Found this link in another HAMB post, and came across this gorgeous customized 1937 Chevy 5-window coupe. Did a quikcy on removing the copy right letters... I had to see it a little better. It really looks like a Harry Westergard custom to me.. but I have just never seen it before, or heard anything about it... Does anybody has any info on this great looking custom? The chop is just perfect with a nice taper, the Packard grille, lowered and molded in headlights, and partial removal of the running boards all are sort of trademarks for Harry Westergard. The car looks a lot like the one he did for Leroy Semas... only that one was based on a three window coupe and was not chopped. And it had some different fender work done. The Semas Coupe.
Wow. It would be cool to find a picture of in on the ground with the hood and trunk closed. You can definitely see the similarities between it and the Semas car Packard grill, running board treatment and the lights moved to the fenders. One would think that it would be another Westergard car.
BINGO... and its a 38. I had it on my site... but I just never saw the grille... so I did not think about it.... Bertolucci coupe Read the text. It mentioned how his father finished it with a Packard grille.
I find it interesting that it's obviously being worked on, but isn't in competition. Wonder if we'll ever know what gave up the ghost on the way to Wendover!!! Time for the famous HAMB detectives to get to work. BTW...I've never been an early Chevy man, but a car like this could get me to switch sides.
What a terrifc story!! Man that is custom work beyond cool. The jacked up picture on the salt is priceless. Amazing 1/4 mile speed. I saw and "Heard" a lot of them in early drag racing. They have a scream of thier own and a treat to hear ripping up a 1/4 mile. That hood treatment is so brilliant!! Thanx for the x-lnt. history adventure!! Stoked!!-Sololobo
Being an avid enthusiast of 37/38 coupes I admire the work on the chop and how it turned out.......although I dont care for the 3 window custom version in the pic. To me 37/38 coupes have very sexy lines and look very nice with very clean body mods (not overly done) and a nice stance with a catchy set of wheels/tires. My dad had a 37 coupe from around 65 until 2004 when he passed. Out of us kids I was probably the only one who could have gotten it back road worthy but at the time of his passing we discussed just selling it to a good friend knowing it would stay around for a while........it was done up gasser style ever since he got it in around 65 and stayed that way until we sold it,with nose high stance,OLDS rear,gutted doors and all. Eventually I will find a MORE solid 37 coupe to build as he would have had it done. Memories from around 1974................being that the coupe only had room for 2 people really,dad and mom loaded my older bro and me up and stood us up behind the frt seat so we could go for a little drive with them in the 37 coupe. The car at that time had a 375 hp 396 and M21 in it from his 67 Chevelle SS and was a wild ride to say the least. He punched it from a dead stop,got real squirrly as he banged through the gears........as my bro and I watched the hood start to vibrate and slowly lift off the car at speed.........as my bro and I turned to look out the back glass the hood had went right over the car and was fluttering down to the ground like a 4 ft blackbird (hoods were 4 piece and was flapping hard LOL).........those were the days.
Beautiful custom. Great photo. I'm glad you were able to tie the story and the pics all together. That's so cool!
awesome.... I love how some customs back in the day did double duty on the salt as well as cruising...
There's a real small photo of Dick's coupe - the one in question - in the latest issue of 12 Port News, Inliners International's magazine. sorry but I do not have access to a scanner at present to post the picture of it here.
I love 37/38 Chevy Coupes , And the Bertolucci coupe sure had a GREAT chop Klaz BTW " The car looks a lot like the one he did for Leroy Semas... only that one was based on a three window coupe " Westergaard filled the 1/4 windows on Semas coupe . All US made 37 & 38 Chevrolet coupes was 5 windows.
I don't usually like them chopped, but the fact that he retained the stock rear window and laid it forward really looks good. Thanks for the pics!
Dick is one of the finest craftsmen ever in the car world. Also a very friendly & helpfull guy! I have had the pleasure to talk to him many times over the years. He does better paint jobs on his Chevy's than I've seen on Duesenburg's at concours show's! What ever he touches, its A+. No hype, just talent!!!
I dont know if you realize it, but the bodyline is shaved in that 3 window picture, it could be a 35 Master 3 Window. Not a 37
In that case it could be a 36 as well... but I still think its a 37 with the rear 1/4 windows welded shut. The extended fender line on the doors is 37-38 Chevy only. I'm not sure if a 37 Chevy door would fit a 36 body... if that would then perhaps its a 36 three window body with a 37 door fitted to it... who knows. Yes Harry Westergard built the Vern Simons car in the early 40's... (Gene Winfield photo)
...as well as the '37/38 Cowl? Seems unlikely to me. But I do agree at that angle the roof looks more '36 than '37.
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