Quiz Archive

About Quiz # 265: 1911 Spyker 18/27

About every competitor was almost or perfectly right about the 'dustless' 'silent' Spyker. The transverse mounted camshaft was the giveaway leading to the right year and model. Good or partly good answers came in from competitors Evan Ide, Henk Oost, Luke Chenell, David Miller, Bryan Norfolk. And from jury members Hans Compter, Bart Oosterling, Stuart Penketh and Frans Vrijaldenhoven.
In our opinion the best answer came from Luke Chenell, congratulations Luke! : "The car in question is a 1911 Spyker 18/27. The car now resides in the Dutch National Museum in Raamdonksveer, The Netherlands. The cars design dates to early 1908, when, after the disastrous death of Hendrik-Jan Spijker, the company was reorganized (sans Jacobus Spijker as well). Joseph Laviolette designed the transverse-camshaft engine. A mark of the design's success was the order by Queen Wilhelmina of a larger, 24/50 h.p. model in 1911. The car in the Museum now carries un-aproned fenders and wooden seats."
The photos came to us through Rob Mellaart, son of the man who found and saved the car in Indonesia many years ago. At that time Mellaart Sr. had no other choice (and maybe wish) than to forget about the rotten and worm eaten coachwork and he decided to change the car into a two seater. The days after the quiz a flood of old photos came in. Frans Vrijaldenhoven was kind enough to send material showing the 'TC' engine design. Spyker pilot Stijnus Schotte sent several photos, among which the crankshaft and this period Spyker ashtray illustrating Spyker's pride with the new silent engine! Special thanks to Rob Mellaart. Regarding the car, today is still in its seventies outfit. Let's hope this material will inspire the current owner to restore the car, back to the glory how it once left the Amsterdam factory.

Friday, 18 December 2009