Greg Wapling

Dodge / Chrysler

Little is documented about the Richards Bodied Plymouth and Dodge Slopers. Certainly examples of both exist for 1937 and 1938. Richards Body Builders of South Australia contracted to Chrysler Australia to produce coupe bodies through the mid to late 30's. While appearing to resemble the Ford and GM Sloper style the body featured a bustle boot.
Production figures for these cars is unknown.

 
This is a 1937 Dodge Sloper (more... )

 
This is a 1938 Dodge Sloper (more... )

Ford

Ford Australia followed GM Holden's with a Sloper design. It was not until 1939 thestyle became available on the Ford Standard and DeLuxe V8 chassis.

Priced at £335 for the standard and £350 for the Deluxe. The sloper style replaced the imported Club Coupe. Ford Australia lablled the cars Tudors.

1940 was the last year for the Ford Tudor. Production figures are not available.

 
This is a 1938 Ford Sloper (more... )

 
This is a 1939 Ford Sloper (more... )

 
This is a 1940 Ford Sloper (more... )

General Motors

These were built by Holden's between 1935 and 1941 and were available in a number of different makes such as Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Vauxhall. These were built in low numbers with a total of all makes and years being just over 9000. Only 149 Chev sloper's being built in 1940. Most of the 1940 production of Holden's were taken over by the Australian Army for the war effort.

Buick

A number of Buicks have survived,mostly 8/40s. The Buick however lasted only to 1938 when it was dropped from the line up.
The Buick body first appeared on a 1936 chassis. The body was the same as the 8 cylinder Oldsmobile. Two forms were sold, an 8/40 Roadmaster costing £480 and an 8/50 Century costing £550.

Production  ex Woodville Plant

 
This is a 1936 Buick Sloper (more... )

 
This is a 1937 Buick Sloper (more... )

 
This is a 1938 Buick Sloper (more... )

Chevrolet

First shown as a body only at the Melbourne Show in June 35. The 1935 Chevrolet All Enclosed Coupe was on a Master Chassis only. The Chev, Pontiac and Olds bodies were the same and featured a rear folding seat, much like a station wagon, providing access to the boot. This made the style an ideal salesman's vehicle. 1935 and early 1936 bodies used a flip-out rear window.

This was changed to a fixed two piece window during 1936. Standard business model cost £275 and the sports £290. The Master Sports cost £365.The Sloper isa unique name given to Australian bodied GM and Ford of the mid to late 30's.

In 1937 GMH introduced their steel turret bodies and the All enclosed Coupe style was radically altered. Two distinct bodies were now produced. COP (Chev, Olds and Pontiac 6) and BOP (Buick, Olds & Pontiac 8). This basic shape ran through to 1941.

Production ex Woodville South Australia Plant

 
This is a 1935 Chevrolet Sloper (more... )

 
This is a 1936 Chevrolet Sloper (more... )

 
This is a 1937 Chevrolet Sloper (more... )

 
This is a 1938 Chevrolet Sloper (more... )

 
This is a 1939 Chevrolet Sloper (more... )

 
This is a 1940 Chevrolet Pullman Deluxe and came standard with aerial, electric wipers and the back seat that folds down. (more... )

 
This is a 1941 Chevrolet Sloper (more... )

Oldsmobile

The Sydney Easter Show of April 1935 saw Holden's introduce the All-Enclosed Coupe style on a 6 cylinder Oldsmobile Chassis. The 6 cylinder was priced at £405 and the 8 cylinder £438. Again it is difficult to find examples of the 8 cylinder Oldsmobile, particularly in 1937 despite being depicted in literature.

From 1932-38 the Oldsmobile was available in 2 body sizes;
the smaller Series F on the GM-A body with straight 6 cylinder and the larger Series L on the GM-B body with straight 8 cylinder
The Sloper is a unique name given to Australian bodied GM and Ford of the mid to late 30's. These bodies were first used on Oldsmobile, Chevrolet and Pontiac in 1935 and were designed by General Motors Holdens. They used Canadian mechanicals and front panels, the rest made in Australia. In 1937 only the 4 door sedan and 2 door Sloper Coupe were made.

Oldsmobiles were also built in Australia from 1923 to 1929 and also from 1934 to 1948.
Engines; 230 cu in 6 and 257 cu in flathead straight 8.

Production ex Woodville Plant

 
This is a 1936 Oldsmobile Sloper (more... )

   
This is a 1937 Oldsmobile Sloper (more... )

 
This is a 1938 Oldsmobile Sloper (more... )

   
This is a 1940 Oldsmobile Sloper (more... )

Pontiac

Produced on both 6 and 8 cylinder chassis the Pontiac was released at the June Melbourne Motor Show in 1935. Very few 8 cylinders were produced and few (if any?) have survived. Priced £378 for the 6 and £438 for the 8 the model was just above the Chev Master at £365.

The Pontiac followed the Chevrolet in that the flip out rear window was a replaced in 1936 with a two piece and two boot handles gave way to a single handle in the boot centre for 1936.

For 1937 Holden's production numbers indicate some 8 cylinder Pontiac Slopers were built. These however could have been on 1936 chassis. Certainly the literature shows 8 cylinder versions but a real live one would confirm they were actually produced.

Production  ex Woodville Plant

 
This is a 1938 Pontiac Sloper (more... )

Vauxhall

The Vauxhall Sloper was introduced on the Vauxhall 25 chassis using the Vauxhall 27.5hp engine. The body was the same as the 6 cylinder Chev, Pontiac and Oldsmobile. Holden's only produced the sloper body on the Vauxhall for 37 and 38. Few examples have survived.

In 1941 Holden revisited the Vauxhall 25 chassis and produced 6 convertible Sloper bodies. In 1972 Trevor Poulsen photographed one in a wrecker's yard at Mackay Queensland.

Production Ex Woodville Plant

Hudson

Built by a Sydney bodybuilder in1936 this Hudson Terraplane bears a remarkable similarity to the Holden built Sloper of the same period. The car also features a folding rear seat in a manner used by Holden's.

 
This is a 1936 Hudson Sloper (more... )

Plymouth

Little is documented about the Richards Bodied Plymouth and Dodge Slopers. Certainly examples of both exist for 1937 and 1938. Richards Body Builders of South Australia contracted to Chrysler Australia to produce coupe bodies through the mid to late 30's. While appearing to resemble the Ford and GM Sloper style the body featured a bustle boot.
Production figures for these cars is unknown.

 
This is a 1937 Plymouth Sloper (more... )

This is a 1938 Plymouth Sloper (more... )

Links

• Norm Darwin Sloper pages