1934 Chevrolet Master Six (DA) Town Sedan 🇺🇸

It was a master stroke to put a popular 1930s Chevrolet into a collection of more prestigious automobiles. It may appear an obvious move but it proves an expert choice for various reasons. Firstly, in the years ’33 and ’34 there was an important development in styling, so these models represent a fundamental generation change. Another principal reason was that the typical American motorist, seen on the roads in the thirties, was using a Chevrolet or Ford for his everyday journeys. Hence the Nicola Bulgari Collection, by using primarily these more popular models, aims to truly capture the history of the American automobile.

This Chevrolet was bought by the Nicola Bulgari Collection at an Auburn Fall auction run by Auctions America in September 2012. At the time of the auction the car had just been completely professionally restored with full respect for the original.

The exact model name is Master Six 2-door Town Sedan with six wheels and fender wells (with two additional spare wheels in the fenders), an optional with an added cost of $30. The Town model, unlike the other Masters, had a protruding trunk which increased the load capacity. In 1934 it cost $645, today its value is around $25,000.

Company
General Motors

Wheelbase
112in

Interior trim
Gray cloth

Brakes
front and rear drums

Make
Chevrolet

Length
178in

Engine
inline 6 - 206.8cid

Tires
5.50x17

Model
Master Six Town Sedan - Model 96

Width
76.5in

Carburetor
1 carb. 1-barrel Carter

Original Price
$645

Body style
2-door Sedan

Weight
3020lbs

Horsepower
80hp @ 3300rpm

Production
49,431

Model year
1934

Exterior paint
Admiral Blue

Transmission
3-speed manual

Overall the thirties and early forties were good and innovative years for the Chevrolet marque. In 1933 Chevy introduced two classes of car, the Master Eagle for the upscale market and the mid-year arrival Mercury for the budget-conscious. Styling was more streamlined on the Eagle, bumpers were standard, and Starterators were included. Starterators connected the accelerator to the starter motor, enabling a driver to restart an accidentally stalled engine with the tap of a foot. 450,000 Eagles were produced during the 1933 year and customers began referring to the Eagle as the Master. The name change stuck. The 1934 Chevrolet Series DA Master replaced the 1933 Eagle, with an increased wheelbase of 112 inch. This increased the difference with the cheaper Standard wheelbase to 5 inch (127.0 mm).

The Master Series was joined by the Standard Series for the 1934 year. The Master was the more expensive of the two, with the highest price vehicle being the Master Series DA Cabriolet selling at nearly $700. The Master Series had grown slightly over its 1933 counterparts, though styling remained mostly unchanged. The most visible changes were in the front, with the new V-type radiator and grille. 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. More modern styling was topped off with a new design for the dashboard and a snazzy rear mount tire. Another important feature fitted on the 1934 Chevrolet's was Knee Action independent front suspension, based on a design by the Frenchman Andre Dubonnet. The rear had a semi-floating axle. This setup used oil-filled combination spring and shock absorber units. Standard equipment on the Master series, it would not be offered on Standard models for a few more years.

Mechanical brakes could be found at all four corners and a three-speed manual gearbox was standard. Chevrolet introduced their new six-cylinder engine for 1929 and it featured the company's traditional overhead valves and excellent cooling. The engine would continue to receive modifications and improvements over the years, making it into a very stable and reliable unit. It would earn the nickname, the 'Cast Iron Wonder.' By 1934, Chevrolet had fitted the engine with improved lubrication and redesigned combustion chambers. It became available only on the Master Series and developed nearly twice the power of its predecessor with no increase in displacement.

The 1934 Chevrolet Master DA Series came equipped with a six-cylinder engine that displaced 206 cubic-inches and produced 80 horsepower. It was a very versatile and popular vehicle with a variety of bodystyles to select from. It was available as a four-door Sedan, two-door town sedan, sport sedan, cabriolet, sport coupe, business coupe, roadster, and coach.
The '34 four-door Town sedan was produced in a total of 49,431 specimens sold at a price of $615.