Louis Chevrolet
Encyclopedia
Louis-Joseph Chevrolet was a Swiss-born American
race car driver of French
descent, co-founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company
in 1911 and later, the Frontenac Motor Corporation
in 1916 which made racing parts for Ford's Model T.
Louis Chevrolet was born in La Chaux-de-Fonds
, Canton of Neuchâtel
, Switzerland
. In 1886, Chevrolet's family left Switzerland to live in Beaune
, in the Côte-d'Or
département of France
. It was there as a young man Louis developed his mechanical skills and interest in auto racing.
, where he worked for a short time before emigrating to Montreal, Quebec in Canada
in 1900 to work as a mechanic. The following year, he moved to New York City
, where he worked briefly for a fellow Swiss immigrant's engineering company, then moved to the Brooklyn operations of the French car manufacturer de Dion-Bouton.
In 1905, he was hired by FIAT
as a racing car driver, and a year later became employed by a Philadelphia
company developing a then-revolutionary front-wheel-drive racing car. His racing career continued as he drove for Buick
, becoming a friend and associate of Buick owner William C. Durant
(founder of General Motors). He raced at the Giants Despair Hillclimb
in 1909.
With little in the way of a formal education, Chevrolet learned car design while working for Buick and started designing his own engine for a new car in 1909. He built an overhead valve
six-cylinder engine in his own machine shop on Grand River Boulevard, Detroit
.
) and Dr. Edwin R. Campbell (son-in-law of Durant). The company was established in Detroit, choosing as the company's logo a stylized Swiss cross, to honor his parents' homeland.
Chevrolet had differences with Durant over the design and in 1915 sold Durant his share in the company. By 1916 the profits from the Chevrolet company allowed Durant to repurchase a controlling stake in General Motors, and by 1917 the Chevrolet company that Louis had cofounded was folded into General Motors.
to create the Cornelian
, a state-of-the-art racing car, which he used to place 20th in the 1915 Indianapolis 500
automobile race. In 1916, he and younger brothers Gaston
and Arthur Chevrolet
started Frontenac Motor Corporation
, designing and producing a line of racing cars. They became well known for, among other things, their Fronty-Ford racers.
Louis also drove in the Indianapolis 500 four times, with a best finish of 7th in 1919. Brother Arthur
competed twice, and brother Gaston won there in 1920 in one of their Frontenacs, going on to win the 1920 AAA National Championship.
Louis Chevrolet died nearly penniless on June 6, 1941 in Detroit, Michigan, and is buried in the Holy Cross and Saint Joseph Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana
.
in Speedway, Indiana, features a memorial at the entrance to the building dedicated to the accomplishments of Louis Chevrolet. The memorial, sculpted by Adolph Wolter
and designed by Fred Wellman was created during 1968–1970 and installed in Spring of 1975. The centerpiece of the memorial is a bronze
bust
(32 x 17 1/2 x 16 1/2 in.) of Chevrolet wearing a racing cap and goggles, it rests on a marble
and granite
square base (59 1/2 x 21 x 30 in.).
A marble and granite exedra
(70 in. x 28 ft. 4 in. x 91 in.) serves as a seating area to reflect on Chevrolet's accomplishments which are showcased in four bronze relief
s (each: 19 x 47 x 1 1/2 in.). The reliefs depict:
They are all inscribed with identifying text and a bronze black on the back of the base is inscribed:
The front of the base is engraved:
The original funding plan for the memorial requested 200 gifts at $200 each, and more than 58% of the donations needed to fund it were provided that way. The memorial cost $40,000.
In 1994 it was surveyed as part of the Smithsonian's
Save Outdoor Sculpture!
program and its condition was described as "well maintained."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
race car driver of French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
descent, co-founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company
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...
in 1911 and later, the Frontenac Motor Corporation
Frontenac Motor Corporation
Frontenac Motor Corporation was the joint venture of Louis and Gaston Chevrolet. Louis returned to the Indy 500 racing circuit after leaving Chevrolet in 1915...
in 1916 which made racing parts for Ford's Model T.
Early life
Born in 1878 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a center of watchmaking in northwestern Switzerland, Louis Chevrolet was the second child of Joseph-Félicien and Marie-Anne Angéline, née Mahon. Looking for work, the family eventually moved to Beaune in France, where Louis spent his teenage years and started in bike racing. He began working for a French car company but soon emigrated to the USA, where he also married. He and his wife Suzanne had two sons. Louis died in 1941 and was buried in Indianapolis.Biography
La Chaux-de-Fonds
La Chaux-de-Fonds is a Swiss city of the district of La Chaux-de-Fonds in the canton of Neuchâtel. It is located in the Jura mountains at an altitude of 1000 m, a few kilometres from the French border. After Geneva and Lausanne, it is the third largest city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of...
, Canton of Neuchâtel
Canton of Neuchâtel
Neuchâtel is a canton of French speaking western Switzerland. In 2007, its population was 169,782 of which 39,654 were foreigners. The capital is Neuchâtel.-History:...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. In 1886, Chevrolet's family left Switzerland to live in Beaune
Beaune
Beaune is the wine capital of Burgundy in the Cote d'Or department in eastern France. It is located between Paris and Geneva.Beaune is one of the key wine centers in France and the annual wine auction of the Hospices de Beaune is the primary wine auction in France...
, in the Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or is a department in the eastern part of France.- History :Côte-d'Or is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was formed from part of the former province of Burgundy.- Geography :...
département of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It was there as a young man Louis developed his mechanical skills and interest in auto racing.
Early career
He worked for the Roblin mechanics shop from 1895 to 1899, at which time he went to ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where he worked for a short time before emigrating to Montreal, Quebec in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1900 to work as a mechanic. The following year, he moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he worked briefly for a fellow Swiss immigrant's engineering company, then moved to the Brooklyn operations of the French car manufacturer de Dion-Bouton.
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
as a racing car driver, and a year later became employed by a Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
company developing a then-revolutionary front-wheel-drive racing car. His racing career continued as he drove for Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
, becoming a friend and associate of Buick owner William C. Durant
William C. Durant
William Crapo "Billy" Durant was a leading pioneer of the United States automobile industry, the founder of General Motors and Chevrolet who created the system of multi-brand holding companies with different lines of cars....
(founder of General Motors). He raced at the Giants Despair Hillclimb
Giants Despair Hillclimb
The Giants Despair Hillclimb is a hillclimb established in 1906 just outside Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in Laurel Run, Pennsylvania, United States. The contest was first run in conjunction with Wilkes-Barre's centennial celebration. It is the oldest continuing motorsport event in Pennsylvania...
in 1909.
With little in the way of a formal education, Chevrolet learned car design while working for Buick and started designing his own engine for a new car in 1909. He built an overhead valve
Overhead valve
An overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
six-cylinder engine in his own machine shop on Grand River Boulevard, Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
.
Chevrolet car company
On November 3, 1911 Chevrolet cofounded the Chevrolet Motor Car Company with Durant (by now ousted from General Motors) and investment partners William Little (maker of the Little automobileLittle (automobile)
The Little was an automobile built in Flint, Michigan by the Little Motor Car Company from 1912-15. The Little first was available as a two-seater with a four-cylinder 20 hp engine, and had a wheelbase of . In 1914 a 3.6 L six-cylinder L-head engine was available in a later model that had a...
) and Dr. Edwin R. Campbell (son-in-law of Durant). The company was established in Detroit, choosing as the company's logo a stylized Swiss cross, to honor his parents' homeland.
Chevrolet had differences with Durant over the design and in 1915 sold Durant his share in the company. By 1916 the profits from the Chevrolet company allowed Durant to repurchase a controlling stake in General Motors, and by 1917 the Chevrolet company that Louis had cofounded was folded into General Motors.
Auto racing
By the mid-1910s, Louis Chevrolet had shifted into the racing car industry, partnering with Howard E. Blood of Allegan, MichiganAllegan, Michigan
Allegan is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 4,838. It is the county seat of Allegan County. The city lies within Allegan Township, but is administratively autonomous....
to create the Cornelian
Cornelian automobile
The Cornelian was a 1914 American automobile built expressly for racing. It had chain drive and was the smallest such configuration to be raced at the Indianapolis Speedway.-Manufacture:...
, a state-of-the-art racing car, which he used to place 20th in the 1915 Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
automobile race. In 1916, he and younger brothers Gaston
Gaston Chevrolet
Gaston Chevrolet was a French-born American racecar champion driver and automobile manufacturer.-Early life:...
and Arthur Chevrolet
Arthur Chevrolet
Arthur Chevrolet, was a Swiss American racecar driver and automobile manufacturer.Born in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Neuchatel, Switzerland, Arthur was the middle brother of Louis and Gaston Chevrolet...
started Frontenac Motor Corporation
Frontenac Motor Corporation
Frontenac Motor Corporation was the joint venture of Louis and Gaston Chevrolet. Louis returned to the Indy 500 racing circuit after leaving Chevrolet in 1915...
, designing and producing a line of racing cars. They became well known for, among other things, their Fronty-Ford racers.
Louis also drove in the Indianapolis 500 four times, with a best finish of 7th in 1919. Brother Arthur
Arthur Chevrolet
Arthur Chevrolet, was a Swiss American racecar driver and automobile manufacturer.Born in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Neuchatel, Switzerland, Arthur was the middle brother of Louis and Gaston Chevrolet...
competed twice, and brother Gaston won there in 1920 in one of their Frontenacs, going on to win the 1920 AAA National Championship.
Later life
Louis Chevrolet lost all his previous earnings in the stock market crash of 1929. Without income, he went to work as a line mechanic in a Chevrolet factory.Louis Chevrolet died nearly penniless on June 6, 1941 in Detroit, Michigan, and is buried in the Holy Cross and Saint Joseph Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
.
Louis Chevrolet Memorial
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame MuseumIndianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum is an automotive museum on the grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, which houses the Auto Racing Hall of Fame. It is intrinsically linked to the Indianapolis 500, but it also includes exhibits reflecting other forms of...
in Speedway, Indiana, features a memorial at the entrance to the building dedicated to the accomplishments of Louis Chevrolet. The memorial, sculpted by Adolph Wolter
Adolph Wolter
Adolph Gustav Wolter van R Wolter German born American sculptor, educator and carver. Wolter was born in Reutlingen, Germany. His father was a stone carver and Wolter apprenticed with him before enrolling in the Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart. In 1922 he immigrated to the United States...
and designed by Fred Wellman was created during 1968–1970 and installed in Spring of 1975. The centerpiece of the memorial is a bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
bust
Bust (sculpture)
A bust is a sculpted or cast representation of the upper part of the human figure, depicting a person's head and neck, as well as a variable portion of the chest and shoulders. The piece is normally supported by a plinth. These forms recreate the likeness of an individual...
(32 x 17 1/2 x 16 1/2 in.) of Chevrolet wearing a racing cap and goggles, it rests on a marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
and granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
square base (59 1/2 x 21 x 30 in.).
Exedra
In architecture, an exedra is a semicircular recess or plinth, often crowned by a semi-dome, which is sometimes set into a building's facade. The original Greek sense was applied to a room that opened onto a stoa, ringed with curved high-backed stone benches, a suitable place for a philosophical...
(70 in. x 28 ft. 4 in. x 91 in.) serves as a seating area to reflect on Chevrolet's accomplishments which are showcased in four bronze relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
s (each: 19 x 47 x 1 1/2 in.). The reliefs depict:
- Chevrolet with Durant and the first Chevrolet passenger car in 1911.
- Chevrolet's first winning car at Indianapolis, driven to victory in 1920 by brother Gaston ChevroletGaston ChevroletGaston Chevrolet was a French-born American racecar champion driver and automobile manufacturer.-Early life:...
, with four Speedway pioneers in the background – Carl G. FisherCarl G. FisherCarl Graham Fisher was an American entrepreneur. Despite having severe astigmatism, he became a seemingly tireless pioneer and promoter of the automotive, auto racing, and real estate development industries...
, James A. AllisonJames A. AllisonJames Ashbury Allison , born in Marcellus, Michigan, was an American entrepreneur and businessman. He was the inventor of the Allison Perfection Fountain Pen and with Carl G. Fisher a founder of Prest-O-Lite, a manufacturer of automobile headlights. With Carl G. Fisher, Frank H. Wheeler, and Arthur C...
, L. H. Trotter, and T. E. Myers. - Chevrolet's second Indianapolis winner, driven by Tommy MiltonTommy MiltonTommy Milton was an American race car driver best known as the first two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. He was notable for having only one functional eye -- a disability that would have disqualified him from competing in modern motorsports.Born in St...
in 1921, with Eddie RickenbackerEddie RickenbackerEdward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the longtime head of Eastern Air Lines.-Early...
, Col. Arthur William Sidney HerringtonArthur William Sidney HerringtonArthur William Sidney Herrington was a U.S. engineer and manufacturer....
, Louis Schwitzer and C. W. Van RanstC. W. Van RanstCornelius "C. W." Van Ranst was an American racecar driver who competed in the 1921 Indianapolis 500....
. - Chevrolet's 1923 Barber-Warnock Fronty Ford at the Speedway with Henry FordHenry FordHenry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
at the wheel and Louis standing alongside, flanked by Barney OldfieldBarney OldfieldBerna Eli "Barney" Oldfield was an automobile racer and pioneer. He was born on a farm on the outskirts of Wauseon, Ohio. He was the first man to drive a car at 60 miles per hour on an oval...
and Harvey FirestoneHarvey FirestoneHarvey Samuel Firestone was an American businessman, and the founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, one of the first global makers of automobile tires.-Family background:...
.
They are all inscribed with identifying text and a bronze black on the back of the base is inscribed:
The front of the base is engraved:
The original funding plan for the memorial requested 200 gifts at $200 each, and more than 58% of the donations needed to fund it were provided that way. The memorial cost $40,000.
In 1994 it was surveyed as part of the Smithsonian's
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
Save Outdoor Sculpture!
Save Outdoor Sculpture!
Save Outdoor Sculpture! is a community-based effort to identify, document, and conserve outdoor sculpture in the United States. By fostering awareness and appreciation, SOS! aims to advocate proper care of a nationwide public resource....
program and its condition was described as "well maintained."
Indy 500 results
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Awards
- In 1992, Louis Chevrolet was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of FameInternational Motorsports Hall of FameThe International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to auto racing either as a driver, owner, developer or engineer...
. - He was named to the National Sprint Car Hall of FameNational Sprint Car Hall of Fame & MuseumThe National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum is a Hall of Fame and museum for sprint car drivers, owners, mechanics, builders, manufacturers, promoters, sanctioning officials and media members....
in 1990. - He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of AmericaMotorsports Hall of Fame of AmericaThe Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is a Hall of Fame and museum for American motorsports legends. It was originally located in Novi, Michigan and it moved to the Detroit Science Center in 2009.-Museum:...
in 1995.
External links
- Footage of Louis Chevrolet Racing in 1919 includes his accident
- Louis Chevrolet (VanderbiltCupRaces.com)
- Louis Chevrolet History and Photos(nndb.com)
- Louis Chevrolet Photos (Google.com)