VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1916-1922 - Model 490 Got my 490 back home

I just got in with the car after a hellish ordeal with hwy closings and blizzard warnings in New Mexico. My 71 Chevy truck really earned its keep by getting us back home to Indiana in 1.5 days from far southwest Silver City New Mexico. Supposedly the car is originally from Durango. It is very nice so far from what I have seen. I have yet to find a speck of rust anywhere. The top and seats have been redone but in the right style but not the right material. The exhaust manifold is MINT! nicer that any NOS I ever saw! not a speck of rust on it. This car might have the original muffler still!!!has a very short tapered outlet pipe. The heat stove is very nice and also no rust. The rear floor appears to have been covered with something as there are snaps on the floor and toe board box lid. Hasn't been started in 10 years but looks like it will fire right up. The fan does not look original at all and is a short 5-6 blade deal, possibly changed for parade use. The hub caps do not say Chevrolet and are painted black in the centers. Looks to have had a dash light at one time, Dads car does not have one and never did. It rolled too nice in the 5 degree temps so I bet it has the wrong gear lube. Spark plugs and wires are not the originals (bummer). I bet it has short reach plugs in it also but haven't looked yet. Lots of tools under the rear seat and toe board box. Can't wait for daylight! More info and pictures posted as it comes to light.

There's nothing finer than a grueling road trip on A Mission to bring home a new toy in the form of a grand old car - especially if the trip itself is made in a 40 year old Chevy truck! Sounds like a great adventure, I would have loved it.

Now we are waiting breathlessly for photos and stories about this well preserved 490!

Sounds to me like a GREAT story for the G&D - better than most.

Well done and I envy you a bit too. Let's hear more when you have the time.

You wrote: The hub caps do not say Chevrolet and are painted black in the centers. Just the same as on Solan. As to my opinion they did not stamp Chevrolet on the hub caps the first years of 490. (Saving all the cents they could???) I have both hubs made from steel and brass, with the same threads and size.

The exhaust pipe is ending quite short under front end of the back seat, so be aware of standing too long not moving. Good luck!

The original hub caps on Dads car do have Chevrolet stamped. I posted numbers so maybe it is a matter of where the car was built. The ol 71 chevy truck performed great, but even with 3 tanks couldn't hardly get past a gas station on the way out with the 40+ headwind, did better on the way home! Nice rough ride on a long 1300 mile one way trip with the 3/4 ton suspension! I slept great last night!

In order to avoid a lot of the wind pressure when hauling the 490 (or may be all open cars) unscrew the nuts on the frame of the front window and set the glasses in 60 degrees, like a wind wing before you fasten the nuts again. Saves gas but more important: You don't damage the front window and the frame.

We are hauling Solan with up to not more than 70 km/h (real speed) on our open trailer and are using four straps with strength of 2 tons to keep him quiet.

I did do that on the 490.I did it first time back in 1997 when I hauled my 24 Olds back from California, sure makes a difference in wind drag. I also lowered the top down. When I put the windshield back in place, I noticed someone changed the glass to Safety Plate. For the best for sure. It is still on the trailer as of this morning as I will haul it to the license branch to get the title work done. Then this afternoon I will finally unload it or may just get it all checked out and started while on the trailer.

Nice thinking. We always put the top down and secure it with the clamps and the cover before driving. Even if it is raining on the tour, hauling an open car, I feel better and more secure to preserve my 490 from damaging wind blows and may be more important: the very heavy wind pressure from big rigs/trucks coming the other direction. We don't have too many highways here with separated lanes.

In Norway you normally have to change to security glass in front and side windows before new registration. You may keep old panes if they are without any cracks etc, but they don't recommend it for safety reasons.