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{{Short description|American engineer (1889–1945)}}
'''Fred "Skinny" Clemons''' (14 February 1889)<ref name=obit>Obituary of Fred Clemons</ref> was an American race car driver and designer. He was one of the first entrants at the [[Indianapolis 500]]. He designed and built his own cars, engines and created his own Independent wheel suspension which he patented in 1934. An identification letter 'C’ or ‘Cm ' often appears in front of the race Numbers on Clemons' cars. Lou Meyer, Joe Russo, Wilber Shaw and many other race drivers drove his cars.<ref name=obit />
{{Infobox racing driver
| name = Fred Clemons
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Frederick Earl Clemons
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1889|02|14}}
| birth_place = [[Greensburg, Indiana]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1945|02|10|1889|02|14}}
| death_place = [[Indianapolis, Indiana]], U.S.
| module1 =
{{Infobox Champ Car driver|embed=yes
| Total_Champ_Races = 2
| Years_In_Champ = 1
| First_Champ_Race = [[1910 AAA Championship Car season|1910]] [[Remy Brassard and Grand Trophy Races|Remy Grand Trophy]] <br/> ([[Indianapolis Motor Speedway|Indianapolis]])
| Last_Champ_Race = [[1910 AAA Championship Car season|1910]] Indianapolis Race #9 <br/> ([[Indianapolis Motor Speedway|Indianapolis]])
| Champ_Wins = 0
| Champ_Podiums = 0
| Champ_Poles = 0
}}}}


'''Frederick Earl "Skinny" Clemons''' (February 14, 1889 – February 10, 1945)<ref name=obit>Obituary of Fred Clemons</ref> was an American race car designer and [[racing driver]]. He was one of the first entrants at the [[Indianapolis 500]]. He designed and built his own cars, engines and created his own Independent wheel suspension which he patented in 1934. An identification letter 'C’ or ‘Cm ' often appears in front of the race Numbers on Clemons' cars. [[Louis Meyer | Lou Meyer]], [[Joe Russo (racing driver) | Joe Russo]], [[Wilbur Shaw | Wilber Shaw]] and many other race drivers drove his cars.<ref name=obit />
==Early life==
Clemons was the son of Anna L. Clemons. He attended the Emmerich manual training school Greensburg Indiana. His father and grandfather bred and trained race horses. <ref name=obit />


==Auto racing==
== Early life ==
Clemons built two cars for the McFarland motor company in 1910 in his workshop/garage, which was at the site of the present ‘World War’ memorial in Indianapolis. <ref name=obit />


Clemons was the son of Anna L. Clemons. He attended the Emmerich manual training school [[Greensburg, Indiana]]. His father and grandfather bred and trained race horses.<ref name=obit />
The first race car designed and built by Clemons was driven in competition by Wilbur Shaw. <ref name=shaw>Shaw, Wilbur. ''Gentlemen, start your engines ''. (autobiography)</ref>

== Auto racing ==

Clemons built two cars for the McFarland motor company in 1910 in his workshop/garage, which was at the site of the present [[Indiana World War Memorial Plaza | ‘World War’ memorial]] in [[Indianapolis]].<ref name=obit />

The first race car designed and built by Clemons was driven in competition by [[Wilbur Shaw]].<ref name=shaw>Shaw, Wilbur. ''Gentlemen, start your engines ''. (autobiography)</ref>


The ‘Automotive Racing Records’ of the 1910 Labor Day Race indicate that Clemons' car No. 24 was entered by the National McFarland carriage company, and finished fifth.
The ‘Automotive Racing Records’ of the 1910 Labor Day Race indicate that Clemons' car No. 24 was entered by the National McFarland carriage company, and finished fifth.


In 1911 Clemons and a team-mate entered the International 500-Mile Sweepstakes with the McFarland car No 22, but they did not qualify. Clemons was also the co-driver of car No 6 with Frank Fox, a Pope/Hartford, which finished 22nd.
In 1911, Clemons and a team-mate entered the [[International 500-Mile Sweepstakes]] with the McFarland car No 22, but they did not qualify. Clemons was also the co-driver of car No 6 with [[Frank Fox (racing driver) | Frank Fox]], a Pope/Hartford, which finished 22nd.


Clemons worked for the Chevrolet brothers, and they used his model ‘T’ automobile to test the first eight valve Fronty head’ engine.<ref>Fox, Jack, ''Illustrated History of Sprint Car Racing''</ref><ref>Riggs, L. Spencer, ''Automobile Quarterly'' Vol 29 No 4,</ref> In 1921, while Clemons was shop foreman for Frontenac,<ref name="Collins2007">{{cite book|author=Tom Collins|title=The Legendary Model T Ford: The Ultimate History of America's First Great Automobile|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=r61b2-M1zr4C&pg=PA225-IA2|date=19 December 2007|publisher=Krause Publications|isbn=0-89689-560-2|pages=225–}}</ref> the first Fronty-Ford cylinder head was installed in a ‘Skinny’ Clemons car,<ref>{{cite book|title=The Vintage Ford|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=j0BWAAAAMAAJ|year=1974|publisher=Model T Ford Club of America.|page=14}}</ref> which was the fastest Ford racer at the time,{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}. Although the car overturned at high speed during the test of the engine conversion,<ref name="Company1973">{{cite book|author=Petersen Publishing Company|title=The Complete Ford Book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=OpgQAQAAMAAJ|year=1973|publisher=Petersen Publishing Company|page=28}}</ref> the new head proved successful and subsequently went into production. <ref>Schmauch, John "Pete", ''Metamorphosis of the model T Ford''</ref>
Clemons worked for the [[Chevrolet]] brothers, and they used his model ‘T’ automobile to test the first eight valve Fronty head’ engine.<ref>Fox, Jack, ''Illustrated History of Sprint Car Racing''</ref><ref>Riggs, L. Spencer, ''Automobile Quarterly'' Vol 29 No 4,</ref> In 1921, while Clemons was shop foreman for [[Frontenac Motor Corporation | Frontenac]],<ref name="Collins2007">{{cite book|author=Tom Collins|title=The Legendary Model T Ford: The Ultimate History of America's First Great Automobile|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r61b2-M1zr4C&pg=PA225-IA2|date=19 December 2007|publisher=Krause Publications|isbn=0-89689-560-2|pages=225–}}</ref> the first Fronty-Ford cylinder head was installed in a ‘Skinny’ Clemons car,<ref>{{cite book|title=The Vintage Ford|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j0BWAAAAMAAJ|year=1974|publisher=Model T Ford Club of America.|page=14}}</ref> which was the fastest Ford racer at the time,{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}. Although the car overturned at high speed during the test of the engine conversion,<ref name="Company1973">{{cite book|author=Petersen Publishing Company|title=The Complete Ford Book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OpgQAQAAMAAJ|year=1973|publisher=Petersen Publishing Company|page=28}}</ref> the new head proved successful and subsequently went into production.<ref>Schmauch, John "Pete", ''Metamorphosis of the model T Ford''</ref>


Clemons built both sprint and board track cars, using chassis which he designed and chain drive overhead cam Clemons-designed four cylinder engines.
Clemons built both sprint and board track cars, using chassis which he designed and chain drive overhead cam Clemons-designed four cylinder engines.


The first Clemons chassis was narrow with front cart springs. A photo of this car can be seen in Wilbur Shaw's autobiography, ''Gentlemen, start your engines''. <ref name=shaw /> In 1925/1926 Lou Schneider and Wilbur Shaw both drove for Clemons.
The first Clemons chassis was narrow with front cart springs. A photo of this car can be seen in Wilbur Shaw's autobiography, ''Gentlemen, start your engines''.<ref name=shaw /> In 1925/1926 [[Louis Schneider | Lou Schneider]] and Wilbur Shaw both drove for Clemons.


Clemons' later four cylinder chassis included deep-sectioned side rails with a raised section over the front axle, which carried the oil tank. The rear section was deep-skirted. The front and rear cross-members were tubular with transverse leaf springs and ‘Hartford’ type shock absorbers fitted length wise along the chassis.
Clemons' later four cylinder chassis included deep-sectioned side rails with a raised section over the front axle, which carried the oil tank. The rear section was deep-skirted. The front and rear cross-members were tubular with transverse leaf springs and ‘Hartford’ type shock absorbers fitted length wise along the chassis.


The chassis frame and alloy bodies for the four cylinder cars in the 1920’s were designed by Clemons and then built by Dreyer of Indianapolis. According to Dreyer records, six bodies were ordered,{{cn|date=August 2015}} but all may not have been completed.
The chassis frame and alloy bodies for the four cylinder cars in the 1920s were designed by Clemons and then built by Dreyer of Indianapolis. According to Dreyer records, six bodies were ordered,{{citation needed|date=August 2015}} but all may not have been completed.


Clemons opened and managed the Rushville Motor Speedway in August, 1925. That year the Clemons car won nine of ten races entered, including the Hoosier motor speedway race.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}} It also averaged 82 mph on the Fort Miami track in Toledo.
Clemons opened and managed the Rushville Motor Speedway in August, 1925. That year the Clemons car won nine of ten races entered, including the Hoosier motor speedway race.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}} It also averaged 82&nbsp;mph on the Fort Miami track in Toledo.


Available Indianapolis Records show that both four and eight cylinder Clemons cars were entered, including cars in 1927 and 1930 entered as ‘Hoosier Pete’ specials. <ref name="Reed2005">{{cite book|author=Terry Reed|title=Indy: The Race and Ritual of the Indianapolis 500|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Pzm24e5toEMC&pg=PA65|year=2005|publisher=Potomac Books, Inc.|isbn=978-1-57488-907-9|pages=65–}}</ref><ref name="Reed2011">{{cite book|author=Terry Reed|title=Indy: The Race and Ritual of the Indianapolis 500|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=dxAig9jh64YC&pg=PT105|date=1 September 2011|publisher=Potomac Books, Inc.|isbn=978-1-59797-391-5|pages=105–}}</ref> In 1931 the cars used the Clemons independent rear suspension One of these, entered as ‘The Wonderbread Special’, also had a Clemons engine. This car has survived and has been restored.
Available Indianapolis Records show that both four and eight cylinder Clemons cars were entered, including cars in 1927 and 1930 entered as ‘Hoosier Pete’ specials.<ref name="Reed2005">{{cite book|author=Terry Reed|title=Indy: The Race and Ritual of the Indianapolis 500|url=https://archive.org/details/indyraceritualof00reed|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Potomac Books, Inc.|isbn=978-1-57488-907-9|pages=[https://archive.org/details/indyraceritualof00reed/page/65 65]–}}</ref><ref name="Reed2011">{{cite book|author=Terry Reed|title=Indy: The Race and Ritual of the Indianapolis 500|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dxAig9jh64YC&pg=PT105|date=1 September 2011|publisher=Potomac Books, Inc.|isbn=978-1-59797-391-5|pages=105–}}</ref> In 1931 the cars used the Clemons independent rear suspension One of these, entered as ‘The Wonderbread Special’, also had a Clemons engine. This car has survived and has been restored.


A group of Indianapolis businessmen in the early 1930s commissioned Clemons and Augie Duesenburg to build a single seater eight cylinder Clemons powered car for the Indianapolis 500.<ref name="Yates1991">{{cite book|author=Brock W. Yates|title=Enzo Ferrari: the man, the cars, the races, the machine|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=be8JAQAAMAAJ|date=1 May 1991|publisher=Doubleday|page=420}}</ref> That car was bought in 1933 by Count Trossi, the president of Scuderia Ferrari, who drove the car in the Monza Grand Prix of 1933. Whitney Straight also ran it at Brooklands, lapping at 138.34 mph, with two Winfield carburetors and a three-speed gearbox. Jack Duller later bought it and raced it at Brooklands. Paul Emery later used the engine in his Emeryson single seater race car. The car and engine were later re-united and are now at the Brooklands museum in the U.K.
A group of Indianapolis businessmen in the early 1930s commissioned Clemons and [[August Duesenburg]] to build a single seater eight cylinder Clemons powered car for the Indianapolis 500.<ref name="Yates1991">{{cite book|author=Brock W. Yates|title=Enzo Ferrari: the man, the cars, the races, the machine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=be8JAQAAMAAJ|date=1 May 1991|publisher=Doubleday|page=420}}</ref> That car was bought in 1933 by [[Carlo Felice Trossi | Count Trossi]], the president of [[Scuderia Ferrari]], who drove the car in the [[Monza Grand Prix]] of 1933. [[Whitney Straight]] also ran it at [[Brooklands]], lapping at 138.34&nbsp;mph, with two Winfield carburetors and a three-speed gearbox. Jack Duller later bought it and raced it at Brooklands. [[Paul Emery]] later used the engine in his [[Emeryson]] single seater race car. The car and engine were later re-united and are now at the [[Brooklands Museum | Brooklands museum]] in the U.K.

== Later life ==


==Later life==
Clemons spent the last eight years of his life in Indianapolis running a restaurant called ‘Grandmothers Kitchen’. He died at the family home in Indianapolis, after suffering a heart attack, aged 55 on February 10, 1945.<ref name=obit />
Clemons spent the last eight years of his life in Indianapolis running a restaurant called ‘Grandmothers Kitchen’. He died at the family home in Indianapolis, after suffering a heart attack, aged 55 on February 10, 1945.<ref name=obit />


==Patents held by Fred Clemons at the United States patent office==
== Patents held by Fred Clemons at the United States patent office ==


{| class=wikitable
'''Registration Date.''' '''Reg No.''' '''Title .'''
|

!Registration Date.
*1. 11th August 1934 21142. Independent wheel suspension.
!Reg No.
*2. 11th August 1934 2104736. Independent wheel suspension.
!Title
*3. 19th August 1921 1463574. Vehicle suspension.
|-
*4. 10th January 1938 2216907. Independent wheel suspension.
|1
*5. 10th January 1927 1839832. Internal combustion engine.
|11 August 1934
*6. 15th June 1931 2062778. Independent wheel suspension.
|1142
|Independent wheel suspension.
|-
|2
|11 August 1934
|2104736
|Independent wheel suspension.
|-
|3
|19 August 1921
|1463574
|Vehicle suspension.
|-
|4
|10 January 1938
|2216907
|Independent wheel suspension.
|-
|5
|10 January 1927
|1839832
|Internal combustion engine.
|-
|6
|15 June 1931
|2062778
|Independent wheel suspension.
|}


== References ==
== References ==


{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

====Books====
*{{cite book|author=Floyd Clymer|title=Indianapolis 500-mile Race History|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=yP2CAAAAMAAJ|year=1946|publisher=Floyd Clymer}}
*Fox, Jack. ''The Indianapolis 500''
*{{cite book|author=Griffith Borgeson|title=The Golden Age of the American Racing Car|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=MDMFSp7xTp0C|year=1998|publisher=SAE International|isbn=978-0-7680-0023-8}}
*Gerber, John. ''The outlaw sprint car racer ''
*Sheldon, Bob. ''Speedway Photos''
*Jenkinson, Denis. ''The Batsford guide to Racing Cars''
*Wallen, D. ''Board track Guts, Gold & Glory''
*Dreyer, Mike. ''The Pop Dreyer story''
*Seymour, Miranda. ''The Bugatti Queen''
*White, Gordon. ''Offenhauser: ''
*Paulsen, Ken. ''M.V.A.R.A''
*Riggs, L. Spencer. ''Automobile quarterly'', V30 No 4
*Riggs, L. Spencer. ''Langhorne. No Mans Land.''

====Articles====

*Old car illustrated. Vol 4 & 5
*National speedway weekly. 5 Dec 1934
*Cavalcade of auto racing. Oct 1977
*Vintage Oval Racing The Strubes: A Peoria Racing Dynasty. by Ken Paulsen
*A record of motorsport U.S Racing 1919-1949 by Darren Galpin

====News reports====

*[http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/37779031/ The Indianapolis News › 26 May 1931 › Page 18 – Newspapers.com]

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[[Category:Wikipedians looking for help|help request]] has been answered. If you need more help or have additional questions, please replace the code '''{{tlf|Help me-helped}}''' on this page with '''{{tlf|Help me}}''', or contact the responding user(s) directly on their own user talk page.
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I have just updated the first part of my article to highlight the significant part of the early history of motor racing worldwide that Fred Clemons was.
Please can someone show me how to link parts of my article to other revenant articles within Wikipedia that also refer to Fred Clemons

ref
I am not sure how to link my artical to referances with in WIKIPEDIA
E.G
There are Articals about the Indianapolis 500 that refer to FRED CLEMONS
BUT I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO LINK TO THEM. Also I do not know how to link my book References
i have read the author's talk page comments but i am still confused
:Hi there Ron. Unfortunately, you can't use other Wikipedia articles as sources. However, if those article have sources that include information about Mr. Clemons, you are free to use them. If you do have sources from outside sites, just copy the URL here and I can help you fix it up. If there's something I've missed (I didn't quite understand everything you said), please let me know. [[User:Nolelover|'''<span style="color:FireBrick;">Nolelover'''</span>]] [[User talk:Nolelover|'''<span style="color:Gold"><sup>Talk</sup>'''</span>]]<sup>·</sup>[[Special:Contributions/Nolelover|'''<span style="color:Gold"><sup>Contribs</sup>'''</span>]] 14:57, 30 January 2012 (UTC)

Please can someone show me how to
#Link parts of my article to other revenant articles within Wikipedia that also refer to Fred Clemons
#Link my article to the relevant books that formed the bases of my research ( all of which are listed at the end of my article
I have read the relevant help pages but I am still finding it to complicated to understand. <small><span class="autosigned">— Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Ron J Dowle|Ron J Dowle]] ([[User talk:Ron J Dowle|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Ron J Dowle|contribs]]) 11:23, 14 March 2012 (UTC)</span></small><!-- Template:Unsigned


=== Books ===
:Since this isn't yet an actual article, it doesn't make any sense to link other articles to this one. If and when this is moved to [[Fred Clemons]], all you would have to do is surround the article title with braces like this: <nowiki>[[Fred Clemons]]</nowiki>. As for referencing, the issue is that you've got a lot of references but it's unclear which facts in the article came from which references. A good way to format the references from books would be to use the {{cite book}} template. After a sentence, you would enter the following: <nowiki><ref name="Example Title">{{cite book|title=Example Title|author=John Doe|publisher=Fake Book Press|date=1947|page=42}}</ref></nowiki>, replacing the fake information with the actual information from the book you used. I used "Ref Name" so that you can use the same reference later on in the article by just copying that part like this - <nowiki><ref name=Example Title /></nowiki> (and don't forget to add the slash at the end). If you're using websites or newspaper articles, you can use the similar {{cite news}} template, which I can help you with. Go ahead and post links to the articles and I'll help you put them into reference form. [[User:Ultraexactzz|UltraExactZZ]] <sup> [[User_talk:Ultraexactzz|Said]] </sup>~<small> [[Special:Contributions/Ultraexactzz|Did]] </small> 14:29, 14 March 2012 (UTC)


* {{cite book|author=Floyd Clymer|title=Indianapolis 500-mile Race History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yP2CAAAAMAAJ|year=1946|publisher=Floyd Clymer}}
:The only article I found that mentions 'Fred Clemons' is [[1911 Indianapolis 500]], which is already redlinked. [[User:Dru of Id|Dru of Id]] ([[User talk:Dru of Id|talk]]) 02:12, 15 March 2012 (UTC)
* Fox, Jack. ''The Indianapolis 500''
* {{cite book|author=Griffith Borgeson|title=The Golden Age of the American Racing Car|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MDMFSp7xTp0C|year=1998|publisher=SAE International|isbn=978-0-7680-0023-8}}
* Gerber, John. ''The outlaw sprint car racer ''
* Sheldon, Bob. ''Speedway Photos''
* Jenkinson, Denis. ''The Batsford guide to Racing Cars''
* Wallen, D. ''Board track Guts, Gold & Glory''
* Dreyer, Mike. ''The Pop Dreyer story''
* Seymour, Miranda. ''The Bugatti Queen''
* White, Gordon. ''Offenhauser: ''
* Paulsen, Ken. ''M.V.A.R.A''
* Riggs, L. Spencer. ''Automobile quarterly'', V30 No 4
* Riggs, L. Spencer. ''Langhorne. No Mans Land.''


=== Articles ===
== I have just updated the first part of my article to highlight the significant part of the early history of motor racing worldwide that Fred Clemons was. ==


* Old car illustrated. Vol 4 & 5
I have just updated the first part of my article to highlight the significant part of the early history of motor racing worldwide that Fred Clemons was.
* National speedway weekly. 5 Dec 1934
Please can someone show me how to link parts of my article to other revenant articles within Wikipedia that also refer to Fred Clemons
* Cavalcade of auto racing. Oct 1977
:Do you mean creating blue links in your text like this [[example]] link? Have a look at the [[Wikipedia:Cheatsheet]]; the full description is at [[Help:Link]]. -- [[User:John of Reading|John of Reading]] ([[User talk:John of Reading|talk]]) 18:16, 14 March 2012 (UTC)
* Vintage Oval Racing The Strubes: A Peoria Racing Dynasty. by Ken Paulsen
'''Judy Bodwell'''
* A record of motorsport U.S Racing 1919-1949 by Darren Galpin
::Who is the granddaughter of Fred Clemons has generously granted me access to their Clemons family records. From where I have been able to compile the following:- Fred ‘skinny’ Clemons was originally a native of Greensburg, Indiana.
HE WAS Born February 14 1889. Both his father and grandfather bred and trained race horses.
Fred died at the family home 6138 Michigan road, Indianapolis, after suffering a heart attack, aged 55 on February 10th 1945.


=== News reports ===
'''From his obituary I was able to ascertain and confirm the following.'''


* [https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/37779031/ The Indianapolis News › 26 May 1931 › Page 18 – Newspapers.com]
*1. He started his racing career as a race car designer & driver by building two cars for the Mc Farland motor company in 1910.
*2. He was racing prior to 1916.
*3. He had been involved in over 10 Indy 500 miles speed races.
*4. Lou Meyer, Joe Russo,Wilber Shaw and many other top drivers drove his cars.
*5. His last car was built for the ‘Seagram Distilling' company in 1940.
*6. He held at least 12 U.S.A patents.
*7. The last eight years of his life were spent running ‘Grand mothers kitchen’. This was a restaurant at 14 south capitol avenue, Indianapolis.
*8. His workshop/ garage was situated where the present ‘World War’ memorial site in Indianapolis is now located.
*9. He attended the Emmerich manual training school Greensburg Indiana.
*10. His Wife Mrs Mable A Clemons.
*11. Daughter Mrs. Betty Rust.
*12. Mother Mrs Anna L Clemons.
*13. Brother Mr Joseph N Clemons. Both lived in Miami, Florida.
*14. His other sister Mrs. Alice Fichenor. Lived in Greensburg Indiana
*15. His funeral was held at the Charles R Howe funeral home
*16. He is buried in the South Park Cemetery Greensburg Indiana.


{{Authority control}}
::There is a reference in one book that by 1934 ‘skinny’ Clemons had connections with Miami, Florida where he was planning to run midget racing. It is stated that he formed a corporation for the control of cars and tracks and intended to lease cars to drivers. I have not been able to find any connection to Florida apart from his brother living in Miami, Florida. -->


{{DEFAULTSORT:Clemons, Fred}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clemons, Fred}}
[[Category:1889 births]]
[[Category:1889 births]]
[[Category:1945 deaths]]
[[Category:1945 deaths]]
[[Category:American automobile designers]]

Latest revision as of 18:27, 7 January 2024

Fred Clemons
BornFrederick Earl Clemons
(1889-02-14)February 14, 1889
Greensburg, Indiana, U.S.
DiedFebruary 10, 1945(1945-02-10) (aged 55)
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Champ Car career
2 races run over 1 year
First race1910 Remy Grand Trophy
(Indianapolis)
Last race1910 Indianapolis Race #9
(Indianapolis)
Wins Podiums Poles
0 0 0

Frederick Earl "Skinny" Clemons (February 14, 1889 – February 10, 1945)[1] was an American race car designer and racing driver. He was one of the first entrants at the Indianapolis 500. He designed and built his own cars, engines and created his own Independent wheel suspension which he patented in 1934. An identification letter 'C’ or ‘Cm ' often appears in front of the race Numbers on Clemons' cars. Lou Meyer, Joe Russo, Wilber Shaw and many other race drivers drove his cars.[1]

Early life

[edit]

Clemons was the son of Anna L. Clemons. He attended the Emmerich manual training school Greensburg, Indiana. His father and grandfather bred and trained race horses.[1]

Auto racing

[edit]

Clemons built two cars for the McFarland motor company in 1910 in his workshop/garage, which was at the site of the present ‘World War’ memorial in Indianapolis.[1]

The first race car designed and built by Clemons was driven in competition by Wilbur Shaw.[2]

The ‘Automotive Racing Records’ of the 1910 Labor Day Race indicate that Clemons' car No. 24 was entered by the National McFarland carriage company, and finished fifth.

In 1911, Clemons and a team-mate entered the International 500-Mile Sweepstakes with the McFarland car No 22, but they did not qualify. Clemons was also the co-driver of car No 6 with Frank Fox, a Pope/Hartford, which finished 22nd.

Clemons worked for the Chevrolet brothers, and they used his model ‘T’ automobile to test the first eight valve Fronty head’ engine.[3][4] In 1921, while Clemons was shop foreman for Frontenac,[5] the first Fronty-Ford cylinder head was installed in a ‘Skinny’ Clemons car,[6] which was the fastest Ford racer at the time,[citation needed]. Although the car overturned at high speed during the test of the engine conversion,[7] the new head proved successful and subsequently went into production.[8]

Clemons built both sprint and board track cars, using chassis which he designed and chain drive overhead cam Clemons-designed four cylinder engines.

The first Clemons chassis was narrow with front cart springs. A photo of this car can be seen in Wilbur Shaw's autobiography, Gentlemen, start your engines.[2] In 1925/1926 Lou Schneider and Wilbur Shaw both drove for Clemons.

Clemons' later four cylinder chassis included deep-sectioned side rails with a raised section over the front axle, which carried the oil tank. The rear section was deep-skirted. The front and rear cross-members were tubular with transverse leaf springs and ‘Hartford’ type shock absorbers fitted length wise along the chassis.

The chassis frame and alloy bodies for the four cylinder cars in the 1920s were designed by Clemons and then built by Dreyer of Indianapolis. According to Dreyer records, six bodies were ordered,[citation needed] but all may not have been completed.

Clemons opened and managed the Rushville Motor Speedway in August, 1925. That year the Clemons car won nine of ten races entered, including the Hoosier motor speedway race.[citation needed] It also averaged 82 mph on the Fort Miami track in Toledo.

Available Indianapolis Records show that both four and eight cylinder Clemons cars were entered, including cars in 1927 and 1930 entered as ‘Hoosier Pete’ specials.[9][10] In 1931 the cars used the Clemons independent rear suspension One of these, entered as ‘The Wonderbread Special’, also had a Clemons engine. This car has survived and has been restored.

A group of Indianapolis businessmen in the early 1930s commissioned Clemons and August Duesenburg to build a single seater eight cylinder Clemons powered car for the Indianapolis 500.[11] That car was bought in 1933 by Count Trossi, the president of Scuderia Ferrari, who drove the car in the Monza Grand Prix of 1933. Whitney Straight also ran it at Brooklands, lapping at 138.34 mph, with two Winfield carburetors and a three-speed gearbox. Jack Duller later bought it and raced it at Brooklands. Paul Emery later used the engine in his Emeryson single seater race car. The car and engine were later re-united and are now at the Brooklands museum in the U.K.

Later life

[edit]

Clemons spent the last eight years of his life in Indianapolis running a restaurant called ‘Grandmothers Kitchen’. He died at the family home in Indianapolis, after suffering a heart attack, aged 55 on February 10, 1945.[1]

Patents held by Fred Clemons at the United States patent office

[edit]
Registration Date. Reg No. Title
1 11 August 1934 1142 Independent wheel suspension.
2 11 August 1934 2104736 Independent wheel suspension.
3 19 August 1921 1463574 Vehicle suspension.
4 10 January 1938 2216907 Independent wheel suspension.
5 10 January 1927 1839832 Internal combustion engine.
6 15 June 1931 2062778 Independent wheel suspension.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Obituary of Fred Clemons
  2. ^ a b Shaw, Wilbur. Gentlemen, start your engines . (autobiography)
  3. ^ Fox, Jack, Illustrated History of Sprint Car Racing
  4. ^ Riggs, L. Spencer, Automobile Quarterly Vol 29 No 4,
  5. ^ Tom Collins (19 December 2007). The Legendary Model T Ford: The Ultimate History of America's First Great Automobile. Krause Publications. pp. 225–. ISBN 0-89689-560-2.
  6. ^ The Vintage Ford. Model T Ford Club of America. 1974. p. 14.
  7. ^ Petersen Publishing Company (1973). The Complete Ford Book. Petersen Publishing Company. p. 28.
  8. ^ Schmauch, John "Pete", Metamorphosis of the model T Ford
  9. ^ Terry Reed (2005). Indy: The Race and Ritual of the Indianapolis 500. Potomac Books, Inc. pp. 65–. ISBN 978-1-57488-907-9.
  10. ^ Terry Reed (1 September 2011). Indy: The Race and Ritual of the Indianapolis 500. Potomac Books, Inc. pp. 105–. ISBN 978-1-59797-391-5.
  11. ^ Brock W. Yates (1 May 1991). Enzo Ferrari: the man, the cars, the races, the machine. Doubleday. p. 420.

Books

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  • Floyd Clymer (1946). Indianapolis 500-mile Race History. Floyd Clymer.
  • Fox, Jack. The Indianapolis 500
  • Griffith Borgeson (1998). The Golden Age of the American Racing Car. SAE International. ISBN 978-0-7680-0023-8.
  • Gerber, John. The outlaw sprint car racer
  • Sheldon, Bob. Speedway Photos
  • Jenkinson, Denis. The Batsford guide to Racing Cars
  • Wallen, D. Board track Guts, Gold & Glory
  • Dreyer, Mike. The Pop Dreyer story
  • Seymour, Miranda. The Bugatti Queen
  • White, Gordon. Offenhauser:
  • Paulsen, Ken. M.V.A.R.A
  • Riggs, L. Spencer. Automobile quarterly, V30 No 4
  • Riggs, L. Spencer. Langhorne. No Mans Land.

Articles

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  • Old car illustrated. Vol 4 & 5
  • National speedway weekly. 5 Dec 1934
  • Cavalcade of auto racing. Oct 1977
  • Vintage Oval Racing The Strubes: A Peoria Racing Dynasty. by Ken Paulsen
  • A record of motorsport U.S Racing 1919-1949 by Darren Galpin

News reports

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