Vehicle Description
1931 Chevrolet AE Independence 5 Window Coupe
The Independence was produced in 1931 only and replaced the
outgoing AD series. Despite production down 8% in 1931, Chevrolet
was the top seller and produced its eight millionth car in the same
year. Body types included 2 door 2 passenger, 4 door 5 passenger, a
Sport Coupe with a rumble seat and a Cabriolet with the same, a 5
passenger Phaeton, and a Landau Phaeton.
For consignment, a 1931 Chevrolet AE Independence 5 window coupe
showing 14,367 miles, but the true miles are unknown. This is a
street rodded version of the car, owned by our consignor since 1975
and the build was finished in the mid-90's. It also had a magazine
feature in the December 1997 edition of Rodders Digest
Note: This vehicle is sold with a Pennsylvania reconstructed
branding on the title
Exterior
Move over Grand National, this might be the blackest car we've
seen! Full coverage without body trim means this presents a
monochromatic black beauty from stem to stern and including the
wide fenders and running boards. But the ink vat does have some
contrasting materials including the modest tubular bumpers at each
end, the big exhaust pipe extending out back, and the polished
Budnik wheels, 15-inch at both ends but strikingly deep and wide in
back with 29x18.5x50R15LT meats on board. Louvers and lots of them
line the engine covers and hood and black colors the windshield
visor and the streamlined side mirrors, while the door handles have
been shaved. Imperfections include a scratch, and numerous paint
bubbles including a sizable one on the latch panel.
Interior
Pewter leather begins on the door panels where a clean and simple
design is utilized and there's no hardware here, just an armrest as
the doors open suicide style with an electronic popper. Modern
leather bucket seats await our occupants and are in good shape,
surrounded by clean gray walls as the interior is also designed
monochromatically. A modern billet interpretation of a banjo style
wheel presents to the driver and its nickel colored column leads to
a clean, minimalist dashboard dressed in smooth pewter leather and
housing a central, billet faced instrument cluster of black faced
gauges with blue digital readouts. Gray loop carpet neatly covers
the floor where we find a Hurst Quarter Stick shifter and even the
handle matches the pewter leather, a nice bit of detail in this
clean interior. The headliner has patterned pewter coverage and an
overhead console housing an AM/FM/Cassette radio in the same nickel
we saw earlier in the column. Take the materials and color of the
interior and finish the trunk, and that's what we find out back,
show ready in every way.
Drivetrain
What's motivating those huge tires out back? It's a clean
consignor-stated 545ci LS7 V8 with DFI fuel injection, aluminum
heads, and backed by a TH400 3-speed automatic with a Huges valve
body. Power is routed to the Wintersquick change rear and Wilwood
brakes lend their goods to the discs at all four wheels. Billet
covers dress up the engine and headers are barely visible under
this big unit, but they are supplied. The car has air conditioning
and runs on a 12 volt system.
Undercarriage
Some meaty components live underneath including the Winters rear
cover and a driveshaft loop. The dual exhaust flows straight into
some Supertrapp mufflers out back, squeezing by the shortened rear
end. Suspension consists of a Magnum dropped I beam and coilovers
in front and a 4 link with coilovers in back. There's no surface
rust nor errant fluids on the undercarriage.
Drive-Ability
We enter this clean build and the powerplant starts up without
hesitation, we move the matching shifter into drive and roll the
big meats onto the test loop. And guess what happened next? The car
ran great and emits a pleasurable exhaust note while it's doing it.
It tracks straight and true and with its low center of gravity and
handles very well. Other than the driver door not responding to the
remote, all other functions operate as they should. 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.
Looking for a near perfect street rod? This one is lean, mean, and
clean. It's a turnkey opportunity to have a unique version of a
model that's uncommon today, the Independence. Many will not look
back on 1931 with fondness, but this car gives them reason to
celebrate. It's the cure for depression!
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!
