VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Hey Charlie....

To answer the questions on this 41,it is not mine (not yet?"")It is avaliable and
I have been in contact with the current owner but still gathering some more information' it does look pretty though"
It also has umbrella and holder, vanity mirror, town/counrty horns
turn signal unit, spare air valve maybe something else?

BEAUTIFUL! Mike. I hope you get the car.

Thanks to all of you who have encouraged me to finish this project. I'm still thinking about dumping the whole mess but your encouragement has gone a long way toward me getting back on track. Some.

How much? Well...let's say, if you put it in distance terms and I was going to swim the English Channel, I might stick a toe in the English side to test the water. (I would choose to start from the English side because there would be more incentive to complete the swim. Get away from them left-side of the road drivers, fat little yeller short legged dogs, and people who use "mum" instead of mother, mamma and mom, etc. I think I'd rather be in France where people drove on the right side of the road, had fancy French poodles and I couldn't understand nothing that was said except maybe, "Shud de dorr." (Shut the door) You know.)

The project really does need a relatively younger person to tackle it. Seems I have to hire out everything. I'm becoming broke, cheap, chency, thrifty (pick one) old, cranky, fed up and sick and tired of the whole thing. Accordingly, if I don't come around to my senses soon (I'm about ready for the funny-farm), the car may be for sale. Really. Stand by.

Thanks again,
Charlie

Charlie, Check out this prayer for you, I posted it on another thread but I don't want you to miss seeing it, I'm a thinking that you may really need to see it twice.

A Prayer for Charlie ( I say it once in awhile, myself!)

Dear Lord, Thou knowest better than I myself that I am growing older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from craving to straighten out everybody’s affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all; but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end. Keep me mind free from the recital of endless; give me wings to get to the point, seal my lips on my aches and pains; they are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.

I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility, and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet, for a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, even in people that like cars other than a 1941 Chevrolet, and let me see talents in unexpected people, and give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so. Amen.

I thought I'd show this to my wife...but I'm already in enough trouble today...and it's not even noon ! ha

Charlie... If doing the work isn't something you want to do, have you thought of selling the '50 to get the cash to have someone finish it? You've got the hard stuff done. If you're going to equate it to crossing the English Channel, I'd say you've already got the fleet mobilized, have laid down a nice shore bombardment, and the ramp is just hitting the beach. Sure, there is still a lot of work ahead, but the ammo is bought and paid for... also, beautiful French women await on the other side. They like a snappy American in his foreign car... even if it is a forty one!

Brewster,
Trouble is, I like the 50 about as much as the 41. I should have tackled it first. It would have been half the work and half the cost. Something keeps telling me I'm going about all this the wrong way. Like BigRichie, DIZ, and a bunch of others.

I've been working on a 1966 Mustang GT Convertible today. I'm getting it ready to sacrifice to help pay for some more work on the 41.

Things yet to do:

Upholstry 10,000

Top 5,000

Paint 10,000

Tires 1,000

Misc. 5,000

MRMack, I appreciate the prayer. I sure need it.
Charlie

TEN GRAND FOR UPHOLSTRY ?????? MINK ?

Paint for $10,000, I don't think so.

I've seen many cars with a lot more expensive paint jobs than $10 grand , but $10 grand for upholstry in a one seat car. What could cost so much?

Hey Charlie, I'll paint it for a mere $2500, yep, I'll get my roller out and some real good latex house paint and it'll look great... guaranteed! I also know a guy with a lot of coon skins for the upholstery if'n yer interested??????

Oh, BTW, I can do this while I'm camped in your front yard this winter!

Around here, nice paint jobs start at $10,000 and go up from there. I have seen some show cars in this area with $20,000 to $25,000 paint jobs. My neighbor down the road had his 1931 Model A Roadster professionally painted years ago and that paint job was $11,000!

Thanks JD,

Anyhow, the quotes I've gotten are right around 10K for the prep and paint. 2 stage.

As to the upholstry, if you roll everything that Hampton Coach (LB) has for the 41 and figure in labor, for panels, upholstry and top it will around 10-15K. I may be a little high on this but not by much.
Charlie

Mike, there was only one 41 color worse than cameo cream and that was a green (any shade).

I do recognize that some like it and it was unique to the convertible but, wow, what an ugly (well not really ugly but that is the kindest word I can come up with at the moment) The best colors for the 41 were the darker shades. All this comentary on the colors is just my opinion. Nothing more.

And, whilst I'm at it. I still think the standard SD steering wheel looks better than the accessory spinner one. They look OK whilst sitting still but turned in any other direction than the spinner at the bottom... well, just look at the picture above.

Mike, what is the telephone number of the person who owns that car. I just want to tell him that it would look better with the original wheel. Really!
Charlie

Charlie,
Okay basic black with standard wheel' you got it'

For a car of that caliber, the quote you received is not out of line. Actually, for a '41 cabriolet show car I would have expected even a higher quote than $10,000 for a paint job.

OK guys, I am not into the show car judging thing, but it seems to me that as fussy about being original in all ways as it sounds like the VCCA judges are that one should be penalized (points deducted) for a paint job that is better than what the car came with when it was new. The base coat clear coat etc. technoligy of today is so much better than a factory paint job of say 1941 that there is no comparison. This is just my opinion but I would compare it to running radial tires for show or perhaps a modern engine in a 1941 or maybe a leather interior in a 4dr. What do you think about this?

Yep, that is a pretty one, all right. But I can't really see the steering wheel.

I think that sometimes our need to slap on any and all accessories may trump our sense of style and dictate what is added to a ..., well, 41 at least.

The pictured car could do with a matching black top (it must be white or tan owing to the top cover. That don't look all that good.)

Why not add a Batman and take off the extra incorrect fender guide? And, while at it take those J. C. Whitney looking wash boards off? Those things looked okay (nicely made) on a 41 Pontiac but looked like something aftermarket or homemade (cut from a piece of actual wash board using tin snips) on the Chevrolet. Maybe its the desire to match what someone else has on their car and, if possible, best someone else by having the most accessories. Just my opinion and I realize that I sure don't have anything to compare it to, yet.

Thanks for the photo. All those who posted other photos. This goes a long way in getting the word out that the 41 was the ... well, you know.

Uncle Ed is right about the paint jobs nowadays. I had the coupe painted for 700 bucks and while not show quality, it shines real good and at 10 feet you can't tell the difference from a really fancy paint job. But for some reason I don't want to do that to the convertible. Why not? I don't really know. Just the idea that if it costs more (read a heap more) then it must be justifiable and way better, or something. Go figure.
Charlie

BTW: My 41 convertible is color coded black. And while that is a good color (or lack of) for the 41, it has always been my desire to have it in Ruby Maroon. For many years now. Fellow in Cincinnati or next city up (I think) had one for sale in ruby maroon. ( I had a ruby maroon coupe in AK but the paint was too faded to display well.) Can't remember his name. Help here, Ed. He dealt in old cars back in the 70s.

http://www.raleighclassic.com/new/gallery.php


Check out this site and look at inventory, scroll down to the maroon 41 Chevrolet Conv.

Please pick it apart. I may want to get rid of mine and buy this one instead of spending more time and money on mine. I sell mine for whatever I could get for it. Well, I'm entertaining the thought of bidding on it at least. Gotta go take a look. Ad says it has the right tail pipe extension. Does that tell you any thing. Also, the red in the hood strips looks a different shade, and, you guessed it, someone got carried away with the red paint. Anyone notice anything else?

Remember, I'm calling "dibs" on it!
Charlie

BTW: That side-on shot makes me drool.

My trunk gasket is like the one in the photo of the 41, they say it's incorrect,it should be on the trunk LID. Whata think?

BTW. the floormat doesn't match...grin

What's your guess as to the value of the 41 in the photo link?

$50 grand is my guess,unless you paint it green ,then $60 grand. Just kidding,Maroon is my first choice of colors for my year and the 41.


On the serious side...I hope you're doing well

I agree. If I were a judge I'd deduct for a flashy paint job. The idea is to be correct ,as in 1941.
On the other hand....I'd rather have the flashy paint job.

Restoration appears from the pictures to be about one level higher than an amateur.
Faults:
Shark teeth are a 1940 accessory
The top does not look good, looks wrinkled and I can't see the red piping.
Exhaust extension is incorrect
Antenna looks to be aftermarket.
Missing rubber clamp between the choke cable and cable to coil.
Top of coil should be black
+ cable is routed incorrectly
Vent drain hose is too long
Does not have correct floor mat
Missing rubber mat in trunk
The overall quality would score less points if seen in person.

Thanks, Ray.

I agree that the rims are for the 40 but in my view that is something I'd forgive. I know the judges won't but they sure do look better than the 41s. At least to me.

Anyhow, thanks for taking a look and pointing all that stuff out. I appreciate it.
Charlie

Is the trunk gasket on correctly? If so, when did they go from mounting it on the lid to the body?

It is. Don't know.
Charlie