Prior to the Sheridan, General Motors, under William (Billy) Durant, grew its automotive marques Chevrolet, Oakland, Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadillac, by acquiring independent manufacturers and then folding their operations into the GM structure.

Durant approved the project and the Inter-State Automobile factory in Muncie, Indiana, which had been idle since 1918, was purchased.

[5] To market the Sheridan, Burke hired World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker, himself an accomplished automobile racer in his own right.

Through prosaic marketing, and Rickenbacker's endorsements, Sheridan officials felt the production target of 300 cars a day was not only achievable, but profitable as well.

Rickenbacker abandoned his role as the spokesman for the company, and the Sheridan ceased to exist by September, 1921.