1940 Chevrolet Special DeLuxe Town Sedan

Description

As part of the upscale Special DeLuxe series, Chevrolet's pre-war Town Sedan featured a two-door configuration with a spacious interior, making it a popular choice for families seeking both elegance and practicality. 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.  

Under the hood, the car was powered by Chevrolet’s dependable 216.5 cubic-inch Stovebolt Six inline-six engine that produced about 85 horsepower. It was mated to a three-speed manual transmission operated via a column-mounted shifter — an innovation that freed up floor space and added to the car’s modern appeal. Inside, the Town Sedan offered upscale trim with mohair or broadcloth upholstery, a woodgrain dashboard, chrome accents, and features. Features like an optional heater and AM radio. 

Chevrolet sold over 430,000 Special DeLuxe models in 1940, with the Town Sedan being one of the most popular body styles.  

This 1940 Chevrolet Special DeLuxe Town Sedan was restored in the late 1980s or early ’90s, when it received maroon paint. Its current owner recently completed full maintenance and given the car a new two-piece windshield, a complete 12-volt conversion, and new white wall tires. 

Highlights 

• Older restoration by a previous owner included maroon paint and fabric interior 

• Powered by a 235 cu-in inline-six engine rated at approximately 100 hp (replaced original 216 cu-in inline-six) 

• Three-speed manual transmission 

• Body by Fisher plate decodes as: 

  • Body No. K3191 – Kansas City, Missouri, assembly plant No. 3191 

  • Trim: 87 – Short Pile Tan fabric (since reupholstered) 

  • Paint: 274 – Black (now maroon) 

  • Style: 40-1011 – 1940 Two-Door Special DeLuxe Town Sedan 

• Maintenance and upgrades under current ownership: 

  • New steering knuckle kingpins 

  • New upper and lower control arm pivot bolts 

  • Torque tube and universal joint housing resealed 

  • Fabricated and installed new bracket for brake switch 

  • Complete 12-volt conversion 

  • Rebuilt the odometer and speedometer 

  • New windshield (both panels) 

  • Adjustment to brake master cylinder rod 

  • Alignment performed 

  • New MT-35 Battery 

  • Firestone Gumball 6.00-16 wide whitewall tires  

Features 

• New front disc brakes installed prior to current ownership 

• Rebuilt speedometer and odometer

• Split windshield 

• Heater 

• Seat belts 

• Kenwood AM/FM/CD stereo with Pandora, MP3, WMA 

• 16-inch steel wheels with Chevrolet dog dish hubcaps 

• Consistently maintained and garaged 

Known Imperfections 

• Paint imperfections (chips, scratches, cracks) on exterior paint and running boards 

• Small crack in the passenger side front fender 

• Small paint bubble lines (possibly rust bubbles) along bottom of driver and passenger doors 

• Paint scraped along front edge of passenger door 

• Pitting on steering wheel 

Included 

• Spare tire and jack 

• Chevrolet floor mats 

• Owner’s manual 

• 1940 Chevrolet Shop Manual 

• 1940 Accessories catalog 

• 4 sets of keys, trunk key, and passenger door key 

• Some documentation and receipts 

Ownership History 

The Oregon seller of this 1940 Chevrolet Special DeLuxe has owned it since November 2024. The seller says, “This vehicle runs and handles beautifully and is a pleasure to drive, especially at moderate cruising speeds on a country road."