The daily driver tends to be the scourge of the hot-rodder. It’s not supposed to be the cool car, it’s supposed to be the reliable beater that fires off every time, drives in rain/sleet/snow/whatever, and gets gas mileage that, at bare minimum, is better than the actual hot rod’s dismal fuel consumption. It’s why my brain accepted the whole Pro Commuter thing easily: the daily driver does need to be reliable and having some fuel economy doesn’t hurt, but the daily driver doesn’t need to suck, does it? You don’t need to drive a soulless, silver Chevy Malibu in order to make a justification for your gearhead ways. And, in some cases, you don’t even need to have a second car if you do it right.
This 1941 Chevrolet Special Deluxe two-door sedan is one of those rare combinations. The outside visuals should surprise nobody: clear-coated patina. At least it does look good and well-sorted. But the genius of this Chevy isn’t GM-sourced at all…it dates to the DaimlerChrysler era. Underpinning the Chevy is the majority of a 2005 Dodge Durango and it’s 5.7L powertrain. That means you have all-wheel-drive, easier-to-locate modern parts, and disc brakes to slow it all down. The only reason to not daily this thing is if you are nervous about anyone hurting the body…
Craigslist Link: 1941 Chevrolet Special Deluxe
(Thanks to Johnny McDevitt for the tip!)
Different wheels and I’d drive it
I’m with you there – the wheels are the only thing I’d fault it for. I’d put a set of smoothies on it if it were mine. And I really wish it was.
Oh how the Chevy lovers will be crying and gnashing their teeth! For instead of an LS there is a Hemi nestling in the engine bay. I’d rather have a Hemi than that pile of Chevy shit any day – but I think wide steelies with hubcaps would suit the car much better.
Geordie… the rest of us don’t care that much. It’s just a cool car.
I’m with you on the wide steelies and dog dishes… that would be much better than donk wheels.
Yup…love it except for the wheels…
The real beauty is you could take that piece and put your own signature on it for not a lot of money. OEM quality paint, any color. 5k? Wheels, 2k? Another 5k on the interior, and you have a head turning hot rod and you’re into it for less than thirty bills. I’s a cool piece as is, but if you’re not into the patina thing, you can still have a skookum ride for not much coin.
Get some moon wheels on it, remove hemi badges, remove plastic engine cover, and put a different steering wheel on it with different looking column shifter. Personally I\’d repaint it one color, polish up the trim, and redoe the interior.
I could live with the wheels before the hemi badges and gloss clear coat, but hey, it’s not my ride! Very cool, overall, and I hope the guy enjoys the hell out of it.
Love this thing. Too bad it’s already sold (or at least the CL ad is deleted.) If it pops up again in August I’ll jump on it.