DORT

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: DORT
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike D, Williamsburg VA on Monday, May 28, 2012 - 09:36 am:

My Father's neighbor gave me some "T" parts he had cluttering up his garage. I guess now it will clutter up my garage..LOL
In his garage he had a DORT. He believes it's a 1915? It was given to him by his late father. What can you tell me about these cars? Are parts available if some wanted to take on a restoration project??
My truck load of "T" parts







Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Monday, May 28, 2012 - 09:55 am:

Sure, it can be restored. But it won't be like a Ford. Parts will be a lot harder to track down, and some will probably have to be made.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike D, Williamsburg VA on Monday, May 28, 2012 - 10:07 am:

Steve...Nice car..Whats a restores DORT worth? Any guess what a far price for the one I posted would be? Not that I'm looking for another winter project..LOL


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 - 02:05 am:

The dollar value depends a lot on when it was built. If it was manufactured before January 1st, 1916, it will be worth about twice what it would be worth if it rolled off the assembly line only a week or so later.
Dort began production in 1915, so it would have to be an early one to qualify for the Horseless Carriage Club.
Sadly, there is not a lot of enthusiasm for the hundred or so odd cars of the late '10s and '20s. I am in the same position with my '27 Paige. The cost to restore is almost always way more than the car will be worth when done. Common marques such as Dodge and Studebaker have a following. Luxury cars such as Pierce Arrow and Packard are desirable. Well known performance cars such as Stutz and Mercer are in great demand. But there were about a hundred small companies that built a few to thousands of cars that almost no one but antique car people have ever heard of anymore.
And people are funny. Most would rather go on a nickel age tour in their Chevy 490 alongside their buddies in their Chevy 490 than want to have the only Sayers on a tour. If I am going on a tour with other cars like mine, I would rather be driving one of my model T Fords. I liked having one of the only 14 known surviving Fullers. With my gasoline carriage, I like having the only one of it ever built. But then, I guess I am the strange one.
That car looks to be a great candidate for an easy restoration. I sincerely hope you can help find it (or give it) a good home.
As to actual dollar value, I am not an appraiser. If it is not a true 1915, in the apparent condition, I would guess $3000 to $5000 tops. If it IS a '15, then about 6K to maybe 10K.
Congratulations on the T parts!
Good luck with the Dort, whatever you want to do.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 - 12:34 pm:

Mike,

Dorts were made in Flint, MI. I believe they were a largely "assembled" car. Meaning that Dort did not make there own components. That's a good thing since other makes may have used the same parts and therefore a better chance at finding what you need. Obviously not as easily as a Model T. I believe Dorts used Lycoming engines which were usually very high quality. The car in your photo looks very solid & complete. Aside from maybe rear end & transmission parts, I'm not sure you would need much. Engine rebuilding shouldn't be too big an issue. At least no bigger than any other rebuild. Hopefully no cracks in the block however.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Eddy Lee Emerson on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 - 01:02 pm:

Dort made a four cylinder and six cylinder car. The four cylinder engine was a Lycoming, but I'm not sure about the six. I spent a number of years and drove a lot of miles searching for a four cylinder dort rear end. Found two Dort rearends, but they both turned out to be from six cylinder cars and the internal parts were not interchangeable. The Dort rearend I was seeking was interchangeable with the 1918 Geronimo our Enid Region AACA was restoring. Our ring and pinion gears were missing and we were never able to find the missing parts. Luckily we found a machine shop who would take on the job of making something else fit. We also had to have some clutch parts machined. The car runs very good now. ED


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 - 02:29 pm:

We had a 1922 Dort at one time. It was early in my "old car" addiction, and I was "finding myself. This car was a sedan, and had the Rolls Royce style radiator. There is a 1916 Dort touring at Pioneer Village in Nebraska, and that is the only other Dort I've seen in person. Also, there is a club that consists of Durants, Dorts, and another brand or two and they might have some parts information.

Also, Dort had a Canadian connection, producing the Gray-Dort, that was the same car, except assembled in Canada. Our Dort had the 4 cylinder Lycoming engine, and was a very nice original car, down to the original interior. It now resides in a museum in Flint MI.

I think the last Dorts were produced in 1925, and the founder, Mr. Dort died of a heart attack playing golf (this is all from memory, so undoubtedly some or all parts are incorrect :-)).

I'll post some pics and any other info I have if I can find it this evening. Good luck,

Rob

From my iPad


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike D, Williamsburg VA on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 - 09:30 pm:

Thanks for all the info on the DORT
One question I have is there a company that can rebuild the 4cyl engine?
The story I got from the owner was that it ran, but would overheat causing the valves to stick??
Any way the head is off the motor, but it all looks like it is there.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 - 11:14 pm:

Mike,

Just a Lycoming 4 cylinder flathead engine. I think the same engine was made for years, and parts should be out there. The heating issue may have been radiator or timing advance issues, or any other problem that plagues old cars.

Rob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Horlick in Penn Valley, CA on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 06:55 pm:

Dort quality goes clear through.



From "American Car Spotter's Guide 1920-1939". Sorry, this book doesn't show 1915-1919 models.

TH


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gary H. White - Sheridan, MI on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 07:48 pm:

Mr Dort was a close friend of Billy Durant. They had the Durant-Dort Carriage Company in Flint before Billy went off on his adventures starting Buick, General Motors, etc. They remained life long friends. Dort eventually went into building cars as the carriage business slacked off. About 120,000 Dort's were built between 1916 and 1924 with about 2500 built in the last year. The Falls Six engine was added in 1923.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By steve miller- mississauga,ontario on Wednesday, June 06, 2012 - 09:32 pm:

Follow-up on Mr. Heyen's post above;
The Gray in the name Gray-Dort is the same Gray who produced bodies for Ford Canada.
http://www.chatham-kent.ca/Chatham-KentMuseum/Collections/Pages/TheGrayDort.aspx


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