'39 Chevy Coupe Shines
By noderel:
Rod Lewis' 1939 Chevrolet "Fat Fendered" 5-window coupe is a traditional Hot Rod on the outside and a comfortable, power-packed hot rod on the inside. Lewis like the look of a traditional style build, but he wanted plush, comfortable seats and a modern V-8 engine.
The 1939 Chevrolet was restyled and had a longer hood than earlier models. The redesigned hood, fenders, wheels and running boards made for a lower, longer and more modern appearance.
Chevy's new grille ran back along the fender line at the top and narrowed to about four inches at the bottom. The car had a well-rounded look with horizontal grille moldings. And a horizontal bar effect on the splash aprons. The grille was more upright. The headlights were mounted on top of the front fenders. Door panel creases were eliminated and all four fenders were raised at the rear.
The Master Deluxe car-line was Chevy's upper series. The Business Coupe is a relatively rare model to come across today. It had just one seat and carried only two passengers. The 1939 Chevy Sport Coupe had a rear seat.
This particular coupe got the hot rod treatment, but retains its original "Fat Fendered" styling, which works great for a traditional hot rod. Such cars are fabricated to look like hot rods looked before 1962.
Jim Shackleford built the car for Lewis. He used flat black "primer" instead of paint. Shackleford added red wheels and small hub caps with trim ring. These are all popular motifs among those who like traditional hot rods.
This car has all the "bells and whistles" that make it a sesirable hot rod in today's hobby. Although it looks like many less valuable hot rods at first glance, it is so well done and so nicely detailed that it stands out at a car show. The quality of the build is very subtle, but the more you look at the car, the more you find little things to like about it.
The '39 Chevy coupe is one of about 60 cars that Red Lewis restored before donating them to the foundation that runs The Automobile Gallery in Green Bay, Wis. And it is truly a hot rod that belongs in an art gallery setting, since it is a work of 4-wheeled art.