Archives - 1913

Models Built & Sold in 1913:

Total Production: 5,987

Here we see Louis Chevrolet (white duster) and William Durant (left of windshield) pose with the first production [ I would call this the first Chevrolet Six - the 1913 prototype - the 1913 Type C production models had a hooded cowl and not this flat dash design. I think this photo and caption should be moved to the 1913 model year which had started at least 4 months before. You should use a photo of the 1912 Little 4 up to serial # 500. Chevrolet - not to be for sale until the 1913 model year. This photo was taken in mid December 1912 and printed in a Detroit newspaper. Durant's son Cliff and his wife occupy the front seat. (Photo courtesy of Chevrolet Public Relations) Louis Chevrolet later claimed that the six cylinder car Cliff drove to San Francisco was the first prototype Six, but in fact this car was more likely eriel number #2 - seriel #1 going to a prototype Four Racabout that was reported to have done 110 m.p.h. a year earlier. Chevrolet #2 shows up in a 1917 California Registration list. You could also call this the 2nd Chevrolet built car from the West Grand Blvd plant with the Little 4 being #1 and the first prototype completed at the Chevrolet factory on Nov 9th - or the 3rd car built by Chevrolet if you include the large 4 cyl raceabout built at the Grand River Ave garage.] I doubt Louis would of even assigned a serial # to this unfinished raceabout -especial if it was scraped? And it would have been ignored by Bill Little as the product of a pre Chevrolet Motor Co organization I would think. Louis told John C Wetmore in mid December 1912 that the car Cliff was to drive out to California was the "first Chevrolet" probably just forgetting that it was the first six cylinder touring finished but had serial #2 since it followed the Little 4,