| Chevrolet Series 490 | |
|---|---|
1922 Chevrolet 490 touring car
| |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Chevrolet Motor Car Company (pre GM) Chevrolet Division, GM |
| Also called | Chevrolet Four-Ninety |
| Production | 1915-1922 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | mid-size |
| Body style | 2-door roadster 2-door special roadster 4-door touring chassis "cowl" truck added (1918) |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 171 in3, 26 hp (19 kW)(1916), I4 |
| Transmission | Selective-sliding 3-speed cone clutch[1][2] |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 102 in (2,591 mm)[1] |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Chevrolet Superior |
The Chevrolet Series 490 (or Four-Ninety) is a Brass Era American automobile, made from 1915 to 1922. The June 1915 introduction of the $490,[3] Chevrolet 490 was an immediate success and established the brand as a big player. The name would not denote the price for long (in 1921, the average price was $820[4]), but it would stay low enough to take a chunk out of the Model T market. The Model T started at $495 at the time. Chevrolet was soon so profitable that Billy Durant began buying shares of GM stock with his Chevrolet stock. Electric horns were standard.[3] And by 1921, standard equipment included a speedometer, and ammeter, dome lights (closed-body cars only), and headlight dimmers.[5]
All 490s were only offered with the Overhead Valve 171-cubic-inch (2.8 L) four cylinder, producing 26 hp (19 kW). This would be Chevrolet's main engine until the "Stovebolt" straight six replaced it for 1929.
The same year Chevrolet merged with GM, Durant wanted a pickup to compete with the new Ford Model TT. The answer was two models, the first 1918 Chevrolet Series 490 Light Delivery chassis cowl rated at half a ton and based on the auto. The second, not based on the 490, was a one-ton 1918 Chevrolet Model T (oddly enough) "Ton Truck" shared with GMC. It had a payload capacity rating of 2,000 lbs and sold for $1245 retail. Much like the chassis cab of today, they gave consumers a cheap, flexible platform to build on. Its steering wheel and gear shift lever, along with the instrument panel and gauge cluster, were also lifted from the passenger car. A chassis cowl included the chassis with engine, transmission and the front sheet metal which comprised the hood, front fenders, headlights and grille.[6]
| Year | Production | Price | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | $490 | |||
| 1916 | 70,701 | $550–$750 | 1,820-2,500 lbs | |
| 1917 | 100,000th Chevrolet, Chevy takes over GM | |||
| 1918 | 95,660 | $660–$1,060 | 1,890-2,160 lbs | chassy/"cowl" truck added |
| 1919 | 149,833 (approx.) | $715–$1,185 | 1,820-2,160 lbs | |
| 1920 | 150,226 (approx.) | $795–$1,285 | 1,820-2,160 lbs | |
| 1921 | 76,370 (approx.) | $795–$1,375 | 1,820-2,160 lbs | |
| 1922 | 243,479 (approx.) | $510–$875 | 1,435-2,150 lbs | |
| Total |
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Established in 1911, a division of General Motors since 1918 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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