SEPTEMBER CAR OF MONTH

1939 Chevrolet Master 85: Chassis number XHJB 61838: Number plate KU1939

In 2021 myself and a John Ross saw an advertisement in Beaded Wheels, the Vintage Car Club magazine for a 1939 Chev. John and I had discussed on a number of occasions about buying particularly a 1939 model. John Ross’s father had three of them in the late 1960s and early 1970s, so John knew something about these cars. Some of my earliest memories growing up in Dunedin in the 1960s was also remembering these cars. Neighbours had them and in fact late 1930s Chevs were relatively common in New Zealand the 1960s. Both John Ross and myself have an interest in older cars. John has restored a 1929 Ford Model A as well as a 1952 Bedford Truck. I currently own a 1949 Ford Single Spinner as well as two 1965 Humber Super Snipes.

This car we have purchased is absolutely original. It has not been restored and it has its leather seats in good condition.

The car was originally purchased by a Mr George Hampton, near Timaru of the South Island on 23 September 1939. Not the best time to purchase a vehicle with World War 2 recently declared and petrol rationing about to be introduced.  Presuming, Mr Hampton died around 1954 as Mrs Hampton became its second owner on 23 December 1954. She kept the car until 24 September 1975 when it was sold with what I believe was the original 54,776 miles on the clock. There were 5 further South Island owners until a Mr Hurley purchased the car in 1998. He kept the car until 2021 when John and myself purchased it from him. In total seven owners before us if you can count Mr and Mrs Hampton as one owner.

Until this year the car was kept in Kimbell, a small hamlet just out of Fairlie in South Canterbury. We drove the car to Auckland earlier this year. The car performed extremely well. The First stop was Kimbell to Christchurch, the second day was to Picton, staying the night in Wellington. The final long day was all the way to Auckland.

We plan to do some more work on the Chev plus some cosmetic tidying up. There are not many of these cars left in this almost museum condition and we want to preserve and enjoy it. It is a most interesting car.

I also attach some photos.

William Cairns

30 August 2026

AUGUST CAR OF MONTH

1958 Chevrolet BelAir - Owned by Neville Holland

These vehicles were imported CBU (completely built up) from the Oshawa plant in Canada. They were built RHD for export to Japan, Singapore and New Zealand. ( Australia did their own).

Sold new by R H Leece in Hawera to a racehorse trainer in Wanganui who had overseas funds from a Melbourne Cup win. There were numerous owners until 1987, and it has been in the same ownership since.