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Bill Sherk

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Larry Hughes of Moncton, New Brunswick, donated the two photos you see here. The car is a 1939 Chevrolet coach, and lots of them were built because Chevrolet was the number one selling car in North America in 1939. Here is Larry's commentary:

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photo contributed

Larry Hughes’ grandmother and a friend are sitting on the front bumper of this 1939 Chevrolet in New Brunswick, probably in the 1940s.

"The man wearing suspenders (and also a belt) is my step-grandfather, Richard Elliott. He was the second husband of my grandmother, Greta Horsman (whose first husband was Leopold Geldart). Richard was a lumberman, born in August 1887 in what is now Fundy National Park on the Bay of Fundy. He worked on the Big Salmon River near the village of St. Martins, N.B. This village is now the entrance to the Fundy Trail. He also worked in what was the Christmas Tree harvest, sending all those fine trees to the USA. He died in August 1968.

"My grandmother was born in June 1900 and died in July 1977. She is sitting on the bumper of the car with a friend of the family. I believe his last name was Porter."

The streamlined front end of the 1939 Chevrolet was a striking departure from earlier models and made them look old-fashioned overnight. The V-shaped windshield was a relatively new styling feature and, unlike some previous models, could not be cranked open. For an extra $10, you could get the optional vacuum-assisted gearshift lever mounted on the steering column. The vacuum-assisted feature was designed to make gear changing easier, although some drivers claimed it was more difficult in cold weather.

Under the hood was Chevrolet's famous overhead valve six-cylinder engine, introduced 10 years earlier in 1929 with 194 cubic inches and 46 horsepower. 10 years later, the displacement was up to 216 cubic inches with 85 horsepower.

When buying a new 1939 Chevrolet, you had your choice of a solid front axle or "knee action" independent front suspension on the Master Deluxe series. You also had your choice of three basic body styles: a coupe, a two-door coach or a four-door sedan. If you wanted a new Chevrolet convertible in 1939, you had to go all the way to Australia to get one. They were manufactured down there, but for some odd reason were not built or available in North America that year.

* As a thank you, if your story is published in this column you will receive a copy of Bill Sherk's book "60 Years Behind the Wheel: The Cars We Drove in Canada 1900-1960". To share your stories or photos e-mail billtsherk@sympatico.ca or write Bill Sherk, 25 John St., P.O. Box 255, Leamington, ON N8H 3W2.