VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Overseas Model Identification

Hi,
Only new to the site, but what great expertise is on here!
The Idnetification plate on my 38 Business Coupe does not seem to match anything I can find in the manuals etc.
It is original R/H drive manufactured in Canada and I think initially exported to New Zealand and then Australia.

The plate shows the identification as XHHB ...... At a guess the X stands for export, the first H-don't know, and the HB I have seen mentioned in parts list etc as the body type Master, Master Deluxe. When I road registered it recently I was queried by our Roads Authority as to the model. They asked if it were standard as a Business Coupe and I said yes and they accepted that, so they are in the dark also.

Anyone throw some light on the Identification Plate? It is a Fisher body and the plate carries no idication of paint or trim colours.

Regards
Paul

Hi Paul,

I have a lot of Canadian info. Plese PM me all of the details from your VIN and I'll see what I can find. My machinist has my manuals so may take a couple weeks.

Yes - this is an NZ assembled 1938 Master 'HB' car.
The XHHB is X for export, H for plant code for NZ, HB Model HB
kenk

Paul
If as suggested yours is a NZ built car you may have more luck in collecting info than the Fishermans Bend built cars. I have been told from reasonably reliable scources that there was a large fire in the records department of GMH about 1956 which destroyed all info prior to that date.
The same scources tell me that a lot of Chevs were imported as rolling chassis and the bodies were built at Fishermans Bend plant but this may only apply to trucks as I doubt that 1 plant could keep up with all sedan and truck production of that time.
Tony

Chevrolet started the six cylinder series in 1929 with the prefix "A" to begin the identification. The second letter indicated the model or type.
The second "H" means your car is a 1938, "B" (in the US designation) means it's "Passenger - Sedan Delivery, Master." An "HA" model (in the US)is a "Passenger, DeLuxe Master with Knee Action."

Does your car have the knee-action front end or a straight axle?

I thought the AA stands for the 1927 year, then AB in 28, AC in 29, AD in 30 and AE in 1931. a.s.o. Referring to the factory identification of that year.

The overseas plant had X as first letter, then the letter for the assembly plant, and then the two letters for the year/model. Then came the 3 or more figures corresponding to the production number of that year.

There were one plant in NZ and mentioned five in Australia, but were they all assembly plants, or some only sales offices?

Tim, have sent you a PM as requested witht he relevant details.
Coachhill your info was invaluable and sent me on a search last night, That old saying about when all else fails read the book ia apt.
My small glove box book(Australian print) suggest that 38 Chev cars were sold in Australia as Standard and Master De Luxe. Mine is in fact a Standard(Master equivalent) and to answer your question has a straight axle - full transverse reverse Elliot I Beam axle and leaf spring suspension. That I understand is the Master equivalent in the USA.
The VIN Number is XHHB58312

The 58312 seems only to indicate the specific Chassis number of the vehicle , but I stand to be corrected on that.

Subject to advice from wiser people on here than me, I hopefully can assume that for parts and accessories orders should all be made on the basis that my car is the equivalent to a Master Business Coupe. Correct?
Regards
Paul

Paul,
I'm glad you found it helpful. However I should have clarified a little better. The "A" prefix was for 1929 as stated, and then for each subsequent year the alpha prefix incresed by one. So, "B" was for 1930, "C" was for 1931, etc. "H" is the prefix for '38 as stated. The second alpha character indicates the model type ("A" for Master DeLuxe, "B" for Master and Sedan Delivery, etc.) Note that the "H" prefixes applied only to cars through one ton trucks, and the 1.5 ton trucks used a "T" prefix in '38.
Not to pick nits but the early cars did not have VIN numbers, rather they are considered serial numbers. The nameplate on '37 to '40 cars is on the right hand side of the cowl under the hood. Hopefully the export/Aussie cars are the same. On the US cars this is 6 digits, with the first 2 indicating the model year, the next two the model series, and the last two the body type. What information is on your cowl tag?

Hi All,
The Identification plate on my car is very different to those I see in manuals for the US produced cars.

The plate states:
GENERAL MOTORS OF CANADA LIMITED
Made in /GM/ Canada. The GM has a box around it.
OSHAWA WALKERVILLE REGINA
1938 MODEL
Serial XHHB 58213
Engine...... Body Serial .....
Trim........ Paint..........

The Engine,Body Serial,Trim and Paint have no detail ,they are just Blank. The General Motors of Canada Ltd is set in a curve across the top of the plate, which is on the RHS of the vehicle.

[img]http://[/img] [img]http://C:\Documents and Settings\paul\My Documents\My Pictures\1938 Chev[/img]

I have attempted to attach a photo.
Hope it works.
Regards
Paul

The first attempt at the photo didn't work so I will try again.


MPA computer


Regards
Paul

You learn how to do something every day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This should now be the link:

Coach,
The Series designations were changed numerous times in Chevrolet history. The 1927 passenger and 1/2 ton began with AA, 1928 AB, 1929 AC, 1930 AD, 1931 AE. In 1932 another change to BA passenger BB 1/2 ton. That continued with 1933 Master CA, 1/2 ton CB, Standard CC. 1934 continued with "D" series with A, B, C designating the type or model. That system was used for many more years. If you look in the front of Chevrolet parts books (aka Master Part Price List) a listing of the models and designations will be found in the front of the book.