1923 Chevrolet Coupe
THF87044 / 1923 Chevrolet Coupe
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Artifact Overview
Chevrolet introduced an air-cooled engine alongside its standard water-cooled model for 1923. The design placed copper fins around the four cylinders to draw away heat. Air-cooled engines were lighter and simpler than water-cooled power plants. Unfortunately, flaws in Chevrolet's design led to overheating. The company recalled and destroyed nearly all 759 of its air-cooled cars. This example is a rare survivor.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Automobile
Date Made
1923
Place of Creation
Creator Notes
Engine designed by Charles Kettering; car manufactured by the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Corporation in Flint, Michigan.
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
00.136.125
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Material
Steel (Alloy)
Metal
Glass (Material)
Rubber (Material)
Copper (Metal)
Color
Black (Color)
Gray (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 74.25 in
Width: 68 in
Length: 142 in
Diameter: 24.75 in
Inscriptions
Radiator: COPPER/ CHEVROLET/ COOLED
Hub caps: CHEVROLET
On rear tire cover: CHEVROLET
Specifications
Make & Model: 1923 Chevrolet Coupe
Maker>: General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Michigan
Engine: inline-4, overhead valves, 135 cubic inches
Transmission: 3-speed manual
Height: 74 inches
Wheelbase: 103 inches
Width: 68 inches
Overall length: 142 inches
Weight: 1700 pounds
Horsepower: 22 at 1750 revolutions per minute
Pounds per horsepower: 77.3
Price: $880
Average 1923 wage: $1,299 per year
Time you'd work to buy this car: about 8 months
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Henry Ford built his first experimental engine using scrap metal for parts. He tested it on the kitchen sink after supper on December 24, 1893. For ignition he ran a wire from the ceiling's light bulb. His wife Clara hand-fed gasoline to the intake valve while Henry spun the flywheel. The engine roared into action, shaking the sink.