The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1938 Chevy 1/2 ton + Problems with Austrian authorities

Hello all together,
I´am new here :D, my name is Andi from Austria and I have a question for my 1938 Chevrolet 1/2 ton Pickup:
Do you have a report in a car magazine (from the 70s or 80s) whith a 1938 Chevrolet 1/2 ton with a V8 engine?
Or do you know someone who have this (Link or Pictures)?
My problem is that I need this for Austrian authorities, so that they can see that in the 70s or 80s this truck also run with a V8. When I don´t get something like this I can´t get my Dream Car on the street.
Many Thanks
Andi

I assume you already know that no stock 1938 Chevrolet 1/2 ton pickup came from the factory with a V8. That being said there are literally thousands of 1930s pickups that have been modified with all sorts of engines including V8s. For the information you need Google will be your best friend. You can also browse our Gallery forum to see what some folks here have done. I find it hard to believe the Austrian authorities need pictorial documentation that hotrodders modified vehicles in the 1970s and 1980s. Unusual situation for sure. If the photo is of your truck, you have a very nice ride. Good luck and welcome.

Hi Martin,
thank you for your answer
And yes I knew that a 1938 Pickup has no V8 engine. My Problem is that I don´t find a article from a car Magazine (from the 70s or 80s) with a 1938 Pickup and a V8 engine
Is there any magazine that existed back then? For what should I google?
I allready spent Hours and Hours to find something but I don´t find anything
The Gallery is perfekt but I need something oficial (an article) for the austrian authorities.
And yes this is my truck Thanks

1938 Chevrolet Truck Specifications Manual

Engine information on page 36.

What is the Engine Serial Number that is stamped into the block at the rear of the distributor?

Find and post here the Head/Block casting codes & date casting codes.

Hi Tim,
thank you for the documetation but I have already a V8 350 Engine in my Pickup and I need an articel from a car Magazine from the 70s or 80s where someone allready make in this car a V8 engine.
With this articel I can go to the austrian authorities that they can see it works also on other cars and I get the needed clarification. Sorry but Austrian authorities are very strange᠁.
Thanks Andi

Your best bet for that time period would be Hot Rod or Car Craft magazines of that vintage. The easiest way to lay your hands on a physical copy is eBay, they have individuals and lots available.
https://www.hotrod.com/articles/hrdp-1110w-hot-rod-covers-1970s/
This link has many magazines that are now consolidated in archives, look at covers until you see one that may have a ‘38 (it won’t be stock in here). Then see if you can find that issue for sale on eBay or similar.

Hi Brad,
perfekt, thank you. I have already ckecked eBay but this also don´t help Because the artcle must be from the 70s or 80s and there are only newer one.
and in the magazines ther is also nothing.
If anyone else have another idea please sent it to me
Thank´s Andi

Stovebolt member YAR has a truck from that era. YAR you got anything to help this fellow?

Would photos of an older (1937) and newer (1940) with V8's help?
1937 with 427 V8:
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/14FfdnGT/37-Hauler-Don-s-for-sale-86-007.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/rdWwP7W4/37-Hauler-Don-s-for-sale-86-005.jpg[/img]

1940 with 350 V8:
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/HV7RXHCb/Stude-Justin-s-40-Cougar-Cat-004.jpg[/img]

Try This Old Truck magazine or Vintage Truck magazine.
George

I can also take a picture of my 37 with a V8 but as I understand it you need a magazine. I'll look around for something.

This is another very knowledgeable group (sometimes sarcastic) you should join and post on their forum.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/

Hi all together, many thank´s for your reply´s.
In the Old Truck magazine or Vintage Truck Magazine I also don´t find anything
If anyone had another idea please let me know.
Thank´s Andi

Hope this might help.. Just Google until you find what you want. Look through Gateway Classics, or GR auto gallery and anyone that sell classic trucks and cars. They are out there. If you click on the pictures some give specifications. The major auction house here list a lot and I am sure that In Australia they are some also.

Andi 12, I can't promise anything but I have some Hot Rod magazines from that era. I will check with the Library of Congress. The LOC has EVERY copy. I will let you know> Doc.

For all trying to help, Andi needs a period correct Hotrod magazine from the 70s or 80s. Apparently a computer reference will not work, he needs the magazine itself. It’s hard for us not being there to understand why the Authorities are insistent on having the actual article in their hands, but Andi is there and he knows what he’s been told. I know we can come together and find him one.

@ all
Thank´s for your support.
@ Ron sorry I need an ARTICLE from the 70s or 80s in a car Magazine with the 38 Chevy and a V8 engine.
@ Doc perfekt that I need!
@ Martin a computer reference with the article will also work.

Kind regards Andi

Andi12,
welcome to the Stovebolt. There is a publication called Old Autos which a lot of us subscribe to. There is a writer that contributes to every isuue called Bill Sherk, Old Car Detective. The magazine can be read online, free of charge at the present, at "Oldautos.ca" . If you look up his column,there will be contact information for him. He is always referencing material from hotrod magazines from years ago. I would suggest that you contact him.

Nice link/lead, Fred

Thanks,
Tim

Hi
Thank you for the Link
I contact them

Try American Truck Historical Society. (ATHS).
It looks to me that Andy is in Austria not Australia.


George

Hi George that is correct, but it doesn´t mather from where the article is.
And I´m from Austria Thank´s

Andi12

I feel your pain. I still have family in Germany. My cousin is interested in old cars, motorcycles, and piloting...but the European governments seem to make everything as complicated as possible, not to mention expensive!

There is a large antique mall in my town, and there are often old magazines for sale. I will go there this afternoon, and see if I can find anything useful.

Keep the Faith! Someone here can surely find what you need!

-Kevin

Street Rodder magazine and Street Scene from the NSRA would be a couple of good sources for '38 Chevy trucks with V8 engines in them

No luck with any of the old magazines at the antique mall. I'll check if my local library has any old issues of car magazines.

-Kevin

Hi Kevin,
many Thank´s if you get anything please let me know.
@ 66rollback I have allready tried to contact this magazines (In think aubout 10 different) but nobody sent an answer
Andi

I see you are still having problems. I do have pictures from a 1970 Hot Rod magazine that I will forward to you. If that does not work I would be happy to register it with the State of Florida. It will be legal and have no problems I have done this many times with what is called (homemade titles). It is completely legal ( I know because I'm still associated with the State of Florida Tax Collector). All that needs to be done is I need your weight and motor number to register as a homemade vehicle. This is completely legal and above board. You need to allow me to have Power of Attorney for this transaction which will let me work on your behalf ONLY for this transaction. I have done this before for friends in Canada and England. Glad to do it. However you need to know that for a day I own your truck. I can send you a Florida insurance bond which will cost around $60.00. This way you and I are insured, I will fax you the copy. Doc.

Hi Martin,

I just today came across this. I actually ran a V8 in my '36 PU in the 1960s but I don't have any 1970s or 1980s documentation of others doing that. He may be able to find a magazine article documenting an engine swap like that. My computer skills are not up to that task however.

Ray W

Hi Doc,
Please sent me your Pictures from the magazine that is what I need.
And sorry the Registration as a homemade vehicle doesn´t work the austrian authorities are very strange and if I don´t get what they want I have no chance to get my car on the street.
Andi

@ Ray thank you for your help.

Hi Doc.Hall,
can you PLEASE sent me the Pictures that you have from the article from the 70s.
Many Thank´s Andi

Andi 12, It has been incredibly hot here. So I will go out early tomorrow. We are 98 with a feels like temp of 113 now and it is only 9:45 a.m. We hit 125 two days after the hurricane. We are breaking all time records. I'm going to go out now for a few minutes and locate the files then retrieve them at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow. Ed

Hi Doc. Hall
I'm sorry for the inconvenience and thank you very much in advance

If you go to (123) Pinterest and pull up Barrett Jackson 2014 Las Vegas #138 it has a 1938 Chevy 1/2 ton full house V-8. Barrett Jackson can pull up and send you full aticle. I also have a bid on Ebay featuring a 1938 with V-8. Doc.

You could try Archive.org. Everything is there, you just need to be creative in how you look for it.