1918 Chevrolet Series 490

Chevrolet introduced the 'Four Ninety' series in 1916 - so-called because of its $490 price tag - to challenge Henry Ford's Model T for the low-priced auto market. The Four Ninety was produced through 1922, and like its rival, the Model T, changed very little during that time. By 1917, Chevrolet had reached the $100,000 sales mark, but was still well behind the Model T. In 1918, Chevrolet, now part of General Motors, sold its first Chevy truck.

In 1927, Chevrolet finally out-sold its rival, Ford. The Model T assembly lines had been shut down for most of 1927 to gear up for the production of the all-new Model A. Ford easily regained its status as the number-one automaker by early 1929.

For 1918, the Series 490 was available as a Tourer, Roadster, All-Weather Coupe, or Sedan. Pricing ranged from $660 - $1060. Power was from an overhead-valve four-cylinder engine offering nearly 30 horsepower. They had a three-speed selective sliding gearbox and external contracting brakes on the rear wheels. The wheelbase measured 102 inches and rode on tires that measured 30 x 3.5 inches.