As older generations pass from the Earth, heirs are left to deal with their worldly possessions.  Sometimes they share the same values and likes, and heirlooms like antique cars pass seamlessly from one generation to another.  Other times, those left behind can’t wait to get rid of that old clunker so they can put a down payment on the latest and greatest BMW at the dealership.  Sadly, this 1939 Chevrolet tudor found here on craigslist in Green Bay, Wisconsin seems to be in the latter category.  The ad reads like this car is being sold by a flipper.  Too bad nobody in the family wanted the car that took center stage on the previous owner’s wedding day fifty years ago.  It seems that stories of once beloved classics being sold off by uninterested heirs is becoming the norm.  As sad as that is, these situations can be beneficial to us car lovers.  Would you be ready to give this orphaned Chevy a new home for the $3,400 asking price?

The picture above was taken in 1968.  In it, we can see the bride and groom climbing into the old Chevy.  The car looked good for its starring role in the couple’s wedding, and it was obviously special to the family.  The couple, reading between the lines in the ad, kept the car for fifty years.  Unfortunately, their choice of storage was poor.  While in no where near as good shape now, at least there is enough here to bring it back.  To be fair, returning this car to its former glory would be expensive.  The cost of restoration would far exceed the value once the needed repairs were done.

As it sits now, the black paint has weathered away in many areas.  Surface rust is breaking out all over, and the running boards are almost unsalvageable.  The trim, however, is still on the car and the body panels seem free of dents.  The car looks to be very original and unmolested.

The rear part of the car seems to have the worst damage.  Rust has eaten away the bottom edge of the bodywork below the trunk and a portion of the passenger side fender.  The damage to the lower edge of the body will likely need to be repaired by an expert body man, but fenders can be replaced.  Chevys of this era are not rare, and most parts can be found by searching through Hemmings Motor News and/or the internet.

In contrast to the weathered exterior, the interior looks largely intact and useable.  The seats and door panels need some cleaning, but we have seen a lot worse on these pages.  In addition, the dash needs nothing more than a cleaning.  It just seems amazing how good everything looks up front.

This situation is even better in the back.  While we see a bit of threadbare cloth trim in the corner of the picture, the back seat seems to be in fine shape.  The side panels, armrest, and the sliver of a headliner we can see are also very useable.  Hopefully the car passed the years without a rodent infestation, as the smell might render the nice interior uninhabitable without an immersion in a lake of Febreze.  Another plus is that the additional light in the above photo shows the excellent condition of the wood grained window trim.

Under the hood, things are a bit more weathered.  The car is powered by Chevrolet’s venerable “Stovebolt Six.”  This inline six cylinder displaced 216.5 cubic inches, and put out a respectable for the time 85 horsepower.  These engines were produced all the way up to 1963 in General Motors cars and trucks before a redesigned version emerged.   That engine was produced until 1988.  Everything looks to be intact under the hood, albeit a little rusty.  If the crank still spins free, then chances are good that this car could be put back in the road for a reasonable price.

I fear we may see a lot more cars in similar situations rolling through these pages in the future.  We are no longer a nation of mechanics and tinkerers.  In the sixties and seventies, antique cars were a hobby for people who loved to work with their hands and enjoyed the comradery of fellow gear heads.  Parts were cheap, re-plating chrome and nickel was affordable, and painting a car was something you could do in your garage.  Not so any more.  Keeping a family heirloom is expensive and time consuming in a world where the all mighty dollar is king and time is hard to come by.  I just wish all the work and cost could be justified in the minds of the next generation.  When a fairly heirloom gets winched onto a roll back, a piece of you will invariably drive away with it.