VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 1940 Chevrolet Cabriolet question

Jack, does your '39 look like this? It is an X in the more traditional sense but doesn't look like any of the GM cars of those years and of course, was not on the American Chevy convertibles. Yet another puzzle. Why was it on the Oz cars - wonder if they were on Canadian ones too or like one person said, was a Holden addition?

What stands out immediately to me on this '37 example is that the X looks like uses the Oldsmobile beams but the X is upside down. The recess cutouts that run around the floorboard contours are on the bottom while the flat side is on top.

Yes my 1939 roadster has an identical X added to the chassis. As stated above.It was introduced part way through 1937 , so some 1937 tourers and roadsters do not have the X . GM-H dealers did issue a recall to fit them to those cars that missed out, but does not mean that they all went back for the fitting.

1937 roadsters and tourer, 1938 roadsters and tourers, and 1939 roadsters have the same X member.

The 1939 standard chassis was used for the 1939 roadsters, which is similar to the 1939 US master 85 model, but there is differences , the Australian standard chassis has different front spring length and configuration which is shown in the 1939 Canadian workshop manual, plus a kick shackle to absorb road shock on the steering side front spring rear, plus lever action front shock absorbers , and different configuration of the front anti sway bar (stabiliser bar)

My earlier statement that no open Chevrolets were produced in Australia after 1939 is not quite true. Holdens made roadster utilities for the army in 1941 and I remember someone telling me that they were fitted with an X member but I cant confirm that.

The 1939 roadster utilty shown in the NLA archives may also have had the X member but we don't know for sure without a surviving example we are only guessing.

Are you referring to the 15 cars from 1939 converted to 4-door convertibles in Switzerland for the Swiss Army?

They would be Australian built bodies. The Swiss 4 door convertibles where US base bodies and converted.

You would call the Australian utes in question Roadster pickups.
Here they are called Coupe utilities or roadster utilities.

Referring to these? I had thought I read they were built in Switzerland?

[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd....7350745_f3975f4c7a5bde7cb59ee3f7cde0f096[/img]

Built in Switzerland , but I believe that they used fisher body sedan parts and other available body parts to build the 4 door convertible.

On a side note , with the 1940 Chevrolet built in Canada and exported to Australia - did the Cabriolet (cabriolet/roadster) have the same oddball chassis with the weird X-like brace as the American counterpart or was it swapped out with the Holden type X used in '37-'39?

Australia did not have any open Chevrolets in 1940. Only body styles were Sedan, Sloper coupe, Coupe utility and Panel Van. At least one convertible was imported and still exists. Australia entered the war in 1939 and by 1940 the Holden body works were gearing up for the war effort.

Thanks.

My next question will be, does the Shop Manuals show the chassis in part, on an dimensions chart, lube chart, shim chart, or anything else for the '37-'39 roadster? If so can you please scan the page and post here? Thanks again!

Eric

What state is this 1940 convertible in? Do you have any pictures?

The car is in NSW. Ilast saw it in the 1970s. I was told it has been in storage on a property outside Sydney. Some of the members of the Vintage Chev club know its whereabouts. There were pictures of it in some 1970s hot rod mags.

Oh nice, i'll reach out, see if i can locate it.

Thats makes 2 then, I know of another 1940 Convertible. It was imported in 2007.

What can you tell us about the one imported in 2007? Any photos of it and of the chassis?

Its Ruby maroon metallic and it came from the east coast somewhere. I'll try and find some pictures of it. I definitely won't have any chassis pictures. The car is loaded with factory accessories.