NEW PRICE! Single-family ownership until 2012. High-quality build, steel body, strong 350 Chevy, disc brakes, stereo, bucket seats. Very fast, yet quite civilized. A great alternative to the usual Fords, ready to rock!
This neat little Chevy has a known history from new, purchased on August 12, 1931 by Ward Herr and it remained in that family until 2012. It was refinished to its current specification by the original owner’s nephew sometime in the late 1990s and has been maintained and enjoyed ever since. Fit and finish are excellent, with a steel hood that latches into place easily and doors that close with a positive kerCHUNK that feels very rewarding. It wasn’t chopped or modified in any significant way, although the hood ornament was shaved and most of the chrome was painted to match the bodywork. The hood is steel, the body is obviously steel, with only the running boards and fenders (the rears are slightly wider than stock) being fiberglass reproductions. The original headlights were replaced with a set of accessory units from the ‘40s that include built-in parking lights and even the grille guard was painted to match the bodywork. It looks black at a glance, but if you look closer, the deep burgundy tones come out and really make it a striking car.
Bucket seats from a late-model Camaro anchor the interior, which has been upholstered in burgundy velour to give it a bit of an old-school look with modern comfort. The factory dash was completely reworked to hold a set of white-faced VDO gauges, plus an AM/FM/cassette stereo over in front of the passenger. There’s also a Cadillac tilt steering column with a leather-wrapped wheel, so this coupe is extremely comfortable for long-haul cruising. The windshield still cranks open like it did in 1931 and the rear window powers down electrically, and together they provide a surprising amount of cool, comfortable air inside. There’s a neatly finished bulkhead behind the seats that also includes a pair of 6x9 speakers for the stereo and separates the passenger compartment from the trunk. The trunk opens rumble-seat-style, so it would be easy enough to convert it to a rumble seat, but as it sits today, there’s plenty of storage even with the battery tucked back there.
Power comes from a familiar 350 cubic inch Chevy V8 that was built to be street-friendly yet still extremely entertaining to drive. With 9.5:1 compression from a set of Keith Black pistons, Edelbrock aluminum heads, an Air Gap intake manifold, upgraded camshaft, and a 4-barrel carburetor, there’s plenty of horsepower on tap at almost any speed. The block is a 1969 casting with an .030 overbore, so it’s properly seasoned and should outlast us all. Thanks to proper tuning, it starts easily and idles well, but there’s no mistaking the hot rod lope of a big camshaft working inside. A big 4-row aluminum radiator and electric fan pretty much eliminates hot weather worries and it was nicely finished with an Edelbrock dress-up kit that includes finned valve covers that match the bodywork. You’ll also note an Accel electronic ignition system, smoothed firewall, and a set of block-hugger headers that feed a great-sounding dual exhaust system with Flowmaster mufflers.
It sits on its original frame, which has been reinforced with extra bracing and crossmembers. The transmission is a TH350 3-speed automatic and Monte Carlo disc brakes were installed up front. The dropped tubular front axle sits on leaf springs, so it has a traditional old hot rod feel, but a Vega steering box improves precision in a tangible way. Out back there’s a 10-bolt rear end filled with 4.11 gears from Richmond and a PowerTrax locking differential. All the lines are stainless, the gas tank is new, and it sits on handsome American Racing wheels with staggered 185/65/15 front and 235/75/15 rear blackwall radials.
There’s an extensive documentation package with this car, including build photos, receipts, and detailed ownership information from the very beginning.
Unusual, fast, and fun, this Chevy coupe provides all the things that we love about hot rods. It’s also comfortable and practical, if such a thing could ever be said about a hot rod. The build is extremely well done and it is fully sorted, making it a car you can get in and enjoy without doing anything but turning the key. That might be the best part of all. Call today!
For more details and photos, please visit www.HarwoodMotors.com
