C. W. Van Ranst
Encyclopedia
Cornelius "C. W." Van Ranst (December 7, 1892 New York City, New York – October 11, 1972 Detroit, Michigan
) was an American
racecar driver who competed in the 1921 Indianapolis 500
.
An engineer by trade, Van Ranst developed the overhead valve
cylinder heads for the Ford-Frontenac engine fielded by Louis Chevrolet
in 1921. In 1927 he and Tommy Milton
built a front wheel drive race car for the Indy 500 dubbed the Detroit Special. He also worked as an engineer for Duesenberg
and Cord Automobile
and was instrumental in the development of the Cord L-29, one of the first front wheel drive road cars.
In 1930 he, once again with Milton's collaboration, designed an all-new V12 engine for Packard
. The initial engine was of 6,157 cc capacity with the unusual vee angle of 67° and was intended for use in a front-wheel drive chassis. The onset of the Depression meant that it was never offered for sale and in 1931 Packard paid Milton and Van Ranst $10,000 for the rights to it. It was finally exhibited in January 1932, although as a rear-wheel drive chassis. This engine and chassis appeared slow, under-powered and lacking in torque. Packard engineer Charlie Vincent enlarged both bore and stroke to a new capacity of 7,300 cc, also relocating the spark plugs nearer the centre of its unusual "inverted hemi-head" combustion chamber, amidst a host of detail changes. Production of this new "Packard Twin Six" continued successfully until the outbreak of World War Two.
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...
) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
racecar driver who competed in the 1921 Indianapolis 500
1921 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1921 Indianapolis 500 held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 30, 1921....
.
An engineer by trade, Van Ranst developed the 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...
cylinder heads for the Ford-Frontenac engine fielded by Louis Chevrolet
Louis Chevrolet
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.-Early life:Born in 1878 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a center of...
in 1921. In 1927 he and Tommy Milton
Tommy Milton
Tommy 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...
built a front wheel drive race car for the Indy 500 dubbed the Detroit Special. He also worked as an engineer for Duesenberg
Duesenberg
Duesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
and Cord Automobile
Cord Automobile
Cord was the brand name of a United States automobile, manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929 through 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937....
and was instrumental in the development of the Cord L-29, one of the first front wheel drive road cars.
In 1930 he, once again with Milton's collaboration, designed an all-new V12 engine for Packard
Packard
Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
. The initial engine was of 6,157 cc capacity with the unusual vee angle of 67° and was intended for use in a front-wheel drive chassis. The onset of the Depression meant that it was never offered for sale and in 1931 Packard paid Milton and Van Ranst $10,000 for the rights to it. It was finally exhibited in January 1932, although as a rear-wheel drive chassis. This engine and chassis appeared slow, under-powered and lacking in torque. Packard engineer Charlie Vincent enlarged both bore and stroke to a new capacity of 7,300 cc, also relocating the spark plugs nearer the centre of its unusual "inverted hemi-head" combustion chamber, amidst a host of detail changes. Production of this new "Packard Twin Six" continued successfully until the outbreak of World War Two.
Indy 500 results
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