Hey, Most Of You Have Seen It Many Times

[Dick Ralstin]

If you have ever entered the Indianapolis Motor Speedway by way of the Tunnel under the second turn, you must have glimpsed the bronze bust of Louis Chevrolet, standing in front of the Speedway Museum.

Louis did have a reputation as a **** of race driver with a string of wins from 1905 through 1909, including one of the 10 mile sprints at the opening ceremonies of the brand, spanking new Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1909. Louis had the reputation for being a "win or tragedy" driver.

In his 15 year driving career four riding mechanics would die sitting beside him.

It's true Louis ran in the Indianapolis 500 four times, but only managed to finish the 200 laps one time, a 7th place finish in 1919.

It was his brother, Gaston, who put the Chevrolet name on the Speedway's list of Winners. Gaston won the 1920 500 driving
a Monroe race car, desigend and built by none other than Louis
Chevrolet.

Louis went from there to establish the Frontenac Motor Corporation and designed and built the winning car driven by Tommy Milton in the 1921 Indianapolis 500.

In the next few years such famous names as Cannonball Baker, Ralph Mulford, Peter DePaolo, Leon Duray, Roscoe Sarles and several other name drivers would stab and steer the famous Frontenac name plate.

But until the day he died, June 6, 1941, the only Chevrolet passenger car Louis ever designed and built was the 1912 model Chevrolet Type C Classic.

Why does the Chevrolet name continue to this day as one of the most famous name in automotive history, and Louis Chevrolet, the man responsible, remains with us only as bronze bust standing outside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum?

[Racewriter]

Dick, if I remember my history correctly, the Chevrolet brothers were kind of hard to live with, and sold their company early on to William Durant - who integrated it into General Motors. And forever kept the Chevrolets from using their own name.

Gaston got killed either later that year or the next on a board track IIRC, and Louis kept making Frontenac components (including an overhead valve conversion for the Model T "Fronty-Ford" engine). Seems that I read Louis died pretty much broke.

[Dick Ralstin]

Hey Racewriter,

You are pretty close. In 1911 W.C.Durant, CEO of General Motors, recognized the name of Chevrolet would be an important asset and signed Louis to a contract to design and build a car to carry the Chevrolet name.

On Novenber 11, 1911 the Chevrolet Motor Car Company was incorporated and the first passenger motor car was introduced in 1912. And W.C. Durnat about had a fit.

Durant had dreamed of a lightweight car to combat the many Fords of Henry's that were running up and down the "roads" of America.

Louis wanted his name to appear on a big, impressive automobile and that is what he built. A "limousine" on 122 inch wheelbase and a 299 cubic inch engine and a price tag of $2150.00 in 1912

A fierce argument ensued and Louis resigned from the Chevrolet Motor Car Company, but left his name behind forever.

The stock Durant had given him in the new company, for the use of his name, would have put Louis on easy street forever but he sold it back to Durant for a bargain when he resigned.

Durant loved the name but hated the man, he reorganized General Motors and the redesigned Chevrolet became the sales leader of the corporation.

Gaston was killed ont eh board track in Beverly Hills, California, Nov. 25, 1920. the tragedy almost drove Louis out of automobile racing completely and switched his interest to boat racing and airplanes.

In 1928 Louis, with his other brother Arthur, formed the Chevrolet Broyhers Aircraft Company to market a new airplane engine designed by Louis, the company wound up in the hands of Glenn L. Martin and became Martin Aircraft.

Ironically in 1934, feeling a moral obligation, General Motors put Louis back on the payroll in 1934 ---- but not in the design department.

Next time you at at the Speedway stop by at say high to Louis Chevrolet, a race driver, a designer, a builder and an innovator.

I wonder what he and Smokey have been designing --- and who they have picked for a driver???????

[mec]

I wonder what he and Smokey have been designing --- and who they have picked for a driver???????

[indyrjc]

And of course, Louis Chevrolet was also the first person to drive a monocoque, 4 wheel independent suspension race car at Indianpolis. In 1915 he drove the Cornelian which was originally built the year before as a project of the Blood Brothers of Michigan. They hired Louis to help them complete their design and build and then race their car. This car was way ahead of its time but was ultimately considered too light and underpowered to continue its development. Financing and WWI got in the way as well. It was 1963 before another monocoque, 4 wheel independent suspension car showed up when Colin Chapman brought over his first Indianapolis Lotus. Louis was also quite an innovator in race stategies. When he managed Gaston's 1920 win it was the first time that a winning car had gone the entire 500 miles with no tire changes. Gaston made only one pit stop for fuel only and this was very late in the race. I think someone said it earlier but the Chevrolet brothers, and Louis in particular, were a little hard to deal with. Louis was a tremendous engineer and innovator but was also a poor businessman. As I recall, he was left with almost nothing at the time of his death in 1941.

[Shadow101]

Originally posted by mec
I wonder what he and Smokey have been designing --- and who they have picked for a driver???????

How about Dick Rathmann, the only man according to Andy Granatelli, who truly mastered the Novi? I've heard that there was also once a popular saying at Indy "Braver than Dick Rathmann" - when talking about cajones size.

[Racewriter]

Originally posted by Shadow101
How about Dick Rathmann, the only man according to Andy Granatelli, who truly mastered the Novi? I've heard that there was also once a popular saying at Indy "Braver than Dick Rathmann" - when talking about cajones size.

Well, if Smokey's involved...

Actually, there could be a problem. Jerry Karl's still alive, I think. And based on his book and articles about the "Oriente Express," I got the impression that Karl may have been one of Smokey's favorites...

[Shadow101]

I need to pick up that book one of these days. I still get a chuckle from some of those columns Smokey wrote for Circle Track magazine back in the day.