The 1939–42 Master shared its face with Chevy trucks, the last time GM let a pickup wear the same sheet metal as the sedan.
Lead trim: Special Deluxe six (1940; 84.5 hp) · up to 85 hp
Chevrolet MasterMASTER-1939 · 1939–1942
- 0spots by members
- Unclaimednobody has spotted one yet
- 0sets it belongs to
Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Chevrolet Master yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe 1939–42 Master shared its face with Chevy trucks, the last time GM let a pickup wear the same sheet metal as the sedan.
The Master returned for 1939 with the Master Deluxe now the JA and the base model renamed the Master 85 (JB); a station wagon was first offered, its construction contracted to Mid States Body Corp. The engine is listed as valve-in-head, 85 hp, six cylinders, 3.5 in bore by 3.75 in stroke, with a Carter single down-draft carburetor and a 3-speed Syncro-Mesh manual with vacuum-assisted column shift optional; wheelbase 112.25 in. For 1940 the Master 85 (KB) and Master Deluxe (KA) continued and the better-equipped Special Deluxe appeared, with the engine listed at 84.5 hp and a column-shifted Syncro-Mesh manual, wheelbase 113 in and overall length 192.25 in including bumpers. The model years run to 1942, after which the Chevrolet Deluxe succeeded it, but the page describes no 1941 or 1942 figures. This was the last series of Chevrolet trucks and medium-duty vehicles to share an appearance with the passenger coupes and sedans, replaced by the AK Series trucks.
Collectors Spotted in the Chevrolet Master Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Chevrolet Master yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
5 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master 85 six (JB; 1939; 85 hp) | 1939–1939 | Inline-6 | 85 hp | 170 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Master 85 six (KB; 1940; 84.5 hp) | 1940–1940 | Inline-6 | 84.5 hp | 170 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Master Deluxe six (JA; 1939; 85 hp) | 1939–1939 | Inline-6 | 85 hp | 165 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Master Deluxe six (KA; 1940; 84.5 hp) | 1940–1940 | Inline-6 | 84.5 hp | 170 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Special Deluxe six (1940; 84.5 hp) | 1940–1940 | Inline-6 | 84.5 hp | 170 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
The 1939–42 Master shared its face with Chevy trucks, the last time GM let a pickup wear the same sheet metal as the sedan.
In 1937-38, Chevrolet quietly kept its cheaper Master on old technology: while the pricier Master Deluxe got independent front suspension, the base Master soldiered on with a plain beam front axle.
When Toyota set out to build its first sedan, engineers took apart a locally-built Chevrolet Master to figure out how to do it.
Chevy's 1933 Master didn't start out as a Master — it rolled off the line badged 'Eagle' and got renamed mid-year when the cheaper Standard arrived.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
It briefly served as senior sibling to Marquette, a GM companion brand cancelled after just one year.
Nissan hired former BMW engineers to help develop the 510's suspension, which is why period reviewers frequently compared its handling to the BMW 1600/2002.
A Trabant 601 won its class at the 1970 Monte Carlo Rally, with a second 601 right behind it in second.
The 600 was a stopgap: the P50's body over the 601's mechanicals, and for a while its estate was built alongside the new 601 saloon.
The G80 Sport brought a 370 PS twin-turbo 3.3 V6, a mesh grille and copper-tinted chrome with copper stitching to match.
The Vigor was sold only with a five-cylinder engine, an unusual configuration Honda used to fit a longer engine transversely under a short hood.
The GS/E coupe earned the nickname "German Charger" for its long hood, short deck stance borrowed from Detroit muscle cars.
This DeVille/Fleetwood was the first production car anywhere to mount its V8 sideways, Cadillac's front-drive gamble on the new C-body.