1929 Chevrolet Series AC History

The new 6 cylinder got it’s nickname from the external slotted-head fasteners used that looked like those on wood burning stoves of that era. The name stuck and the engine was improved over the years and increased in size and still in production up until the 1980’s It was also referred to as the “Cast-Iron Wonder” because of its cast-iron pistons.

Trucks were just beginning to come into their own and after the huge success of Ford’s roadster pickups, Dodge acquired  Graham Bros trucks and Chevrolet started to develop small pickups. These trucks were still a sort of ad hoc affair with all boxes having to be supplied by an outside manufacturer and usually after the truck was sold. Some were added on the production line but GM had not yet committed to a full closed cab and box design. This was still an improvement over plunking a pickup box onto the back over an early 20’s Chevy automobile and calling it a pickup.

For 1928 Chevrolet introduced a roadster pickup late in 1928 and it’s radiator shell, hood panels, cowl and doors were taken from a Chevrolet convertible passenger car. The windshield was two inches taller than the car and was able to flip down and swing out. The roof was stretched over a rigid frame made of wood and steel and a back wall was added to complete the cab. Complete with fenders and running boards the little trucks sold for $515 but did not include a pickup box. Roadster pickups popularity was waning and the model was dropped in 1932, two years before Ford gave up on the roadster pickup model.

There were 10 body styles available for the Series AC. Interestingly, the fuel gauge was located on the fuel tank and not moved to the dash until 1930’s new improved Series AD which sold 200,000 less nits than the 1929 model. The trucks had Mechanical Four Wheel Hydraulic Brakes. Steel disc wheels replaced wooden wheels still commonly in use in the 20’s. The truck was also offered in a variety of colours.

Additionally, Complete bodies were offered by Martin-Perry provided cabs and boxes from their catalogues.

The Canadian produced trucks were slightly different than the American models. The American models have large square corner rear windows while the Canadian Models have smaller windows with a large radius curve to the corners. The doors and side panels of the US trucks have two ribs stamped in the sheet metal while the Canadian doors and side panels have nickel trim attached. The last big difference is the Canadian Trucks use the 1928 American roof design and a different mounting for the roof visor.

No indication which model was built for assembly overseas.  This webite, http://home.znet.com/c1937/Prod.htm indicates  Chevrolet built 32,086 bare chassis and 124,744 Cab and Chassis for a total of 156,830 trucks in 1929

Oshawa, Ontario Canada,
Osaka, Japan,
General Motors South Africa,
GM Argentina, Buenos Aires,
Argentina
GM Belgium, Antwerp, Belgium,
Oakland, California,
Tarrytown, New York,
Flint, Michigan,
Norwood, Ohio
St. Louis, Missouri

The successor to this truck is the Chevrolet Series AD Universal

Facts for 1929

  • US Population 121.8 million
  • Price of a gallon of gas, $0.21
  • Gallon of milk $0.56
  • Average household income $1,582
  • Price of a new home $7,246

http://media.gm.ca/media/ca/en/chevrolet/home.detail.html/content/Pages/news/ca/en/2017/Sep/0927-100-years-iconic-trucks.html

http://www.chevytrucklegends.com/us/en/100-year-history-of-chevy-trucks.html

http://www.gm.com/mol/m-2017-nov-1113-great-moments-in-torque.html

https://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/gallery%2016%2035.html

https://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/taylor%20jim%201929.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Series_AC_International

https://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/taylor%20jim%201929.html

 

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I live in Surrey, BC Canada and am a volunteer with the museum,