From a squeaky-clean shop in Crystal Lake (presumably Illinois) comes this old-school Chevy hot rod. The 1934 Chevrolet Three-Window Coupe has started a trip down Hot Rod Lane, and needs a new owner to finish the journey. The all-steel body is laid bare with no secrets to hide. Check out more pictures and the owner’s description here on BarnFinds classifieds. A fresh Chevy small-block V8 with towering induction parts rests on custom motor mounts. Much of the engineering is done, but nearly everything cosmetic can be envisioned to suit the buyer’s fancy. For $24,000 you get everything shown here plus a collection of related parts. If another drive train trips your trigger, you can get the car minus engine and transmission for $20,000.
A new tilt steering column spins a modern rack and pinion on a Mustang front suspension with tubular arms. The Corvette-style brake master cylinder and booster lie under the driver’s floor board for a clean custom look. A TurboHydramatic 400 three-speed transmission sends power rearward to a Ford 9″ rear end, or at least it will after you source a driveshaft. If you’d personally never go through all this work to build a car with only three forward speeds, this preliminary build is the time to make a change. The mixture of top-hung and bottom-hung pedals seems interesting, but I’ve never built a ’30s hot rod, so what do I know?
The trunk lid’s low handle (hole) presumably indicates a top-hinged trunk and not a bottom-hinged rumble seat. Chevy produced two lines in ’34, Standard and Master, with the Master gaining independent front suspension that year. Check out the detailed vintage documentation at GMHeritageCenter for more details. After searching about 20 web sites, I’m not sure if Master = Five-Window and Standard = Three or maybe Business Coupe = Three Window and Standard Coupe = Five. I did learn that “Sport Coupe” means it had a rumble seat. Maybe our Chevy experts can clarify in the comments below!
Wow – that’s looking sharp! A subtle chop, maybe two inches, might improve the sporty looks, but even with bare metal and a full-height greenhouse this Chevy makes a statement. Anyone who can chop a top can also add a strip of metal to those rear fenders to enclose the wider rubber.
Here we see the boxed frame and custom structural members, along with the lower view of the brake setup. The later can be shielded from the elements, but most hot rods see few miles in rain and snow. The TH400 is normally reserved for high-output motors, and should handle whatever the nondescript Small Block cranks out. The high-rise induction and dual carburetors will certainly encourage driving with the hood panels removed. Before the modern LS, the SBC (Small Block Chevy) was the planet’s most affordable and ubiquitous V8, and thus powered countless Ford coupes of this vintage, drawing the ire or enthusiasts who like Ford-powered Fords. Here’s a ’34 coupe that even easily-offended Chevy and Ford fans can admire. How would you finish this partially-engineered hot rod Chevy?
No top chop needed on this guy. Nice balanced look to it. That would be like chopping a ’49 Merc or Hudson lead sled tail dragger cruiser. No sense in that at all. As nice as the lines are I’d be tempted to tub the rear wheel wells rather than extend the fenders. No big deal which way to go on that one. I certainly agree on ‘that’s looking sharp!’. Would love to see it with paint on it.
I’m with bob on this one re the chop. And if you add to the rear fenders you have to add to the running boards etc. Also that seating position looks uncomfortable to me, but I’ve got a bad hip. Someone should get this car minus engine and put a 351 in it to confuse everyone lol.
This year and body style has always been populated with the Chevrolet crowd and you can see why. I am not sure at 24 K , there is still allot to do, that can run the total cost too much. That’s for the new owner to decide.
I have signed up for your e-mails at least a dozen times in the last three weeks.Still NOT getting them. Whats wrong?
I love it sure wish I could afford it. A really beautiful Black Cherry Red would look so good on this.
To answer the question, this is a ‘34 Chevy Master. It is essentially the same car that would carry over and become the ‘35 Standard. The ‘35 Master would be a completely different car.
This is not a master, it’s a standard, you can tell by the dash, and other features👍
Didn’t they have a split side window it just looks way to big
yeah, the back fender would come out some w/those tires. Needs a back seat, no tub. Glad it hasa hood too 1st pic I said “woop, unuah” no good.
That duz not look like an oe frame. Need some Qs answ 1st (torsion & stability).
keep the engine and tran . I would put a SMB 283 with a powerglide tran. and air-cond. and leave the body uncut . put a matte paint finish on it with a minual of chrome.
Wish was manual transmission.