VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION New User Forum 23 Roadster

I have a 1923 Chevrolet Model K Roadster. According to the brass tag on the firewall, it was made by Franklin Motor Co. in Findlay, Ohio. It was purchased by a recent widow in 1923, and last driven in 1939. The car has wooden disc wheels which look like laminated plywood, covered with a painted canvas.

Is there anybody that can verify that these wheels are original?

Hi, and welcome to the Chevy Chat II. We are glad you elected to join us.

You must have a mixed bag of worms. Model K and 1923 are not used in the same sentence. Franklin Motor Co. in Findlay, Ohio, I don't know what to say about that tag. I have never seen wooden disc wheels. Recent and 1923 also don't go in the same sentence.

Your ? begs for some pictures so we can figure out what you have. If you don't have pictures copy every casting number and stamped number on the car and post them here along with the location you found them.

A model K is a '25. Superior was the model in 1923. I suspect that Franklin Motor Co. was either the seller of the vehicle or modified an original Chevy many years ago.

The wooden disc wheels are definitely not original Chevrolet but could have been on the car when the widow originally purchased it. It could have been a used car even then.

Thanks for the responses. This web site is great!
I do have pictures, but my experience in making attachments is limited to e-mails. Is there someway of exchanging e-mail addresses, and I will send pictures that way?

My car is a 2 door roadster. It has an electric starter, fat man(tilting steering wheel), and came with a floor mounted foot pedal to engage or disengage the muffler, when you needed more power. There were no bumpers, it has one brake wrapped around the drive shaft. The seats were black leather, and behind the driver was a pocket for goodies. The gas tank is under the trunk, so there is the gas vacuum tank under the hood. The cone clutch is stuck, and the original owner somehow drove it that way. The car was sold by a Chevrolet Dealer in Fergus Falls, MN. The story I was told, was the lady had never driven a car before, paid cash, and they had to teach her how to drive it.

Was the model name "Superior" used on Coupes, Sedans, and Roadsters?

Les

Boy did I ever make a boo, boo! The brass nametag is from the Grant Motor Corporation, Findlay, Ohio. Car No. 1 5866. Model K.

Here is some information from the 1939 title:

No. A 6897. (Probably the license plate.)
Make: Chev
Motor: 288 65
Serial: 21B17742
Model: 1923
Type: Road
Tax: 5.00
Prev. No. A 24801
Resdnt: O'Tail

FYI: I found this web site by visiting Dennis Albaugh's Chevrolet Convertible car collection. His web site is: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/06/dennis-albaughs-collection-in-alkeny.html

He is having an open house July 23, 2011. Wish I could go!

Les

Hi Les,

The car serial number indicates the car was built at Janesville, Wisconsin (21) and is a 1923 Superior model (B).
The fat-man steering wheel and exhaust cut-out were add-ons.
Not sure what you mean by "...one brake wrapped around the drive shaft." Is there a brake drum on the drive shaft, sort of like the Model T's used, or has one of the car's brakes come apart and ended up entangled with the drive shaft? There should be a brake assembly on each rear wheel, consisting of an external contracting service (foot) brake, and an internal expanding emegency (hand) brake. There were no front brakes.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyowner/23om49.htm

Have fun with your new project!

Happy Motoring,

Dan

Thanks Dan,

Your response was most helpful, especially the http site for the owners manual. The lubrication and maintenance required on these old cars is awesome. Every 250 miles, the cone clutch had to be lubricated, and every 1000 miles the leaf springs had to be oiled. Wow, we've come along way!

I looked for the serial number tag on the drivers seat, but that has disappeared.

My feeble description about the brake being around the drive shaft was erroneous. The emergency brake has some mechanical linkage attached to the drive shaft, and then there are brake cables going to the rear wheels. And there are brake cables between the brake pedal and rear brakes.

Regarding the Grant Motor Car Corporation Brass Tag, I found a copy of it at: http://www.oocities.org/grantmotor/grant_emblems.html#fire

The first tag on the bottom row of "Firewall Serial Plates" is a duplicate of the one I have, except for the serial number and the model no.

Google web searching, has the Grant Motor Car Corp. closing in 1916 and moving to Cleveland. Somehow, this car body got shipped to Janesville, and came out a Chevrolet. That's my theory.

It has the honeycomb radiator with the porcelain Chevrolet bow tie near the top, and drum shaped headlights. The windshield is two pieces, and there appears to be a plastic sunscreen visor for the driver.

My previous post cited Dennis Albough's car collection, and he was having an open house next month. It probably is open only to people who make reservations.

Les

Does your 1923 Roadster have Nickeled radiator shell? Clock on dash? Nickeled Windshield Standards? Windshield Wiper? Khaki top?

It seems your car was made by the dealer in 1923 as a Sport Model by adding the fatman steering and the "Laminated Wood Disc Wheels with air Valve on outside"
kenK

The radiator cover is just plain painted metal. The windshield standards are painted also. No windshield wiper, and the top is made of the black fabric material. There is no clock. The original paint job I think was a light green, with a little bit of pin striping going around the top of the passenger area. The tire air valves are on the outside.

If you go to the Denis Arbaugh's web site in my previous post, the fourth picture down shows a 1922 roadster, and behind it, looks like it could be a 1923. Except there doesn't seem to be a drivers door, and the front fenders seem to be rounded on the top. versus the flat ones on my car.

I don't think the dealer where the car was purchased from, had the capabilites to build or modify cars in 1923.

I just googled the car dealer's name, and found this trivia bit of history: http://www.mnmotorco.com/MiscPage_8

Les

On the cover of the Chevrolet Sales Speeder for January 15, 1923, was a picture of a 1923 Touring that was dressed up with Chevrolet approved 1923 accessories.
The G&D in April 2000 reprinted a 1923 Sales Folder called Turning Chevrolets into Sport Models. A list of changes as shown that have not been mention are, Red paint job, CG front Bumber, Motormeter with dog bone, Nickeled drum type head and cowl lamps, Windshield wings, and step plates.
I wonder if any dealer turned out any 1923 Copper Cooled Sport Model roaster?
kenK