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 Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2020