Hello to all H.A.M.B-ers and greetings from Estonia! Few days ago I found old Chevy sedan that owner was agreed to sell for about 170 US dollars or so. I don't know exact year as the identification tag is missing, but I guess it's '38 or '39. It's not too great, but it has original frontend (almost all pre-war cars found in Estonia have their axles swapped to some soviet car's for practical reasons) and most of the upper sheetmetal is in decent condition. Actually, all that is front of front seat is pretty solid. Rear floorboard after front door post is mostly gone, so are rear wheelwells and trunk floor. I think that there's practically nothing useable back there down the waistline. At the moment I am in progress of searching ideas. As it's 4 door and in bad condition, I am not too scared to butcher it up somehow. I have seen pretty many pictures of extended cab pickups, made from older 4 door sedans, but i have seen none of newer sedans cut up that way. I drawed some pictures and actually I liked that idea. It seems that the car screams for sectioning the body (it's already channeled from factory I guess), I tried to imagine how it would look after 2" chopping and the look wasn't any good. So shoot ideas, what to do with it. Sorry, pictures coming soon
1938 1939 If you are not sure of the year just do a Google images search and keep changing the year on the search until you find a match.
Tommy, I can google, but it's complicated, because I don't have front sheetmetal. As I understand, the body from cowl to trunk is same for both years?
no they are not. 37-38 is the same but 39 changed and is a year by itself. Look at the lower door skins. Notice the reveal that flows from the hood onto the cowl and lower door. That is 37-38 only. 39 does not have that.
Ah, yes. So it's '37-'38 then. Any pics of stock front axle? I made few discoveries today - front spindles and brakes are soviet made, from GAZ-21 "Volga". But the axle beam itself seems to be original for me. I try to take pictures of it some day I got to the garage, I forgot the camera home today.
Few pics too, help to get clue about the condition, sorry for the mess, hopefully it will not stay too long there:
Yep 37 or 38 standard. The Master would have had the ugly independent Knee Action front suspension. The shocks look like they are custom. You are much better off with the I beam front end. The Master knee action front susp.
Well, I think the shocks are from some Soviet car (probably GAZ or UAZ). As our country was occupied for 50 years by Soviet Union, there were no original parts and almost all pre-war cars that are extant, have some "soviet customizing". I have seen '36 Ford Coupe with "Pobeda" axles (rear axle is approximate copy of old banjo rearend) and GAZ 51 engine (that engine is close copy of old Dodge flathead six from 20's). Most of these cars do not have their original front sheetmetal intact too, probably because in some time they just were crashed.
Looks like the whole front axle is from something else, the rear axle looks like a truck style with floating axles, also from something else As was mentioned 37 or 38 standard
Rear axle is from russian UAZ truck, it's basically copy of old Ford axle with added floating axles. If front is not original, it might be from the same truck, but I'm not sure. Anyway, it looks cool.
Its not in to bad of shape! But then again here I have access to patch panels here.. Good luck with the purchase let us know what will be done!! Look forward to seeing more from the Chevy.
What I don't remember is the front spring hangers sticking out that far, it's been 20 or so years since I pulled all that stuff off of mine, I don't remember the springs having that many leaves either. on edit: Of course looking back at the gasser 38 coupe that is posted, the spring hangers stick out past the fenders, so maybe that IS the original axle, just with the tube shocks added
I photographed more details today. Took few pics from front axle (is it original or not?): Most problematic rust damage: Some weird openings in roof, seems that there has been some spotlight affixed rear, but I have no clue, what is that little "scoop" above front pillar for: I don't know if there's replacement panel that replaces the missing part of center pillar or I need to fabricate it myself (seems not too complicated at first sight).
I got the original measurements for your 37. I'm rebuilding one myself, and yours looks like its a bit worse than mine, but not by much! hehe I'we got some pictures, and a few leads on sparepart, that are not far from you! (Norway!) If you want it!
In like the 7th picture showing the right rear of the car - is that not a front fender for this car, laying on the back of the car behind it? I don't think the axle is original, it looks like they added pads to the frame to use those springs to keep it in the right place.
My departed brother and I built many 37 and 38 Chevy cars and trucks together over the years. 37 was the first year of the all steel body (no wood except in the sedan delivery). The 37 and 38 also had the unique Harley Earl Speed Line design which I see on your car. You can definitely make your car a 37 or 38 depending on which grille style you prefer and of course which front sheetmetal parts you can find. 37 and 38 bodies are very much the same. The main difference is with the hood, front cowl, headlights and grille. These parts are all interchangable with 37 and 38 Chevy cars. The body lines on truck front sheetmetal will look similar but are very different and will not fit. In the 70's we used to upgrade the straight axle front ends with 54 Chevy front drums and backing plates. On one of my knee action front end cars, I used a 48 Chevy front end which bolted right in since the frames were the same thru 48. Eventually we both went late model with the Mustang type rack and pinion, disc brake front ends. By far this proved to provide a very nice ride. One of my best handling 37's was my old Kingcab Pickup that I mounted on a slightly modified S-10 chassis. My early rear ends were usually 55-57 Chevy. I later used Camaro rear ends. Best of luck on your build, be creative and have fun.
...looks like stock axle to me, but I've never seen that dash in a 37 or 38 before, different cut-outs.
raymay has given you very good information about your project. The front spring hangers are correct and your spring width should be 1 3/4 inches. The spring hangers are factory riveted to the frame. 37-38-and 39 have the same front spring hanger. Looking at the rear bumper the car appears to be a 38. the 37 had a smooth bumper and the 38 bumper had a horizontal groove in the center full length of the bumper. The tube shocks are add on. The fender shown in one of the pictures appears to go with this car (identified by the inner fender panel) Check to see if there are more parts lying around. Superior Glass works can supply you with fiberglass replacement fenders, hood and running boards etc. I have owned 3 1938 Chevrolets and 1 1939 Chevrolet. That does not include 2 or 3 more that I have worked on for other people. raymay must be about my age to know this crap so well and it is obvious that we bothe suffer from "BowTie Fever" Good Luck, Jeff
Ya Rusty it does look original. You definately have your work cut out for you... When you end up building it start a build thread! I will subscribe! Jay
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