The early 1940s were a great time for the American truck market, at least styling-wise. The pinnacle of good looks in a lot of peoples minds is the 1940 Ford, but this 1941 Chevrolet is a looker as well! It was said to have been stored inside since the early 1970s and is for sale. It can be found here on eBay with a current bid over $4,200. Located in Lake Park, Minnesota, isn’t it time for a spring project? Check out the rest of this amazing truck and see if it might be the right project for you.
The seller states the engine is seized and can not turn over by hand. I’m not sure if any oil has been put into the cylinders to try and free it up, but if you are thinking about purchasing this truck, you should probably plan on a replacement engine or a complete re-build at the very least.
The interior looks fairly stock and could possibly be cleaned up and driven as-is. However, the bench seat will need a bit of attention.
Overall, this is a really cool truck. Hopefully, a new owner will be able to preserve it. These trucks make amazing rides whether you go with a hot rod, full custom or restoration. How would you build it? Let us know.
Install a later model 6 cylinder, (235, 261, 292) a 4-speed tranny, convert the electrics to 12 volt, sort the brakes, and just drive the rest while you finish restoring it. Sorry Geomechs, I know you like ‘am stock, but I prefer a later 6 with full pressure lubrication over the Babbit pounding 216. Here in Florida, parts are very hard to come by so we use whatever we have to get an old car running again. Wouldn’t rule out either a propane or electric powered version as well. The door is wide open for anyone willing to take this truck on as a project. That’s my opinion, how ’bout yours.
I see someone has installed a different steering wheel; looks like something off an early 50s car. I like what I see. For me it would be a no-brainer to do a complete restoration. And yes, Kenneth, I have a real attachment to the Babbit-pounder. Maybe it’s just because I’m used to reading a whopping 12 psi oil pressure, hot. Or it just reminds me of my best golf score (for 9 holes). Anyways, a lot of these get replaced with (later) 235 and 261 engines which are great, and drop right in. A little bit of water pump interference but nothing major. They’ve got great lines and look good, even if someone wants to do the unthinkable, and install a V8. Happy steering relocation…
I really like these trucks. I owned a 41 Chevy 1/2 ton with 392 Chrysler hemi and three speed on the floor back in the early 70’s. I don’t know what rear end or trans make it was but there was no speedometer gear on the trans and no place to hook one up. I kept breaking rear u-joints so was planning to put a rear axle housing complete from a 62 Olds star fire I had, but it never happened. I moved to another state and left the truck parked on the street. I did that kind of stuff a lot back then. Oh how foolish my youth was spent.
God bless America
This is one of the few times I say leave the outside as is, because this is what most of these trucks looked like. But today, it’s got resto-mod all over it.
I am not a huge fan of the patina look, but his truck looks as if it just needs it for some reason. I would do a really simple driveline swap to make it comfortable and reliable, but not go crazy. I just love the look of these early Chevy’s, talk about art-deco!
I know that some like the patina look but I have a difficult time thinking that someone would take patina over a nice respray. I guess that’s why the hobby is so diverse. This truck, incidentally, is a rescue from a flood. There was a major contest over the insurance company paying to fix it up; it wanted only to scrap it. The owner is in his 80s and a lot of people banded together to help him save it…
Yeah I agree!!! Patina is a replacement word for rust or a guy that can’t paint!!!!
I,d like to just find a fender for mine. I, d work on it and get it running and safe to drive and work on it as time and money permitted. I,ve had mine since 1969. Bought it while home on leave from the army. Before I shipped out for Viet Nam .My brother told me I wouldn,t recognize it when I got back. I thought he was gonna work on it. I told a friend about it in Nam and what my brother said. He laughed and said he,ll probably tear it up. Got home. Part of the grill was knocked out. Opened the door and it was full of chains,but still running. If you got a passenger fender you don,t need–I,ll buy it. Someone stole mine.