Chrysler Corporation cars of the 1939 model year interest me for various reasons. For instance, I wrote about the Chrysler brand's front end styling
here. And
here I speculated on whether '39 Chryslers, DeSotos and Dodges were completely redesigned or rather were given massive facelifts.
Another 1939-only item was what many observers call the "Hayes coupe." These were a kind of halfway proposition between small coupes with sideways seating behind the front seat for an extra passenger and normal two-door sedans. They were built in small numbers by the Hayes Body Corporation of Grand Rapids, Michigan for Chryslers, DeSotos and Dodges. A good background reference is
here.
Hayes coupes were attractive cars, distinctive styling features being thin B-pillars and passenger compartment aft ends with a central vertical crease aligned with two-piece back window divider.
When the Chrysler line was redesigned for 1940, Hayes coupes were eliminated and Hayes left the business of providing car bodies.
Gallery
Side view of a Hayes coupe, this a Dodge.
Publicity material for the DeSoto version. It features the rear seating. Note the splitter crease above the windshield that is echoed farther aft.
Now for three "for sale" photos of a Hayes-bodied Chrysler, an attractive car of its time.
The passenger greenhouse is quite airy for 1939. Chryslers had stubby hoods that year with front fenders and a catwalk projecting ahead, as seen here and in the previous photo.
It's hard to see from this angle, but try to note the crease aligned with back window split.
4 comments:
IDonald,
I own a restored 1939 Chrysler Royal Windsor, Hayes Body, Club Coupe....
In 1939, Chrysler did not offer any convertibles.
Instead they offered 3 different coupe:
A Business Coupe (without any rear seats), a Victoria Coupe (with folding rear seats,
where the passengers sit sideways) and a unusual Hayes Body, Club Coupe (Dodge
called it Town Coupe) where the rear seats fold into and under the back cushion or
fold down for passengers to sit forward.
Thanks, Harold of NJ
TEQS1000@AOL.COM
So far, we have located only 15 surviving 1939 Hayes Body Coupes:
EIGHT Chryslers, FOUR DeSotos and THREE Dodges.
In 1939, 1,000 custom made Hayes Bod, Club Coupes were made in upscale cars:
363 were made into Dodge Custom Town (Club) Coupes, 264 were made into DeSoto Custom Club Coupes & 373 were made into Chrysler Club Coupes
(239 were C22 Royal Windsors, 99 were New Yorkers & 35 were Saratogas).
In 1939, NO Dodge, DeSoto or Chrysler factory convertibles were made.
These upscale, accessorized Club Coupes were made instead of the convertibles.They did also offer two other coupes: Business Coupes and
Victoria style Coupes.
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