Today I met someone that is driving a 1937 Chevy 4door sedan. It's been in his family since his grandfather purchased it new. During WWII the grandfather changed the stock bypass filter for a homemade filter because spares became impossible to find. His homemade filter used a roll of paper towels in a canister as a prefilter and a roll of toilet paper as a final filter. Every 2000 miles he changed the paper towel prefilter and changed the toilet paper filter when it showed enough stuff on the top of the roll, usually every 5-6 thousand miles. The oil was drained from the sump only once a year and refilled with straight 30w engine oil. The head gasket failed during WWII and the grandfather made a new one out of 3003H14 aluminum purchased in a scrap sale at his employer, Consolidate Aircraft, and that gasket is there today. He also put a coolant filter on the system. Anyhow there have been several ring and valve jobs since 1937 but nothing has been done to the bottom end of the engine except several repairs on crankshaft seals. At just over 70 years old and an estimated half a million miles this car is doing well. It's a daily or weekly driver. I drove the car and it felt like going back in time. Apparently bypass filters do a good job of extending the life of engine oil at its peak when is then good for the engine.
An old idea
- Thread starter OneEyeJack
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Driving that car would be a wonderful experiance, not to mention having it in the family for seventy four years!
The car should be kept as is; very few from that era are left that haven't been hot rodded or totally restored. Btw, how do the steering and brakes feel?
Are the brakes cable?
Years ago an uncle of mine was driving down a hill here in Pittsburgh and a kid ran out in front of him while he was driving his cable brake antique car. He locked up all 4 and the kid was never touched. Later many comments were made about how rare it was to have a cable brake car properly kept so all 4 brakes worked well together.
Years ago an uncle of mine was driving down a hill here in Pittsburgh and a kid ran out in front of him while he was driving his cable brake antique car. He locked up all 4 and the kid was never touched. Later many comments were made about how rare it was to have a cable brake car properly kept so all 4 brakes worked well together.
Sounds very cool!
HELLO, this is BITOG, you going to give us all that info without telling us more about the filters? C'mon man, what brands are used, two-ply or one? Does he gofor the Charmin extra soft or the Charmin extra strong? And where's the UOA?
J/k, awesome story, I'm sure it's a sweet car, congrats to them for keeping it and running it
J/k, awesome story, I'm sure it's a sweet car, congrats to them for keeping it and running it
JHZR2
Staff member
Neat! My grandfather had a 37 chevy.
Need more driving/riding impressions. Is it horsehair seats? What is the smell inside? How does the radio sound? Engine noise? Road noise?
Need more driving/riding impressions. Is it horsehair seats? What is the smell inside? How does the radio sound? Engine noise? Road noise?
It has juice brakes. Also mechanical brakes of that era were by steel levers, not cables. Some rare exceptions did exist, though. 1939 was the year Ford finally ditched mechanical brakes for hydraulic's.
They have no plans to hot rod this car or do anything other than drive it and maintain it.
They have no plans to hot rod this car or do anything other than drive it and maintain it.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Neat! My grandfather had a 37 chevy.
Need more driving/riding impressions. Is it horsehair seats? What is the smell inside? How does the radio sound? Engine noise? Road noise?
The seats are mohair. It smells like wool jackets in the closet. The radio has tubes and takes some time to warm up. The radio was installed in the 50's. The engine is a bit noisy but it's a good mechanical noise, not harsh. It's fun to drive but the brakes are not up to modern expectations, nor is the handling but it rides well. You just can't hustle along with 80mph freeway traffic around here but on the back roads at 50mph it's a relaxing ride. Once you get out of the hurry up mode and realize a more relaxing pace it's easy to get into driving this car. It will never be restored, just well maintained and garaged in S.California. This care is a survivor, a rare car in great condition but no garage or trailer queen. It's got blemishes but I'd call them character marks. The next generation in the family is coming up. In the past couple of weeks a 16 year old family member got his driver's license and is learning the mysteries of driving, setting the points, lubing the zerk fittings and greasing the front wheel bearings. Because of him this car will stay in good hands and continue as a family time machine.
Neat! My grandfather had a 37 chevy.
Need more driving/riding impressions. Is it horsehair seats? What is the smell inside? How does the radio sound? Engine noise? Road noise?
The seats are mohair. It smells like wool jackets in the closet. The radio has tubes and takes some time to warm up. The radio was installed in the 50's. The engine is a bit noisy but it's a good mechanical noise, not harsh. It's fun to drive but the brakes are not up to modern expectations, nor is the handling but it rides well. You just can't hustle along with 80mph freeway traffic around here but on the back roads at 50mph it's a relaxing ride. Once you get out of the hurry up mode and realize a more relaxing pace it's easy to get into driving this car. It will never be restored, just well maintained and garaged in S.California. This care is a survivor, a rare car in great condition but no garage or trailer queen. It's got blemishes but I'd call them character marks. The next generation in the family is coming up. In the past couple of weeks a 16 year old family member got his driver's license and is learning the mysteries of driving, setting the points, lubing the zerk fittings and greasing the front wheel bearings. Because of him this car will stay in good hands and continue as a family time machine.
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