VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1916-1922 - Model 490 The Chevrolet 490

I have received a PM from a guy in Tennessee who recently acquired a 1919 490 with a canopy. It is in very good condition and he will be looking to sell it. He acquired it along with a 1911 Ford Model T and he is a Model T guy at heart. He really enjoys driving the 490 so, maybe he would convert? Haha...... Anyway, caulk up another 490 for the tally.
If anyone is interested in this car PM me and I will send you his contact info.

Cheers,
Gary

Thanks for the post. I'm the guy with the 490. Still can't find a distributor to fit it. Thanks again

Rooster,

If my memory serves, the 1919 490 should have a Remy distributor. I have a friend, though I haven't seen him at car shows in a couple years, that has a rebuilt Remy distributor! He has his fathers left over parts from decades past. He asked several years ago if I wanted it, but mine being a 1917, it has a Connecticut distributor, so I said no. If you are interested, I will do my best to track him down. I must warn though, I think the price was in the neighborhood of $350. Of course, if you need this to get you farther down the road, it is not that bad a price and I maybe able to do you better! Just tryin' to help out our 490 brothers!

Cheers,
Gary

We can add another 490 to our running total. This being a recent sale on eBay. It is a1922 490 4 door sedan. Body in good condition with an older restoration, but some tears to the front and rear seat due to rodent damage from long term storage. The car is not running, but turns over. Selling price was $6900 including many extra parts. A nice sale that will get another 490 back on the road.

It's a great day to own a Chevrolet!
Cheers,
Gary

I just found a 1920 Chevrolet 4 door sedan on eBay. It appears to be a 490, that has some 490 features, but also has some features that I am not familiar with as being 490. I am far from being any expert on 490s, and I would like you guys to weigh in on this unusual car. I have seen a couple of 1922 490 4 door sedans and the features on this 1920 vary greatly. What I have noticed:
1. A valve cover
2. A short intake manifold with cover plate
3. Vacuum tank mounted on firewall
4. Different linkage for distributor advance & carburetor
5. An enclosed starter & bell housing
6. Fenders are more straight than curved
7. The rear doors are not suicide doors
8. Different steering box
9. A different exhaust system with cabin heater
10. Did not have demountable wheels
11. Also, looks like the wheelbase maybe longer due to a larger body?
12. The VIN they list is strange being 5018 ?

This list is just what I've noticed right off the bat. A closer look will most likely reveal more differences. I would appreciate input from those who know more than I.

Thank you,
Gary

Please post the EBAY item number or a link.

Steve,

Sorry, I can't find an item number on my iPhone. Just type in, 1920 Chevrolet sedan and it comes up as first item. Sorry about that.

Gary

Looks to be item 111741918579.

Like driving the 490 so much I can't bear to give it up yet. I'm the third owner and the car came out of California. It ended up in Tennessee with the second owner and sat for 25 plus years and he never drove it even once. The original owner in California only used it at car shows as a popcorn truck. It's kinda funny how the T owners talk how the 490 was a flop and inferior to the model t but I can tell you they must have driven one. It's a blast to drive and ahead and behind the times all at once if you know what I mean. I would not want to race my 26 pickup against a 490. Parts can be hard to find though. I guess I need to hang out with you guys more often.

Rooster,

Glad you are enjoying your 490. Certainly, hope you still have it and continue to enjoy it for years to come! The 490 is quite a car and I too have a blast whenever I get behind the wheel. The Ford Model T people that knock the car have never driven one and it boils down to plain jealously of the competition! I enjoy all old cars and have driven both and other makes too. It's all about keeping the history alive! Let's continue to be apart of it........

Cheers,
Gary

Drove it today. Do you have a Zenith carb on yours?

I have a super clean 1919 490 for sale. It's a roadworthy curved top canopy that's been sitting in a collection for 40 years. If you know anyone who's looking pm me.

Thanks Gary for all the help. Your the best. Found a cast iron distibuter and it runs like a brand new car. Steering is stiff due to a swollen bushing I think. I'm going to take off the pitman arm and hook a 1/2 drill to the steering shaft and see if I can loosen it up. If not I'll pull it and make a new bushing. Still thinking of keeping the car as I love driving it and it looks so darn cool and runs so good. May turn it into a Hearst or something. Have a happy new year.

Howdy,

On my '28, I found the side plate of the steering box was pinching the worm gear, making the steering very stiff. I made a .002 inch brass shim that spaced the side plate away from the worm gear. This made the steering much better.

I also made sure that the steering box was full of John Deere Corn Head grease and put a couple of drops of 10-30W oil under the steering wheel to drip down the steering shaft. I used an oral syringe (plastic with no needle) to 'squirt' the Corn Head grease into the grease fitting in the steering box.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Dean

Hello,

Wow, a little more than 7 years ago I started this thread to bring together 490 owners and help get this remarkable car the recogintion it deserves. I can remember how I was hopeful that it would receive the 150 views so it would have the small flame in the "Views" box. So, here we are as this thread is about to turn 100,000 views! It just shows how not only are 490 owners interested in keeping their cars on the road, but people are interested in the car as they search on the Internet.
I would like to thank all who have contributed to this thread including CORetiree, who is no longer with us, whom helped a handful of us 490 owners with getting fabricated original style battery boxes. Every time I service the battery I remember his thoughtfulness in including us with his project. Rest in peace buddy, your 490 is touring the country back roads out there somewhere!

Keeping the History Alive

Cheers,
Gary

Hi all, Great forum. I have a 490 which I believe to be a 1917--Saskatchewan, Canada. This was cut down into a truck probably in the 1930s. The engine sounds great, but I need a rebuilt or new oil pump.

I just hauled a four cylinder engine complete with trans / clutch , just not sure what it is. Has external lift rods. I joined this chat room to see if some one can identify it for me.

Hi blindau,

Welcome! This is the primo web site (and club!) for info about your old Chevy.

There are many clues that could identify the year, but we need more info. For example what are the numbers that are cast on the side of the block and on top of the head?

Also, do you have some pics? As the saying goes, worth a thousand words.

Cheers, Dean

Hello everyone, my name is Constantino from Florida.
I just came across a beautiful surviver 1917 Chevrolet 490 Torpedo. It was at one point in a museum in Ohio until this gentleman bought it and has now been in florida for many year. He told me he started it about 2 weeks ago, said it runs, drives and brakes. Another curious thing he told was that on the dash panel he showed me this thing which he claimed to be rarer than the vehicle itself, it is called the connecticut kit, a set o pins or buttons used on the starting and operating of the lights. I'm seriously thinking about buying it but to resale it as I'm more into other kinds of vehicles. I have plenty of pictures but have not even tried to figure out how to post them here. If anyone is interested in this vehicle please contact me at cdkarfitsas@gmail.com and I'll gladly email the pictures.
Thank you in advance for your attention.

I just bought 2 Sampson truck motors. These are over bored 490 engines that GM installed in their Sampson truck line. They only built these motors for 3 years. The best part is they have a 3 port head.

Also there is an external oil pump and lines plus a generator driven distributor. These heads have 2 intake ports and 3 exhaust ports. 2 speed transmission with cone clutches.

Any thoughts??

brasscarguy