Wyoming
A 1941 Chevrolet Special Deluxe Rules the Wyoming Roads
Brad Poe of Laramie, Wyo., 41, common supervisor of Wyoming Sports activities Properties, an organization that sells and manages sponsorships for the College of Wyoming’s athletic groups, on his 1941 Chevrolet Particular Deluxe coupe, as advised to A.J. Baime.
In 1941, my grandpa Kenneth Poe was residing in California, working for
Lockheed
as a riveter constructing P-38 Lightning battle planes. He purchased a brand new 1941 Chevy for $900. That won’t appear to be some huge cash now, however that was an enormous deal again then. I’ve the pay stubs from the funds he made. He would pay $15 one month, $18 one other. One month he paid $28, so he will need to have been flush. The truth that this was a 1941 Chevrolet is critical. Quickly after this automotive was constructed, the American auto business stopped making buyer vehicles to make gear for World Warfare II.
This 1941 Chevrolet packs its authentic 90-horsepower six-cylinder engine.
Picture:
Flor Blake for The Wall Avenue Journal
Car dashboards seemed a bit completely different in 1941 than they do in the present day.
Picture:
Flor Blake for The Wall Avenue Journal
In 1941, Mr. Poe’s grandfather purchased a brand new Chevrolet identical to this one, for $900.
Picture:
Flor Blake for The Wall Avenue Journal
Quickly after this 1941 Chevy was constructed, the American auto business stopped making buyer vehicles to deal with battle gear.
Picture:
Flor Blake for The Wall Avenue Journal
In 1944, my grandpa went off to Okinawa and the Philippines to struggle, and when he got here again, he took his 1941 Chevy to the household farm in Twin Falls, Idaho. In 1955, a salesman satisfied him he wanted an even bigger automotive, so he bought his Chevrolet. He regretted it ever since, and talked on a regular basis about how a lot he liked that automotive.
In 1991, my father and his two brothers discovered a Chevrolet identical to the one my grandpa purchased new in 1941, and gave it to my grandpa and grandma as a shock for his or her 70th birthdays and 50th wedding ceremony anniversary. We had an previous household picture of the 2 of them sitting on their automotive in 1941. In 1991, we took the identical image once more of them sitting in the identical positions. Rising up, I received to drive this automotive and I even took it to my highschool promenade.
Ultimately, my uncle David Poe took the automotive and had it repainted to the two-tone inexperienced of my grandfather’s authentic 1941 Chevy. My grandfather was unwell with a form of dementia, and my father, Les, my uncle David and I took the automotive to the nursing house the place he was residing. It was a tragic time, but additionally completely satisfied as a result of when he noticed the automotive, he thought it was the precise 1941 Chevy from his youth, and I received to see him smile one final time. He handed away quickly after.
Mr. Poe’s grandparents with their first 1941 Chevrolet. They recreated the picture 50 years later with one other automotive of the identical mannequin yr given to them by their youngsters.
Brad Poe
In 2019, my uncle David offered the automotive to me. I’ve taken this Chevrolet to automotive exhibits, and pushed it in parades. It’s been in a household wedding ceremony. It’s an excellent cruising automotive, and it’s loopy to me that it nonetheless runs so effectively. It has its authentic 90-horsepower six-cylinder engine; I get it as much as 45 mph, possibly 50. It could actually go quicker, however there’s no purpose, as I prefer to child this automotive.
This Chevy will sometime go to my youngsters. It has a lot sentimental worth, and it’ll all the time keep within the household.
‘It has a lot sentimental worth,’ says Mr. Poe of his 1941 Chevy, ‘and it’ll all the time keep within the household.’
Picture:
Flor Blake for The Wall Avenue Journal
Mr. Poe within the driver’s seat of his 1941 Chevrolet—a household legacy.
Picture:
Flor Blake for The Wall Avenue Journal
Write to A.J. Baime at myride@wsj.com
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