1947 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Convertible ~ Restored Show Winner #3+/#2- Beautiful!

1947CHEVROLETFleetmaster

Series EK ~ 2 Door Cabriolet

PROVENANCE

Originally a NY car acquired from central PA around 1990 & PA titled that year w/ no known prior history other than present top was installed at that time & car was a different color & unrestored. From family recollections, it was painted in `94 at which time it was going through a complete body-off restoration by its recent owner. This was completed c. 1997 w/ engine receiving a total rebuild about two years ago. Last shown around 2013/2014, this multi-trophy classic was stored & didn’t run for close to a year. It was brought out of storage to be auctioned & then sat again till pics & videos for ebay were taken on August 11, 2016.

This is an Estate Sale & due to my scheduling restraints & unfamiliarity of the process, I am having the appraiser-ClassicGray©moderate the auction & competently answer all your questions.

Be sure to watch theYouTubevideos below.

Walk-Around

Test Drive

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~CONDITION~

EXTERIOR:Show quality professional respray in factory available #339-Seafoam Green, a striking change from the original #348-Sport Beige.The complete, body-off resto respray w/ all brightwork etc. removed encompassed all door jambs, inside the engine bay, trunk & undercarriage being painted as well. The straight, rust & dent-free panels show good gaps w/ only minor edge chips & barely detectable small bubbling & one paint sag as seen in pics. All chrome is Show/Excellent as is the trim, the exception being the side vents & rear window surround have some blistering. All glass & lenses are VG, but the rear glass shows delamination & a crack that can be seen in the L. side frontal view of the car. Lights & turn signals work. Wheels are VG/Show w/ some small dents in beauty rings, nice paint & hubcaps have a few, very small impressions. Firestone DELUXE CHAMPION WWW 6.00-16 have good tread & show no cracking but are most likely over 10 yrs. old.

Power Top:HAARTZ Stayfast cloth is in Good/Fair condition for its 26 years showing some dry rot & fabric separation along F & R edges w/ a few small¼-½ inchtears & very minor staining. Has window crack as noted above. According to family members, it has always been up & although all Power Top components are present & appear to be in good condition, only a clicking sound was observed when knob was pulled. It seems that unit hasn’t been operated in many, many years. Therefore, we disconnected the lifts on either side to lower the top manually not wanting to risk fluid leaks or other damage by trying to make it work.

INTERIOR:Redone in Brown leather, deviating from the original #145-Red that compliments the Seafoam Green perfectly. Both F & R seats are in VG/Show condition w/ no rips or tears. Carpets & door panels in VG condition w/ the panels closer to Show condition. L. door has loose window crank & Passenger side vent window is stiff & only opens part-way. Dash has been professionally restored to a Show/Excellent level & all gauges are clear & functioning w/ exception of gas gauge. Vacuum wipers converted to electric, & like many, a button for the horn has been re-located, this time under the dash. AND, the 30 Hour clock & radio WORK!, but dial selector doesn’t move easily on the radio. Dome light cover is missing. Weatherstripping is Good. Steering wheel is Show quality w/ no cracks & an equally Fine spare comes w/ the car along w/ several vintage shop manuals & other literature.

ENGINE/DRIVELINE:Full engine rebuild on correct* 216ci straight six apprx. 2 yrs. ago w/ no paperwork. Engine bay is detailed & only needs some elbow grease to be ready for shows. Trans shifts well & all components i.e. brakes, rear, steering work properly. Inline fuel filter added, good battery w/ cutoff switch & all belts, hoses etc. are VG. Car was stored & not running for a little over a year & started effortlessly w/proper procedures taken.

*Block casting #3835253 is period correct & we believe original to car. Engine Serial #18230appears to be partial, yet falls within the production range of EA 1001-EA 683120.

Should any new info come to light, I will post on the auction.

UNDERCARRIAGE:Completely Show-detailed after full resto years ago & still maintains an above, #3 condition showing no abnormal leaks or drips or evidence of much usage or road wear & w/ some effort could be elevated to a solid # 2 in this area. Family members recall new floor pans being welded in during resto. All bushings, lines, springs, exhaust etc. appear in VG order.

MECHANICAL/ROAD TEST:Starts, runs, drives & brakes w/o any problems. Car was idling in 95 degree heat for 25 mins while pictures were being taken & had no overheating issues or overflow during or after engine was shut off. Likewise, this beautiful old Chevy performed flawlessly on the test drive.

SUMMARY

Original spec `47 Chevies aren’t that common w/ many being turned into Street Rods & so on because of their great styling. To find a desirable convertible no less in this outstanding condition is amazing. The 1st Class restoration it enjoyed over 20 yrs. ago has held up magnificently, a testament to the craftsman’s work & pride of ownership. The great styling & soft, unique color make this a must for a road trip "Down the Shore", a moonlit country ride or showing & winning!

Regarding a Bidder’s Feedback:

I do not discriminate against bidders with 0 Feedback; everyone has to start somewhere. However, if you have 0 Feedback you must contact me prior to bidding. I will email or call you, & if we don’t communicate satisfactorily, your bid will be withdrawn. If you have 5 Feedback or below (all positive of course) or above 5 w/ negatives, (hopefully no more than 1 or 2) I may contact you as above to verify your sincerity and understanding of how the auction works & your ability to pay.

ATTN:Carefully read ALL myTerms & Conditions &Seller's Payment Instructionsbelow. By bidding on this item you are entering into a contract to purchase the item & have agreed to adhere to the Terms, Conditions & Instructionsset forth.

A 10% deposit preferably viaPayPalmust bepaid within 48 hours of Auction’s end to hold item/vehicle & is nonrefundable at seller’s discretion should buyer renege on contract. FULL Payment required within 7 days of Auction close.

Owner represents that all of Owner’s statements and claims with respect to item/vehicle are true and correct to the best of the Owner’s knowledge and belief and Owner has not withheld from disclosure any known or unknown material problems, flaws or discrepancies with regard to the item/vehicle. It is the buyer’s responsibility to carefully readALLthe text & examineALLthe photographs & ask questions regarding condition. What I may have inadvertently overlooked & not described in the description, may be present in a photograph. If you have any hesitancy about purchasing on ebay w/o viewing the item/vehicle in person, please inquire about the availability & guidelines for such. All items/vehicles areSOLDin“AS IS CONDITION”& no warranties are expressed or implied. All vehicles have performed as described on a limited test drive if applicable. Please remember that these vehicles may be of Classic or Antique vintage; the vehicles & various parts may beat least15 years old & do have an attrition rate. If you plan to drive the vehicle for an extended trip or at Interstate speeds, please arrange for a thorough safety/mechanical inspection by a competent mechanic & always change or inspect thoroughly all tires, lights, belts, lines, hoses, fluids & filters etc. before doing so.

The buyer is responsible for removal/towing of the vehicle from Owner’s premises, all Taxes & valid Insurance at time of pick up.

If vehicle isn't or can't be picked up within 30 days of auction’s end, we'll need to talk.

Seller's Payment Instructions:

I will accept the following means of payment.

Any form of payment must clear before release of item/vehicle. Original title will be released to buyer upon verification of funds. If a 3rd. party is picking up/delivering vehicle, the title will be sent to buyer upon confirmation ofreceipt of vehicle.

*A deposited, in-state Cashier’s Check normally takes 5-7banking days before funds are available. Out-of-state/country & personal checks can take 10 -15 banking days to clear.

Thanks for Looking!

DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE©including visuals, description & inspection provided by:

Classic Gray©

23 More Hi-Res Pics Below

Click on pics & then enlarge.

On Aug-23-16 at 08:43:06 PDT, seller added the following information:

UPDATE: Estate rep has scraped away the paint on the block to expose the entire Engine Number & it reads - FAM 18230, the F designating that it’s a `48, 216.5ci block & the AM means it’s a passenger car engine from the Tonawanda, NY Plant. According to sources, all `48 passenger car engines were stamped FA 1001 – FJ 825234, so this was an earlier `48 production engine & possibly could have been a dealer replacement for various reasons or just a new block or total engine.

Also, car comes w/ unused Top Boot & cover & a rare 6 Volt charger. I have more pics of those & of the bone-dry, zero-rust undercarriage that I will send to your email address if interested.