There are several interesting points that can be observed from the 34 cars listed here. First, the Type C used both a chassis serial number and an engine serial number, and I believe both of them were used for registration purposes back in the early days. Typical the engine was never the same as the chassis number, because engines were delivered by the Sterling Motor Co. in batches, and were not used up in any particular order.

    Take for example No. 2. We know Cliff Durant drove the first experimental model Type C out to California in January 1913. I found No. 2 registered in the 1917 California records. Since California was one of the first states to title cars by the stamped engine number, instead of the easily removed nailed on Car No. nameplate, it is more then likely that Mr. Borges was the owner of the first Type C, Car No. 1, that had the Sterling built No. 2 engine in it.

    Another example is No. 48. Julius C. Schultz, whose letterhead lists him as a "Architect & Designer of Breweries and Bottling Plants." He wrote to Joe Rath, dated Jan. 24, 1914, which he stated, "The Chevrolet Touring Car" that I purchased from you last March has given me fine service." He bragged he had driven 10,000 miles in ten months "and have had very little trouble." I estimated No. 48 was built the first week in May 1913 (see September 1996 REVIEW), so either the Detroit plant built more Type C’s earlier then I estimated, or this No. 48 is the engine number?

    No. 11 and 12 could have been the Buffalo Type C show cars that were mentioned in the January 26, 1913 newspaper article (see February 1991 REVIEW). I estimated they built 13 Type C’s by the end of January 1913.

ONLY BUILT 402 “TYPE C” BIG SIXES?
      One interesting observation is the highest Car No. Chevrolet Type C Six found so far is only serial number 388. In the past (see September 1996 REVIEW), I have estimated that there were almost 500 Type C’s built between December 1912 and May 1914. This was based on the 402 Type C’s built in Flint, and an estimate 97 built down in Detroit before the move to Flint. Unless there were a lot of left over 1914 Type C’s (about a 100) that were not registered in New England until into the 1915 calendar year, it appears to me the reported 402 units also includes the earlier Detroit start-up production of 97 units.

    No. 6 and 16 Little Sixes could have also been the Buffalo show cars. I estimate fairly close with 15 Little Sixes built by the end of January 1913 (see October 1996 REVIEW). Unlike the Type C and later Light Six, the Little Six only used the Sterling Engine serial number as the car or factory number. It was located on the right side of the engine on an oval plate that was riveted to the side of the crankcase.

    The Sterling 3 5/16-inch cylinder bore had a 26 SAE rating. Notice how many different names and spellings these cars had. My favorite is "Chiverlox!" Basically, about half were registered as Littles, while the last batch of 150, that I estimate to have been built after the Little/Chevrolet merger in June 1913, were registered as Chevrolets (and probably the ones sold as demonstrators and used cars after June). A few were even registered as Republics, which was the selling organization for both the Little and Chevrolet companies up through the end of July 1913.

    Notice Little Six No. 244 that I estimate to have been built in mid May 1913. Its owner was George W. McClure, a Landscape Architect. He wrote on Jan. 12, 1914, "The Chevrolet Six that I purchased from you last year has given me infinate [sic] satisfaction. At first I was inclined to question your statements regarding the economy of operation of this six cilinder [sic] car, but I have found that it has averaged 15 miles to the gal. of gasoline, and the consumption of oil was so small so to astonish me." Mr. McClure called his car a Chevrolet, even thought is was registered as a Little Six, but was happy enough to trade it in for a purchase of a new 1914 Chevrolet Light Six No. 909 later in the year.

    No. 12010 is obviously not a Sterling engine number, but is the casting part number as listed in the Price List of Parts as the Rear Cylinder Water Head. Even back when the car was almost new, owners had a hard time locating the serial numbers.

    Chevrolet Car Production Record shows 494 Little Sixes were built (see July 1988 REVIEW). Yet, here we find No. 495, 498, and 500 were registered in New York State. There are several possibilities that I can think of?

1. The Chevrolet Detroit plant built the first six experimental and show models like it did for the Type C?
2. Since the Sterling engine number was used as the serial number, Sterling built more engines (total 500) then Chevrolet built cars?

The extra six Sterling engines were used as replacement engines both in the Flint factory and for field warranty repair?


---