1931 Chevrolet Tourer

CAPRICORNIA HISTORICAL MOTOR CLUB Inc

A collection of photos taken during 20th Anniversary Rally September 1999

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Anyone who's paid even a modicum of attention to the goings-on in the car world at any point in their life is probably more than aware of the ongoing rivalry and occasional animosity between Ford and Chevrolet owners. What many people may not realize is that this rivalry has deep historic roots, going all the way back to November 3, 1911 when Chevrolet opened its first factory in an effort to compete with Ford's pioneering marvel--the Model T. After a year of production, the Chevy company introduced its "Classic Six," a five-seater touring sedan with a six-cylinder engine and the capability to reach a rollicking 65 miles per hour, compared to the Model T's 45 mile per hour maximum. With this edge over Ford, the Chevy company held its own coming into 1927 as Ford released the Model A. The Model A still only had a four-cylinder engine, but it too was able to reach speeds of 65 miles per hour, which left Ford and Chevy neck-in-neck. In 1929, Chevy introduced a new and improved six-cylinder engine which once again, nosed the Chevy company ahead of the competition.

1931, the year this beautiful Chevy "Phaeton" touring model was made, marked the final year the Chevy company was able to outsell Ford

, and is, therefore, a year that is held near and dear to many Chevy collectors and aficionados. Color magazine ads for the 1931 Chevy models bore the slogan "The Great American Value" and often featured pink-cheeked children and gallivanting dogs, playing up the fact that the cars, with their five-person capacity and affordable pricing, made excellent choices for the young, growing American family. Ladies Home Journal described the '31 Chevy as a "smart, colorful automobile with plenty of spirit and dash!" which certainly seemed to be true, as a 1931 Chevy could be had in a number of enticingly named colors, including "Ravenswood Brown", "Boulevard Maroon", "Boatswain Blue," and "Cellini Green." Another brochure offers a variety of selectable accessories for the discriminating customer who wishes to make their vehicle an extension of their unique tastes and personality. These accessories included an electric dashboard clock, a decorative radiator cap featuring either an eagle or a viking, and a "smokerkit" consisting of a classy, dash-mounted ashtray and a "wireless" cigarette lighter.