Louis Chevrolet Wins the 100 Mile Automobile Race in 1917

1917 : An Eventful Year for Chevrolet

Way back in history in the year 1917 when the Chevy was first invented, Chevrolet, which was fourth in line behind Buick, Ford and Willys-Overland, was acquired by General Motors, the world's largest car manufacturer.

1917 was also a big year for Chevrolet's designer, Louis Chevrolet. He became the Speedway Champion when he won the 100 mile automobile race at Sheepshead Bay, New York.

Not only was the race a monumental event, 1917 ushered in the production of the first Chevrolet V-8 engine.

1917 Chevrolet Series D V-8

There were 511 Chevrolet Series D V-8's built in 1917 and each sold at a price of $1, 385. The new 1917 Chevrolet Series D V-8 touring car, with its 102-inch wheelbase, weighed 3,200 pounds.

With the Zenith two-barrel carburetor and displacement of 288-cubic inches, the V-8 engine developed 55 h.p. @ 2,700 rpm at a compression ratio of 4.75 to 1.

All these now antique models had electric starters and a new chassis that featured quarter-elliptic cantilever springs at the rear.

Even though the Series D had great power, the sales were low due to the high price.

If you are a Chevy owner or just an antique auto enthusiast, I hope you enjoyed reading this review of a famous (and fast) Chevrolet Classic.

Sometimes it can be difficult to sort out all the details related to classic Chevrolet automobiles, but I am positive you will have no trouble making sense of the information presented above about this historic vehicle. Now, if you own one, take your classic 1917 Chevy for a spin today!

Classic Chevy Advice for Collectors