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At some point, most likely when the Buick racing team was disbanded in February of 1911, William Durant asked Louis Chevrolet, a well-known race car driver, to help design a car for introduction to the public. He had not yet formed a company to manufacture it. Durant was aware that Chevrolet had ambitions to build a car of his own, and since the Chevrolet name was already well known in motorsports Durant was sure he was the man for the job. By sponsoring Chevrolet to build his own with the "Chevrolet" nameplate, Durant was able to get research and development completed on a new car, likely a fast raceabout, but more importantly promote the "Chevrolet" name.

Louis Chevrolet hired a French engineer to help him, Etienne Planche, whom he had known from his days with the Walter in Brooklyn and who had designed the Roebling-Planche (predecessor to the Mercer). Also to assist was mechanic and machinist Henry Winterholf who Louis Chevrolet met while working with the Buick Racing Team.

On March 13, 1911 Louis Chevrolet rented a second floor above the D.M. Schulte & Sons Garage on Grand River Avenue in Detroit to start (as claimed later by Planche and Winterholf) the design of the first Chevrolet car. One would suspect that Durant was funding this operation, hiring Louis Chevrolet as an independant contractor. No documentation indicating a company started up by either Chevrolet or Durant has been found in Michigan records.

On May 30, 1911 the Flint Daily Journal leaked the news of the forthcoming Chevrolet car from Durant. The next day, May 31, the Flint Daily Journal's headline read "Little As Manager" and released the news that Bill Little would be running operations. Bill Little was the former plant manager of Buick and understand not only the importance of building low, medium, and high price cars, but how do to it. Flint businessmen and the board of commerce wanted Durant's Chevrolet Company to be in their town, not Detroit according to the Flint Daily Journal of June 2, 1911. Durant and banker A.G. Bishop agreed to establish a factory in Flint with the partnership of A.C. Mason to build engines for the future "Chevrolet" company.

In the beginning of August (a 2-year lease was signed on July 15, 1911), Little moved into the Corcoran Light Company factory building on West Grand Boulevard in Detroit he had leased. The Flint Daily Journal for July 15, 1911 story heading was: "Chevrolet Co. to Start In Detroit - Secures Lease on Temporary Plan". The journal quoted Bill Little as saying: "While I am organizing the company and Mr. Durant is aiding me in every way ..." [ Editors Note: researchers have not found formal documentation that the Chevrolet Motor Company legally existed in state commerce records and there has not yet been found any proof of Mr. Little conducting business with a DBA as Chevrolet Motor Company or similar. ] Among the new individuals on the payroll were Louis Chevrolet, Etienne Planche, and Henry Winterholf.

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