1938 Chevrolet Sports Roadster

Description

In 1938 Chevrolet regained the lead from Ford to become the top-selling brand in the US, as it had been through most of the 1920s and would be for the succeeding decades. Chevrolet was the top-selling brand in Australia at this time and buyers could choose between fully imported cars with bodies by Fisher or an imported rolling chassis with an Australian made body by GMH. For the 1937 models, Chevrolet engineers upgraded the six-cylinder engine, which displaced 3.5 litres and matched Ford’s V8 on maximum power of 85 brake horsepower. Hydraulic brakes (which Ford were yet to offer) had been introduced the previous season.  Far and away the most popular of Chevrolet’s 1938 cast was the Town sedan, of which 186,233 examples were produced. Roadster were discontinued after 1935 and would not be reintroduced until after World War 2, renamed as convertibles. The Holden bodies commanded enormous respect and GMH had shown great initiative, creating, for example, the unique fastback Sloper coupes for model year 1935. Although Fisher had ceased making roadsters, GMH continued with this popular style throughout the 1930s.