The Cornelian was a 1914

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

automobile built expressly for racing. It had

chain drive Chain drive is a way of transmitting mechanical power from one place to another. It is often used to convey power to the wheels of a vehicle, particularly bicycles and motorcycles. It is also used in a wide variety of machines besides vehicles. ...

and was the smallest such configuration to be raced at the Indianapolis Speedway.

Manufacture

The 1914 Cornelian was manufactured by Howard E. Blood (of the

Allegan, Michigan Allegan ( ) is a city and the county seat of Allegan County, Michigan Its population was 5,222 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is located southwest of Grand Rapids and northwest of Kalamazoo, both via US 131. It lies within All ...

-based Blood Brothers Machine Company), who had joined forces with Swiss racecar driver

Louis Chevrolet Louis-Joseph Chevrolet (December 25, 1878 – June 6, 1941) was an American racing driver, mechanic and entrepreneur who co-founded the Chevrolet, Chevrolet Motor Car Company in 1911. Early life Louis-Joseph Chevrolet was born on December 2 ...

. Chevrolet used a Cornelian to qualify for the 1915

Indy 500 The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly shortened to Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indian ...

race, with a qualifying speed of . Chevrolet did not finish the race, having to drop out on the 77th lap when an engine valve failed (he placed 20th in the results). However, the appearance was good for business, and orders came into Blood's office. However, only a few units had been produced when Blood halted production. The cycle car was powered by a 4 Cylinder Sterling engine and boasted a light weight of displacing 103 cubic inches (1.7 L). The automobile body was

monocoque Monocoque ( ), also called structural skin, is a structural system in which loads are supported by an object's external skin, in a manner similar to an egg shell. The word ''monocoque'' is a French term for "single shell". First used for boats, ...

; the rear wheels had independent suspension, and the front wheels were mounted on a

Transverse leaf spring front suspension Transverse leaf spring front suspension is a type of automotive front suspension, whose usage is most well known in Ford Motor Company products from 1908 to 1948 (1959 for the inexpensive Ford Popular in the UK). "Suicide front axle" is a term ...

with a solid axle. The Museum of American Speed has one of these vehicles on display.

References

External links

1915 Cornelian photo gallery
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Article with photoChevy Has Made History At Indy For More Than 90 Years
Racing cars Allegan, Michigan Vehicles introduced in 1914 Individual cars