Chevrolet Series L Light Six | |
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | Chevrolet |
Production | 1914–1915 |
Assembly | Flint Assembly, Flint, Michigan |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Full-size car |
Body style | 5 passenger, 4-door touring |
Layout | FR layout |
Powertrain | |
Engine | 271 in3 35 hp, L head I6 |
Transmission | Rear-mounted selective sliding 3-speed, with a cone clutch |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 112.0 in (2,845 mm) |
Chronology | |
Predecessor | Chevrolet Series C Classic Six |
Successor | Chevrolet Series D |
The Chevrolet Series L Light Six was an American car produced by Chevrolet in 1914 and 1915. The Chevrolet 'Bow Tie' emblem debuted in 1914 and has been used on all Chevrolet cars and trucks since. When the Classic Six ceased production at the end of the 1914 model year the Light Six replaced it in 1915 as Chevrolet's top-of-the-line offering.
The L Series used a Sterling six-cylinder L-head engine rated at 35 bhp and an Autolite electric starter. A cone-style clutch was mounted to the engine with a drive shaft that was connected to a rear-end mounted selective sliding 3-speed transmission. The car used a 3/4 floating type rear suspension with 34 in × 4 in (860 mm × 100 mm) tires. [1]
The L Series was a 5-passenger four-door touring car and cost US$1,475 ($44,867 in 2023 dollars [2] ). It was competitive with the Buick Six in both size and price. [1]
Available body colors were Chevrolet Blue or Gunmetal Grey. The hood, radiator, and fenders were all painted black. The chassis and wheels were blue. Also included was light grey pinstriping on the wheel spokes and hood vents. [3] [4]
Series L production ran from 1914 through 1915. Chevrolet Motor Company records indicate approximately 1000 were made.
The only known surviving Light Six is a 1914 model displayed in the GM Heritage collection museum. It was previously owned by a member of the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America, Pinky Randall, also known as "Mr. Chevrolet", before he sold it to the museum. [5]
The Ford Model C is an automobile that was produced by Ford Motor Company. Introduced in late 1904, the Model C was Ford's lower priced 1905 model. The first sales were in October 1904, with most sold during the 1905 calendar year. Horace Dodge made major changes to the design of the engine, rear axle and other parts of the car. The Model C used the same 10 hp motor the 1904 Model A was equipped with. Model C had a longer wheelbase than the earlier Model A. Built at the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant, it was the entry-level car in the Ford model lineup, slotting below the upscale Model B. Production ended in 1905 with approximately 1,000 cars produced. About 160-170 Model C were assembled in Canada at Ford's new Ford Canada location in Walkerville. Due to the Dodge Brothers owning a ten percent share of the company, as well as supplying many parts and assemblies, the Model C took to the road with Dodge-built engines and other key assemblies.
The Oakland Motor Car Company of Pontiac, Michigan, was an American automobile manufacturer and division of General Motors. Purchased by General Motors in 1909, the company continued to produce modestly priced automobiles until 1931 when the brand was dropped in favor of the division's Pontiac make.
The Buick Standard Six Series 20 was manufactured by Buick at what would later become known as the Buick City factory on Hamilton Ave. in Flint, Michigan, and was the junior model to the Buick Master Six between 1925 through 1929, and shared the GM A platform with Oldsmobile, Oakland and Chevrolet. The Standard Six evolved from the earlier Buick Six when the Buick 4-cylinder was cancelled. The Standard Six was the most popular Buick sold while being more upscale to the Oldsmobile Six. It was the senior brand to Marquette under the General Motors Companion Make Program until Marquette was cancelled one year later. It replaced the earlier Buick Six that was introduced in 1916, and was replaced with the Buick Series 50. Coachwork continued to be offered by Fisher Body who was the primary supplier of all GM products at this time, and Duco automotive lacquer paint, introduced by DuPont was the first quick drying multi-color line of nitrocellulose lacquers made especially for the automotive industry.
The Chevrolet Superior Series F was manufactured by Chevrolet from 1923 to 1926, with a different series per year. The 1923 model was known as the Series B, the 1924 model was the Series F, for 1925 it was known as the Series K and the 1926 Superior was known as the Series V. It was replaced in 1927 by the Series AA Capitol. It was the first Chevrolet that didn't have a larger companion model and was the only car sold by Chevrolet in several body style configurations all supplied by Fisher Body. Each year new mechanical changes, appearance updates or optional features that became standard in subsequent years became expected of all GM products including Chevrolet. Body styles were separated into open and closed which meant closed included retractable glass in the doors and glass surrounding rear seat passengers. Standard items included tools, a jack for tire removal, speedometer, outside lockable door handles, ammeter, oil pressure gauge, dashboard light, choke pull knob, electric horn, ignition theft lock, and a two piece vertical ventilating windshield that allowed fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Wheels were 30" and came standard with hickory wood spokes or optional pressed steel discs. For 1925, bumpers were offered optionally along with outside side view mirrors, heater for passenger compartment and a clock.
The Royal Mail models H-2 (1914–1915) and H-2½ (1916), the Amesbury Special model H-3 (1915) and the Baby Grand model H-4 (1914–1916) were American cars produced by Chevrolet from 1914 to 1916. It was replaced by the Chevrolet Series F in 1917.
The Chevrolet Series D is an American automobile produced by Chevrolet for the 1918 model year. It was the first, and for many years, the only Chevrolet car available with a V8 engine; a V8 would not appear again until 1955. Over 4,000 Series D cars were manufactured.
The Chevrolet Series 490 is an early American automobile, made from 1915 to 1922 by Chevrolet. Introduced in June 1915, the Chevrolet 490 was sold for $490. It was was an immediate success and established the brand as a big player. The name would not denote the price for long, 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 Chevrolet owner Billy Durant began buying shares of GM stock with his Chevrolet stock, enough that he was able to take control of GM and merge Chevrolet with it. Electric horns were standard. And by 1921, standard equipment included a speedometer, and ammeter, dome lights, and headlight dimmers.
The Chevrolet Series AB National is an American vehicle manufactured by Chevrolet in 1928 to replace the 1927 Series AA Capitol. Documented production numbers show that 1,193,212 Series ABs were manufactured in a variety of body styles with 69,217 originating from the Oshawa factory alone. Chevrolet instituted serial number recorded on the front seat heel board on either the left or right side, using the listed numbers to designate the point of origin of the vehicle identified.
The Chevrolet Series AC International is an American vehicle manufactured by Chevrolet in 1929 to replace the 1928 Series AB National. In all, 1,328,605 Series ACs were manufactured in a range of ten body styles, with 73,918 from Oshawa. The Series AC was distinguished from the AB by the introduction of a new six-cylinder engine, the first Chevrolet with a six-cylinder since the 1915 Chevrolet Series C Classic Six. Advertised as "A Six for the price of a Four", it was only $10 more than the outgoing four-cylinder Series AB. To simplify production operations, each factory was designated one body style for national consumption and shipped by railroad to major American cities. The serial number of origin was relocated to the right body sill underneath the rubber floormat except for the roadster and phaeton, which were inscribed on the right side of seat frame. Prices listed started at US$525 for the roadster or phaeton to US$725 for the Landau Convertible.
The Chevrolet Series FA of 1917–1918 is an American vehicle manufactured by GM's Chevrolet Division. It was a replacement of the Series F which had improvements in engine capacity as well as other features. In this transformation of series, the pre-existing names of the H and F series cars, The Royal Mail and Baby Grand were dropped in favor of the names Roadster and Touring respectively. The FA Series was then replaced by the Chevrolet Series FB in 1919. Production was not interrupted while the United States entered World War I starting in 1917.
The Buick 4 was a series of passenger cars produced by the Buick Division of GM from 1909 through 1918, and was available as a touring car, phaeton or roadster. It was available with the Buick Model B as a larger alternative offering a larger engine and better durability. It became the junior sedan in 1914 when the Buick Six was introduced.
The Oldsmobile Model 30, which continued to be known as the Oldsmobile Six, was built from the 1923 through 1927. Each year it was built, it was given the suffix 30-A, 30-B, 30-C, 30-D and 30-E for the last year of production, all having been manufactured in Lansing, Michigan. General Motors used the GM A platform, shared with the Buick Standard Six and the Oakland Six, and the yearly changes were the result of a new business philosophy called planned obsolescence. The Model 30 was Oldsmobile mid-level product and introduced the flathead Oldsmobile straight-6 engine, while the Oldsmobile Model 43 with a four-cylinder engine remained the entry level product. When the top level Oldsmobile Light Eight, with the flathead Oldsmobile V8 engine was cancelled in 1923, the Oldsmobile Six became the top level vehicle. It replaced the Oldsmobile Model 37 introduced in 1917, and was replaced by the Oldsmobile F-Series introduced in 1928. In 5 years, 236,474 cars were built. The growing popularity of GM's brands, like Oldsmobile, contributed to becoming the largest automobile manufacturer when sales overtook the Ford Motor Company during this time period. Coachwork for the various bodystyles were supplied by Fisher Body of Detroit, MI, and starting with the 1923 model year, all GM products adopted a shared appearance, with brand specific unique appearance features. The retail price had dropped considerably from previous years due to the popularity and affordability of the Ford Model T, with the top level sedan at US$1,095.
The Chevrolet Series F of 1917 was an American automobile manufactured by Chevrolet before they became a division of General Motors. The successor of the Series H, it had a longer wheelbase and other improvements, but kept the same engine. It was replaced the following year by the Series FA in 1918, which had a larger, more powerful engine. It was sold as the larger alternative to the Chevrolet Series 490, and the Model F was available for US$800 as either a roadster or touring sedan. As the Model F and Series 490 were in direct competition with the Ford Model T, sales were recorded at 110,839 for Chevrolet, with 57,692 Series 490 and 3,493 Model F. Chevrolet instituted Knock-down kit assembly where the product was created at Flint Assembly, then shipped by rail to the branch locations and locally assembled using locally sourced items such as tires, glass and other items. In 1917, the Monroe Motor Company was sold to William Small of Flint MI and was no longer sold by independent Chevrolet dealers when they weren't part of GM. Mason Motor Company was merged into Chevrolet once it became a division of GM and was used to supply engines for GM-Chevrolet vehicles.
The Model 42 was an entry-level four seat passenger car produced by GM's Oldsmobile Division in 1914. It was offered as a replacement to the Oldsmobile Curved Dash runabout when it was discontinued in 1908, and was the junior platform to the Oldsmobile Six introduced in 1913. GM had acquired Elmore Manufacturing Company, Oldsmobile and Oakland Motor Car Company in 1908 and Cartercar and Rainier Motor Car Company in 1909 as their entry-level models, and Oldsmobile products were being repositioned in their new hierarchy as GM began to consolidate operations after William Durant had left.
The Model 43 was an entry-level four seat passenger car produced by GM's Oldsmobile Division in 1915 and 1916, then again in 1921 and 1922. It replaced the Model 42 also known as the "Baby Olds", while the most significant improvement was a longer wheelbase shared with the Buick Series C. Until GM assumed control of Chevrolet in 1917, the previous Model 42 and the Model 43 were GM's entry-level cars which led to the interrupted production of the Model 43 as Oldsmobile was promoted as a higher content product. It was also known as the "Oldsmobile Four" and competed with the Chevrolet Series H as an entry-level model until GM bought Chevrolet. It was the junior level product to the upscale Oldsmobile Light Eight. It was Oldsmobile's last four-cylinder car until 1977 with the Oldsmobile Starfire.
The Oldsmobile Six, also known as the Model 53, 54 and 55 (1913-1915) then a brief cancellation until it reappeared as the Model 37, 37A and 37B (1917-1921) was a top level sedan along with the Oldsmobile Series 40 junior vehicle produced by GM's Oldsmobile Division and was manufactured at Lansing Car Assembly in Lansing, Michigan. It replaced the Series 28 also known as the "Oldsmobile Autocrat" and was replaced by the Oldsmobile Model 30 in 1927, and shared wheelbases with the Buick Six. It continued to use the T-head engine for two years. The various bodystyles were supplied by Fisher Body of Detroit, MI. It competed with the Chevrolet Series C Classic Six as Chevrolet was an independent company before becoming a division in 1917. Oldsmobile also shared technology with GMC for commercial and industrial products.
The Oldsmobile Light Eight was an automobile produced by the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors in roadster, two-door coupe, four-door sedan from between 1916 and 1923. It was powered by a sidevalve V8 engine, the maker's first, and shared with the 1916 Oakland Model 50.
The Packard Six was a series of luxury automobiles built over several generations by Packard from 1913 until 1947. The name was originally used to describe the car in general terms, while Series numbers were initially used and changed every year to denote wheelbases, then the number classification changed as market conditions changed so as to keep competitive with other luxury brands.
The Buick Six was a top level automobile produced by GM's Buick Division which was first introduced in 1914, and was the senior vehicle to the Buick Series B Four. It was an all new platform which was shared with the Oldsmobile Six and was the first Buick to implement a steering wheel on the left side, and electric starter provided by Delco Remy along with an electric lighting system and electric Klaxon horn. The gearshift and emergency brake were relocated to a central position inside the vehicle, an approach used on all GM products for 1914. It continued to use the patented overhead valve engine implemented by Walter Lorenzo Marr while the cylinder head was not removable until later developments. The engine displacement was 331 cu in (5.4 L) and the wheelbase was 130 in (3,302 mm). The first year Buick Six was only offered as a touring sedan for US$1,985.
The Oakland Six was the first six-cylinder engine offered by the Oakland Motor Company in 1913 which became a division of General Motors in 1909. The Oakland Six was offered in many different model names that changed every year, along with several body styles and engine displacements until 1929, when the V8 was reintroduced, then in 1931 Oakland was renamed Pontiac. When Oakland became a division of GM and introduced the Oakland Four, Oldsmobile and Buick shared bodywork and chassis of their six-cylinder models with Oakland. When Chevrolet became part of GM in 1917, Oakland chassis and bodywork were shared with Chevrolet. Manufacture of the Oakland was completed in Pontiac, Michigan.