History The "Natural Hot Rod"...1937-39 Chevrolet...

When I bought my '37 sedan delivery in 1990 an acquaintance asked me what I was going to do with it. My response was I was going to hot rod it. His response was "only Fords are hot rods". He grew up in SoCal in the '40s and '50s and considered Chevys only low rider material. Nonetheless, I have had four '37s since 1964 and all were hot rodded to some degree and still my favorite model.

 

Have to agree. 37 cool, but 39 has grills class of their own also.

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If you're not aware of the fact, Chevrolet marketed the feature as "Diamond Crown Speedline".


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No, I had no idea Chevy marketed that.
Not sure if that makes me brilliant for figuring that out on my own...or just plain clueless for not knowing...probably the later

 

Thanks Stogy
I was scanning the complete thread before I posted any photos of my uncle’s American Graffiti Coupe.

Jeff

 

Wow this your Uncles Coupe...too cool!!...small world...I loved that Hotrod ever since I saw in back in the 70s or 80s...please do share more Jeff...

Pictures suddenly take on an elevated greatness when they are connected to the Hamb in some way...and, I didn't recall a connection to AG...thanks for the History on this favorite of mine...is it still as we see it?
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Have seen a few at Meltdown:















And this one from Iron Invasion:






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Not a hot rod, but my very young memories of a late 30s Chevy Business Coupe that influenced me.

From 1962 when I was 5, through 1969, we lived across the street from a very elderly couple. They owned a pristine, dove gray, late 30s GM Business Coupe. I'm pretty sure it was a 37 Chevy. Their house was on the corner. Our house was second from the corner, on the other side of the street, but their tiny old one car garage was situated directly across from us. They never drove the car except on Sundays. I'd hang out on our front porch to watch them leave whenever I could. They'd walk down the sidewalk to the garage real slow. They were always dressed real nice. She would wait on the sidewalk while he wrestled open the big heavy wooden doors. This is the part that I always waited for. With the doors open, I could see the smooth lines of the rear of the shiny gray roof and trunk and rear fenders. So smooth. So understated. The old guy would go inside, start the car, and back it out, situating the car over the sidewalk, with the rear tires at the low spot near the curb to keep the car from moving as it sat there idling in neutral. He'd get out, wrestle the garage doors closed, and get his wife in the car. Then walk back around the car and get in. All this time, the car was sitting there running... warming up. Funny thing is, I could see a little bit of smoke coming out the tailpipe, but I really couldn't hear the engine running. The paint wasn't the only thing that was smooth... so was the engine... smooth and quiet. They'd finally back off the sidewalk onto the street, he'd slip 'er into 1st, and let the clutch out easy.
And the only sound I could hear as they began down the street, was something I didn't understand until years later... it was the very light whir of the transmission's straight cut gears. Just momentarily... through 1st gear. Then it was quiet again as he banged 2nd.
I mean, shifted into 2nd.

 

Here’s some info I posted a while back. I hope the link works. If you have any questions for me, fire away!

American Graffiti Cars

 

Great memory! Thanks for sharing Ricky.

 

2020 digital edition scanned from a 50 year old Ektachrome color slide

Hello,

This 1939 Chevy sedan had all of the current acceptable build techniques for inclusion into any hot rod or custom car magazines. A nice green color, great looking wheels, slightly sitting in a Cal Rake Stance, contrasting pinstriping all over the ridges, door panels and trunk areas, as well as some pinstriping flames over the front fenders and grille.

So, where are the rest of the photos? It was one of those submissions that did not agree with the editors and they said it was not hot rod material, in their eyes. So, in feeling sorry for the owner, I gave him most of the prime photos and color slides for his own use. It is hard to tell the owner that his hot rod got rejected in the nicest terms possible. But getting over a couple of hundreds of dollars in film, photos, mounted prints and color slides made up for it.

Jnaki

Not only that, but that 39 Chevy was just a cool car. The December morning was cool and crisp. The background, outstanding… but in the critical eye of the editors, not for publications in color.

 

I'm really digging the 37's lately and think I need to keep my eyes out for a coupe project. I have been wanting to build a traditional gasser for a while now and think a 37 fits my vision. It might be a while before I could get to it, but some of the projects here on the HAMB lately have given me the itch to look for one.

 

@jnaki that's a 38 I believe...and going vintage on the tailights...kinda risque these days, heck 2 is barely enough...

Thanks for sharing it...

My first venture into Hotrod was a 39 Chev Tudor...I did a fair amount of work to it but failed to complete it...​

 

My Dads, with me leaning against it in June of 69

 

After wanting a 37 coupe for years, I finally found one! Going to build a 60s style Hot Rod/Gasser tribute to my Dads.
Very straight, rust free, except for the dash was cut for gauges, and the rear tail pan has some damage like all of them. Has a 9.3 Olds/Pont rear, and old traction bars already.

 

...37 &8's are so cool, I've had a few over the years...

 

I don’t think you can tell a 38 from a 39 from the back.

I read somewhere that one tail light was a Master. Two tail lights was a Master Deluxe.



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The Tailight offering(1 versus 2) seem somewhat like the 39/40 Fords the times they were a changing...accessorizing and safety...

Fenders are actually quite different...its 37/38 rears are very similar maybe even interchangeable...

I did a search and compared 37 and 38 and trunk emblems and gas filler locations are different...39 has tailights on the side of the body up high near the beltline....

 

1939 Chevrolet...rear and front fenders squared at Rear to more pointed 37/8 rears, cap location, tailights...yes there are Master 85 and Deluxe with some differences but not a lot...Pontiac vs Chev...some body shared

Another biggee was the departure of the body crease/speed line...

 

Street Coupe

...Connection to the Hotrod/Custom past in youth is something discussed here at the Hamb...Somebody generated this 3D knockout...and they may have been the younger crowd...good job, a natural for a classy Go Fast...and Hamb Friendly...

Credit to Artist, Owner
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...6 Banger...no Slouch the Blue Flames...oh yeah!!

A GMC 6 would have blasted these around the the old Roundy Round back in the 40s 50s...I think I'd Go Big 6...with 3x2s...in a 39 Sedan or Coupe...if I sold the Ole Hotrod...

Credit to Photographer, Owner
​

 

37/38 Chevy's are great platforms...custom. gasser, hot rod.

Had this one for 23 years now...still ain't done...

 

Drive it much as i can


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@LOU WELLS I cropped and straightened those a bit for you.

 

I posted pictures of my old 38 Chevy coupe before. I bought it as an original driver for $600. I was still in high school at the time. Later Hot Rodded it, and drove it all over the east coast, Even down to the Turkey run in Daytona beach Fl. etc.

 

My all time favorite. Ralph Porier owned this one. Injected Olds, hydro and steel wheels. Perfect!

 

maybe a bit OT but a slick 37...292 power