Vehicle Description
It's far more than an automotive antique - this 1919 Chevrolet 490
Touring Sedan is a bona fide rolling bit of Americana on wheels.
After holding court in a museum for quite a while, it pulled off
the floor - incredibly, something it's still able to do under its
own power - and now awaits its next chapter. Encountering a car
from this era that's still in original configuration and this
drivable is highly unusual, and this '19 will roll into its next
destination with its original owner's manual - not a repro- on hand
to provide still more historical perspective.
From the slight angle of the tall, double paned windshield with its
pair of fixed wings, to the more cabin like structure perched on
the chassis, this vintage Chevy features a number of styling cues
that set it apart from its better known rival. It rides on period
correct, wagon-esque wheels nicely color matched to the rest of the
exterior, which itself is draped in a suitably authentic shade of
tan, accented by black fenders and running boards. You'll want to
get up nice and close to appreciate both the historical and visual
impact this car offers and as you do, you'll notice very few flaws
on its exterior. The paint has a semi-gloss luster to it that was a
trademark look during its era and the chrome exterior fittings,
including the pair of headlights sitting astride a painted black
grille bearing the signature Chevy bowtie, remain in fine condition
as well. The overall road ready appearance of this pivotal car is
obvious when you're in its presence and it bears out when you get
it started and take it on the road.
Inside you'll see a black leather interior that's almost certainly
been in place since this Chevy rolled off the assembly line. This
being the case, you'll see the expected evidence of wear across the
two rows of bench seating, as well as the door covers to each side
- again, this car began its tour of service literally a hundred
years ago. A full collection of gauges resides in the black steel
of the dash - looking surprisingly similar to their counterparts
coming along quite a bit later - but a clear reminder of just how
time and technology have marched forward since this Chevy debuted
comes in the form of its heating system: it's fueled by a pair of
boxes that run on coal! Below, circular pedals and a lengthy
shifter sit over a floorboard that appears solid. Lift the hatch
just in front of the driver's seat and you'll find the fuel tank
standing by underneath.
This vintage Chevy is powered by a 171 cubic inch inline 4 that's
period-correct at the very least and more than likely the original
engine. Fed by its 1-barrel carburetor, the engine's "valve in
head" design features exposed pushrods and rocker arms and
represented state of the art technology in its era and it's in
surprisingly strong running condition. An antique cannister comes
along with the car to oil the apparatus every 30 miles as required
to keep it in good form as it teams with a 3-speed manual
transmission that's also likely original. This intriguing specimen
of early 20th century automotive engineering rolls on a set of
towering, period correct 30x3 wheels.
The odds of a car making its way through a full century in original
configuration and emerging in the unusually strong condition of
this 1919 Chevrolet 490 Touring Sedan are extremely remote, to say
the least, so this is an opportunity that seldom presents itself.
Call today!