37' Chevy sedan or pickup frame?

Is there a difference between them, and how can I see it from a (not to good) photo?

Ronny

 

I'd like to know too. I'm building a 37 chevy coupe. The frame came with a straight axle. I was told years ago that it was a truck because of that.

 

The Master Deluxe was the only '37 that got the Dubonnet IFS, and due to reliability problems with the Dubonnet pods (rope-seal leakage and needle-bearing failure on the trailing-arm shaft) GM offered a conversion kit to put a solid axle in them.

 

Truck frames are open "C channel".



Car frames are closed "hat channel" like this '39.

 

Penetrator,
Good information and there are a lot of differences in the sedan, coupe, and pickups for Chevrolet in 1937. There was even a Canopy Express that was different too.
Normbc9

 

why not both, can't believe someone would hook a coupe rear to a pickup cab. it's a beaut huh?

 

So I bought the car

 

The Australian Ute made by Holden in 1937 was a utility car/truck combination. Not sure what frame they used but I do know some Ute's have turned up in other countries. Would be nice to see a picture of your 37.

 

This may help, http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/37index.htm , I went through the '37 '38 and 39' packets and saw no body numbers XBGB. Recheck the ID plate and make sure the numbers are correct. It could be a import. Chevrolet never used a car body on a truck frame here in the US. My '37 Chevrolet Engineering Manual makes no mention of a combination car/truck. The frames are clearly different. The 2 seat closed body just means it was four passenger or more with a hard top, could be a number of body types.

Someone just changed out a truck cab with a car body all on the original truck frame. The frames were not marked with VIN numbers, the title should have a engine serial number for the VIN number. The body number or ID number XBGB was never used on the titles. Since truck and cars never share any sheet metal or frames, I bet it was cobbled together. Master car frames used the straight axle, deluxe was the upgrade option when looking at car types.

Joe

 

They used passenger car frames and from the doors forward, passenger car sheet metal. Rear body was unique to Australia. Some earlier panel vans (Sedan deliveries) used a commercial body on a passenger car frame.

Might be a special order, cab / chassis combination with delivery / panel body option.

Not an Ozzie frame or engine number sequence. Any photos?

 

Thats pieced together, the front frame horns stick to far forward from the grill to anything Chevrolet made. Car or truck, the grill was the farthest piece forward right behind the bumper. Ir might have started out as this, http://carblueprints.info/blueprints/chevrolet/chevrolet-master-deluxe-2-door-coach-1937.png
Its not bad looking, stretch the frame a bit and add a pickup box, then it would look pretty sharp.

 

Not an Ozzie body as the side pressings on Holden bodies end at cowl and don't extend into front door. Looks to be a open 'C' section commercial chassis with 1930's 6 stud Chevy wheels? Coach built back?

 

Hard to see the body line on the back fabrication in the pictures. If it was built that way, it should have the same lines as the ones on the doors and hood. From the doors forward it is definitely a 37 Chevy 4dr sedan body. They used this part of the car for building the Sedan Delivery which was a coach kit from the doors back. The 2dr and coupe bodies have doors that are about 10" longer.
Frame does look like a truck frame. Overall wheelbase looks a little short in the pictures which could suggest it might not be the same frame this body was on.
Looks like it will make a cool one of a kind project. You could go pickup style with a separate bed or find the back half of a donor car and create your own design. I usually start with pictures and build diecast or plastic models. It helps me with design ideas and how the finished build might look. Plus when I sell a car I still have a nice little memory sitting on the shelf to enjoy.
Good luck and have some creative fun with your build.

 

Neat. It seems as thought someone must have been converting them at some point now that a second one has been found. It is definitely a '37 Chev truck frame. Those frame horns on the front that the spring hanger and front bumper irons attach to are a dead give away.

 

Does anyone know a good site on the internet where I might identify the ID-plate numbers?


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Try this, hope it helps.

https://www.fillingstation.com/articles/carnumberplates.htm

 

No luck, still searching for the "XBGB"- id...

 

GB is for a 1937 Master car (beam axle) not seeing XB anywhere. Do you have a picture of the ID plate? May want to blur the numbers that follow the letters if you do.
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/parts/1929_54/007.HTM

 

Found a couple different sites that indicated the XB meant it was built in Copenhagen. Makes sense seeing your tag with the XB printed on there and car serial number stamped in.
http://vcca.org/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/300610/Re:_Chevy_1930_engine_serial_n

 

heres a 37 truck frame for comparison;

 

I can tell it's a Chevy by the Cat foot prints

 

see any evidence of mice?

 

Good Point!

 

Hehe...

This frame is identical to mine...