Arthur and Louis Chevrolet built their first airplane engine in 1927.  It was a single overhead cam 4-cylinder design, and it was installed in a biplane built by the Moundsville Aircraft Corporation of West Virginia.  On the aircraft’s maiden flight the pilot experienced engine trouble, and was forced to make an emergency landing.  While nobody was hurt, the Chevrolet brothers had to go back to the drawing board with their new aero engine.  In addressing their problems, the brothers had a heated argument over the future design of the engine.  According to interviews with family members, the disagreement resulted in the 2-brothers not speaking to one another for several years to follow. 

In early 1928 Louis abruptly left the Chevrolet Bros Mfg Co., and started a new business called the Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation.  Art meanwhile retained sole ownership of the Chevrolet Bros Mfg Co., and modified the original 1927 engine with a new double overhead cam set-up.  Art later abandoned that design in favor of an inverted style engine.  The following documents pertain to Arthur Chevrolet’s aircraft engine business, which eventually became known as “Chevolair”.