Need help with a car from 1938

I am looking for a late 1930's, modest car. It is for a film production and the story is set in Studio City, CA 1938. What cars were standard on the road in 1938? After the depression, what was the kind of car that developed into a sort of consumer affordable car? What cars were popular? How long did an average car last, how long did a family own one car? What would an older couple be driving?



Pretty much any information about a car in 1938.

Any suggestions, opinions, and expertise is greatly appreciated



Thanks

J. Michelle

J. Michelle wrote:
> What cars were standard on the road in 1938?

There were a lot of Model-A Fords, many of them pretty beat up. Cadillac,
Pierce-Arrow, Cord, Deusenberg, and Packard were the luxury cars of the day.
Older Lincolns would have fallen into that category as well. Chevrolets and
Chrysler products were owned mainly by what today would be considered upper
middle-class (a college professor might drive one).

> After the depression, what was the kind of car that developed into a sort
> of consumer affordable car?

The depression was still a problem when the U.S. entered WW II in late 1941. In
1942, auto makers quit making cars and began making military equipment (though
some cars were made for the military). Auto production resumed in 1946. The
period you're discussing is still part of the Great Depression. Do you really
want to discuss what happened ten years later?

A total of 410,263 Fords of all varieties were made in 1938; Chevrolet put out
465,158 vehicles. The cheapest Ford cost $595; the cheapest Chevy cost $648. By
comparison, Packard produced 55,718 vehicles; the cheapest went for $1,075.

> What cars were popular?

Used ones. Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge produced most of the new vehicles in 1938.

> How long did an average car last, how long did a family own one car?

You would be doing well to get 60,000 miles from one before needing major
components (such as the engine) overhauled or rebuilt. People didn't drive as
much as they do today, however, and keeping a car 10 years was not unusual.

> What would an older couple be driving?

It would depend entirely on their economic status, but a middle-class couple
would probably be driving a sedan that was 5 to 10 years old (left over from
when the kids were still around).

George Patterson
Why do men's hearts beat faster, knees get weak, throats become dry,
and they think irrationally when a woman wears leather clothing?
Because she smells like a new truck.