1933 Chevy Car Body Styles
- The 1933 CA Master Series models came in the following trims: the two-door Business Coupe; the two-door Cabriolet, which could accommodate up to four people; the Coach; the five-passenger Phaeton; the four-door Sedan; the two-door Sport Coupe; the two-door Sport Roadster; and the Town Sedan. All models came with fender-mounted spare tires on both front fenders. Chevrolet reported that owners complained the front doors often rubbed against the spares. This required owners to adjust the door hinges in order to move the doors slightly. The Sedans sold numbered 162,361 units in 1933, while the Sport Roadster was the low-seller, with 2,876 units. Only 543 Phaetons left Chevy showrooms.
- Fisher coach builders manufactured all Chevy passenger car bodies, while the Chevrolet Commercial Body Division built commercial bodies. The CA Master models typically received a 206-cubic-inch, in-line six-cylinder engine generating 65 horsepower. The body sat on a frame cushioned by front and rear semi-elliptic leaf springs. Chevy styled the CA Master and Mercury CC Coach models slightly different. All models featured softer lines than Chevy's competitors; they also had optional parking lamps atop the front fenders, and wire-wheels that were either chromed or the same color as the car body.
- The smaller of the two models was the Mercury CC Series, with a 107-inch wheelbase. The Mercury CC Series came in three body styles: Coach, three-window Coupe and Rumble Seat Coupe. Although the 1933 three-window Coupe sold for about $50 less than the $495 ($8,245 in 2010 dollars) Master Series Business Coupe did, sales were relatively poor. Perhaps the reason for the lack of enthusiasm was that all three Mercury CC models only came with doors. The Coach numbered 25,033 units sold; 8,909 three-window Coupes left the showrooms; and only 1,903 Rumble Seat Coupes rolled off the assembly line.
- The Mercury CC Series Coach model had a front track width of 56.5 inches, with the rear measuring 57.75 inches. The six-cylinder engine was smaller than that of the Master Series, displacing only 181 cubic inches and generating 60 horsepower. Semi-elliptic leaf springs cushioned the frame; and similar to the Master Series, all-wheel, 10-inch mechanical brakes stopped the car. The Mercury CC and Master Series cars rode on 17-inch wheels.
- Chevy provided custom bodies for its commercial vehicles, working from a chassis and engine or chassis and cowl. These vehicles included panel trucks, pickup trucks, delivery sedans, dump trucks and three-quarter to 5-ton commercial trucks. All bodies were constructed so that parts could be interchangeable. This kept production costs low and body panel replacement easy. The Commercial Division constructed each body in sections, which were divided by the platform, doors, sides, roofs and windshields. The sides were quarter-panels and other flat body components. While this was common practice for commercial vehicles, Chevy also employed similar construction methods for its passenger cars. Commercial vehicles used two types of paint: Regular Duco, with a high polish, and baking Duco, which was a long-lasting and quick-drying paint.