Friday, November 25, 2011

Chevrolet Truck History: From the 490 Half-Ton to the Silverado and Beyond

"While Chevrolet was founded in 1911 as a collaboration between racer Louis Chevrolet and entrepreneur William Durant, it wasn’t until January 1918 that it started producing trucks. Chevy’s been producing trucks ever since. Here are several Chevy trucks that represent the brand and its history.
1918 Chevrolet 490 Half-Ton Light Delivery 'Cowl Chassis'
The 490 Half-Ton was Chevy’s first truck. Based on the 490 car platform, but with stronger rear springs, the 490 was sold for $595 as a chassis only. It was up to the buyer to install a cab and bed or a panel van body, depending on what it would be used for. A one-ton Model T (for truck) was also available for $1,125. Again, it came bodiless, but unlike the 490 was built on a truck frame. Both vehicles were powered by four-cylinder engines. The 1918 Chevrolet Model T engine could produce 37 horsepower. Its speed was governor-limited to 25 mph. It wasn’t until 1929 that Chevy started using six-cylinder engines. By 1930, light-duty trucks came with factory-built cabs and bodies."  [Continue reading...]

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