Plodge

Plodge is the informal name givenWho|date=March 2008 to products of the Chrysler Corporation, sold in Canada and export markets, a portmanteau of the names Plymouth and Dodge. These vehicles used portions of Plymouth and Dodge brand automobiles together, to make unique cars for the Canadian market and export markets. These vehicles were sold under either the Dodge nameplate at Dodge dealers and the Plymouth nameplate at Plymouth dealers. Doing so allowed dealers in Canada to offer a wider array of vehicles despite having a smaller market share.

The practice of melding cars into a unique automobile for the Canadian market was due to Canadian trade rules designed to protect Canadian industryFact|date=March 2008. The McLaughlin-Buick was an early example of Buick production that was licensed to the McLaughlin concern in Canada. In 1918, General Motors purchased McLaughlin Motors and formed General Motors of Canada Limited.

In the case of Chrysler's efforts in Canada, Dodge and Plymouth marques shared parts, even whole cars, with one and other. This allowed a Plymouth with a Dodge grille and taillights to become a Dodge without the expense of tooling a vehicle for the market. On the Dodge Dart introduced in 1960, only the interiors were shared — Canadian-market 1960-61 Darts had Plymouth dashboards. The 1965 to 1966 Dodge Monaco used a Dodge body, with a Plymouth Fury dashboard and interior trim.

"Plodges" were also built in Detroit for markets outside of North America. Unlike the Canadian operation, the American export "Plodges" were built in all body styles. The first American-built export "Plodge" was built in the U.S. for the 1935 model year. Two years later, the American firm began building "Plysotos", Plymouths with DeSoto-like grilles for export. The Canadian operation began building these export cars in 1939.

The export Dodge Diplomat was never sold in Canada, with the Canadian DeSoto being just like the American original. The Canadian 1960 DeSoto Adventurer looked like the American 1960 DeSoto but used the upholstery and door panels from the 1960 Chrysler Saratoga. It was not a Dodge Polara with a DeSoto nameplate as the 1960 Dodge Polara was sold in Canada right beside the DeSoto at Dodge-DeSoto dealers.

Chrysler continued building these types of badge-engineered vehicles, usually for export markets. For example, Dodge Kingsways were sold in Hawaii from 1946 to until 1959, when the territory became the 50th state. Chrysler also offered a DeSoto version of the Plymouth starting in 1938. The export DeSoto, called Diplomat from 1946, was also sold in export markets through 1959. For 1960 and 1961 the export DeSoto Diplomat was a Dodge Dart with different trim and nameplates.

models, but all Canadian-market cars used Dart instrument clusters and were badged "Valiant". For 1966, the Valiant Barracuda was the only offering on the US Valiant's 106 in wheelbase in Canada - with no Valiant station wagons in Canada for 1966. All 1963 to 1966 Dart and Valiant wagons in all markets were built on the American Valiant's 106 in wheelbase.

Canadian-built "Plodge" vehicles

*DeSoto Diplomat 1960 Dodge Dart body, 1957 DeSoto-like side trim
*Dodge Kingsway 1941 Dodge body, Plymouth fenders and trim
*Dodge Mayfair 1950s - Dodge front clip, Plymouth body
*Dodge Regent 1957 - Dodge front clip, Plymouth body
*Dodge Crusader 1957 - Dodge Front Clip (grill minus six "teeth") Plymouth body
*Dodge Viscount 1958 - Dodge front clip, Plymouth body
*Dodge Monaco 1965-1966 - Used 1965-1966 Plymouth Fury dashboard
*Valiant 1960-1966 - Plymouth/Dodge mix varied by model year
*Dodge Dart 1960-1961 - Full sized Dodge with Plymouth instrument panel