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1925 Chevrolet Series K Superior

The Chevrolet Motor Company was formed in Detroit on November 3rd of 1911 by Swiss racing car driver and engineer Louis Chevrolet along with William C. Durant and investment partners William Little, James H. Whiting, R. S. McLaughlin, and Dr. Edwin R. Campbell. Mr. Litte was the manufacturer of the Little automobile, Mr. Whiting was a former owner of Buick, Mr. McLaughlin was CEO of General Motors in Canada, and Dr. Campbell was the son-in-law of Mr. Durant. In 1908, Mr. Durant founded General Motors, only to be forced out of the management position in 1910. Mr. Durant had also incorporated the Mason and Little companies and had taken over the Flint Wagon Works and Buick Motor Company in 1904. While with Buick, he hired Louis Chevrolet to race Buicks, increasing the reputation of both the Buick Company and Mr. Chevrolet. Capitalizing on Mr. Chevrolet's reputation, the new company was called 'Chevrolet.'

The Chevrolet vehicles, powered by an advanced overhead valve engine, were intended as the less costly junior model to Buick, who had patented the crossflow cylinder and overhead valve design. This arrangement was more efficient than the conventional flathead engine design. Etienne Planche designed the first C Series prototype before Chevrolet was incorporated. Following lengthy and thorough development, the first actual production Series C Classic Six was completed for the 1913 model year and introduced in time for the New York Auto Show. The legendary 'bowtie emblem' was first applied to the 1914 H Series Models and the L Series Model.

Following disagreements over the company's design direction, Louis Chevrolet left his namesake and sold his shares to Durant in 1914. By 1916, the Chevrolet company had prospered enough, allowing Durant to repurchase a controlling interest in General Motors. Durant became president of General Motors in 1917 and merged Chevrolet with GM as a separate division.

Not long after production began, Chevrolet introduced the 490 (or Four-Ninety), produced from 1915 to 1922. It sold for $490, thus its name, and was priced low enough to cut into Ford Model T sales territory, priced at $495 at the time. Power was from a 171 cubic-inch four-cylinder engine offering 24 horsepower and backed by a selective-sliding three-speed transmission with cone clutch. The wheelbase measured 102 inches, and body styles initially included a four-door touring and a two-door roadster. The two-door coupe and three-door sedan were added in 1918. A chassis 'cowl' truck also became available in 1918.

The Chevrolet Superior model was introduced in 1923, joining the Series C. The Series C listed for $700 to $1,060, while the Superior was priced from $495 to $860. The 1923 Superior was known as the B, the 1924 model was the Series F, and the Series K followed in 1925. The 1926 Superior was called the Series V. All Superior models were equipped with a 171 cubic-inch four-cylinder engine offering 26 horsepower, backed by a three-speed manual transmission, and riding on a 103-inch wheelbase.

Styling remained similar but gained a higher radiator with a flatter curvature near the top, a higher hood line, and the cowl section became narrower. The Deluxe versions (for the sedan, coupe, and touring) added disc wheels, nickel-plated radiator shells, motometers, deluxe radiator caps, locking steering wheels, bumpers, and running board kick plats. The Touring body style also had deluxe upholstery and outside door handles.

The Series K Superior Chevrolet was an improved version over the prior year and brought with it many important updates and modifications. It still rode on a 103-inch wheelbase but was now powered by an improved powerplant. The gearbox was updated with a new single dry plate clutch replacing the old cone clutch style. The ride and handling were improved by replacing quarter-elliptic rear springs with semi-elliptic springs. The brakes measured 11 inches in diameter and operated on the rear wheels.

The cost to own a new Superior Series K Touring car was $525, nearly twice as much as the Ford Model T, which cost $290. Although the Ford was much less expensive, Chevrolet promoted its product as 'Superior.' The cost included wood-spoke wheels and an electric starter. Bumpers were optional. The four-cylinder engine had overhead valves, while the Model T used an L-head four, rated at 20 horsepower (six less horsepower). The Chevy had a three-speed manual transmission, while the Ford used a two-speed planetary gearbox (the same setup since 1908).

The Touring cars, as well as the roadsters, were given wood-spoke wheels. The coupes and sedans, on the other hand, had steel-disc wheels.

In total, 519,229 examples were produced, including nearly 31,000 examples built in Canada.


by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2008

1925 Chevrolet Series K Superior Vehicle Profiles

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Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

1925 Series K Superior
$825-$11,000
1925 Chevrolet Series K Superior Price Range: $525 - $825

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Superior

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
306,479
103.00 in.
4 cyl., 171.00 CID., 26.00hp
$525 - $825
547,724
103.00 in.
4 cyl., 171.00 CID., 26.00hp
$499 - $802

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