GM History Trivia

[HarleyEarl]

When Chevrolet became part of the GM in 1918, they named their new car the Chevrolet Series 490. What was the significance of the '490'?

[Jamie]

List price in dollars. Electric lighting and starter added another 60 bucks.

[Flybrian]

And yet an ashtray and cigarette lighter is a $96 option on a modern Toyota. I realize inflation and all, but so what. Speaking of which, the electric lighting/starter 'package' would be about an $867 option on a $7100 autombile in today's money. Well worth the cost.

[HarleyEarl]

Was the significance of it that the starting price was $490?

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You got it. It was a bit of a marketing thing to compete with Ford, but then Ford lowered it's price to counteract.

[Sixty8panther]

Right from the start Chevrolet was cooler than Ford. Ford may have been before Chevy but Olds existed when Ford was just a twinkle in Henry's eye.

[HarleyEarl]

Exactly....Olds invented the first automobile assembly line, long before Ford....and yet many think Ford invented it.

[Jamie]

and coincidentally, there's was a photo of a Chevrolet 490 posted in the Trivia section within the past week ...

[capriceman]

It took what 4 bankruptcies for Ford to get it right.

[balthazar]

Ford Motor Company of today was Henry Ford's 3rd venture. FYI: As far as a 'twinkle in Henry's eye', Ford had a running car in 1896. Not sure when Olds first had a running car, tho Olds was of course organized in 1897. Ford may not have been first of the 2, but he was a lot closer than many realize. Ford inverted Olds' assembly line: Olds moved the workers to the car, Ford moved the cars to the worker.

[Hudson]

Exactly....Olds invented the first automobile assembly line, long before Ford....and yet many think Ford invented it.

As is pointed out above, Ford employed the MOVING assembly line for the first time in automotive production. That is where many people have the confusion. Many people mistakenly believe that Henry Ford invented the automobile as well. Or that the Model T came before the Model A. Or....