Stovebolt
Encyclopedia
The terminology and the slang usage of Stovebolt refers to three different things:
1) A bolt with a slotted head, used in the assembly of wood-burning stoves constructed from sheet metal.
2) A nickname for the inline six-cylinder engine made by the Chevrolet
division of General Motors
. So called because the valve cover, lifter cover and timing cover, utilizes a fastener that resembles a stovebolt.
3) Chevrolet
-branded cars and trucks that were equipped with the inline six-cylinder engine.
The original usage of the term stovebolt applied to a bolt with a slotted head. This particular bolt design was often used as a fastener on wood-burning stoves that were fabricated out of metal sheets, which were very common in the first half of the 20th century. Therefore, any slotted-head bolt that looked similar to the bolts in wood-burning stoves became referred to as a stovebolt.
The original Chevrolet straight-six
engine
is referred to as a Stovebolt or Stovebolt Six because the 1/4″ × 20 slotted-head bolts on the valve cover, lifter cover and timing cover of the engine resemble the aforementioned slotted-head bolts. Thus, the slang term or nickname of Stovebolt was given to the Chevrolet straight-six engine
.
The Chevrolet straight sixes
were available in vehicles from the 1929 to the early 1960s. The later 1960s engines no longer used the slotted-head bolt (even though a lot of the design and layout was similar to, or derivative of, the earlier engines) and are not considered by old-Chevrolet
enthusiasts as Stovebolt Sixes
.
Since the Stovebolt Six
was used or available in almost every Chevrolet
vehicle offered during the production run of the engine, the term Stovebolt also became synonymous with Chevrolet
-branded automobiles and trucks.
In the early 1990s, the Stovebolt designation started to be applied by old-Chevrolet-truck enthusiasts to refer more specifically to the Advance Design series trucks, which came equipped with the 216 and 235 engines. These trucks were produced from mid-1947 to early 1955. In old-Chevrolet-truck restoration circles, these are referred to as 1947 Second Series trucks to 1955 First Series trucks. The reason for this is that in 1947, Chevrolet
was still producing the previous body style (referred to as a 1947 First Series), and in 1955, they had the newer body style (referred to as a 1955 Second Series) going into production simultaneously and out to the showrooms.
1) A bolt with a slotted head, used in the assembly of wood-burning stoves constructed from sheet metal.
2) A nickname for the inline six-cylinder engine made by the Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
division of General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
. So called because the valve cover, lifter cover and timing cover, utilizes a fastener that resembles a stovebolt.
3) Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
-branded cars and trucks that were equipped with the inline six-cylinder engine.
The original usage of the term stovebolt applied to a bolt with a slotted head. This particular bolt design was often used as a fastener on wood-burning stoves that were fabricated out of metal sheets, which were very common in the first half of the 20th century. Therefore, any slotted-head bolt that looked similar to the bolts in wood-burning stoves became referred to as a stovebolt.
The original Chevrolet straight-six
Chevrolet Straight-6 engine
The Chevrolet inline 6 was Chevy's main engine from 1929 , through 1954, and was the base engine starting in 1955 when they added the small block V8 to the lineup. It had finally been completely phased out by 1990 in North America, but Brazil held on to their fuel-injected straight-6 through the...
engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
is referred to as a Stovebolt or Stovebolt Six because the 1/4″ × 20 slotted-head bolts on the valve cover, lifter cover and timing cover of the engine resemble the aforementioned slotted-head bolts. Thus, the slang term or nickname of Stovebolt was given to the Chevrolet straight-six engine
Chevrolet Straight-6 engine
The Chevrolet inline 6 was Chevy's main engine from 1929 , through 1954, and was the base engine starting in 1955 when they added the small block V8 to the lineup. It had finally been completely phased out by 1990 in North America, but Brazil held on to their fuel-injected straight-6 through the...
.
The Chevrolet straight sixes
Chevrolet Straight-6 engine
The Chevrolet inline 6 was Chevy's main engine from 1929 , through 1954, and was the base engine starting in 1955 when they added the small block V8 to the lineup. It had finally been completely phased out by 1990 in North America, but Brazil held on to their fuel-injected straight-6 through the...
were available in vehicles from the 1929 to the early 1960s. The later 1960s engines no longer used the slotted-head bolt (even though a lot of the design and layout was similar to, or derivative of, the earlier engines) and are not considered by old-Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
enthusiasts as Stovebolt Sixes
Chevrolet Straight-6 engine
The Chevrolet inline 6 was Chevy's main engine from 1929 , through 1954, and was the base engine starting in 1955 when they added the small block V8 to the lineup. It had finally been completely phased out by 1990 in North America, but Brazil held on to their fuel-injected straight-6 through the...
.
Since the Stovebolt Six
Chevrolet Straight-6 engine
The Chevrolet inline 6 was Chevy's main engine from 1929 , through 1954, and was the base engine starting in 1955 when they added the small block V8 to the lineup. It had finally been completely phased out by 1990 in North America, but Brazil held on to their fuel-injected straight-6 through the...
was used or available in almost every Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
vehicle offered during the production run of the engine, the term Stovebolt also became synonymous with Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
-branded automobiles and trucks.
In the early 1990s, the Stovebolt designation started to be applied by old-Chevrolet-truck enthusiasts to refer more specifically to the Advance Design series trucks, which came equipped with the 216 and 235 engines. These trucks were produced from mid-1947 to early 1955. In old-Chevrolet-truck restoration circles, these are referred to as 1947 Second Series trucks to 1955 First Series trucks. The reason for this is that in 1947, Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
was still producing the previous body style (referred to as a 1947 First Series), and in 1955, they had the newer body style (referred to as a 1955 Second Series) going into production simultaneously and out to the showrooms.
Model years, guidelines
The specific guidelines for model years are as follows: 1947 to 1955 were of the early design; 1954s and 1955s saw a design change to the trucks, a one-piece windshield and a different hood being the two most prominent features; and in late 1954, a new bed design was introduced. The 1955 models had a midyear changeover to a totally new design, giving them the code Second Series—the First Series being the previous design, and the Second Series being the 1955–57 design.External links
- Sheridan's 1946 Chevy Truck — 1941–46 Chevy truck photos; lots of information.
- Stovebolt.com — Online information resource and discussion forums for pre-'73 Chevrolet & GMC trucks.
- 67–72chevytrucks.com — An online forum community devoted to 1947–present Chevy and GMC Truck enthusiasts. From stock originals, to mud trucks, to show stoppers… our members have them all.
- chevytrucks.org — Specializing in information on 1941–59 Chevy trucks; how-to articles, pictures, history, etc.
- "The Art Deco Series" — This site is dedicated to the history and preservation of the Chevrolet & GMC commercial haulers that were produced just before, during, and just after World War II, 1941–46.
- OldTruckNetwork.com — The No. ? online information resource for old trucks and politics.