Art & Inspiration 1941 chevy 2 door sedan

I'm needing some inspiration for my 41 chevy sedan. It has the factory drivetrain. I'd love to do some sort of early race car build. What type of Rave car? I'm not sure that's why I'm asking for your help. This car is in great shape overall with the exception of paint and interior. Hence the Race car thought. I hate to cut or do anything that can not eventually be reversed back to original without major work. I'm ok with a drive train swap but I think it would be cool to use the straight 6 if possible. Maybe an early drag car? Wasn't sure what might be doable and period. Thanks!

 

Do research on the racing you want to emulate and the history.
Find something that really speaks to you more than any of the alternatives.

That said, 41 sedans would most likely only be used for destructive stuff after it got old enough to be bought and beat on, since a coupe would be lighter for better power to weight. This would apply to straight (drag or top speed), curves (roadracing or hillclimbs), and circle tracks. The guys back then had little money and lots of choices, so they'd go for the cheapest, lightest, easiest. That's why most went with Fords. There were a few GM guys, so check into that.
Remember there was a big thing going on from the early to mid 40s that kind of messed with racing and people would tend to preserve the newer cars like yours. After, the 6-8 year old sedan wouldn't be cheap enough or light enough to compete with a an old 20s or 30s roadster and a V8.

 

Something like this with maybe some hopped up speed parts and some old-school lettering.. Pics are from and NHRA event.in 1956

 

Actually that “big thing” started in the late thirties, ‘39, and went to mid August ‘45 but some showed up a little late! LOL Apparently it was so much fun a sequel came out in ‘50..... humans have a hard time learning some things.

 

Stick a 302 GMC in there.

 

261 would be the classic, if you want to go fancy GMC or Ford inline 6 (though that's kind of a heresy) - for Ford engines, there is a ton of great speed equipment available, so good for a race car.

 

If I were to desire a car to make into a racer, I would seek out a Plymouth or Ford.
A Chevy from that era, would be best with paint and interior dealt with.
If you really want to be a racer then find a 302 Jimmy and a 4 speed.

 

Hello,

What makes a cool hot rod? A few modifications to a stock car, makes it a custom build of sorts. It defines the changes made to a car so it melds with the owner’s idea of individual creativity. We all like to be individuals with our own minds doing what it does best. So, on a hot rod build, there is no… “one way to build a custom car/hot rod and not one way to define what is a custom car…” or in your case, a “race” car look.

Any amount of changes to a stock bodied sedan or coupe becomes a custom added touch. We all grew up seeing lowered, wildly modified creations called “customs” at car shows and in magazines. So, we all began to think in terms of custom cars as being like the “Ala Kart” or the “Rod and Custom Dream Truck.”

But, everyone has their own creations rolling around in his/her head to change the car. The only hold back would be the infusion of money necessary for the changes.

Jnaki

I was surprised in a neighborhood supply store parking lot at the sight of this custom car just sitting in a parking stall a few cars away. It had all of the cool things one could think of to make it different, yet cool.
It could have been a street hot rod or a cool looking road worthy custom car.

Louvers on the hood, flames that accentuate the color without overpowering the whole car, the stance and definitely the overall custom car look. It even had a sunken radio antenna with some creative accents, in a depth perception look. But, it did retain the hot rod look. Nice paint, blackwalls + chrome wheels... etc.


The Chevy sedan was not flashy, a nice color that goes back to the early 60s color scheme, “Fawn Beige” comes to mind. But, because the tires remained black with chrome wheels, it retained the fast hot rod look and not the whitewall cruiser look. The blackwall tire with chrome wheels was the least cost for the next level up from stock. No whitewalls as it would retain the look of the ”family” car and not a cool hot rod sedan.

But, that is one way to look at a Chevy sedan. Not black primer and not just painted wheels. Since you are still in the planning stage, that level of finish is a starter mode. Then as your ideas coincide with your pocketbook, you have to decide what to do next.

If the body is in great shape, a new v8 SBC motor/transmission swap will start you on road trips with some power to keep up with the flow of traffic. A sedan may get hot, so A/C, good brakes, and to not forget about handling/safety. Now, just drive it for a great time.

My first hot rod was a Flathead powered Ford Sedan Delivery. It had the power to go long distances, but at slow speeds and those steep hills were a daunting drive every time. So, a larger SBC motor would have been nice. YRMV

 

Appreciate the replies and advice. Customs definitely don't trip my trigger. I want something that looks like the 40s 50s or 60s. The patina and old door letting really does it for me, shiny paint and pinstripes not so much.

 

My ‘40 Olds sedan has a small block Chevy, and I’m building it to be a hot rod, not a custom.
If I owned your Chevy, that would be the route I would choose.
It’s your car, build what you would like to drive…

 

This is a traditional rod and custom site, so begging you to preserve and restore is not going to be in the core ideal, but it lasted this long and you have just got it. Fix what you've got, learn it's quirks and faults, keep it simple until you have a solid vision. 40s to 60s is a pretty broad range, which is what I was trying to touch on with the first post. Do you imagine a post-war hand me down, a good 50s used car back lot car built as a mild street/drag car, a 60s bruiser? These will determine direction, along with ability and funds. Kudos to asking and thinking about it, rather than just cutting the top off, painting it flat black, jamming in an LS and adding barbed wire. There is greatness to jumping in with both feet, but these are limited resources and the internet is full of hacked up old cars.

Fortunate son, yeah the party started in the thirties and some arrived (un)fashionably late... I wasn't part of that decision and I doubt many here were. Mid-80 year olds now for those who were 18 at the time and lived through it. History has developed a lot of opinions about that time, and some still will not listen or learn from it. It deeply sickens me to see banners from that era flying now. This is not the forum for that, so I was oblique. I hoped to just touch on the car and OP's plans with a bit of understanding where it came from.

 

Bump for some more inspiration