1946 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Sports Coupe Custom

Description

In the years immediately following the end of World War II, Chevrolet went back to its 1942 tooling to jumpstart its passenger car business. The public was starved for new cars and sales kept pace with production, resulting in cars that changed little for several years as Chevrolet built as many vehicles as possible. 

The Fleetmaster line was Chevrolet’s middle trim level during this period, comparable to the Special Deluxe trim level from the prewar years, with the Stylemaster being the budget offering and the Fleetline being the top trim level. Differences were mostly expressed in exterior brightwork, but upgraded upholstery and features such as sun visors also separated the trim levels. The Fleetmaster was available in a variety of body styles, including two-door Town Sedan, Sports Coupe, and Convertible, and four-door Sport Sedan and Station Wagon. The Fleetmaster’s original engine was the “Blue Flame” inline six, which displaced 216.5 cubic inches and delivered 90 horsepower. It was mated to a three-speed manual gearbox with column shift. 

This custom 1946 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Sports Coupe has received numerous mechanical and appearance upgrades, including a 350 cu-in V8 engine, automatic transmission, new gauges, new upholstery, and custom paint. 

Highlights 

• Older restoration/custom work by a previous owner included: 

  • 350 cu-in V8 engine swapped for original 216.5 cu-in inline-six 

  • Pushbutton start 

  • Three-speed automatic transmission swapped for original three-speed manual 

  • Dice gearshift knob 

  • Custom Yellow paint with silver front, flames, and pinstriping 

  • Gray cloth upholstery on seats with Chevy bowtie and doors 

  • Wood-rimmed steering wheel 

  • AutoMeter 120-mph speedometer 

  • SunPro gauges for oil pressure, water temperature, ampheres, and fuel 

  • SunPro Dragn Tach 10,000 rpm tachometer mounted on top of dashboard 

  • Pioneer AM/FM/CD stereo 

  • Air conditioning 

  • Jiameile heater 

  • 15-inch chrome custom wheels 

Features 

• Performance P295/50R15 tires 

• Split windshield 

• Clock 

• Large “46 Chevy” bowtie-shaped sticker on rear window 

Known Imperfections 

• Paint chip on rear edge of driver’s side doorsill  

• Rubber seal around rear window is cracking and peeling 

• Clock does not work 

Included 

• Seat adjusters 

• Electric fan 

Ownership History

The Texas seller of this 1946 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Sports Coupe Custom has owned it since March 2009. It has been driven only 6,484 miles since it was restored.