1915 Chevrolet Series H

Chevrolet was still a young company in 1915, having been founded in 1912 by William C. Durant, who had lost control of his General Motors Company. While heading Buick, Durant had established a racing team, and one of the members was Louis Chevrolet. Since Chevrolet's name was exotic and well-established in the motorsport community, it became the company's name. Louis would be with the company of his namesake for just a short time, leaving in June of 1914 following a dispute with Mr. Durant. Also in 1914, the Chevrolet Company acquired the Maxwell Motor Company's Tarrytown, N.Y. plant, and a new sales office was established in Oakland, California.

Louis Chevrolet had envisioned a larger car than Durant wanted, and when the first Chevrolet car left the factory in 1912, it weighed nearly 4,000 pounds. It was called the Classic Six and it sold for $2,250. Durant envisioned a car that could compete with Henry Ford, so work began on a smaller, less-expensive car. In 1914, Chevrolet introduced the H-Series, powered by a 170.9 cubic-inch overhead valve four designed by Arthur Mason. This engine would serve the company well, remaining in production through 1928. The H-Series would be Chevrolet's mainstay until the introduction of the low-priced 490 in 1916.

Chevrolet offered the four-cylinder Series H and the six-cylinder Series L for 1915. The four-cylinder overhead-valve engine displaced 171 cubic inches and offered 24 (net) horsepower. The engine was backed by a three-speed sliding gear transmission with a cone-type clutch and floor-mounted gearshift controls. Pricing began at around $750 for the 2-door roadster. The five-passenger touring sold for $850, while the comparable six-cylinder Series L sold for $1,475. The six-cylinder engine was a 271 CID with 30 horsepower.

The 1915 Chevrolet Series H was similar to the prior year's model but now rested on a slightly longer wheelbase which measured 106 inches. They were given a starter as standard equipment, a larger 17-inch diameter steering wheel, a one-piece windshield, a rear deck that could be locked, concealed door hinges, and larger tires resting on demountable rims. Bodystyles included the roadster (also known as the Royal Mail), special roadster (a.k.a the Amesbury Special), and touring (a.k.a the Baby Grand). The Amesbury Special roadster was a one-year-only body style.

During 1915, Chevrolet produced 13,605 vehicles, including 313 examples built in Canada.

by Dan Vaughan

Special Roadster
Chassis number: N7644

The Chevrolet Model H was powered by a four-cylinder overhead valve engine that displaced 171 cubic inches and produced 24 horsepower. They had a three-speed selective sliding gearbox with floor-mounted gearshift controls and a cone-type clutch. The Series H was available as a Special Roadster, roadster, and four-door tourer. Production for the year reached 13,605 units. The appearance stayed basically the same as the 1914 models, but the wheelbase size was larger, now measuring 106 inches. Other new features for 1915 included larger tires with demountable rims, concealed door hinges, and windshield cowl braces that were no longer used.

The Amesbury Special 2-passenger roadster was a new body style for 1915. They had an exposed wooden dashboard, a lockable rear deck, and a one-piece windshield. These models were the most expensive Model H body style for 1915, selling for $985. The roadster was the least expensive, selling for $750.

This Chevrolet Amesbury Special Roadster wears an older restoration but remains in excellent condition throughout.

In 2010, this car was offered for sale at the Vintage Motor Cars of Hershey presented by RM Auctions. It was estimated to sell for $12,000 - $17,000 and offered without reserve. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $38,500 including buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster

The Royal Mail roadster was Chevrolet's 1914 entry-level body style on the Series H. This roadster body style sold for $750 and offered comfortable seating for two - possibly three occupants. It had a wheelbase size of 104 inches, was hand-crank operated, and featured a magneto. For an additional $125, an Auto-Lite electric starter could be added.

Touring

Chevrolet offered three body styles in 1915: a two-passenger roadster (H-2), a two-passenger special roadster (H-3), and a five-passenger, four-door touring car (H-4). The latter was also known as the 'Baby Grand.'

The Series H was built on a 106-inch wheelbase chassis and was powered by an inline, overhead valve, four-cylinder motor that developed 24 horsepower. By 1915, electric lights had become standard equipment.

Options included a starter (mounted on the flywheel at the rear of the engine), front bumper, spare tire, outside rear mirror, AutoLite electrical system, adjustable steering wheel, and a MotoMeter.

Special Roadster
Chassis number: D8847

This Chevrolet Model H-3 Amesbury Special Roadster has been owned by Classic Auto Sales and Herbie's Museum. It was acquired by the Merrick Auto Museum in 1995. It is finished in French Grey with green pin striping and green diamond-pattern buttoned leather upholstery. It has been given a 1,200-hour restoration and has a correct top and brackets.

This Amesbury Special Roadster is one of three known to exist.

by Dan Vaughan

Chevrolet was founded by William Durant and would soon become one of the strongest manufacturers and market leaders of the time. This success was based on many factors, especially the well-built four-cylinder engine that was reliable and cost-effective for the company and the client. The engine used an overhead-valve configuration and was designed by Arthur Mason. It operated with splash lubrication, displaced 171-cubic-inches and produced 24 horsepower.

The Model H had wooden wheels, a transmission mounted mid-ship - placed to the rear of a cone clutch and ahead of the torque tube running to the rear axle. There were rear brakes and leaf springs all around (semi-elliptic front and three-quarter elliptic in the rear).

The first Series H was available in either the 'Baby Grand' touring car or the 'Royal Mail' roadster. The base price began at $750 and was the first Chevrolet to sell for less than $1000.

by Dan Vaughan