Projects Att. Aussie HAMB members. Could you please ID this car for me. Could it be 1 of 150 i

My Buddy and I bought a car from an auction house sight unseen. It was presented as a 1940 Chevy in unique condition. The price was right so we bid on and won the car. Upon picking it up it's like no 1940 Chevy we've ever seen. Although it has all the familiar 1940 front sheetmetal, and drivetrain, even interior. The body has thrown us for a curve.

It's right hand drive and has an Aussie destination plate on the firewall. As we were leaving a fellow ran up and stated the car was 1 of 150 in the World. So of course we'd like to know if he was blowing smoke before we cut it up. Could it be that rare?

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

Its a chev sloper built by Holdens body works in Melbourne australia. Im no expert, but I think they are very rare, 150 left in the world would be something like right..I have seen maybe three others here in Melbourne.

 

Chev 'sloper'!

http://members.optusnet.com.au/hartleyfamily/newindex

Numbers
http://hotrod.gregwapling.com/slopers/index.htm

 

Holy **** thats it! Are they actually worth anything? Not that it really matters but if it's really 1 of 150 I'd guess a resto is in order.

 

No idea on worth, I had a chance on a complete one a few years ago from a rich collector, he wanted 2k for it I think........I took the free flathead stuff though

 

I'd still like to take a few inch's out the top but we'll have to see where this one goes. Thanks for the info.

 

Whatever you do don't cut it up. They are seriously cool as they are. This 1937 Chevy Sloper belongs or belonged to Kustchops here on the HAMB. The only thing that came close to this look in the US was the 1934-1936 De Soto Airflow coupe....

 

Thanks Weasel. Thats too Kool! We wouldn't have the heart to cut a car thats such an oddball. I'm starting to like it more already.

 

I think X38 (?) on the HAMB has a chopped project 'sloper"......Aussie.

 

Put it together and get the stance right , and you will find it won't need chopping at all ...

Sloper thread .... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=339811&highlight=sloper

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=133461

 

Thanks for the link. I remember this chopped version from a few years back but for the life of me I don't remember ever hearing the term SLOPER. Maybe I did and just didn't pay attention but after seeing the link this car is growning on me more and more.


QUOTE=LabRat;6842779]Put it together and get the stance right , and you will find it won't need chopping at all ...

Sloper thread .... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=339811&highlight=sloper[/QUOTE]

 

Hey what's the scoop,..I thought we stole all your cool cars, not the other way around!

 

Hey Cam, how ya doing man? We pick up a few strays from time to time. Would you happen to know anything about these? Ever see one on the road? Any collectors?

 

That car has such a perfect shape love the boot.

 

From my recollections, we had slopers here from 1935 to 1940. They were available as Chev and Olds, possibly other GM brands also. I think Pontiac had one. They were pretty much the same body shell with different front clips etc. There are not a lot around nowadays so I guess the price would be up there. Ford also had slopers from 38 to 40 much like a Tudor but with a tighter roofline. Good luck with the project, they are a nice ride done right.

 

Here's another Sloper thread...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=339811

 

Chev, Olds and Pontiac all made slopers here. As Fairlane said, All had the same body.
"Rare as rocking horse ****"

 

Thanks for the thread links. For some reason when I look at this car I can't get this Zephyr out of my head. Hmmm. This could get interesting.

 

Hey James, I am good thanks mate hope you are too.

Don't know a great deal about them bar the basic's and that they are rare and cool as! I have just seen a few at shows and in magazine's - not the sort of thing you would see on the road anymore. I saw a late 70's falcon on the road the other day and was surprised!

Strangely enough I have seen one on both the local and US version of a popular but not here auction website. The one on the US site was very nice,..again not sure how/why it ended up there! It was being sold by a dealer. The Australian one, very rough is still on there (a '37 I think).

Just promise me you finish the Caddy first,...it would make a killer car like nothing else over there!

 

Thats a promise I can stand by. The Cadi is a must complete project. Take care man! I just read your story at 49Cadillac.com. Very well written.

 

Excellent, good to hear - its exciting for me imagining how it will turn out - can only imagine how it is in your head!!

Thanks very much, re the website - appreciate the kind words and am hoping for an update reasonably soon!

 

I have my Holden book here. Can you get the ch***is #, should be on the outside of LH rail somewhere under cow? Stampings are done by hand and could be feint. Are there any other tags on it? Should be a HOLDEN badge (Lower cowl), body tag (alloy) and build tag (Br***), later two(2) under hood side curtain. Holden went to full steel in 1937, before this they were wood framed. This is a friend's subtlety chopped (3") 35 Master sloper (All enclosed coupe).

There were slight variations, Chevrolet rear body panel turned under rather than the swept in the larger Buick, Olds & Pontiac variations. 35's and 36's had OEM suicide front doors. 1st body was Chevrolet only, 2nd body was Olds & Pontiac (6cyl) and 3rd was BOP (8cyl).

Here are production figures, engine & ch***is ranges. Not sure of the extent of it but there are subtle sheet metal differences between Fisher hang on panels compared to similar Holden manufactured panels.

Quite a few Ozzie slopers (All enclosed coupes) have ended up over there in the US. You can see how Fisher copied the Holden bodies. A '35 body was shipped to GM Styling / Engineering here in November to showcase GM Holden's talents and the 'Sloper' concept. Fisher 1st produced this body style in 1941.

 

Chop it mate.
Way too much gl*** there.
You won't regret it one bit.
Remember we are rodders not restorers ...

 

Thats great info. Thank you so much.

 

here are a couple of shots I have that show slopers

They also made Ford, Plymouth, Dodge and even Hudson slopers

 

TJ Richards (Body builders) made the MOPAR bodies, Ford made their own 'Sloper' bodies, not sure about Hudson, don't know any businesses down under that made them. Imported maybe?

 

Here is a great vintage shot of a 40 Pontiac

 

Looks like Ruskin?
http://www.hudsonclub.org/index.php...gory&id=47:hudson-terraplane-sloper&Itemid=54

 

I believe i would have to take just a little off the top, but then i'm a rod shop - white post restoration is a little further down the road.