1931 Chevy Phaeton $28k

[Leif in Calif]

Interesting car priced like it's really nice (which it sure isn't!)

Phaeton must be the most miss-spelled word in the hobby!

https://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/d/vail-chevrolet-dr-convertible-pheaton/7539138403.html

1931 Chevrolet 2dr Convertible Pheaton. Duel spair tires with spotlight. Has key for ignition and good title. Very rare in great condition for her age! Runs and drives tires are dry rotted but hold air. Brakes work engine runs good Upholestry and sheet metal very nice. Looks like old restoration from the 50’s. Even has the top irons! You will not find one of these very often so please call if interested. I will not answer text!!!!!!!!!Thanks Lou…(740) 360-6552

[Fossil]

Good luck with the sale. 

 

 

[TerryB]

I know it’s dry out west but you still should be able to throw a bucket of water at it, especially at that price.

[trimacar]

My first car was a 1931 Chevrolet Tudor, bought in 1964 when I was 13, restored and drove to high school and some in college, and tours and shows in Louisiana in the 1960s.

 

I still have it.  That's how much I really like the 1931 and 1932 Chevrolets.

 

With all that, this car is very sad, and if I offered 10K I'd feel I'd overpayed.  SO many things wrong.  I'd be very comfortable at 5K.  AND, all this is considering I love the year and love the open car....

 

I hope he finds a good home for it, it's like a dog with a good pedigree which was the ugly one in the litter and might have trouble finding a loving home since the adoption fee is too high...

[Hudsy Wudsy]

Someone tell me what the proper name is for this body style. Two-door phaeton doesn't sound right to me.

[trimacar]

Just now, Hudsy Wudsy said:

Someone tell me what the proper name is for this body style. Two-door phaeton doesn't sound right to me.

OOPS, I didn't pay enough attention to the pictures.  That's a landau phaeton, and worth more than a standard phaeton. Crap, one of my bucket list cars...

 

OK, so now I'd pay in the 12-15K range, because the landau phaeton is a fairly unusual car.  One would still be "in the bucket" if restored, but cleaned up and some work done might be a fun driver.  Since I can do upholstery might be a good fit, but not at the dollars he's asking...

[58L-Y8]

The Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1805-1942, Edited by Kimes and Clark states 5,634 1931 Chevrolet Independence Six Series AE 2dr Landau Phaetons were built.  Whereas the 4dr phaeton of which the produced only 852 were built was priced $510, the Landau Phaeton was $650!   The latter is a quarter-window convertible victoria which afforded year-round usability, the old-fashion open 4dr phaeton only for the hearty and frugal...unless it was a dual cowl sport phaeton which still stylish!  

[Hudsy Wudsy]

From Google Images:

[Hudsy Wudsy]

The Ford "A 400" was introduced in May of '31:

[trimacar]

Difference from the Ford 400 was all the roof could go down on the Chevrolet,the Ford had ridgid sides as shown in picture.  I’d say the Chevy scarcer than the Ford, mainly due to Fisher body with more wood to disappear over the last 90 years…

 

[Hudsy Wudsy]

I don't know if any of you are musicians or not, but "A 400" has an entirely different meaning in music. Do any of you know?

[Bloo]

You could play "Henry made a lady out of Lizzie" in A-400 if you like, but the rest of the band will be out of tune.

[suchan]

1 hour ago, Hudsy Wudsy said:

I don't know if any of you are musicians or not, but "A 400" has an entirely different meaning in music. Do any of you know?

"A-440" is often the pitch used for tuning by musical ensembles, especially in the western hemisphere, although it can vary from 440 vibrations per second upwards to 446 or higher. The reference pitch varied considerably more in the past, perhaps 415 to 460.

"A 400" is strictly a Ford.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

Years ago I found myself reading an article about "A 400". I didn't get far into it before I realized that I was lost. You see, "A 400" not only  refers to the convertible version of the Ford Model A "Victoria", but also to the herz (cycles per second) at which an ensemble tunes their instruments. If you agree upon a particular "sound" for the note "A", then all other notes are tuned relative to that. Long ago, perhaps in Bach's time, the "A" was tuned to a lower pitch than it is today.  These days, "A" is most often tuned to 440 hz, although I read that some ensembles prefer to tune the "A" to 432 cycles per second. There are some groups that still tune their "A"s to 400, but they are almost always playing period instruments and do so to obtain a "vintage" sound. Digital instruments, like modern organs, can offer the ability to adjust their pitch. I'm sorry to take all of you on this little side trip, but now you have a little A 400 trivia that you can share with Model A guys.

Edited October 2, 2022 by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history)

[Twisted Shifter]

 

 

Looks like a neat '46 - '47 Ford pick up in the background. Must have been converted from a panel truck due to the flat bed-sides apparent in the pictures. (...an additional $28K or could we negotiate a more reasonable package deal?)

Edited October 2, 2022 by Twisted Shifter (see edit history)

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

Correct model designation for Ford’s convertible sedan is 400-a. After purchasing one and taking it to the next Model A club function, I gave up correcting people who called it an a-400 and I am not correcting anyone, just clarifying the fact one last time 🤷‍♂️!
The Chevrolet version from 1931 is a much nicer looking model.