Katahdin Motors celebrates Chevrolet’s 100th anniversary

    MILLINOCKET — Katahdin Motors recently celebrated Chevrolet’s 100th anniversary with an open house and antique Chevrolet Car show.
    Katahdin Motors Chevrolet car show featured a rare 1918 Chevrolet 490 owned by Ron Martin of Medway. The show also featured at least one model from every decade except the 1920’s. It is interesting to note that as late as 1946 a hand crank option was available on Chevrolet pickups.  Also worth noting is the fact that heaters on some models were optional into the 40’s.
    Katahdin Motors is northern Maine’s oldest GM dealership. They have been selling Chevrolet’s since 1948. The Murphy family’s relationship with Chevrolet actually dates to 1932 when Freeman Murphy stopped hauling logs with his 1931 Chevrolet and started to sell them for Gateway Motors in Lincoln.
     “We are really blessed,” said Mike Murphy. “Since we have been here, Millinocket has had at least six Ford, four Chrysler/Dodge, two Buick/GMC, a Toyota, and a Datsun dealership. We have also survived two major gas crunches and two mill closings with unemployment as high as 30 percent. God has been very good to our family.”
    Chevrolet was started as the result of General Motors founder William C. Durant being ousted as GM’s President in 1910. Durant approached Swiss born race car driver Louis Chevrolet about forming a new car company.  On November 3, 1911, Chevrolet Motor Company was formed.
    Against Louis Chevrolet’s wishes, Durant moved the car company into the lower priced segment where more Americans could afford to own one.  Mr. Chevrolet soon parted with Durant and the company that bears his name.  Chevrolet motor division developed a car called Model 490 which was so popular that Chevrolet soon started to outsell General Motors.  The 490 was a direct competitor to Ford’s Model T. 
    Chevrolet’s 490 offered as standard equipment several features that were either optional or not available on the Model T.  The 490’s standard equipment list included an electric starter, electric headlamps, and a driver’s door. 
    By 1916, the success of Chevrolet enabled Durant to purchase enough shares in General Motors that enabled him to regain the Presidency of GM.  As president of GM he brought Chevrolet under the General Motors umbrella. 
    Durant’s personal financial problems caused him to lose control of General Motors for a second and final time in 1920.  At the time Ford’s Model T had 60 percent of the low priced segment. 
    The Chevrolet and Ford rivalry is a modern day version of the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s.  Chevrolet’s reputation as a more advanced and dependable car allowed Chevrolet to overtake Ford in the sales race by the late 1920’s.
    Chevrolet has sold 209 million automobiles in 140 countries over the last 100 years.  The Chevrolet brand is so ingrained with Americana that it was popularized in the slogan, “Baseball, Hot Dog, Apple Pie and Chevrolet.”