1935 Dodge Touring Sedan

The Dodge brothers had made their fortune supplying Ford with engines and transmissions and such was their reputation that their first automobile, announced in 1914 for the 1915 model year, immediately leapt to third place in the sales race. After building military vehicles in World War I, the Dodge brothers returned to civilian production in 1916, the same year they began exporting cars to Australia, the first local dealership being S.A.Cheney in South Australia. The Dodge's ability to withstand our punishing roads soon gave it a favourable reputation and before long agencies had sprung up in every state. After the takeover by Chrysler in 1928, sales of Dodge cars blossomed and by 1933 the company was the fourth-highest seller on the domestic market. The 1935 model range was restyled, with a narrow radiator grille, streamlined styling and distinctive new 'Century' touring sedans, along with the usual range of coupes, convertibles and roadsters also available. Significant upgrades for 1935 included a synchromatic gearchange, revised front suspension, stronger chassis design and better weight distribution, with the engine and front seats relocated further forward in the chassis frame. The 1935 Dodge had an impressive list of standard features, such as hydraulic brakes, Autolite ignition, an automatic choke, so-called "Finger Tip" steering and a ventilated clutch. Cars were rapidly becoming better equipped and options for 1935 included a radio, clock, cigar lighter and heater, making the Dodge a lot more civilised. As a reliable and very affordable post-vintage tourer, the 1935 Dodge makes a lot of sense - the six-cylinder engine delivers sufficient performance to allow the car to keep up with modern traffic and the brakes are provide adequate stopping power. 

 Dodge New Value Series DU 4-Door Touring Sedan 1935 practice in the field, Netherlands East Indies

Sources :

http://www.shannons.com.au/

1938 Chevrolet ½-Ton Panel Truck

Chevrolet's truck line in 1938 featured a front end with a whole new look. The hood panels were modified and a new grille had a snowy configuration of horizontal bars rather than vertical.. Larger trucks had a different hoodside treatment with four louvers angled at the front and a Chevrolet bow tie emblem above them. 

 Chevrolet Panel 1938 in the road with the waterfalls in the background, Netherlands East Indies. Fa (Firma) Joseph Rute was a hardware business in Surabaya owned by two Dutch brothers, Dirk and Gerrit. They sold mostly lantern and gas lamps

Sources :

http://www.amazon.com/

http://tgmarsh.faculty.noctrl.edu/

1937 Buick 4-Door Convertible Sport Phaeton

 The first generation Roadmaster was introduced in 1936. Until this point, Buick's model range had been categorized by Series numbers, from the entry level 40 Special to the top-of-the-line 90 Limited. Names were introduced for 1936, as well as drastic styling changes. According to the brochure, the Roadmaster “named itself the first time a test model leveled out on the open highway.” The model range got arguably even more handsome for 1937 and incorporated a lot of elements from GM's premier Cadillac division. With only 1,040 units made for domestic sale, the Roadmaster Model 80C Convertible Phaeton had a base price of $1,856 and weighed 4,214 pounds. It is distinguishable among Buicks for being the only 4-door model with traditional forward-hinged doors both front and rear. Incredibly attractive, exceptionally luxurious and a value as much today as it was when introduced, the 80C is a timeless testament to pre-war open motoring!

Please note the difference of the door handle position in the brochure and in the photos below! According to George Dammon's book "70 Years of Buick". "Unlike any other 4 door Buick, the new Roadmaster Convertible Phaeton model 80C used doors that all opened up from the trailing edge". This refers to the 1937 model range.

The brochure above is showing a 1937 Special Convertible Phaeton, rather a bit shorter and smaller than the Roadmaster model. Oddly enough, all of the 1937 Buick Brochure materiel that I (Bill Murray) have found so far show the same photo as above with the rear door door handle at the rear of the door.  The 1938 Brochures all show the handle at the front of the rear door as in my photo but the 1937 model had the gas filler in the right fender as you can see on my photo and the 1938 model had the gas filler somewhere else.  Very confusing.

In this matter, I have found fairly often that first editions or "proof" editions of model year catalogues often contain errors like this. A model is planned to go into production with one specification, that specification is changed by the time the actual model range is produced and one or more models that were in the earliest brochures are never produced in that specification.  This may have happened here.

I hope that makes sense.

One other complication that we are going to see from time to time is that since Indonesia/The Dutch NEI drove on the left, they imported American brand cars with RHD from both Canada and Australia.  Some seem almost identical to the US versions except for the placement of the steering wheel, others have from very minor differences to quite major differences.

The photos that I sent earlier show to my eyes a Buick with RHD and it therefore could have come from either Canada or Australia.

I hope I am not complicating matters here but am trying to be as correct as possible. 

1937 Buick Convertible on the road near the bridge, Netherlands East Indies

1937 Buick Convertible parked in the side of the road, Netherlands East Indies

Sources :

http://www.hemmings.com/
http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/buick/37bui/37bui.html

Oplet (Opelette)

This name has been used since the 1950s, which means small-sized passenger car. The oplet  mode of transportation uses a term called "sewa" "lease" which means carrying a few passengers whether carrying baggage or not. The oplet is a public transport vehicle that originated from MORRIS sedans, a UK brand with a tire that has been modified. In addition, the Austin brand of cars is also used to manufacture oplets. As a result the Betawi people generally prefer to call them ostin and not oplet. In the olden days, the carrosserie factory where oplets were modified was located in Meester Camelis. The two parts of the oplet that are modified is the part where the driver is located with a side door and passenger seat and the second part is the rear passenger area. The oplet flooring for passengers is made of wood, and the roof is made of iron sheeting supported with a wooden frame. Windows are made of wood with sheet of plastic that can be raised or lowered.

If passengers want to hire the oplet, a contract system is used; meaning only one person carrying goods may use the oplet and may not carry other passengers. The oplet is required to give cigarette money to the terminal guards or the young people who ask for money, to ensure their routes are safe. The oplet has been operating in Jakarta since 1930. Originally, oplets operated only in areas of East Jakarta or Pasar Kramat Jati, Cijantung, Cibubur, Cilangkap and Cisalak since the 1950s with an official licensed route. In 1979, the route permit was eliminated and its function was later replaced by the Mikrolet, Metromini, or Koperasi Wahana Kalpika (KWK) (Cooperative Vehicle).

 Braga Street, Bandung. Although some European cities in Java also see the latest car models from Europe and the United States, they are nevertheless immediately identified as Indies cities by the typical colonial architecture. The facades of the buildings are almost always completely white, and most buildings were built between 1900 and 1930, a period of strong economic growth. The architecture closely followed European fashions. Yet it seems the implementation is usually slightly more playful than in the motherland, as if the architects felt freer in the Indies than at home. There was a very distinctive colonial architecture, which to date remains visible. The car on the left is a 1936 Chrysler with an Oplet in front, while the car on the right is a 1934 Chevrolet

Bandung busy street near the Post-en Telegraaf Kantoor (Post and Telegraf Office) in 1938. The Post-en Telegraaf Kantoor now become Kantor Pos Besar (Great Post Office) Bandung. It was built in 1928 by J Van Gent with Art Deco Style. The cars are as follows from left to right: 1937 ford, Oplet probably on a Morris chassis, Oldsmobile 1935, and Chevrolet 1936.

Gunung Sari Straat in Jakarta, 1953, a time of national reconstruction. We can see traditional public vehicles such as becak, delman and oplet. Facing the camera at left is a 1941 Studebaker Champion Cruising Sedan

 Jakarta. The Oplet is a Morris Minor Series 2 from around 1956-57, while the truck in the background is a 1957 Chevrolet

Sources :
http://commons.wikimedia.org/

http://www.jakarta.go.id/

Chevrolet Master Sedan 1934

The 1934 Chevrolet Master and Standard continued Chevrolet's year-old practice of building two distinct series of cars on different wheelbase lengths. The 1934 Chevrolet Master, in fact, now measured 112 inches, two inches longer than the 1933 model. The 1934 Chevrolet Standard model remained at 107 inches.

Both models retained six-cylinder power, but modifications to the Master's 206-cubic-inch engine boosted horsepower from 65 to 80. The Standard series repeated 1933's 181-cubic-inch 60-horsepower engine.

Chevrolet's big news this year was adoption of "Knee-Action," the sealed Dubonnet type of independent front suspension. Standard equipment on the Master series, it would not be offered on Standard models for a few more years.

Master models, while retaining the previous year's styling theme, looked heavier than their 1933 counterparts -- which they were, by some 225 pounds, about 60 pounds of which was due to the Dubonnet "knees." Three horizontal hood louvers replaced the doors used in 1932-33, and wheels were reduced in size to 17 inches. Free Wheeling was optional on Master models only.

The Standard line was expanded to five body styles. Prices were raised by $40 on Standard models and as much as $100 on the Master series. Production increased by 29 percent, with the Standard coach scoring the biggest gain.

 Braga Street, Bandung. Although some European cities in Java also see the latest car models from Europe and the United States, they are nevertheless immediately identified as Indies cities by the typical colonial architecture. The facades of the buildings are almost always completely white, and most buildings were built between 1900 and 1930, a period of strong economic growth. The architecture closely followed European fashions. Yet it seems the implementation is usually slightly more playful than in the motherland, as if the architects felt freer in the Indies than at home. There was a very distinctive colonial architecture, which to date remains visible. The car on the left is a 1936 Chrysler with an Oplet in front, while the car on the right is a 1934 Chevrolet

 Cars in front of the Art Deco DENIS bank building — in Bandung, 1938. The car on the kerb is Chevrolet 1934. DENIS (De Eerste Nederlandsch-Indische Spaarkas or "The First Savings Bank in the Netherlands Indies") was a savings, insurance and mortgage bank in the Netherlands Indies (today Indonesia). Its former building still stands at Braga Street 14 in Bandung, West Java province.

Sources :

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/

Chrysler Airflow 1936

The basis for the Chrysler Airflow was rooted in Chrysler Engineering's Carl Breer's curiosity about how forms affected their movement through the environment. According to Chrysler, Breer's quest was started while watching geese travel through the air in a "V" flight pattern. Another source lists Breer as watching military planes on their practice maneuvers, while still other sources attach the genesis of the project to Breer's interest in lighter-than-air airships and how their shapes helped them move through the atmosphere.

Breer, along with fellow Chrysler engineers Fred Zeder and Owen Skelton, began a series of wind tunnel tests, with the cooperation of Orville Wright, to study which forms were the most efficient shape created by nature that could suit an automobile. Chrysler built a wind tunnel at the Highland Park site, and tested at least 50 scale models by April 1930. Their engineers found that then-current two-box automobile design was so aerodynamically inefficient, that it was actually more efficient turned around backwards. Applying what they had learned about shape, the engineers also began looking into ways that a car could be built, which also used monocoque (unibody) construction to both strengthen the construction (the strengthening was used in a publicity reel[2]) of the car while reducing its overall drag, and thus increasing the power-to-drag ratio as the lighter, more streamlined body allowed air to flow around it instead of being caught through upright forms, such as radiator grilles, headlights and windshields.

Traditional automobiles of the day were the typical two-box design, with about 65% of the weight over the rear wheels. When loaded with passengers, the weight distribution tended to become further imbalanced, rising to 75% or more over the rear wheels, resulting in unsafe handling characteristics on slippery roads. Spring rates in the rear of traditional vehicles were, therefore, necessarily higher, and passengers were subjected to a harsher ride.

An innovative suspension system on the new Chrysler Airflow stemmed from the need for superior handling dynamics. The engine was moved forward over the front wheels compared with traditional automobiles of the time, and passengers were all moved forward so that rear seat passengers were seated within the wheelbase, rather than on top of the rear axle. The weight distribution had approximately 54% of the weight over the front wheels, which evened to near 50-50 with passengers,[3] and resulted in more equal spring rates, better handling, and far superior ride quality.

 Braga Street, Bandung. Although some European cities in Java also see the latest car models from Europe and the United States, they are nevertheless immediately identified as Indies cities by the typical colonial architecture. The facades of the buildings are almost always completely white, and most buildings were built between 1900 and 1930, a period of strong economic growth. The architecture closely followed European fashions. Yet it seems the implementation is usually slightly more playful than in the motherland, as if the architects felt freer in the Indies than at home. There was a very distinctive colonial architecture, which to date remains visible. The car on the left is a 1936 Chrysler with an Oplet in front, while the car on the right is a 1934 Chevrolet

Sources :

http://en.wikipedia.org/

Pontiac Deluxe 1939

The 1939 Pontiac Deluxe Eight models used the same body as the Deluxe “120” six models. The Indian head hood ornaments on eight-cylinder cars had a fin-like feather design, compared to the straight-back feather design used on six-cylinder models. A “Pontiac Eight” emblem was affixed to the cars' rear decks. There was also a fancier trim plate around the circular badge on the front bumper. 

 A driver is changing the tire of Pontiac Deluxe 1939 belong to ALRI (Indonesian Navy) official, Malioboro (Jogjakarta), 1948. A bit worse for wear it seems and I would not want to go far on that tyre!

Sources :
http://report.oldcarsweekly.com/

Ford Super DeLuxe 1946

Ford had a number of leftover 1942 body parts that went into 1946 Ford models. Henry Ford II got the first postwar car into production, and the very first one -- a white Super DeLuxe Tudor sedan assembled on July 3, 1945 -- went to President Harry Truman. Alas, only 34,439 more were assembled during the 1945 calendar year, but it was the quick return to production that put Ford ahead of Chevrolet.

However, there was no end of problems with the War Production Board, which controlled output and materials supplies, and the Office of Price Administration, which put many controls on the price of parts and cars. Henry Ford II claimed that he was losing $300 per car because he couldn't achieve volume production, and indeed the company was hemorrhaging about $10 million per month at one point.

The pent-up market created an unprecedented demand for new cars. Ford's advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson, created a brilliant teaser campaign: "There's a Ford in your future." Until July, it showed only parts of the "new" Ford in a crystal ball; then there a publicity blitz culminating in "V-8 Day" on October 26, 1945. More than a million Americans flocked into showrooms for the public introduction, and nearly half a million promptly placed their orders.

One of the more attractive 1946 Ford models was the Super DeLuxe coupe sedan (also sometimes called the sedan coupe).

What the public saw on V-8 Day was the 1942 shorn of its military trim. The 1946 Ford had the 59 A V-8 block that had been used in the Mercury from 1939; it displaced the same 239.4 cubic inches and developed an even 100 horsepower at 3,800 rpm. The 225.8-cubic-inch six remained available. The Super DeLuxe and DeLuxe series were continued, but the Special disappeared. Meanwhile, the rear axle ratio went from 3.78:1 to 3.54:1.

Outside trim was nearly identical to the 1942 except for the new horizontal grille consisting of three stainless steel bars below a massive, chrome-plated pair of Ford "wings." The grille sported red striping within ridges in the metal. The decklid, meanwhile, carried two horizontal strips of stainless below the license plate, and color selections were greatly improved over those of 1941-1942.

By far the most popular 1946 Ford was the Super DeLuxe Tudor sedan, of which 163,370 were produced.

One big difference for 1946 was the interior. While the DeLuxe looked pretty much like the 1942 in drab browns, the Super DeLuxe looked striking in navy blue and gray. The dash plastic over a navy-colored dash was pearl gray with red striping.

The instrument numerals were red on a black field with a chromed speedometer needle and clock hands. (An electric clock was standard on the Super DeLuxe beginning in 1942.) When one turned on the headlights at night, the gauges glowed beautifully with the red numerals backlit and the edges of the chromed needles outlined in white light.

Among Super DeLuxes, the sedan coupe was the third most popular model.

Considering the car's price, the quality of the upholstery, its fit, and the fit and quality of the other interior/exterior trim was impeccable. So was the finish. Much of the detailing was done by Willis P. Wagner, later demoted to the Ford Truck Division when George Walker took over Ford styling in 1949.

Not until the 1954 Crestlines and 1955 Fairlanes would any Ford be this well detailed. And not until Ford's total quality control program of the early 1960s would overall Ford workmanship be this high.

All Ford body styles were carried over from 1942, although jump seats were no longer available in the coupe. A new model, the Sportsman, boasted wood trim, much like the 1946-1948 Chrysler Town and Country and the 1946-1948 Nash Suburban. Cynics would say that it was little more than a promotional scheme.

Puncak, West Java, in 1947. The vehicle is Ford Model 69A 73B Super DeLuxe Fordor Sedan made in 1946

Sources :

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/

Fiat Balilla 508s Spider 1934

The Sport Spider 508 S was created by Carrozzeria Ghia from the Fiat Balilla chassis. It was made available to wealthy clientele for Italian events including the Mille Miglia.

The Balilla was available in two versions: The standard version had fully enclosed fenders while the “Coppa d’Oro” used smaller cycle fenders and a ligher chassis. Sometimes these later cars are refereed to as Type MM. The engine was also uprated to 43 bhp over the standard standard 36 bhp.

 Fiat 508S Balilla Sport Spider with the ladies in elegant attire as driver and passenger. The picture was taken in Batavia circa 1936. We can see the advertising for Petromax lantern hanging in the tree

Source :

https://www.flickr.com/

http://www.supercars.net/

Studebaker Dictator 1937

The Studebaker Dictator was an automobile produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana (USA) from 1927-1937. Model year 1928 was the first full year of Dictator production.

1937 was the last year for the Dictator nameplate. With Hitler and Mussolini gathering power in Europe, 'Dictator' became politically incorrect and so the name was dropped. 1937 was however the first year Studebaker saw the influence of master stylist Raymond Loewy, who did a beautiful facelift of the existing 1936 models. With the Great Depression still somewhat at hand, pricing for the Dictator was quite low this year.

 Six photographs of a John Kiliaan Band promotional appearance at a Studebaker car dealership in Surabaya, circa 1938. Band leader Kiliaan is the man with the saxophone, resting his foot on the base drum in the last picture. The two Studebaker models shown are the 1936 Dictator and the 1937 Dictator (or 1937 President)

Sources :

http://www.conceptcarz.com/
http://hansamethini.blogspot.com/

http://www.theindoproject.org/

Dodge 1934

When Dodge introduced the Deluxe DR Series in 1934, bodies were completely restyled with a handsome new look that was both stylish and aerodynamic. Starting at the front, the DR featured a new streamlined V-type radiator that set the stylistic tone for the rest of the car, along with the fashionably raked windshield. The hood received three horizontal louvers, with lengths following the upper portion of the front fenders, while a pair of chrome-plated, bullet-shaped headlamps completed the bold frontal styling.

The cars also benefited from robust and advanced engineering, with features including hydraulic brakes, a new independent front suspension, a six-cylinder engine, a strong X-member frame and much more. Priced from $665 when new, the five-model DR Deluxe Series offered a surprisingly good value and never failed to turn heads wherever it went. Yet, with total DR-Series production of nearly 78,300 units, only the five-passenger sedan was a relatively common sight on America’s streets. Just 5,323 examples of the dashing 2/4-Passenger Coupe were produced, with surviving examples being quite rare today.

Dodge 1934 at Palembang Talang airport, Netherlands East Indies, in 1940. The passenger aircraft is a Douglas DC-3-194B of KLM, Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. (Royal Dutch Airlines)

Source :

http://www.boldride.com/

Nash Ambassador 1939

Given his belief in the importance of new products, Mason ordered up fresh styling for the 1939-1940 Nash Ambassador and prepared to press on. With a "can-do" guy -- George Mason -- at the helm, Nash Motors wasn't about to let an economic recession slow it down in the late 1930s.

America's battle against the Depression suffered a setback in 1938, when the economy snapped with what Republicans were quick to label the "Roosevelt Recession." The sharp downturn hammered the U.S. auto industry, shrinking model-year sales by almost half from the 1937 total.

The recession proved a death knell for a few smaller automakers, but most every company felt the pain. That's one reason why you don't see many 1938 cars today.

The Nash Motors Division of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation took an especially big hit. Calendar-year sales plunged from 70,568 to 31,814. Model-year production withered from 85,949 units to 32,017. These drops were bigger than most, and would have been easy excuses for cutting capital spending.

But Nash had a recently arrived president named George Mason, charged with making the company much larger. Determined to keep moving despite the recessionary setback, he ordered up a brand-new Nash for 1939. It was a beauty.

By any standard, George Walter Mason was one of the most brilliant auto executives of the era. He started his career the old-fashioned way, selling cars during summer vacations from college.

After stints at several automakers, most notably as a manager at Chrysler, Mason joined Kelvinator, where he engineered a turnaround that saved the appliance maker from extinction.

Charlie Nash, acting on a strong recommendation from old friend Walter Chrysler, convinced Mason to become Nash president by agreeing to a Nash and Kelvinator merger, which was completed in January 1937.

 Employees in front of the car company Verkerk en Company in Batavia around 1939 Dutch East Indies. The car is Nash Ambassador 1939

Sources:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1939-1940-nash-ambassador.htm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/126991999@N05/15377112784

Hillman Minx 1939

Shortly before the outbreak of WW2, Hillman announced its first unitary construction saloon (chassis-less body), ‘the new Minx'.

Despite looking conventional the Minx featured the ‘Alligator' bonnet (being hinged at the rear), as well as the aforementioned unitary constructed body-shell.

The Minx had gained a reputation for dependability and ruggedness, and chosen by the War Office to be used as a staff car for military service, with variants of this model when converted becoming the useful ‘Tilly' (flat bed truck with canvas tilt), which actually allowed the Minx to remain in production throughout the war years.

The Ryton-on-Dunsmore factory outside Coventry was originally built in 1939 to manufacture aero engines in support of the war effort. The site was converted to a fully operational car factory in 1946 when the Rootes Group started full time car production again, comprising of Hillman, Humber , Sunbeam and Talbot marques to be manufactured.

Rootes were provided with a major advantage when the war ended due to their military production years, and in spite of the shortage of materials they were in a position to have a car in production by 1946.

Phase2_MinxFollowing the end of WW2, production of the civillian Minx resumed, it was basically the pre-war model with a slight uplift in front end styling, as seen in the picture left.

The most notable feature being that of the headlamps, these were now incorporated into the front wing panels.

Mechanical specification remained fairly primitive using the 35hp - 1185cc proven side valve engine, although this was fitted with a new type cylinder head and accessed to the engine compartment via the rear hinged alligator bonnet, arguably making maintenance tasks more accessible! However the Minx continued to use the Bendix Duo Servo cable braking system.

Rootes complemented their new saloon version of the Minx by introducing an attractive (if not rare!) drop-head coupe version, which along with a very useful estate completed the Minx range. 

 Mr. Peters, salesman of Verkerk car company in Batavia, in a Hillman Minx 1939 in front of his office, around 1939 Dutch East Indies. The source of the photos is Karin Riper, who's mother worked for the firm in the late 1930s.  She identified the Hillman as a Skoda Roadster but it is not although Verkerk may well have been an agent for Skoda

The picture was possibly taken in the time of Japanese occupation era. The car in the background is a British-made is a 1939/1940 Hillman Minx.

Sources :

http://www.classichillman.co.uk/

https://www.flickr.com/

1937 Buick Series 40 / 60

The styling of the Buick Special Series 40 was modified for 1937 with several noticeable changes, mostly to the front. The 1936 Series 40 had a single grille with vertical bars; the 1937 model had horizontal bars and a divider down the center. The center section of the grille was painted to match the color of the body. The fenders was revised and given squared-off ends. Though not very visible, the height was lowered by nearly 2 inches, with interior room remaining nearly the same by due to the floors being lowered as well.

There were eight body styles to select from, including the convertible phaeton, sport coupe, business coupe and convertible coupe. There was also a two- and four-door touring sedan available with an optional rear trunk. The most popular Series 40 bodystyle - also Buicks most popular vehicle for 1937 - was the four-door Touring Sedan with the trunk. Pricing for this vehicle was $1020. This placed in competition with the Packard 120C, Oldsmobile L-37 and the Pontiac Deluxe Series 26.

Powering the Series 40 was an inline overhead valve Eight-cylinder engine that offered 100 horsepower. It had a three-speed sliding gear transmission with floor shift controls and a single dry plate clutch and shaft drive. The car rode on pressed steel wheels and braking was handled by four-wheel hydraulic drums. Options included a heater, defroster, dual side mounted tires, white side wall tires, and a grille guard. A dash installed radio with a built-in speaker could also be added for an additional fee.

Mechanical improvements to the 1937 Series 40 included a new oil pump and improved overhead valve mechanism which was much quieter than the previous version. The intake valves were updated and the cooling system was improved.

The Series 40 had a wheelbase that measured 122 inches, up from 118 inches the prior year.

 Buick 1937 owned by a Dutch family in Netherlands East Indies

Sources :

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z13877/Buick-Series-40.aspx

Buick 1934

Buick president Harlow H. Curtice believed in "more speed for less money," and backed it up with an all-new 117-inch-wheelbase Series 40 for 1934. The result was a sales upturn aided by more modern, streamlined styling that broke sharply with "Roaring '20s" squarishness. Also featured linewide in '34 was GM's new "Knee-Action" (Dubonnet-type) independent front suspension, then a great step forward.

Though the 40 omitted flashy soft tops to emphasize far more popular coupes and sedans, its masterful blend of an inexpensive, Chevrolet-size platform and "important" Buick styling helped boost the division's 1934 output from some 47,000 to over 71,000. Buick then jumped way over 100,000 for model-year '36, and would reach even greater heights a few years hence.

Also in 1934, Curtice launched a $64 million factory modernization program that wasn't completed until 1940. However, plowing receipts back into facilities left little money for product improvements, so the 1935 Buicks weren't changed much. Offerings again comprised 40, 50, 60, and 90 with straight eights of 233, 235, 278, and 344 cid, respectively. There was one belated addition, though: a Series 40 convertible coupe.

 A brand new Buick 1934 Sedan parked in Dr.Yapboulevard 13, presumably in Jogjakarta in 1934

Sources:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/buick1.htm

Opel P4

In September 1935 the Opel P4 replaced the Opel 1.2-litre. The body was unchanged apart from an updated front grill. Also unchanged were the wheelbase and the transmission. What was new was the engine, which was less “undersquare” than before, though its essential architecture as a four cylinder in-line side-valve unit was familiar enough. The claimed maximum power output and top speed were unchanged at 23 PS (17 kW; 23 hp) and 85 km/h (53 mph) respectively. What did change was the engine size, now reduced to 1073cc. In view of the price reduction from 1,850 Marks to 1,650 Marks which accompanied the change to the P4 model, and the further reduction to 1,450 Marks in 1937, it seems likely that the new power unit was cheaper to produce than the earlier power-plant.

This was also the point at which four wheel brakes replaced the earlier braking system which had operated on the drive shaft.

Despite the unchanged performance, in the marketplace the reduced engine size would have distanced the car from the more modern Opel 1.3-litre introduced in 1934, and from the manufacturer's important new Olympia and Kadett models which entered production respectively in 1935 and late 1936.

 Opel P4 in Netherlands East Indies family

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_1.2_litre#1935_Opel_P4

1936 Chevrolet Standard

 The 1936 Chevrolet Standard and Master DeLuxe enabled Chevy to reclaim first place from Ford during 1936. Sales were up nearly 70 percent over the 1935 Chevys.

Unlike in 1935, the 1936 Chevrolet Standard and Master DeLuxe now used the same 79-horsepower six-cylinder engine; that meant an increase of five horsepower for the Standard, and a decrease of one for the DeLuxe.

Just as significant, both Chevy models now also featured the seamless steel Turret-Top body and two-piece vee'd windshield.

Standard models were more than 100 pounds heavier than in 1935, and their wheelbase was stretched to 109 inches, a two-inch increase. The senior series, now called Master DeLuxe, stayed with a 113-inch wheelbase and was billed as "the aristocrat of its field."

Styling was essentially an attractive facelift of the 1935 Master series, with front doors hinged at the leading edge on all models. The cabriolet returned to the line after a one-year absence, this time as a member of the Standard line.

The built-in trunks, featured by the Town Sedans and Sport Sedans, proved highly popular.

Chevrolet's other big news for 1936 was its adoption of hydraulic brakes for both series. Standard models had a new box-girder frame, which was both stronger and lighter than the X-type that was retained for this one final year by the Master series.

Seventeen-inch steel wheels were standard throughout both lines. Knee-Action front suspension was a popular $20 option and was exclusive to the Master models.

Chevrolet 1936 Sedan in Netherlands East Indies

Bandung busy street near the Post-en Telegraaf Kantoor (Post and Telegraf Office) in 1938. The Post-en Telegraaf Kantoor now become Kantor Pos Besar (Great Post Office) Bandung. It was built in 1928 by J Van Gent with Art Deco Style. The cars are as follows from left to right: 1937 ford, Oplet probably on a Morris chassis, Oldsmobile 1935, and Chevrolet 1936.

Sources:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/

Chevrolet 1935

 The 1935 Chevrolet Standard and Master DeLuxe were branded in ads as "The Most Finely Balanced Low-Priced Car Ever Built." Perhaps so, but Chevrolet fell behind Ford in the sales race for the first time since 1930, in part because of labor strife.

Drop-top roadsters and phaetons were available for the last time, and only in the smaller (107-inch wheelbase) Standard series. Those who could afford new cars during these Depression years leaned toward closed bodies.

Cabriolets, basically a convertible with roll-up windows, also departed from dealerships for 1935, but they would reappear in 1936, offering a bit more weather protection than a roadster, which had snap-in side curtains.

The 1935 Chevrolet Master DeLuxe now rode a 113-inch wheelbase (distance between front and rear axles). That was one inch longer than the 1934 Master. The 1935 Master also adopted "suicide" (rear-hinged) doors. Standard models kept their hinges at the front.

Standard models retained fabric inserts in their roof. The Master DeLuxe series, however, adopted new all-steel "Turret-Top" construction. They also got a two-piece vee'd windshield. Standard models kept single-pane front glass. On both, radiator caps moved beneath the hood.

Knee Action, GM's recently introduced independent front suspension, had come standard on the 1934 Masters. For 1935, Chevy made Master DeLuxe models with and without Knee Action. Those with it cost $20 more.

With their slightly longer wheelbases and new Turret-Top bodies, the Master DeLuxe models looked a little bulbous for 1935. Partly for that reason, Standard models picked up some sales, accounting for nearly 37 percent of the 1935 Chevys sold that year.

 

 Between Leles and Kadungora (Garut) in 1935

Sources:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1935-chevrolet-standard-and-master-deluxe.htm
http://www.kaskus.co.id/post/51c496b105346a0a62000008