VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 1942 Chevrolet Cabriolet production #'s

That is interesting, thank you Mehl42. I own a '42 Fleetline also assembled in Tarrytown in October '41, number 9090. Thanks for the reminder about the serial numbers starting at 1001, I had read that in the shop manual once but completely forgot about it.
Those production plant data books sound like they'd be an informative read for sure!

Gene...Mr. Mansell kept great records of his car, I was flipping thru his gas/mileage log and found dates in Indianapolis that coincide with the dates on those pictures i previously posted (1971 on the track and 1968 at some other show/event there). While looking at i also noticed his last entry was October 1980 and it has the same mileage as what i bought it with...hasnt been driven a mile in almost 36 years.
I made a lil tool last night to take the hood springs off (is sort of a tight fit working on them) and took the hood off. Will finally start disassembly on it.

Any idea why he stopped driving it? What happened to the front fender?

No clue. There are some pictures of it having body/paint work done (need to see if any dates on them), i wonder if maybe it was low quality work so he quit driving it???...the way the paint has flaked off the fender, rear quarter and decklid, doesn't even looked primered underneath in some spots. Thats my theory for now unless i find more info in the stack of receipts/work orders

Thats very interesting. Good detective work.
If your other '42 is an earler car does the center disc of the speedometer and clock that the red needles attach to have plating or is it tan paint like the convertible?
Also the wood grain on the dash was a tan on the Special Deluxe....looks dark on the convertible.
My father had a '42 in my foramive driving years and they were always special to me. Was the only 216 that the speedometer would go past 85 MPH.
Once I et my 1971 G&D back from the editior I will look for more pictres of the car.

Wow you're very observant!...i looked at my fleetline speedo and clock, the needle center cap is chrome on both, and is tan on both on the cabriolet. Attached is a picture of my fleetline speedo and dash color...on the fleetline it is dark woodgrain and goes all the way down same color. The steering column is dark brown.
The cabriolet however is a lighter (and different pattern) woodgrain, and it only goes down 3/4 of the way. The bottom lip of the dash and the steering column are a beige type color

I am not sure if the dual colors on the dash are correct or not (same with the steering column being different between both cars?), but if the two colors on dash IS correct, i wonder how the sides of the dash are supposed to look where the colors meet?(pic attached to show side)

The late Dr. John Mansell was my physician and I always blamed him for giving me the contagious disease called "loving old Chevs". When I acquired my 4dr 47 Fleetline in 1969 it was going to be fixed up just enough to be my work car. I called his office and asked to speak to him. He asked me what my problem was and I told him I had just bought this car and wanted some advice on how to proceed. He said "Where do you live, I will be there as soon as I'm done with my last patient" He took one look at the car and told me that I had to restore it as it was the top of the line model. Also told me to join the VCCA right away so I could get the G&D to look for parts and info. Best non medical advice I ever got from him.
I remember seeing him, his wife and I believe 3 kids in the 42 arriving at Indianapolis in 1971 the morning of the show. He had driven most of the night to get there and the front of the car was plastered with bugs.
I'm glad to hear the car is going to be restored. I attended the auction and was really tempted to bid on it but not having any more space for another,I passed. John seemed to loose interest in driving his cars but kept on acquiring them, especially convertibles. Most needed a lot of work and he stored them in a metal non-heated barn type bldg.
He had serial #4 Mustang Conv that had been displayed at the New York Worlds Fair. You could take a ride in this newly designed car as it was on some sort of track that pulled it around. John never removed the the brackets on the frame that attached the car to the mechanism that pulled it. The family kept that car and a few others.

Dick

Dick, great story!
I attended the auction as well, we may have seen each other there! I tell ya, I was not use to that humidity, never sweat so much in my life hanging around in that barn kooking at parts/books lol.

The Fleetline did have the better looking dark wood grain. The Special Deluxe was a dead tan compared to your car. The steering colunms were different colors as mentioned. The end of the dash is pictured in the Engineering Features book and appears that the wood grain ends as the your picture indicates.
The center of the speedo thing was a forerunner of black-out car. I still maintain the convertible was assembeled in Ja, with left over convertible chrome parts .
The dash of your Fleetline looks great.
Intresting also the the center of the banjo steering wheel in 1942 was just a solid color.

I only have a reproduced copy of the engineering book and the edge of the picture showing the side of the dash is cut off on mine. I did notice from the picture though, it appears on the special deluxe that the woodgrain might actually go lower than my car is. In two different pictures it looks distinct that the beige color is lower


As for the banjo cap, here is a reproduced one i picked up, next to the other style (46-48 i believe)

The painted area belowthe wood grain is correct. The cut-off line wasn't this sharp at the ends. It more or less faded away.
The accessory brocher I have shows the blob type horn button.

Dragging a trlr from Wy to W. PA indicates you went to the auction with the intentions of acquiring the 42 conv. It is a good solid vehicle needing a good paint job, usual brakes/ hoses/belts replaced and a lot of detailing. I know the auction people had it running and drove it a short distance so I assume the engine/trans is OK.
John told me a long time ago that the car is either the one he had while in college/medical school or he got it because it was identical to it. I can't remember which. You might be able to figure that out by the date the Pa title was issued. He most likely was in college & medical school between 1951 & 1959 or close to that period.
Oh, yes it was extremely hot & humid during the auction. I was impressed how quickly the auction went as there was a lot of items in addition to all the cars.
Is your 42 Fleetline a Sportmaster or Aerosedan ? Either way the conv will make a nice stable mate for it.

Dick

Yes I definitely wasnt planning on coming back empty handed.
This clip from "60 Years of Chevrolet" shows pictures of another 42 convertible John owned but I know it isnt 100% accurate because 1)it says he bought it new, lol, he would have bought it when he was 10 years old if that were the case...and 2) it says built in september/october '42 which would be incorrect, I'm sure they meant to say sept/oct '41. Either way, the one pictured may have been the one he owned during his college years.


The one i now own from him he bought October of '63 from a gentleman in Fergus Falls, MN. Here is a picture of my Aerosedan as well and yes they do make good stable mates.

I guess that clears up whether or not this one was the same as the one he had in college.
Nice looking Aero !!

dick

Re your post about John Mansell not buying the other 42 new. Very possible his father/mother bought it new and still had it when he went to medical school. Maybe his father's name was John also ????? No way of knowing any of that now but would explain his desire to find one like it.

dick

Great stuff!!!!

BetoB, Nice looking car, looks like straightforward work required, how are you doing with this car?......
I, too, purchased one of the cars from the John Mansell auction, 68 Torino Indianapolis Pace Car. Dr Mansell had the car from new, I have one of the small notebooks also like you show, it logged every move the car made from when new to when parked in the barn in 1974, parked up and did not run/move/drive for 42 years until i bought it. Notebook listed every time fuel added, where, mpg, when tires were rotated etc. I have large amount of b/w photos, a few of it at Indianapolis, parked up at the event. The pics you showed were great, really captured back from that time, car parked next to a 66/7 GTO?
Paul.

Dick, Tried to send you this as a pm but its not working currently.....
I found a thread (and replied to it) yesterday on this site re somebody purchasing a 42 convertible from the John Mansell auction in PA, 2016......You replied saying you knew Dr Mansell years ago, i am from England and also purchased a car from the auction, it was the 68Torino Indy Pace car that he bought new, after it had been used at/around Indianapolis in May of 68. I wondered if you knew anything of the car, he told you anything about it or if you had seen it from way back, it was Dr Mansells 'office' car according to his son, Lee Mansell. I believe it would have been his daily driver type car from what i was told. Depending how well you knew him, i thought you may know some info that i don't re the car. It was parked up in the barn in 1974, i believe because Dr Mansell received a new car every 5 years , this was replaced i believe by the 73 Mustang Convertible that was also in the auction. There were some rare and desirable cars there. I bid on the car over the internet. Do you know what other cars were kept apart from the Skyway Mustang?.
Paul.

Paul, here is the current status...all torn apart. I'm getting ready to put the chassis on a rotisserie to blast it/clean it well, then primer n paint. I plan on getting most of the chassis rebuilt first then will put the body on the rotisserie next.
If i recall were there two '68 Torinos at that auction? Thats great you have a notebook with all that info. Mr. Mansell seemed to keep great records of everything!

You Americans must have a lot of spare time, every shop pic appears to be of a tidy shop. You must rush around and tidy the shop before you take a pic for posting. Mind you there are some nice cars in the tidy shops. I am lucky to be able to walk through my shop with all the storage shelves, daily drivers and my 38, my avatar is only 1 corner the rest of the shop is more cluttered.
Tony

You Americans must have a lot of spare time, every shop pic appears to be of a tidy shop. You must rush around and tidy the shop before you take a pic for posting. Mind you there are some nice cars in the tidy shops. I am lucky to be able to walk through my shop with all the storage shelves, daily drivers and my 38, my avatar is only 1 corner the rest of the shop is more cluttered.
Tony

Daryl, That really does look a nice shop you have there!!....What was the car like condition wise when you stripped it, i did not see the car but it was obviously reliable when the doctor owned it, before being parked up.

Yes, there were two 68 Torino Indy pace cars at the auction, mine Dr Mansell bought new and was the only owner before myself. It has what i would say is a great history... The car was actually at Indianapolis as a Ford/dealership promotional car through May 68, one of 159 Indianapolis district dealer cars and not one of the later customer ordered cars. I am still chasing the actual events of the car being there and may have just found a very good lead, a friend of Dr Mansells who was very high up at Dearborn, Mi. who dr Mansell was in contact with at that time. (I am hoping to find some very cool info from him, bearing in mind he worked for Ford and was there at that time, re these cars).
The car i have was used by the Wthi CBS tv/radio station, at Terre Haute, IA and was used by Paul Denehie, TV production director, to run film crews back and forth to Indianapolis through May. It was also used to run race car drivers between the Indianapolis Speedway and Speedway Motel. Drivers in the car from one time or another included Bobby Unser, Johnny Rutherford, Bruce Walcup, Billy Vuckuvich Jr and Larry Dickson. I have a letter from Paul Denehie, dated June of 68, confirming the above. Tony Hulman owned the radio station, the Hulman family owned the Indianapolis speedway.
The car now runs and drives, still wears its original Autolite/Motorcraft service parts. It has cleaned up very well, i am preserving rather than restoring the car, the car is too nice and original in my mind to take apart. work is ongoing. It will need some localised rust repair and only minor paintwork, will not be mint but very clean and original/survivor. It still wears the original protective plastic on the seats from new.
I don't know if you knew, but Dr Mansell was really interested in the Indy Pace cars. There were a few others in the auction, from different years. I was interested in the 70 442 pace car (i own a 68 442) but for what i wanted, thought it was enough money and ended up with the Torino, which i thought with the history, would be the least likely car i would buy. I believe Dr Mansell went to Indy for 40 years, but rarely saw the race as he was documenting the pace car information. The 69 Camaro and 70 Olds 442 guys use his figures as official/accurate, as he was actually there at the time....he used to walk down the inturn logging the pace car vin numbers.
Was the pic you have on the track, of your car, at another event other than the 71 Indy 500? Only i have one of the Torino, parked in a field of cars, says on the back: ''Our 68 Ford pace car at Indianapolis race 5/29/71''.
Thanks Paul.

PM came thru and I answered same way

dick

Paul...here is a photo I had found in the trunk, dated July 1968. Is the car behind mine yours?

Daryl, Yes it is. The actual purchase invoice was made out mid June so photo was only a month after Dr Mansell bought it, ( it was actually built in April and used at Indianapolis through May so technically not ''brand new'' and shows a discount on the invoice).
Have you come into contact with anyone else who bought vehicles at the auction?
How do you upload photos on here, cannot find anywhere in the message box that says add attachment etc?
Paul.