Elite Dealer

1938 Chevrolet Master Deluxe

Indiana

$62,900

Vehicle Details

Make

Chevrolet

Model

Master Deluxe

Year

1938

Body Type

Hardtop

Transmission

Manual

Drivetrain

RWD

Fuel Type

Gasoline

Engine

350 V8

Condition

Excellent

Description

1938 Chevrolet Master Deluxe 350 c.i. V8 Zero miles Muncie 4 Speed Manual Tranny New Build — Frame Off Restoration — Powder Coated All Steel Electric Door Locks Tubbed Rearend
Body Style: Hardtop
Doors: 2

Chevrolet Master Deluxe Buyer's Guide (1933–1942)

Full guide

Mike Sullivan

Muscle Cars

1933–1942

~4 min read

Updated Apr 2026

The Master Deluxe was Chevrolet's bread-and-butter premium car through the Depression and into the war years — tough, practical, and built in huge numbers. The 1937 "turret top" body is the styling high point. These are honest prewar American cars with parts that are still findable and an engine that hot rodders have loved for decades.

This guide covers

✓ 11-point inspection checklist

✓ Common issues & what to avoid

✓ In-person inspection guide

✓ Market pricing by year & condition

✓ 5 FAQs answered

✓ History & fun facts

Read the Full Master Deluxe Buyer's Guide

Chevrolet Master Market Overview

Based on 68 Chevrolet Master listings currently on ClassicCarsArena.com

Listed Now

$34,812

Avg. Asking Price

1923–1946

Year Range

Price Position on Our Site — Above Average

This car: $62,900

Low: $5,195 High: $89,995

Transmission Distribution

Automatic 40%

Manual 25% ◄

Condition Distribution

Excellent 12% ◄

Good 10%

Fair 4%

Poor 1%

Data from ClassicCarsArena.com listings Browse all 68 listings →

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What is this car worth?

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Chevrolet Master Deluxe Buyer's Guide (1933–1942)

The Master Deluxe doesn't get the same glory as a prewar Ford, but I think it's been undervalued for a long time. You get a real steel turret top (from 1935 onward), a solid inline six, and the kind of Depression-era build quality that meant Chevrolet had to last because nobody could afford to replace it. The hot rod community has always known what's here — the 216 Stovebolt takes a three-deuce intake, a Fenton header, and a healthy cam without complaint, and it looks period-correct doing it. Prices are still accessible compared to prewar Fords. That window won't stay open forever.

What to Check Before Buying

✓

Cowl channel probe — Probe vent slots at windshield base — soft metal means structural repair

✓

Floor pan condition — Lift carpet front and rear, check for rust-through or patch repairs

✓

Trunk floor and spare well — Remove trunk mat, probe floor corners and spare tire well

✓

Fabric roof (1933–1934) — Inspect roof fabric and underlying bow structure for rot on early cars

✓

Running board mounts — Check mounting points at lower body for rust and structural integrity

✓

Rear quarter lower sections — Inspect inside trunk at lower rear corners for water damage

✓

Engine number verification — Confirm engine/trans numbers are correct to car if numbers-matching matters

✓

Cold start and idle — Start from cold, verify steady idle, listen for valve noise or bearing knock

✓

Rear main seal — Check under engine for oil seepage at rear main seal area

✓

Trim completeness — Inventory all trim pieces — prewar chrome is difficult and expensive to source

✓

Modification quality (if applicable) — Inspect hot rod modifications for workmanship — brake and steering work especially

Common Issues

Cowl channel rust is universal on unrestored examples. Floor pan deterioration follows from the same water intrusion pattern. Fabric roof panels on 1933–1934 cars are a separate restoration category — the fabric rots and the underlying bow structure often corrodes independently. Lower rear quarters and trunk corners are rust-prone on all years. The 6-volt electrical system requires correct grounds; positive-ground architecture confuses owners accustomed to modern vehicles. The 216 engine is generally reliable but rear main seal seepage is common on high-mileage examples. Original trim pieces for pre-1940 cars are significantly harder to source than postwar Chevrolet parts — incomplete cars carry a hidden restoration cost. Many examples have been modified for hot rod use; verify any modifications for safety, particularly brake and steering work.

What to Look For

Cowl channel rust — probe the drainage channel at the windshield base before anything else. Floor pans under front and rear seats. Lower rear quarters and trunk floor corners. On 1933–1934 cars, inspect the fabric roof insert and underlying bow structure for deterioration. Running board mounting points and lower body behind front fenders where debris collects. Check spare tire well in trunk for rust. Verify engine and transmission numbers if provenance matters. On hot rod–configured examples, inspect all modifications for quality of workmanship — custom exhaust, intake, and electrical work are only as good as whoever installed them. Confirm all body trim is present and assess sourcing cost for missing 1930s-specific pieces.

Price Guide

Driver-quality sedans: $10,000–$18,000. Show quality: $25,000–$38,000. The 1937–1938 sport coupe in concours condition can exceed $40,000. The base Master (same chassis, lesser trim) trades 10–15% below equivalent Master Deluxe prices. Period-correct hot rod builds with quality work hold value well in the right market but price less predictably than stock cars. The 1942 model year cars are relatively rare due to short production run and command a modest premium among completeness-focused collectors.

Did You Know?

Chevrolet outsold Ford throughout most of the 1930s — the Master Deluxe was the primary driver of that sales leadership during the Depression. The 216 Stovebolt's cast-iron durability made it popular in early NASCAR racing before V8s dominated. The turret top all-steel roof construction Chevy adopted in 1935 was actually pioneered by Fisher Body — GM's body division — and was marketed heavily as a safety and weather-sealing improvement over fabric-insert roofs.

Elite Dealer

$62,900

1938 Chevrolet Master Deluxe

Indiana

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