The Magazine - PreWarCar

Whatisit? Quiz # 315

2012-02-03T23:00:00Z

We have no idea why there is no tire around the spare wheel. The car looks brand-new, so perhaps it still has to be fitted. Although it seats four, it was still called a cyclecar, but that name may have been more fitting to the two-passenger side-by-side roadster or the two-passenger tandem that were also offered. The V-shaped radiator provided the cooling for the four-cylinder air-cooled engine. It was said to be the car for the American nation and it was priced accordingly. Yet the company president wasn’t sure about the future of cyclecars in the US, so he bought another company that produced a large six-cylinder car. Very soon after that the company went into receivership, and although it was stated that some 600 cycle cars and 100 six-cylinder cars were to be assembled under receivership, that number must be doubted. Do you already have an idea what car we are talking about? Then tell us the make of the cyclecar; the name of the company that produced it and preferably also the make of the six-cylinder car. To win the infamous PreWarCar T-shirt send us your answer before Monday, February 6 by using the Contact Form or the ‘Add new comment’ below, but please use no more than 100 words. Enjoy your weekend!
(photo source to be published next week)

Same girl, same dog, same car

2012-02-02T23:00:00Z

And also by the same artist (click main pic!). Both are watercolours for an advert for the Steyr XII, one Dutch, one from Austria. The origins of the Steyr are easy to trace, but the artist by the name of Demar we have never heard of before. We found only one other Steyr advert by him. Who can tell us more about Demar… did he work solely for Steyr or have more of his paintings survived?

Highlights at Retromobile

2012-02-02T07:34:03Z

Retromobile in Paris will held from February 1st until the 5th. If you are there, why not send us your best shots!
(Click READ MORE for earlier pictures)

An all different look at our cars and the people involved. Japanese artist Todoroki Tomohiro likes to emphasize on the human aspect and character of the car's face. That's why he doesn't use the straight metallic lines but more the wrinkled aging lines of their owners faces.

Concours Brasier in Ascoli Peceno around 1905? (Upd. Licence by Fides?)

2012-02-01T23:00:00Z

Giuseppe de Angelis wrote from Italy:" A few weeks ago I found two glass-pictures in a little box. The photos were taken in the early 1900s in the garden of my house, which is in Ascoli Piceno – Italy. It's a superb car with chain drive, full of flowers because it participated in a local show where it won third place (as shown in the little flag over the steering wheel). But I don’t know what kind of car it is; who built it or where. Can someone identify the four-leaf clover on the radiator? Please help us to rebuild its history.”
The cloverleaf makes it easy to identify, Guiseppe, it’s a French-built Brasier. But who can fill in the rest of the details?

Testing a Tilling-Stevens

2012-01-31T23:00:00Z

We wouldn’t like to be in this man’s shoes, trying to put some blocks under the front-wheels of this Tilling-Stevens truck chassis. The purpose is to show how good this truck is conquering hills. The picture comes from a film that was shot during the 1924 Concours d’Elegance on the boulevard of the Dutch fishing village and beach resort Scheveningen (just try to pronounce that!). The whole movie is some eight minutes long and shows three separate parts, the Concours itself, including several wonderful C4 Spykers; the races along the waterfront and the demonstration of the Tilling-Stevens. This movie has some special meaning for your editor as I know for sure that my grandfather is among the spectators. Too bad I couldn’t spot him and I can’t ask him anymore.
(still taken from movie)

Replacement parts - Non, Merci!

2012-01-30T23:00:00Z

Originality will be the main theme at the tenth Bremen Classic Motorshow to be held from the 3rd to the 5th February, 2012. And to show you what originality really means the organization has persuaded The Musée National de l´Automobile in Mulhouse (France) to show what they have in their secret hoard at the Schlumpf Collection. Some of these haven’t seen daylight since they were stored away and painstakingly kept in their original condition. Two examples to show Bremen means business: one a 1927 Hotchkiss AM2 that belonged to a banker from Mulhouse. Subsequent generations of his family learned to drive using this vehicle. The other a 1928 Voisin C7C that was used regularly until it became part of the Schlumpf collection and disappeared under white sheets. Well worth a visit to Bremen, we think!

New Zealand Stude dude digs for info.

2012-01-29T23:00:00Z

Aaron Ellis-Smith from New Zealand writes: "I have recently found this 1938 Studebaker Coupe, and it is hard finding out information on this car, like how many were made, how many came to NZ, how many are left world wide, etcetera. So if anyone out there that can help me out with any information on the coupe it would be much appreciated." Come on guys, let's share our knowledge! And Aaron... good luck with the long and winding road restoring y'r Coupe!

While waiting for help Aaron, we suggest you enjoy these Stude songs.

A Retromobile Sneak Preview Mystery. (upd. 1923 Gérin Aerodyne!)

2012-01-28T23:00:00Z

We have our doubts if you have ever seen a Jaeger with a reading up to 10 bar for the 'front circuit' and the 'rear circuit'. But if you know we are eager to learn, as we have no clue since we saw it recently. This pressure gauge is just a small detail of a brilliant automotive piece of streamline art that was developped in the early twenties. The rearengined creature with its alloy spaceframe was a very early forerunner of the avantgarde that came up more than 10 years later. The car was considered lost for many decades untill it was found back in Ireland last year. The french miracle will be on display at Retro Mobile that will open its doors next wednesday. Yet we're interested to see how many of you know what we're talking about. We will reveal the identity of the car 24 hours after publication.

About Quiz # 314: 1923 Bignan 2L Sport 11CV

2012-01-27T23:00:00Z

Either you instantly recognized our quiz car or you didn’t. And looking at the many correct answers we received, it was obvious to most that it was a Bignan. These cars were known for their square radiator with a winged stork on top, which could be vaguely seen in the picture. Our quiz car is a 1923 Bignan 11Cv DESMO Sports. The engine is a 2L single OHC with Desmodromique valves, i.e. the valves are positively closed mechanically, not relying on springs. The model is also unusual in that it has servo-assisted brakes on the front wheels only. Many told us a lot about the history of the Bignan and its creator Jacques Bignan, but only two could tell us that the picture was taken in 1925 during the ‘Côte des 17 tournants’ (a hill climb near Dampierre in the Chevreuse Valley). They were Nicolas Boissier and Pascal Rousselle. Since Nicolas is a jurymember this week’s prize goes to Pascal, who even came up with our main picture showing the same Bignan from a different angle. Congratulations Pascal! The PreWarCar T-shirt will be on its way. See ‘Read More’ for the list of all entrants that had the make ‘Bignan’ correct.
(photos collection Karl Ludvigsen Library and collection Pascal Rousselle)

A Belgian (?) Mystery car (Esculape / La Mouche)

2012-01-26T23:00:00Z

Last week Guy Mahy used this very picture to illustrate his 'wanted advert' for a pre-1901 car. Several reactions came in by mail within 24 hrs. Unfortunately not succesful up to now.
Guy writes: “But this picture shows a mystery car indeed. A relative of mine found a glass-plate picture in an old house in Verviers (Belgium) and scanned it. I suppose this could be a Belgian car as there were some manufacturers in that region. Up to now suggestions were made as to Linon and Duryea, built by "Construction Liègeoise" but the few pictures we have do not match. The lamps, steering and the outfit of the very serious person suggests that we are at the turn of the century or a bit earlier. When enlarging the picture one can see that the car is chain driven and on the side of the engine there is a "De Dion" like logo. But as far as I know all De Dion engines show the make in full letters, and not the logo. Maybe this statement is not right and it could be a make with a De Dion engine. Can someone help? Perhaps if someone knows the driver this could help as well!”