Hot Rods 1938 Chevy Coupe I Just Bought Bell Auto Parts Connection

I was looking on Craigslist and stumble onto this car. Committed to buying it based on a few pictures...glad I did. Belonged to Chuck Strader who started working for Bell Auto Parts in 1965 I think. Car and him were originally from Illinois. I think this car had two versions...one with Olds power..fancy interior...rear nerf. Then Chuck gets the job at Bell Auto and decides to make his car serious. It got a B&M Hydrostick BC model trans (blown compe***ion)..57 Olds rear...and engine looks like it was being prepped for a blower.

Wheels and tires shown were added in the late 60s early 70s...the car has been off the road, in a garage since 1965. I believe the first iteration of the car was finished about 1957. The interior is really a work of art. Anyway...will add more pics as time allows....hope my Hamb brothers like it..

 

At some point Chuck put a '37 nose on it...note that little handmade crest that's on the side of the seat....says "Chevolds"

There was a hamber here called Wolfie who worked with Chuck at Bell Auto in the mid 60s...and mentioned this car here on the Hamb about 12 or more years ago...but Wolfie (Steve Doll) hasn't logged on in forever. Was hoping to reach him to have him fill in some details..but his email is inactive. Bummer

 

Man, that is awesome! How could your HAMB brothers not love it? Congrats on the win.

 

Nice!

 

The mul***ude of holes drilled in the pan. Are they for some kind of vent, or oil return from somewhere?

 

*****in

 

What's with the Illinois plate? Just wondering. Nice find.

 

very cool!

 

That steering column would have been from a then-new '65 Cadillac when installed, maybe ordered through a dealer? That had to be expensive, although the rest of the interior points to a very well finished car so I guess that's possible. Kinda odd they'd buy brand new wheels and tires years after it was parked and then never drive it, but that could have been part of a planned resurrection that never got off the ground?

Either way, looks like a car with some great history and a very well preserved interior, and looks to have been built to a very high standard in it's day. I love the upholstery pattern! I wonder what the touchup weld on the rearend case was for? If this thing could talk, I bet it'd have great stories. Very intact too, wouldn't be tough to put it back to its 1965 condition.

 

I'm ***uming he was going to put an aluminum breather on there..

 

The car and Chuck were from Illinois...he moved out here in 1965 I'm ***uming and started working for Bell Auto Parts..

 

Squablow...the Cad steering wheel is mint. It must have been new or near new when installed. I found the previous column drop inside the car...its pinstriped like the dash. I'm ***uming he did these changes and added stuff over the years. I'm sure he was getting a discount on the parts. There are plaques on the dash from old dragstrips...you can see them in the dash pic taken from the p***enger side. The black upholstery material is outrageous...must have been 50s diner upholstery. Seems very heavy weight stuff. The interior is what sealed the deal for me...you never see project cars with this level of detail. Trunk is also upholstered....

 

Maybe there are some pictures of it out there somewhere? The rear is pretty distinctive. Looks to always have been blue. Don't know what the red cowl is about. Being from IL it might not have had show exposure in magazines. I'm thinking if it was out here in Socal and finished in 1957 or so like I think...it would have.

 

I'm digging it, really cool

 

This is one of my favorite coupes , I had a 37 for many many years . I think this is a 38 , with 37 nose

 

Cool!

 

You made a good choice purchasing the car The interior is just beyond cool.

 

Sweet ride.

 

That is way cool! Congrats!

 

Shrewd move buying it! That Coupe rules and the interior kicks ***. The car has some quality work and some nice touches such as the rear nerf bumper (which would make it easy to ID from an old photo).
What are your plans for it? With that interior, I envision the car painted black.

 

Very Kool

 

Nice

 

Awesome score. Love the interior like most others here. Tried to enlarge the center caps on the wheels but couldn't make out the logo. What brand are they ? Very cool it still has the Illinois license plate that also adds to the history.

 

Thanks for all the kind words. The interior is cleaned out now of the boxes and stuff so I need to take some good pictures.

The center caps have a small American flag emblem...

My plans are to go forward with Chucks vision. Try to match the blue and get it all one color...get or rebuild an Olds motor to put in it. It was getting setup for a blower..that might have to wait till I scrounge up the parts to do it..

 

That upholstery/fabric...amazing. Don't even think about replacing that, ever. Wonderful score.

 

Holy smokes BP, what a cool car!! Glad you got it. Looking forward to seeing more pictures and more details. Those Chevys make such great g***ers. And it’s Olds powered!

 

I thought in the pictures I saw before I bought it that the black part was fabric. It isnt..its vinyl too. All the squiggly lines are actually embossed in the material with white vinyl inside. There are also areas with little dots...those are also embossed. Don't worry about me changing it...I wanted a '37 or '38 Chevy coupe for a while...but when I saw the interior of this '38...I had to have THIS car...

 

Very cool!! Also love the old chrome garnish moldings.