Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Bugatti T35

Something a bit different today with the icon of the racing cars from the late 20s : the Bugatti T35.
With its straight eight engine, two carbs (note the non standard holes in the bonnet) or the supercharged version (the T35B), the alloy wheels, the Bugatti was, without doubt, the best racer from its period.

This one, registered in Paris in 1928, seems to have a nice racing career. Note the "slick" tyres.
May be a Bugatti expert could identiy the chassis number of this one?



Monday, November 25, 2013

Renault Reinastella torpedo scaphandrier Kellner

During the concours d’élégance, sponsored by Fémina and l’Intransigeant, in June 1930, at the Parc des Prince stadium in Paris, Renault exhibited a Reinastella RM coachbuilt by Kellner as a torpedo scaphandrier (can be translated as diver torpedo).
The carrosserie Kellner was probably the most exclusive coachbuilder in France by the end of the 20’s. Its style can be defined as classical always good taste and elegant lines. Kellner built bodies for any type of chassis from sports car to the French presidential parade cars.


Several “scaphandriers” were built on Renault and Panhard chassis. Very few survived but I recently saw an amazing video of one big Renault found in a barn in the US!  Most probably a future entrant for the Pebble beach concours…

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Racing Renault ?

I'm wondering if this Renault couldn't be an ex-racing car that was sold to a private customer.
This is a short lenght chassis that has been very lightly bodied, the bonnet seems to have openings just as the racing Renault from the Grand Prix from the A.C.F. in 1908 (see below)
It was quite common that racing cars, at that time, were sold and transformed in more civilized auto for sportsmen.

Just let me know if you share, or not, my feeling.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

An Ehrhardt or an error ?

May be I'm wrong but this impressive big coupe limousine is probably a very rare Ehrhardt-Szawe 10/50PS from 1924.
This is actually the last attempt from this car manufacturer, originaly from Düsseldorf but since 1922 based in Berlin after having bought the Karrosseriefabrik Szabo & Wechselmann (shorten Szawe), which address was in the very nice area of Unter den Linden.
Obviously, the body has been produced by the skilled workers from Szawe.
I have no idea of the production number of this large 6 cylinder car but due to economical climate in Germany in the 20's, very few of these luxury cars were sold and the company stopped producing cars at around 1925.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Four Poilus in a Ford T

For the centenary of the First World War, here is a nice picture of four French soldiers, nicknamed poilus, in a Ford T.
The car is nicely equipped with a full set of lights, a horns, spare tyres under protection. A non standard box has been built and installed under the running board.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Hispano-Suiza, la reine de la route !

This chauffeur has some good reasons to be proud of his Hispano-Suiza type H6b, there is no better car on the market and this 1927 model has a very elegant body.
The most exclusive French cars from the 20's, was built in Bois-Colombes from 1919 to the mid 30's for the very last H6.
Among a total production of 2440 H6 chassis, 349 were equipped with the largest engine of a 8 l. capacity (the H6c, taxed 46CV), 29 others with the Boulogne motor and the rest were 32 CV with the regular 6.6 l. motor.
The H6 was le chef d'oeuvre from Marc Birkigt and was indeed la reine de la route, the queen of the road, as it was known !