What did it really look like?
One of the biggest challenges in restoring this car is learning exactly how it looked when new. For example, what did the rear view mirrow look like? The sun visors? Did the convertible top well have a snap down cover? Did Master series convertibles have the brown marbled interior handles and knobs that were ordinarily found on Deluxe models, with chrome escutcheon plates? What garnish molding parts were woodgrained (some of mine were chromed, some painted, some woodgrained)? Was the rear window oval or rectangular?
The GM body manual for 1935-36 was useless for convertibles. Only one page referenced them, and that was about how to put the top down. Nor did the shop manual have any convertible references.
I've been lucky to find some original factory publicity photos and other photos from fellow cabriolet owners that helped answer some of these questions.
Here are some factory photos I found on eBay that were a big help:
This one answered the rear window question and top snap question definitively. The snaps are too small to see in this pic, but they are there, albeit widely spaced. Note that it only has one tail lamp; the 2nd was optional. The oval tail lamps indicate this was an early production car (they used up the 1935 lights before changing to the round style).
This also told me that even Deluxe cars apparently had blackwall tires, unless ordered special.
The visor, mirror and garnish molding question was answered definitively when Rick Bodziak sent me this picture, from an original unrestored car he once photographed:
Compared to Ford, there were very few of these convertibles built, probably because young men were likely the target market and a V-8 was more appealing (and less expensive). GM bodies still had a lot of wood framing up to 1936 and since it was hard to keep water out of a convertible, chances are many of them rotted and were junked. Fords were all metal, making them more likely to last.
I have found owners or heard about a Buick, Olds, Cadillac and Chevrolet convertibles, but they seem to be quite rare.
The GM body manual for 1935-36 was useless for convertibles. Only one page referenced them, and that was about how to put the top down. Nor did the shop manual have any convertible references.
I've been lucky to find some original factory publicity photos and other photos from fellow cabriolet owners that helped answer some of these questions.
Here are some factory photos I found on eBay that were a big help:
This one answered the rear window question and top snap question definitively. The snaps are too small to see in this pic, but they are there, albeit widely spaced. Note that it only has one tail lamp; the 2nd was optional. The oval tail lamps indicate this was an early production car (they used up the 1935 lights before changing to the round style).
This also told me that even Deluxe cars apparently had blackwall tires, unless ordered special.
The visor, mirror and garnish molding question was answered definitively when Rick Bodziak sent me this picture, from an original unrestored car he once photographed:
Compared to Ford, there were very few of these convertibles built, probably because young men were likely the target market and a V-8 was more appealing (and less expensive). GM bodies still had a lot of wood framing up to 1936 and since it was hard to keep water out of a convertible, chances are many of them rotted and were junked. Fords were all metal, making them more likely to last.
I have found owners or heard about a Buick, Olds, Cadillac and Chevrolet convertibles, but they seem to be quite rare.
posted by Bob Shafto at 9:58 PM
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