Automotive history

I don't know how many books have been written and published about Ferrari cars. I'm quite sure that there are several hundreds of them and the production continues every year...

On the other hand, there are some important automobile manufacturers for which we are still waiting for a complete history: Darracq, Mors, Talbot, Delaunay Belleville, etc.

If you are interested by automobile history stay tuned, things may evolve in a near future...

To stay alert, here are three examples of obscure French cars.

Who remember the Arista? Not the ones built by Raymond Gaillard in the 50s-60s but the ones built in a small workshop located 140 boulevard Pereire in Paris from 1912 to end of December 1913 when the company was declared in bakrupcy.
The founder of the automobiles Arista was Pierre-Aristide Ruffier. In 1912 no less than four different models where proposed: a 6 HP priced 2500 F., a four-cylinder 8 HP for 4000 F., a 10 HP for 5000 F. and a 12 HP.

What about the HL built in Saint Cloud? Voiture automobile légère, the factory... well, the workshop  was located quai du Président Carnot but who was the owner of this small society ? Interesting car with what is looking as front independent suspensions.

The last example is this Bedelia like car built by a certain Henri Dupuy from l'Ile-Bouchard in the department of Indre & Loire.

Ford T.A.G.A.

At the end of World War I, quite a lot of vehicles that came with the American Army were available on the second hand market. There were trucks, motorcycles and many types of cars from large Pierce Arrow or Cadillac to Ford T.

After four and half years of war, the French automobile industry had to reborn from hashes. André Citroën who produced weapons and shells during the war, decided to launch a new small car ; Louis Renault, whose factories mades trucks, tanks, aero engines, etc. resumed car production in 1918.

Albert-Marie Torchet de Gamaches, in 1921

Albert-Marie Torchet de Gamaches, who was a descendant from a noble French family, decided another way and his idea was to refurbish the numerous available second hand Ford T in a workshop located 45 rue Louis Blanc in Courbevoie, a suburb on West of Paris.
His company: the Ateliers A. Torchet de Gamaches built modified or "Frenchified" Ford as stated in the advertisements. These cars were named Ford T.A.G.A.

The modification consisted by installing a new body and a more angular nickeled radiator, by replacing the Ford carburetor with a French Solex, by changing the wheels with Michelin disk wheels.
Several models were available 4-seat tourer, 2-door sedan, taxi, delivery van...

To publicitise his cars, Albert Torchet de Gamaches participated to few sporting events such as the famous course de côte de Gaillon, the hill climb race of Gaillon in October 1st, 1921.

Albert Torchet de Gamaches at the wheel of his T.A.G.A. Ford tourer. Gaillon hill climb race 1 Oct. 1921

Mr Villain with a T.A.G.A. Ford 2-door sedan at the Gaillon hill climb race on 1 Oct. 1921

The price of the T.A.G.A was quite high compare to the regular Ford T, and few were sold.

On 20 January 1922, the company was declared bankrupted.

Albert Torchet de Gamaches then moved to Normandy, in Bagnoles de l'Orne, where he was appointed general manager of the Garage Anglo-French.

2-door sedan "Frenchified" T.A.G.A. Ford 1921