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What’s in David W’s Barn?

1941 Chevrolet Cabriolet Barn copy

When we first received an email from David W a car parked in a barn, we thought it might be a recent discovery, but as we read his email we realized that this was parked in his own barn. Last summer he and his brother decided to pull it out from what he calls “The Old Shop”, an old cinder block building, and get it running again. He had this 1941 Chevrolet Convertible running and driving back in 2003, but when he had to go overseas for work it went into the Old Shop again.

1941 Chevrolet Cabriolet Barn Find copy

Over the ten years it was parked, it roughed several hard winters and fell into disrepair. Thankfully, David decided he needed to pull it out of storage and get it back on the road. He has since started the process of refurbishing it so it can be driven again.

1941 Chevy Cabriolet Barn Find

1941 Chevy Cabriolet on trailer

1941 Chevy Cabriolet drivers side

We hope David will keep us updated on his progress, hopefully with some photos of his convertible once it’s all cleaned up! We wish him the best of luck with it and we want to thank him for sharing his barn with us.

Comments

  1. Avatar Rene

    it could be greased lightning!

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    • Avatar Jim Deal

      That was a Mercury or a Ford— NOT A CHEVY

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  2. Avatar jim s

    from the photos is looks in very good shape, i hope it is back on the road soon. thanks for sharing.

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    • Avatar Oldstuff 1941

      Jim,
      Before I deployed in late 03, I had this car in 1st Place trophy winning condition for original unrestored class…I also drove it almost daily just for fun and to keep it in great running condition… it has been a real job getting it back on the road again after the ten year rest,…just for short runs to test different components. More to do, but I’ll keep you guys posted. thanks for enjoying the photos.

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  3. Avatar Dan

    What a find!! Lets go “Back to the Future” !!

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  4. Avatar Mark E

    I’ll be surprised if some young pup doesn’t say it looks like Biff Tanner’s car in Back to the Future, haha!

    Looks like an easy couple hours work and that beauty will be cruising the local roads again!

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    • Avatar Kyle

      It does look a lot like Biff’s car, however, Biff’s car was a 1946 Ford Super Deluxe.

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  5. Avatar John b

    Sweet car- hopefully goes back to 100% stock. Im a bit confused with the first sentece of the story though. If he sent an e-mail about a car in his barn….why wouldn’t the e-mail be about the car in his barn??

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    • Avatar Jesse Staff

      Yeah, that didn’t make sense. All fixed now! Thanks for catching that.

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      • Avatar Oldstuff 1941

        Jesse & Josh,
        As I was taking time to go back thru the site and look at many of the features I had missed, what with a crazy work schedule and being out of town a good bit…and life in general keeping me from hitting my computer each day to check for the ‘Daily’ Barn Finds… I SAW THIS FEATURE !!!!!

        WoW…was I surprised to see that my email did in fact make it thru and you guys actually ran the story and photos !… Thank You guys so much … I wish I had seen it when it ran,… but like I said… life happened, and I actually missed it… I will add for those who wondered,… that the car is an 87,864 mile, all original 41 Chevrolet Deluxe, ‘Cabriolet’, meaning it has no side back windows… (The wheels and tires are the only non original parts, added for comfort and driving ease)…

        This was actually the last year for that as the 42’s had those added and the top cut back to fit them. This car was built in Aug of 41 before the war started, and shipped to my home town in Sept. where it was bought and stayed until January of 1942, when the original owner who was working for Union Carbide in Sheffield, Al. was transferred to West Virgina.. Due to the war effort, the production of these type ‘civilian’ cars was stopped and resulted in some fairly low production numbers of somewhere around 12,500 being built total….

        When the original owner passed, he left the car to his best friend from work who had helped him work on and enjoy the car for years. They drove it each year to Hershey, Penn. from West Virginia, and bought loads of NOS and just extra pieces for it…It stayed with the best friend until 1988 when I saw an ad for it in Hemmings and drove up and bought it from the original owner’s best friend’s wife after he passed away a year earlier. It wasn’t until I was signing the Bill of Sale and looking thru some of the old paperwork she had, that i saw that the car had been originally bought in my home town,…From my Wife’s Uncle, who owned the Local Chevrolet Dealership !!! How spooky is that?.. Anyway, I brought the little car back home and it has a good home as long as I’m here, and then it will go to my Daughter who Loves this thing… LOL…
        So thanks again for running the feature guys… I am grateful to be able to tell this little cars life journey away to work during the War and then come back home years later…
        David.

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  6. Avatar Rob

    Here’s google’s definition of “barn”, #2 must have been precipitated by us car guys! ;)
    1.a large farm building used for storing grain, hay, or straw or for housing livestock.
    synonyms: outbuilding, shed, cowshed, shelter; More
    NORTH AMERICAN
    2.a large shed used for storing vehicles.
    3.a large and unattractive building.
    “moved into that barn of a house”

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  7. Avatar frank

    where are the straps to hold it down the car is bigger than the trailer.

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    • Avatar Oldstuff 1941

      Frank,
      …the trailer was 16ft., borrowed and built for hauling vintage Mustangs. My 20 foot hauler had my tractor with front loader and Backhoe sitting on it, ready to go to the shop that day…LOL… and the straps were not attached yet…but believe me, they were secured before that car moved any further.

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  8. Avatar Glen

    Wow, what a project. I would like very much to see this as a finished project. Nice.

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  9. Avatar Sid Member

    Does anyone know the projection numbers of this series of body style and what years they were made.
    You see a lot of Fords of this era but not many Chevys
    Very cool car

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    • Avatar Oldstuff 1941

      Sid,
      I’ve been told and read that there were between 12,500 and 13,000 built before civilian production stopped on Dec.8th 1941. This was also the last year a ‘Cabriolet’ style roof was used. 1942 introduced the full view side windows in the rear seat and top cut accordingly…

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  10. Avatar Bill Graham

    My mother had a 1941 Chevrolet convertible with a spot light just like that. It was in Los Angeles during WWII. I wonder if that is the same car? There weren’t very many made.

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    • Avatar Will Calhoun

      Took my first driver’s license test in my foster grandfather’s 1941 Special Deluxe coupe in 1967 or 68. Had only 19,000 miles at the time. Vacuum shift and vacuum wipers. It started to rain and the inspector said at start of license test “can you parallel park?” Said yes – showed him and he said “Let’s not take this beauty out on the road – you pass. Loved that car. Ended up at a former Chevrolet dealer on Eastern Long Island – when I tried to track it last year the dealership had remained with same name but now Subaru or some such and nobody remembered working there when it was Chevy. 41 is the first year that headlights are integral. 39,& 40 looked similar but headlight teardrops bolted on.

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      • Avatar Oldstuff 1941

        Will,
        The vacuum shift and wipers both work good, but the wipers slow down when you accelerate…lol… Yes it was the first year for Chevys headlights to actually be ‘in’ the fender. also was the first year for the hidden running boards, only exposed when you opened the door…hence the rolled out edge at the bottom of the door.
        This car was also fitted with a very rare Short Wave radio from the factory, along with GM ‘Guide’ Spotlight, fog/running lights and back-up lights. It is also vacuum operated ‘Power convertible top’….

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    • Avatar Oldstuff 1941

      Bill,
      Sorry, It’s not the same car,… I have the history on this one since day one, and I’m the 3rd owner. I read somewhere, since the civilian production stopped immediately with what was already on the assembly line on Dec. 8th, 1941,… and refitting for military production began to take place that the number of these cars produced was between 12,500 and 13,000.

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  11. Avatar DT

    I talked to an old man in the early ’70’s.he was almost 90,He told me he had a lot of problems financialy when he had his Fords and when he bought a new 1941 Chevrolet it all turned around, because that car was so dependable.They had a vacuum assist shifter.It deserves a 100 point restoration.

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    • Avatar Oldstuff 1941

      DT,
      The original 41, 216 straight six in my car runs like a Singer sewing machine…very dependable even after all these years… The vacuum assist shift works great and helps move between the gears like slicing hot butter.

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  12. Avatar William Henshaw

    That’s a pretty Chevrolet David, I hope you get her back on the road soon, but please dump the wheels for something more stock looking.

    @DT My old man told me once that the only cars worth owning were Velies, Studebakers and Chevrolets. We owned lots of Studes and Chevs, but no Velies, must of been before my time.

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    • Avatar Oldstuff 1941

      Thanks William !
      I have been driving it lately and do have the original 16in. wheels and hubcaps for it. I only lowered the front end springs by 1 1/2 in. with some old 39 Chevy springs and changed the tires and wheels to the wider 8in. Chevy factory Ralley wheels with Police car/Taxi cab center caps and B.F. Goodrich tires for the better ride and drive ability…

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  13. Avatar Jamie Staff

    David/Oldstuff 1941: Great to hear from you and I’m glad to see you’ve been driving the car! What a great story!

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    • Avatar Oldstuff 1941

      Thanks Jamie,
      I have been driving it some, but not as much as I would like yet. A paint job and some engine work are on the schedule soon. I wish I had seen the feature when it ran originally, … I just figured after I sent it, that you guys had so many and a huge pile, that it would never make it to the page….You can imagine how surprised I was to be just backtracking thru the site and coming up on it !! LoL.
      Thanks again.

      Like 0

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