Vehicle Description
1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Convertible
"You'll do yourself a favor if you remember this fact when you buy
your next car: Quality without economy falls short of value, and
economy without quality is unsatisfying, indeed! Chevrolet brings
you both of these essentials of value, sterling goodness and money
saving economy, because it alone offers big car quality at lowest
cost. More people drive, more people want Chevrolets than any other
car! Chevrolet, and only Chevrolet, is first!". From a 1948 print
ad.
For consignment, a 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster convertible with
27,711 miles showing but the true miles are unknown. Seven models
of Fleetmaster were available over their three year production run
including two Fleetline submodels and an eight passenger station
wagon. 20,471 convertibles were built for 1948 with a base price of
$1,750.
Exterior
This stately ride wears a coat of Oxford Maroon paint, a rich
looking shade of red with a brighter shade that covers the 15-inch
wheels wearing wide white walls for even more stateliness. American
flags adorn the front as this post war era witnessed booming
patriotism and parades. But even five flags can't hide the massive
chrome bumper and grille spanning the width like an oversized grin
while a rising, bulbous nose pushed forward between headlights that
cap the fenders. These front fenders spill onto the doors and take
on the seam in a usual configuration that accommodates the massive
panel. Smaller fenders out back wear a stainless steel gravel guard
while remnants of the art deco period exist on the rear accents
under the tail lights and subtle indentations on the headlight
rings. That rear section houses an enormous trunk lid over a
storage area that rivals the business coupes of the era. The tan
canvas top shows some patina but is fully intact and is power
operated which had to be an incredible luxury in 1948. There are
numerous scratches and scuffs but no major dents, plus the metal
work is decent with room for concours level improvement.
Interior
The doors wear red vinyl door panels which are in rough shape,
especially the driver's side which is cracking. Red cloth covers
the split bench seat in front with matching material on the rear
bench, neat and clean with patina on the seat shell. Up front, a
taupe and brown plastic steering wheel is in nice shape with a horn
ring that covers the top and bottom, and shifter rides above the
steering column in front of a pleasantly patinaed dash with the
original gauges showing age but unchanged since 1948, and that's
pretty cool! A clock is situated to the right and the original push
button AM radio with red frequency numbers is flanked by ivory
bakelite knobs under a jukebox like speaker. A weathered but intact
rubber mat fits the floor perfectly in front while a carpeted mat
resides in the back where passengers have ample leg room. The big
trunk is unfinished, shows use, and carries a spare tire and
scissor jack.
Drivetrain
Under the hood we find the 216.5ci inline 6 cylinder, rated at 83
horsepower and fueled by a 1-barrel carburetor. It is backed by a
3-speed manual transmission sending power to 4.11 gears in back.
Drum brakes are employed on all four wheels. The engine presents as
mostly original, in driver quality condition.
Undercarriage
A gleaming new gas tank shines bright underneath along with new
exhaust on the otherwise clean, driver quality bottom with some oil
on the pan and sooty grease build up in various places including
the knuckles. The single exhaust flows through a stock style
muffler and exits via a straight pipe. Suspension consists of coil
springs up front and leaf springs in the back.
Drive-Ability
Our handsome car's brakes are not working so our test was limited
to starting and using the operational items in the car. The first
thing we notice upon start up is an intermittent knocking noise in
the engine which some of our staff thought might be lifters. Next,
we note the wipers, horn, headlights, turn signals, radio, and
heater blower are all non functional. All other items including
tail lights and gauges work as intended. While Classic Auto Mall
represents that these functions were working at the time of our
test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at
the time of your purchase.
With a bit of TLC and elbow grease, this straight car has enormous
potential. It represents a pivotal time in the country and with the
removable top, more reason to celebrate! It's got good bones, as
they say, and is a good looking car as it sits! See it in person at
the mall, where admission is always free!
9FKH27215
9-Norwood, OH Assy Plant
F-1948
K-Fleetmaster
H-August Build
27215-Sequential Unit Number
TRIM TAG
STYLE NO 48 1067X-1948 Fleetmaster Deluxe Convertible
BODY NO L13189-Norwood Body #
TRIM NO 145-Red Leather
PAINT NO 375-Oxford Maroon Metallic
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.
There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee
is not included in the advertised price.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
