See daredevil Captain Bob Ward and his crew of maniacs torture-test the 1935 Chevrolets in this classic Jam Handy film.

Here at Mac’s Motor City Garage we love the old auto thrill shows, as you couldn’t help but notice. We never get tired of all the classic thrill show stunts, from J-turns to ramp jumps. And we especially enjoy how the automakers once used thrill shows as a serious way to showcase the ruggedness  of their products. Here at the garage, we’ve presented numerous thrill show films produced by Ford, Chevrolet, Plymouth, Chrysler, and even Edsel. Now here’s one more, a classic Jam Handy film featuring the 1935 Chevrolet and daredevil impresario Captain Bob Ward.

Bob Ward’s Daredevil Aces, as the outfit was officially billed, was a bit more spectacular than most in that their routine often included aircraft stunts, including the classic gag of flying a World War I-surplus biplane straight into the roof of a house. But in this reel the star vehicle is not a Curtiss Jenny but a 1935 Chevrolet Coach, which is submitted to a series of torture trials including driving over railroad ties, ramp jumps, and the standard L-turn rollover. Here two recent General Motors advances of the time, the all-steel Turret Top and Knee Action independent front suspension, were put to good use. Video follows.