Update 11/13/2017 – We just heard from Charles that this Special Deluxe is still up for grabs and Jim really needs to move it along. If you are interested, be sure to contact him via the form below!
Seller Description: Posting this for a good friend in St. Louis, Missouri. He has for sale, his 1941 Chevrolet Special Deluxe 4-door sedan. Asking $6,500 or best offer, but no trades. This car has been sitting in his garage since 1999. He had, at one time thought of making it into a mild street rod for his wife to drive, but as with many of us, life and work got in the way. The car has only been out of the garage three times at any given point in time and this was to just clean up/out the garage and take photos.
I have seen the car on many occasions when I go to visit and I can attest that the entire car is there…and “except” for the small hole in the trunk, the car “is very” solid. Original mileage on car is 66,276.
Here is a list of what comes with the car:
(1) Spare rebuilt 235 ci 6-cylinder to replace the 216 ci 6-cylinder
(4) New polished stainless steel hub caps
(1) New glove box liner
(1) Spare transmission
(1) Spare front grill
(1) Working tube radio
(1) Spare tire
New inner tubes still in package
Windows do work and all glass intact
All stainless steel/chrome trim
Original bumpers/trim on car
Has clock but it does not work…..gauges worked a few years ago
It looks like Jim has already done some work to this Chevy, but it’s still going to need some attention to be a nice driver. This looks to be the kind of classic you could clean up, get back on the road and slowly restore it along the way. If you have any questions or would like to make Jim an offer, you can contact him via the form below. I want thank Charles for helping Jim list this Chevy with us and I wish them both the best! If you have a classic just wasting away in you garage and want to see it go to a good home, please consider listing it here on Barn Finds.
Asking Price: $6,500 or best offer, but no trades
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Mileage: 66,276
Title Status: Clean
Nice car.
One thing to note on the listing: the 216 and 235 engines refer to the cubic inches and not HP. they’re both significantly less power than that. That said they can be made to have close to that power with a couple minor modifications: intake, 4 bbl, headers, and a mild cam will do the trick. If you want a bit more lump ports and oversized valves can be done to the head. I would urge the buyer to check out inliners.org for tons of info on the engines. I had a 68 Camaro I recently sold with a L6 250 that I built with the knowledge of those guys.
Some of these early inlines didn’t even have an oil pump! They literally scooped the oil with the crank and flung it around to lubricate the insides. No oil filter either so change the oil often!
Good luck with the sale. I’d be interested if I hadn’t just blown my savings on a new house!
pic of my straight 6 attached. They can be made to go pretty quick and sound great too. She won’t be a resto-modded LS car but she’ll be pretty and reliable.
Nice photo, George. I wasn’t aware that there were some Chevy motors that didn’t have an oil pump at all. The early fours (20’s) that I had anything to do with had oil pumps that pressure-fed the mains and camshaft bushings. The sixes pressure-fed everything but the con-rods. Mind you there was a lot of stuff I didn’t see so I won’t try to argue. I’ve always liked the old stuff…
nice work on the engine I picked up a 41 Olds and been looking to see what can be done to it .
My mistake in the listing of engine size, you are correct in that it is Cubic Inches and not horsepower as I had described it.
Just letting everyone know that if one is looking for a nice winter project, this car is STILL available and the seller tells me he IS motivated!! How much, I don’t know, why not give him a call or email him.
I am NOT the seller, just a friend trying to assist another friend.
If I remembered correctly the 216 engine had 3 types of lubrication. 1 pressure (pump) for the valve train and mains. 2 spray for the cylinder walls and piston. 3 dipper for the rod bearings
Looks like a good project and something that can be done up a little at a time. I’m not all that interested in pulling the 216 and dropping a 235 in its place but I’m not everyone else either. Having run a 216 a lot over the years, I’d have a hard time dealing with the oil pressure going higher than 12 psi. The 235 does have more power and can give you a chance of keeping up with the traffic in the slow lane. I would still avoid the freeway during rush hour.
She’s a beauty. I’d love to see her recommissioned, rather than restored all the way.
My apologies gentlemen, it was I, the author of this listing that mistakenly typed in H.P. instead of C.I. I thought about it twice and “should” have gone with my first instinct.
My favorite uncle, bless his soul, who bought a new Chevy every three years from l949 through the l980’s, frequently said, “Why do they put a $3 clock in a $3,000 car?” with reference to his ’69 Chevy, and a proportional question depending on the year. A non working clock is pretty close to original equipment. They were wind up, 8 day clocks, and ran fast, or slow anyway. Eventually they were still wind up, but there was an electrical wind, and they still had a short life. On the other hand, his ’40 Ford’s clock ran until he traded it in on the ’49 Chevy. And that was a 4 door fastback, hardly ever seen now, except in Southern California where, 6 cylinders and all, they are a cult among some Hispanics.
This might sound off the wall, I restored a 48 Chevy once, and the clock was screwed up, so I bought a battery powered crafters clock, and figured out how to install it in the old clock frame in the dash. All I had to do was replace the AA battery ever so often and it worked. Of course now days you can buy replacement for them, but sometimes they are not cheap!!!
Like I said off the wall, but it worked.
Geomechs is correct, the 216’s had poor oil pressure, they all had Babbitt bearings.If the 235 is a 54 or newer it had insert bearings ,Not sure how many guys out there still do babbits. I’d slide a small block in er and be done with it, Nice car for someone!!
There’s a lot of old tools out there still using babbit bearings in them. In fact I have a metal lathe that has them. One day I’ll have to see about repouring them but that’s down the road.
Top fuel Champ Joe Amato in far lane in his 40 coupe. Restored and still has it!!!
This ’41 is still available and the seller IS motivated, why not give him a call or send him an email. Be a great winter project for someone.
The asking price seems high for a four door that’s been for sale for a minimum of five months heading into winter.
How in demand is that style? What’s the typical asking price for two door, pre and post war two doors in similar condition?
Price is actually less than out here in Western Washington State, could go, 2k higher at least.
AUTOS IN 53 GOT 235 AND INSERTS.
I drove hard as kid,under 65 years old, and every Babbitt bearing I threw a rod.
G M C 6 banger had more cubes but still was no rever, DROP IN, and I think up to 292 cubes.
A 4 Dr worth less than a 2 dr, hmmm maybe yes, but any solid auto this vintage today as a fixer upper to Daily driver is appreciated out here, try finding 2dr Sedan chevys. Streight is a DAMN streight auto.
6volt to 12 easy done and both clock, 41 windup, or copy but modernized radios available.
But why do radio if it works, lots of spaces to put newer remote and hidden speakers.
Cruising with friends, and 4 Dr gives back seat room for any dalliances.
The Wayne GMC in alterds with exotic induction systems were quite competitive in the 60s. My grandfather had a ’40 with a ‘dipper’ engine in it. He was always babying the engine with preventative service, and on occasion, would re-shim the rods. The engine was still in service when he sold it in the 70s.
Our 1940 JD-A has the same babbitt on it’s rods. We use it to rake hay and to mow brush with. It does havea px oil system though.
The good sign on this 216 engine is the oil stains on the valve cover vents. Hope she goes to a good home.
In 1941 Chevy’s (cars not trucks) had column shift. This has a floor shift so trans has been changed. Same gears inside up through the 50’s as I recall. If it was the vacuum column shift they were problematic so I understand the change. I’d prefer the floor shift.
The 1941 Chevrolet was the first generation that didn’t share a common appearance with Chevrolet trucks, while the Chevrolet AK Series truck did share common internal components, which include if ordered a floor shifter.
Looks solid, except maybe for some upholstery work. Always wanted a WW2 era car.
something funny about that car…… i had a 41 black 4 door made in oshawa ont and it had a vaccumshift mounted on the column, a beast in cold weather! the photo showa a floor mounted shifter i believe , was the spare the origional column shifter???????
Shawski, I am only the messenger. If you want to know more about the car, contact Jim using the “contact seller” form. Thank you.
I just spoke with the owner of this ’41 Chevrolet, He said the person he bought the Chevrolet from swapped out the three on the tree to floor shift because of the vacuum shift being such a pain in the butt in cold weather and being the car has resided in the St. Louis area, it’s not Palm Springs in the winter.