See a 1938 Chevrolet square off against a mighty steam locomotive in this entertaining Jam Handy film.

In all its years producing promotional films for the Chevrolet division of General Motors, the Jam Handy Organization never ran out of crazy ideas, it seems. For example: Sailing yachts, railroad trains, and suspension bridges are used in this 1938 film to illustrate the engineering principles behind Chevrolet’s Box-Girder frame construction. For the grand finale, a Chevy Sedan is fitted with special bumpers to serve as a rail car, then shoved down the tracks by a mighty steam locomotive to demonstrate the toughness of the chassis.

The Box-Girder frame (a steel box section with a flanged lower element) was an essential selling point for Chevy in ’38, along with Knee Action independent front suspension, 85-hp valve-in-head six, Synchro-Mesh transmission, and Hypoid rear axle. With prices ranging from $648 to $817, Chevrolet offered a product that was as advanced as any in the low-priced field. It paid off in sales, as Chevy handily led both Ford and Plymouth in total volume that year. Video below.