I picked up a '47 Chevy coupe, with a sedan for parts. I really like the looks of the 40-41 front end, without the fender extensions on the doors. My friend has a '40, and the front end looks like it would fit on the '47 without much trouble. Anyone know if this will work? I'd appreciate any information either way.
Not too long ago, while looking for info about my '41, I remember seeing pictures of a '41 with a '46 front end. I don't know the details and I can't tell you where I saw the pictures but I'll bet it was here. Did you try a h.a.m.b. search or google it?
Go to the website www.vcca.org and ask them. There are hundreds of Chevy owners on that site. I just saw a custom built '41 Chevy four door Cabriolet. It is a one of a kind car and beautifuuly finished. There are evn owners wth '18 Chevys and still have them going. Normbc9
you have a 47 chev coupe. the 1940 front clip will not fit totaly different the 41 chevy front fender will not fit either, the differences are great different lower front cowl extending upward to the windshield, making the trailing edge of the front fenders of the 1941 a one year fender. the doors of the 42-48 will interchange but 41 are unique both on the outer skin and inner door structure and maybe the hinge could be different also, so the front edge of the doors are different. i think the hood woudl need to be changed also. can it be done yes if you had all the 41 parts and was wiling to do a lot of fab work. the ems guy
There were no doors caps on early sheet metal, later '47 had door caps. As stated lots of other differences too. I know my '46 Olds has pressing in the door skin and attachment holes under the cap whereas these aren't there on earlier models with no caps at all.
1940 is totally different body shell. 1941 was a new body. Further changes to the cowl and door skins began with '42 models. Go to the link in post #7 in this thread. I have two posts in that thread that explains it in more detail.....but essentially the same as posts # 8 & 9 here. Ray
I have a '46 Chevy Fleetmaster and it does have the door caps. as a matter of fact all '46's Ive seen have them.
I know about the fender extensions on the doors...that's why I was wondering if the earlier fenders/hood/etc would fit. I was thinking about making a flip-up front end like we did on a friend's '40, and It would be much easier without the fender extensions. I thank you all for your input! I now know it won't work, so I won't go looking for a '41 front clip. I'll fix the rust in the sedan front clip and use it on the coupe. I'll either forget the flip front clip idea, or figure out a way to do it with the stock sheetmetal. Thanks again!
42's also have door caps. The one I am building for my daughter has them, as well as all other 42's that I have seen. As far as I know 40-41 parts are not interchangeable
I was thinking about converting my 47 4-door into a 2-door. Several years ago I picked up a 41 2-door body; which was gutted and no front sheet metal for $100. My thoughts were to use the quarter panels and doors. Looking at the doors, the hinges are different, plus a couple of other differences besides the extension. I'm still thinking about doing the conversion, but will have to look at the doors a little closer. The quarter panel looks like it will work without any problems.
Maybe the way out to do this swap is to swap over the entire cowl. Cut it at the A-posts and across the floor at the toe board. Verify the windshield openings are the same first. Then use the doors and nose from the '41. But it would probably be a hell of a lot easier to just go get a '41 in the first place.
I know someone that was in the process of putting a 41 frontend on a later fleetline body. I'm pretty sure he was using the 41 cowl.
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