VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Master Special car in 1938

Discussion of “special” names in another thread prompted me to recall the Master Special model offered by Chevrolet in Canada for 1938.

This was a factory-built package of upgrades to the Master which was offered as a separate model in Canada only. It was a very nicely equipped vehicle with an engine heat indicator, ash receiver, bumper guards, dual horns, dual tail lamps, dual windshield wipers and dual sun visors. All these features were available as extra cost options or dealer installed accessories on the Master but only the Master Special had a unique insert on the center hood side trim strip which read Master Special rather than Master. The Master Special also had a different model number with “S” added as a suffix. For example, the Master Special coupe was a 1217S.

I find it interesting that the standard equipment on the Master Special included an extra (passenger side) windshield wiper and sun visor both of which were not listed in the showroom brochures as standard equipment in the other Canadian models, including the Master Deluxe.

Hope you can read the scans of the original brochure - they had a hard life, but survived.

Tom

Thanks Tom,
You've pointed this out to me before many years ago but I always forget about some of the unique features of the Canadian Chevy.

It is weird that the Master Special was so well accessorized compared to the Deluxe. Maybe targeted a certain price-point like my cheapened Pontiac. My car was really stripped down but yet it had the column shift and automatic choke so the features were diverse between models. I recall the Chevy Master Special was very low production. Under 1000 I think. I found my copy of this same brochure. I'm starting to forget what I've accumulated.

While going through my brochures I found a GM Canada Pontiac advertising record and some pictures of the Master Special Emblems which I attached. Record is not exactly politically correct and wouldn't get past the legal dept these days

Thank you for posting those two documents. I have a 1938 Master Special but I don't have specific Canadian documents like this. I have the straight axle in the front with a kick shackle. All four shocks are double acting tubular style from the factory.

Yes the kick shackles and tube shocks were unique equipment on the Canadian Master and Master Special cars. The shocks were rebuildable and the rear ones were mounted behind shields for protection from gravel. Good to hear you still have the original equipment. Tom

The 1937 US Pontiac was the first GM car to use tube shocks on tthe rear and Pontiac always used tube shocks on the rear after that
The 1939-1940 Chevrolets Master 85 was the first Chevrolet to have tube shocks (on the front) and single acting lever on the rear.
Would be intresting to compare the 1938 US single acting shock car to a Canadian tube shock car. The US version was not a good riding car by 1938 standards where as the knee-action cars were just the opposite....It would be 1949 befor a Chevrolet would again have tubes.

Fred, how many leaves do your front and rear springs have on your Special? Does it have a front sway bar?

I recall comparing my car to a couple US Master Coupes and I had an extra couple leaves front and back (as well as the kick shackle and a sway bar) so even with the tube shocks I'm suspecting it will not ride like a Cadillac...

Tim,
I will have to count the leaves. It does have a front sway bar. The ride is very soft and it just sails over railway tracks. That is quite different from my 1 Ton! I replaced the shocks with new modern ones and the change was dramatic.

So where did your Master Special badge come from?

Mine didn't come with a high beam indicator so I had to add that. To me I can't understand building a car without that but maybe someone took an original one off.

Think the High Beam indicator was an accessory on the Chevs? It's in the Accessory brochure and I remember Tiny tracking one down and recall it mounted under the edge of the dash. I only have a picture of the Master Special badge, not the actual badge...

The high beam indicator was an accessory from 1935-1938 in the US, standard equipmentin 1939.