A Look at the Royal Mail Models: A Classic Chevy History
Chevrolet has a unique and interesting history being a brand inspired and co-founded by famed race car driver Louis Chevrolet and automobile pioneer William C. Durrant. While Chevrolet didn't stay long with the company, his name did and continues to live on. In fact, Louis Chevrolet only remained a part of the company for two years and under the release of only one car, the Chevrolet Series C Classic C -- which was a very luxurious and high-performance sedan. It was followed, however, by an even more classic Chevy, and the first to boast the bowtie logo so globally recognized today, the 1914 H-2 Royal Mail Roadster and the 1914 H-4 Baby Grand.
The Series H Debut: Two Classic Chevy Models
The 1914 Royal Mail Roadster was one designed to appeal to adventurous drivers and compete with Ford's popular and cheap Model T. This was a two-door and two-seater vehicle that looked very much like the race cars of the day with an elongated hood, short rear deck, and fuel tank fitted behind the seats. The Royal Mail also came with stylish fenders, headlights, and a spare tire that made it both a useful and attractive model. Other standard features unique for its day included a speedometer and horn. For these features to come standard was a new thing as in the early automobile era, it was common for such features to be sold as extra upgrades.
Also released that year as part of the Series H was the H-4. The H-4 was a four-door touring sedan sold as five-seater family vehicle and was called the Baby Grand. Like the Royal Mail, the Baby Grand offered many premium features as standard equipment including its windshield, electric horn, speedometer, headlights, tool kit, and starting system.
A recorded 2,777 Royal Mail roadsters and 15,538 Baby Grand sedans were sold between 1914 and 1916. These vehicles were sold with a black exterior paint job although consumers could choose a different color for a $50 charge. Every model sported the then-new "bowtie" logo that Durrant created shortly after Chevrolet's departure from the company. As Durrant told the story, he got the inspiration for the logo from a striking wallpaper showcasing a similar geometric pattern when visiting a Parisian hotel in 1908.
Finding Your Own Classic Chevy
With just over 18,000 models sold across three years, the Royal Mail roadster and Baby Grand sedan can be a hard vehicle to find -- although they do pop up from time to time. But if you are hungry for a classic Chevy vehicle, there are plenty of gorgeous models to research and search for. In fact, many of those on our team of restorers have an affinity for classic Chevy models. One outstanding model we have currently undergoing some exciting changes is a 1935 Chevy Coupe. This beauty is getting a blown small block Chevy engine, a Roadster Shop chassis, and more. Visit CHRA to see it, other project cars, and learn what we can do for you today!