Frontenac Motor Corporation

1914 Frontenac

Frontenac Motor Corporation was a joint venture of automobile racing brothers Louis, Gaston, and Arthur Chevrolet. It was founded in 1914[1] in Indianapolis[2] to build high-performance automobiles that would be used in the brothers' own pursuit of glory at the Indianapolis 500.[1]

An early investor was former world-class cyclist and Flint, Michigan-based industrialist Albert Champion, who left the venture soon after almost being beaten to death by Louis Chevrolet in an argument.[1]

Gaston Chevrolet won the 1920 Indianapolis 500 in a Frontenac, but died a few months later in a late-season race in Los Angeles in November 1920; the dead man still won that racing season on points, however.[3] In 1921, Frontenac won the Indy 500 again, this time at the hands of Tommy Milton, and the brothers' promising company entered into a deal with Stutz Motor Company. However, the deal quickly went wrong, and Frontenac Motors ended that year.[1]

Other uses

There is a private organization of collectors of early automobiles calling itself the Frontenac Motor Corporation that appears to have no connection to the 1914 company.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Kramer, Ralph (October 31, 2011). "Louis Chevrolet: His gift was cars, not corporations". Automotive News. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  2. ↑ Lorentz, Lisa (September 20, 2013). "Friday Favorite: Driven to the Grave". Historic Indianapolis. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  3. ↑ Borroz, Tony (November 25, 2009). "Nov. 25, 1920: Gaston Chevrolet Dies in Race Crash". Wired. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  4. ↑ "The Frontenac Motor Company & The Ford Model T". Frontenac Motor Company. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
A Frontenac Motors ad
Frontenac race car before the 1921 Indianapolis 500. Driver Tommy Milton at the wheel, with Barney Oldfield and Louis Chevrolet (with hat).
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