The 1940 Chevrolet Special Deluxe was the top of Chevrolet’s range in the last full model year before America’s entry into the Second World War, and one of the most complete prewar cars the division built. New for 1940, it sat above the Master 85 and Master Deluxe with the richest trim, the fullest body-style range – including a convertible and a wood-bodied station wagon – and standard equipment the cheaper series did not get. Power came from the 216.5 cu in “Victory Six” overhead-valve Stovebolt, and the chassis used Chevrolet’s “Knee-Action” independent front suspension. Within two years civilian production stopped entirely.
Table of Contents
- Overview and History
- Where the Special Deluxe Sat
- Body Styles
- Styling and Identification
- The Stovebolt Six
- Transmission and Drivetrain
- Chassis and Knee-Action Suspension
- Interior and Equipment
- 1941, the Fleetline, and the War
- Collectibility and Buying
- Key Features Summary
- Full Specifications Table
Overview and History
By 1940 Chevrolet was firmly established as America’s volume manufacturer, competing head-on with Ford for the title of best-selling marque. Its strategy was to offer more car for the money than its rivals: an overhead-valve six where Ford sold a flathead V8, independent front suspension, and hydraulic brakes.
For 1940 Chevrolet restructured the top of its range. The Special Deluxe was introduced as the new flagship series, sitting above the existing Master Deluxe and the entry-level Master 85. It brought the widest body-style selection in the range along with the richest interior and exterior trim.
The timing gives these cars their particular interest. 1940 and 1941 were the last normal years of American car production. By early 1942 civilian manufacturing was halted for war work, and it did not resume until 1946 – with warmed-over prewar designs. A 1940 Special Deluxe therefore represents Chevrolet’s prewar engineering and styling at essentially its final and most developed point.
Where the Special Deluxe Sat
Chevrolet’s 1940 range ran across three series:
- Master 85 – the entry-level series, with the simplest trim and a reduced body-style list
- Master Deluxe – the mid-range series
- Special Deluxe – the new flagship, with the fullest trim and the complete body-style range
The distinction was substantial rather than cosmetic. The Special Deluxe received better upholstery, more extensive brightwork, additional standard equipment, and body styles the lesser series simply could not be ordered in – most notably the convertible and the station wagon.
A useful identification note carried through this era: Chevrolet distinguished the series with nameplates, and the economy model could be told from the better-trimmed one by the absence of a series nameplate on the engine cover.
Body Styles
The Special Deluxe offered the broadest range Chevrolet sold:
- 2-Door Town Sedan
- 4-Door Sport Sedan
- Business Coupe
- Sport Coupe – with an opera or auxiliary seat
- Convertible – available only in Special Deluxe trim
- Station Wagon – with a wood body
The convertible and the woody station wagon are the two that matter most to collectors today. Both were built in small numbers relative to the sedans, both are dramatically more valuable, and the wagon in particular – with its structural wood bodywork – presents restoration challenges of a completely different order from a steel-bodied car.
Styling and Identification
The 1940 Chevrolet carried the rounded, flowing forms of late-1930s American design: a prominent vertical-barred grille, separate headlamp housings faired into the front fenders, running boards, and a rear-hinged bonnet.
Headlamp placement is a useful year reference across this period. The following model year brought updated styling including a new grille, revised suspension, new curves, and headlamps mounted into the fenders – so headlights that sit proud of the fender line rather than flush within it point to the earlier car.
Special Deluxe trim added brightwork the lesser series lacked: more extensive chrome mouldings, bright window surrounds, wheel trim, and series badging. On a car being assessed for originality, the trim level is worth confirming carefully, since Special Deluxe parts have frequently been fitted to Master cars over the decades.
The Stovebolt Six
Power came from Chevrolet’s 216.5 cu in overhead-valve inline-six – the engine family known universally as the Stovebolt and, in this period, marketed under the Victory Six name. The same 216.5 displacement continued into the 1941 and 1942 model years and onward into the postwar cars.
Its selling point against Ford was architectural. Where Ford offered a flathead V8, Chevrolet offered overhead valves on a six – a configuration that breathed better per cubic inch and gave strong low-speed torque, which suited the heavy, tall-geared cars of the period.
The engine’s known characteristic – and a genuine consideration when buying – is its lubrication. The 216 uses a splash-and-dip system with poured babbitt bearings rather than full-pressure lubrication to insert bearings. It is durable when treated properly and driven at moderate speeds, but it dislikes sustained high revolutions and demands disciplined oil changes. Sustained motorway speeds are not what this engine was built for.
Chevrolet would not fit a V8 to a passenger car until 1955, so there is no factory eight-cylinder option here of any kind.
Transmission and Drivetrain
Transmission was a three-speed manual, column-shifted, driving the rear wheels. There was no automatic – Powerglide, Chevrolet’s first automatic, did not arrive until 1950.
The drivetrain used a torque tube arrangement, standard Chevrolet practice of the era, with a conventional live rear axle.
Gearing was tall and the engine’s torque low-revving, which produces the characteristic prewar driving experience: unhurried, flexible at low speeds, and content to be shifted rarely.
Chassis and Knee-Action Suspension
The 1940 Chevrolet used a separate ladder frame with a steel body. At the front sat Chevrolet’s “Knee-Action” independent front suspension – a marketing name for the independent coil-spring arrangement that the division had been fitting since the mid-1930s and which gave a ride noticeably better than the beam-axle front ends still used by some competitors.
The rear used a leaf-sprung live axle. Braking was by hydraulic drums at all four wheels, another area where Chevrolet had an argument against Ford, which retained mechanical brakes until 1939.
The electrical system was 6-volt, as it would remain at Chevrolet through 1954. On a car of this age, 6-volt electrics are more sensitive to corroded connections and undersized cables than modern systems, and starting difficulties are usually electrical rather than mechanical.
Interior and Equipment
The Special Deluxe interior was the most comprehensively trimmed Chevrolet offered: upgraded upholstery fabrics, additional interior brightwork, a better-finished instrument panel, and more complete standard equipment than the Master series.
Options were modest by later standards but meaningful at the time: a heater, a radio, a clock, a passenger-side windscreen wiper, bumper guards, fog lamps, wheel trim rings, and whitewall tyres. Accessory catalogue items from the period are themselves collectible and add real appeal to a correctly presented car.
1941, the Fleetline, and the War
The Special Deluxe continued for 1941 with updated styling – a new grille, new suspension, new curves, and headlamps mounted into the fenders – and with an important addition: the Special Deluxe Fleetline sedan, which introduced the fastback body treatment to Chevrolet.
That Fleetline name would run through the postwar years as a sub-series of the Fleetmaster and later of both the Special and the Deluxe, before disappearing in the early 1950s.
Civilian production ended in early 1942. When Chevrolet resumed car manufacturing in 1946 it was with essentially prewar designs, and the first genuinely new postwar Chevrolet did not appear until 1949. Series naming was reorganized again in 1953, when the Deluxe became the 210 and the Special became the 150, with the Bel Air introduced above both.
Collectibility and Buying
Prewar Chevrolets occupy a quieter corner of the market than the postwar cars, and the 1940 Special Deluxe is affordable relative to its quality and completeness. It is a genuine piece of prewar America that can still be driven and enjoyed, provided the owner accepts its performance envelope.
Values follow body style closely. The convertible leads, followed by the woody station wagon, then the coupes, with sedans the most accessible. The sedans are genuinely good value and, in the custom community, are a favoured basis for period-correct builds.
Buying priorities:
- Rust in floors, rockers, lower doors, rear quarters, and running board supports
- Wood condition on a station wagon – this is structural, not decorative, and professional restoration is extremely expensive
- Engine oil pressure and bearing noise, given the splash lubrication and babbitt bearings
- The 6-volt electrical system, assessed on its own terms
- Trim authenticity – confirm the car is genuinely a Special Deluxe rather than a Master fitted with better trim
- Originality of the drivetrain, since later engine swaps are common
Mechanical parts for the Stovebolt six are reasonably available thanks to the engine’s long production life, but prewar-specific body trim, glass, and interior materials are considerably harder to source than for 1949-and-later cars.
Key Features Summary
- Position: New top-of-the-range series for 1940, above Master Deluxe and Master 85
- Body Styles: Town Sedan, Sport Sedan, Business Coupe, Sport Coupe, Convertible, wood-bodied Station Wagon
- Exclusive Bodies: Convertible and station wagon – Special Deluxe only
- Engine: 216.5 cu in overhead-valve “Victory Six” Stovebolt inline-six
- Engine Note: Splash-and-dip lubrication with poured babbitt bearings
- Transmission: Three-speed column-shift manual – no automatic available
- Front Suspension: “Knee-Action” independent, coil springs
- Rear Suspension: Live axle, leaf springs; torque tube drive
- Brakes: Hydraulic drums all round
- Electrics: 6-volt, as Chevrolet used through 1954
- Competitive Argument: Overhead-valve six and hydraulic brakes against Ford’s flathead V8
- Next Year: 1941 brought a new grille, revised suspension, fender-mounted headlamps, and the Special Deluxe Fleetline fastback
- Context: Among the last normal prewar model years; civilian production halted in early 1942
- No V8: Chevrolet’s first passenger-car V8 arrived in 1955
The 1940 Chevrolet Special Deluxe Specs
| BODY | |
| Manufacturer | Chevrolet (General Motors) |
| Series Position | Top of range – new for 1940 |
| Range Hierarchy | Master 85 → Master Deluxe → Special Deluxe |
| Body Styles | 2-dr Town Sedan; 4-dr Sport Sedan; Business Coupe; Sport Coupe; Convertible; Station Wagon (wood body) |
| Exclusive to Special Deluxe | Convertible; station wagon |
| Construction | Separate ladder frame, steel body |
| Series Identification | Economy models lacked the series nameplate on the engine cover |
| ENGINE | |
| Engine Type | OHV inline-6, “Stovebolt” family |
| Marketing Name | Victory Six |
| Displacement | 216.5 cu in (3.5 L) |
| Carburetor | 1-barrel |
| Lubrication | Splash-and-dip with poured babbitt bearings |
| Character | Strong low-speed torque; dislikes sustained high revs |
| Displacement Continuity | 216.5 cu in continued into 1941–42 and the postwar cars |
| V8 Option | None – Chevrolet’s first passenger-car V8 arrived in 1955 |
| TRANSMISSION AND DRIVETRAIN | |
| Transmission | 3-speed manual, column shift |
| Automatic | Not available (Powerglide arrived 1950) |
| Drive Layout | Front engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Driveshaft | Torque tube |
| CHASSIS, SUSPENSION, BRAKES | |
| Front Suspension | “Knee-Action” independent, coil springs |
| Rear Suspension | Live axle, leaf springs |
| Brakes | Hydraulic drums, front and rear |
| Electrical System | 6-volt (used by Chevrolet through 1954) |
| Other Features | Running boards; rear-hinged bonnet |
| STYLING AND IDENTIFICATION | |
| Grille | Prominent vertical-barred design |
| Headlamps | Separate housings faired into the front fenders |
| Next-Year Change | 1941: new grille, new suspension, new curves, headlamps mounted into the fenders |
| Special Deluxe Trim | Extended chrome mouldings, bright window surrounds, wheel trim, series badging |
| INTERIOR AND EQUIPMENT | |
| Trim Level | Richest in the Chevrolet range |
| Seating | Bench |
| Options | Heater, radio, clock, passenger-side wiper, bumper guards, fog lamps, wheel trim rings, whitewall tyres |
| HISTORICAL CONTEXT | |
| 1941 Addition | Special Deluxe Fleetline sedan – introduced the fastback body |
| Civilian Production Halted | Early 1942 for war work |
| Production Resumed | 1946, with essentially prewar designs |
| First New Postwar Chevrolet | 1949 |
| 1953 Reorganization | Deluxe became the 210; Special became the 150; Bel Air introduced above both |
| BUYING NOTES | |
| Rust Areas | Floors, rockers, lower doors, rear quarters, running board supports |
| Station Wagon | Wood is structural – restoration extremely expensive |
| Engine Check | Oil pressure and bearing noise (babbitt bearings) |
| Electrical | 6-volt system sensitive to poor connections |
| Authenticity | Confirm genuine Special Deluxe rather than an up-trimmed Master |
| Parts | Stovebolt mechanicals reasonable; prewar body trim and glass harder to source |
| Value Order | Convertible → woody wagon → coupes → sedans |
1940 Chevrolet Special Deluxe – Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Special Deluxe?
Chevrolet’s new top-of-the-range series for 1940, sitting above the Master Deluxe and the entry-level Master 85. It offered the richest interior and exterior trim, the most standard equipment, and the widest body-style selection – including the convertible and the wood-bodied station wagon, neither of which could be ordered in the lesser series.
What engine does it have?
The 216.5 cu in overhead-valve inline-six, the engine family known as the Stovebolt and marketed in this period as the Victory Six. Chevrolet’s competitive argument against Ford was architectural: overhead valves on a six against Ford’s flathead V8, giving better breathing per cubic inch and strong low-speed torque. There was no V8 option – Chevrolet’s first passenger-car V8 did not arrive until 1955.
What is “Knee-Action” suspension?
Chevrolet’s marketing name for its independent coil-spring front suspension, fitted since the mid-1930s. It gave a noticeably better ride than the beam-axle front ends still used by some competitors and was a genuine selling point. The rear used a conventional leaf-sprung live axle with torque tube drive.
How can I tell a 1940 from a 1941?
Look at the headlamps. On the 1940 they sit in separate housings faired into the front fenders; for 1941 Chevrolet revised the styling with a new grille, new suspension, new curves, and headlamps mounted into the fenders. The 1941 also introduced the Special Deluxe Fleetline fastback sedan, which did not exist in 1940.
Is the splash lubrication system a problem?
It is a consideration rather than a flaw. The 216 uses splash-and-dip lubrication with poured babbitt bearings rather than full-pressure lubrication to insert bearings. Treated properly – disciplined oil changes, moderate speeds – it is durable. What it will not tolerate is sustained high revolutions, so this is not a car for extended motorway use. When buying, check oil pressure and listen carefully for bearing noise.
Which body style is most valuable?
The convertible, followed by the wood-bodied station wagon, then the coupes, with sedans the most accessible. Note that the wagon’s wood is structural rather than decorative, which makes a poor one an extremely expensive restoration – professional woodwork on these cars costs more than many complete steel-bodied examples are worth.
Why is 1940 a significant year to own?
Because it is near the end of prewar America. Civilian car production stopped in early 1942 for war work and did not resume until 1946, and then only with warmed-over prewar designs – the first genuinely new postwar Chevrolet arrived in 1949. A 1940 Special Deluxe therefore represents Chevrolet’s prewar engineering and styling at close to its final and most developed point.
What should I watch for when buying?
Inspect for rust in floors, rockers, lower doors, rear quarters, and running board supports. Check engine oil pressure and listen for bearing noise. Assess the 6-volt electrical system on its own terms – starting trouble is usually corroded connections rather than mechanical failure. Confirm the car is genuinely a Special Deluxe rather than a Master fitted with better trim, since the parts have moved between cars over the decades. And expect prewar-specific body trim and glass to be harder to find than parts for 1949-and-later Chevrolets.
