door locks, which were at the time regarded as opulent.
But that’s enough history for today. Hit the play button below to watch this unbelievable time capsule take its first drive in 83 years.