VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 bumper jack

They also had a tendency to fall sideways especially with a slight side breeze.
Tony

Or when loosening/tightening lug nuts or removing/fitting the spare wheel and tire.

Guess that means almost any time. Huh?

Sounds rather dangerous...Were you actually going to use it...?
Let the Auto Club ( Triple A ) deal with it...!

Kevin,
Yep! Just about anytime.

Wasn't there a tragedy some years ago when a bumper jack failed (went sideways, I suppose, to be more accurate. Not sure) and a VCCA member was fatally injured? I think it happened in California. Again, not sure. Sad situation.

I think the initial thread was just trying to find the correct year bumper jack information for a 1938. Not that it would be used other than for show.

I like the idea of having a correct one in the trunk, also, but I'd not use it. Instead I would carry a small bottle jack and or a screw type, with a small square of plank to go underneath it when suitable. Works for me.
Charlie

I have just spent the better part of an hour trying to upload photos of my jack into Photobucket but did not have any luck. I emailed the photos to Steve and asked him to post them for me. I believe my jack to be a correct '38. It is a ratchet-type but different than anything described here so far. Hopefully Steve will post the photos so everyone can see for him or her self. Beamer

Correct Jack?

That is a 1939 jack.
Some where I have the G&D with the '39 jack article. David Miner interviewed me in West Va. while on a tour. He took pictures of my jack and there was an article in the G&D - about in 2000

http://www.chevsofthe40s.com/detail/9859/Chevrolet_JACK_INSTRUCTION_CARD.html

Chevy of the 40s shows this tag for a bumper jack using the STARTER CRANKING TOOL.

Check it out. Sorta looks like Tinys.

Here's some information from Gene..interesting

Looks like Beamers except for not having the bolt on top.

Yep that's it, took me a long time to find one.

Whoa..The way the "base" is not attached to the actual jack is downright scary...Wind or no wind I'd get the "willies" using that thing...! I imagine it was designed for easy storage...

Waw...didn't I send two pages? page 2 shows the handle, etc.

Actually there was an advantage to the "floating" base. It would adjust to slightly uneven surfaces. I was taught that the jack sould have the top slanted slightly towards the car and be at a slight angle with the top leaning towards the center of the car. The jack must be on a solid surface, the hand brake applied and the wheels blocked.

I thing the 1940 and 1941 jacks looked the same and the 1949 was the first to have the base slip onto the bottom of the post.

Tiny:
The jack you have is the same one I have in my 39.
Not sure if it's correct,but it's for show only....

Thanks, Steve, for posting the photos.
There is one angle to the jack question that no one has addressed here. It is fairly common knowledge that parts left over from '37 models were put on '38 models until they were used up. The same may be true of jacks. Also, since there were such a large number of '38 Chevys made, perhaps all the '38 jacks were used up they had to go into the '39 stocks of jacks and put some in the '38 models, particularly those made late in the model year. That would account for Tiny having a '37 jack in his original '38 coupe and me having a '39 jack in my late '38. On the other hand, maybe someone just changed the jacks at some point. It's a mystery!! Maybe someone will write a book about it and that book will be made into a movie and the movie companies will pay big bucks to rent '37 - '39 Chevies and on and on and on. Beamer

The 38 jacks were much heavier because the 38(mostly coupes ) are so much more valuable and they didn't want them to fall. The 41 model chevys had the lightest. FISHING.....just kidding Charlie are you up yet?

Steve,

I have yet to see a 1938 jack. I am skeptical there ever was one. Don't you think it rather strange that after several days on the chat and after many viewl and responses, not a one of you who thinks the sun rises and shines in the 1938 that no one can confirm that they have have a proper jack or that they have ever seen one or know what they look like? Mercy!

I think they tossed in an overrun of 37 jacks until they ran out and then threw in the 39s to finish the run of 38 cars. Accordingly, I think Beamer hit the nail on the head.

As to your disrespectful comment about 41s, it will not get your anywhere, Buster. Read on.

If the construction of the jack were directly related to the value of the car, the 1941 would have come standard with a trailer hitch*. You see?
Charlie

* The trailer hitch would have been necessary to tow a four point hydraulic lift. Relatively speaking the 41 came with a stout bumper jack and the 38 came with ... Who knows what. Laminated cardboard?

Smiles. I knew that was coming. Just teasing of course.

This is the second page to the article. Thanks Gene.

Tiny,
Nice try! It looks like an uncertified piece of proproganda to me. Even so, let's face the fact there may not be a bonefide 1938 bumper jack. They merely got a 1937. How sad!
Charlie

I have yet to see a 1938 jack. I am skeptical there ever was one. Don't you think it rather strange that after several days on the chat and after many viewl and responses, not a one of you who thinks the sun rises and shines in the 1938 that no one can confirm that they have have a proper jack or that they have ever seen one or know what they look like? Mercy!

Charlie...I had a good friend named "jack" He was born in 1938 And I always though the Sun rose,shined and set on him...He also was very "Proper" guy. I can confirm that he did exist...I also can confirm what he looked like,(He looked like John Wayne only thinner) Unfortunately he was killed while changing a flat tire, his car fell on him.....He went to the "big junkyard in the sky"...... If you have faith and believe he may be resurrected someday.... ED

Tiny, that's the same as the one that was in my '37 coupe.

Thats the universal jack again.

Eastern Ed,
Well... there is that, I suppose.
Charlie