What is the wheelbase of a 1941 Chevy 2 door sedan?
The wheelbase of a 1941 Chevrolet two-door sedan is commonly listed as 114 inches.
In 1941, Chevrolet offered several two-door body styles, including Master DeLuxe and Special series. These cars shared a chassis design that defined their overall length and interior space, with the 114-inch wheelbase serving as a standard reference for many models. This article explains the figure, its implications for restoration and authenticity, and how to verify the exact measurement for a specific vehicle.
What the wheelbase tells you about the car
Wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear axles. It influences ride quality, handling, interior room, and overall proportions. For classic Chevrolets of the early 1940s, a wheelbase around 114 inches placed the two-door sedans in the mid-sized category for their era, balancing interior capacity with manageable overall length.
Variants and potential deviations in 1941
Chevrolet produced several two-door body styles in 1941, and most conventional sedans shared a similar chassis. The widely cited figure for these two-door sedans is approximately 114 inches, with the Fleetline fastback variants often aligning with the same wheelbase, though occasional minor documentation differences can appear in period sources.
Fleetline and related notes
Fleetline models are sometimes noted in catalogs and restorers’ references as using the same general wheelbase as other 1941 two-door sedans, but specific measurements can vary by body style and production year within the broad 1941 range. When authenticity is critical, confirm via factory literature or a known-good reference car.
How to verify the exact wheelbase for a specific car
To confirm the precise wheelbase for a particular 1941 Chevy two-door sedan, consult a mix of period and restoration sources. The following methods help ensure accuracy for a given vehicle:
- Factory specifications from Chevrolet catalogs, literature, or the service manual for 1941 models.
- Dealer brochures and price lists from the 1941 era, which typically include wheelbase measurements for each body style.
- Reliability databases and clubs dedicated to Chevrolet history (for example, national Chevrolet clubs and their published data sheets).
- Direct measurement on the vehicle: measure from the centerline of the front axle to the centerline of the rear axle with the car on a level surface, ensuring the axles are properly aligned.
In practice, most reliable references for the 1941 two-door Chevrolet align on a wheelbase near 114 inches. If you own the car or are restoring one, cross-check multiple sources and, when possible, reference a factory-manual specification to confirm the exact figure for your particular bodystyle.
Summary
For a 1941 Chevrolet two-door sedan, the commonly cited wheelbase is 114 inches, representing the standard chassis length used across several Master DeLuxe and Special two-door models. Variations are typically minor and most often relate to specific body styles or production documentation. When precision matters—such as for restoration, parts compatibility, or historical accuracy—consult factory literature, period catalogs, and validated restoration databases, and consider measuring the vehicle directly.
How much is a 1941 Chevy coupe worth?
Typically, you can expect to pay around $19,900 for a 1941 Chevrolet Special Deluxe in good condition with average spec. What is the highest selling price of a 1941 Chevrolet Special Deluxe? The highest selling price of a 1941 Chevrolet Special Deluxe at auction over the last three years was $123,200.
What is the wheelbase of a 1941 Chevy Special Deluxe?
OHV Victory Six inline six-cylinder engine with a single-barrel Carter carburetor, three-speed manual transmission, independent coil-spring front suspension, semi-elliptical leaf-spring rear suspension, and four-wheel drum brakes. Wheelbase: 116 in.
What is the wheelbase of a 1940 Chevy sedan?
Built on a 113-inch wheelbase, the 1940 Special DeLuxe Town Sedan showcased streamlined Art Deco styling, including integrated headlights, a bold “Royal Clipper” grille, and flowing fenders.
What was the wheelbase of the Plymouth sedan in 1941?
Base wheelbase was 117 inches, long-wheelbase models were 137.5 inches. Wheels and tires were 6 x 16 inches. Oversize wheels for Sedans were reduced to 18 inches. Base model was the 1941 Plymouth P11 – the Roadking name was dropped.
