Cars You Should Know: Chevrolet

In 1911, Swiss engineer Louis Chevrolet, who had gained attention building and racing cars, partnered with well-known automotive business-man William Durant, to start the Chevrolet Motor Company. At the time of Chevrolet’s inception, Durant had already been owner of General Motors and almost bought Ford too. Durant was no stranger to running car companies and together with Louis Chevrolet launched the business with two models in 1914.

Today, Chevrolet is one of the biggest automotive companies in the world, with over a million new cars and trucks sold each year on average. Its broad enthusiast appeal is most likely due to its offering of performance vehicles at accessible prices. And if you look at the Hagerty book of business, it seems our members agree that Chevrolets are a great choice when it comes to collector cars.

Below are the top 4 models we see from Chevrolet, as well as this month’s Forgotten Classic.

Corvette | The Corvette is known as “America’s Sports Car,” but its sales were initially slow. With the introduction of the second-generation car (1963-1967), the Corvette became a hit. In fact, the second-generation Corvette is one of the most popular enthusiast vehicles today.

Chevelle | Debuting in 1964 and retiring in 1977, the Chevelle remains one of Chevy’s most well-known models. A hard-top sedan, the Chevelle came in multiple body styles including convertible, coupe and wagon. In 2024, it ranked #7 on the list of most-often quoted vehicles at Hagerty.

Pickups | Who doesn’t love a vintage truck? Chevrolet has had some great pickup designs over the years: from the Series 3100 trucks of the post-WW2 era and the long-produced C/K Series trucks of the 1960s-1990s to the modern Silverado being produced today. When you’re looking for collector clients in your own book of business, don’t overlook the pickup and SUV owners.

Camaro | The Camaro was not America’s first pony car, but it was Chevrolet’s response to the Mustang that Ford launched in 1964. It continues to be a favorite model for Hagerty members, sitting in the top five vehicles for most quotes in 2024. And in 2019, a Hagerty-owned 1967 Chevy Camaro shepherded three young women on a classic cross-country road trip they won’t soon forget.

Forgotten Classic: Monte Carlo | The Chevrolet Monte Carlo is a 2-door coupe that was first introduced in 1970. While they’ve never gained as much popularity as other similar cars of the era, they remain bargains that offer more muscle and style per dollar than many of their peers, and they continue to have a niche following. Average values for condition #2 examples of first-gen Monte Carlos remain at a very reasonable $22,400. Compare that to an LS5 Chevelle SS 454, which is almost twice the price at $61,600 for a condition #2 example, and you can see why the Monte Carlo seems like such a steal. (Psst: Wondering what we mean by vehicle conditions? Check out our visual guide.) Keep an eye on the horizon for these Forgotten Classics, the Hagerty Auto Intel team says. According to them, while the first-gen Monte Carlo market isn’t exactly red-hot, people are starting to recognize that they’re somewhat undervalued (which may lead to prices going up).

Do a deeper dive

Chevrolet: Who's quoting what?

Chevrolet: Vehicle valuation trends