Quiz Archive
What is it? # 102 (UPDATE: Benz !)
Update: We thought that you all look under every bonnet and hood that you can find, so we thought this famous Benz racer wouldn't be too much of a problem for you. Jury member Henk Visscher hesitated for a moment between Mercedes and Benz, but finally he was the only one to produce the right answer: 1908 Benz Grand Prix racer. He added: "....the driver might have been Victor Hémery, who finished second to Lautenschlager's Mercedes in the French Grand Prix of 1908. Or René Hanriot, who took third place. In the next year, the same engine was used in the famous Blitzen Benz."
Sender of the photo David Greenlees wrote: "I believe it is a 1908 Benz 120h.p. 920 c.i. 12443 cc.
They finished 2nd and 3rd at the French Grand Prix at Dieppe in 08. That was the last race in Europe
for giant racing cars. Next they were sent by Benz to Savannah Ga. for the
grand prize races there. They finished 2nd and 4th and where sent back to New York by Benz. One car was
sold to Oldfield the other to David Bruce- Brown who in 1910 went on to win the grand prize at Savannah."
Anyone out there who knows what became of these two giant GP cars?
See you all next Saturday.
(photo collection David Greenlees)
EARLIER TEXT: It is an older restoration object. "The photos came out of a restoration shop that closed.... (...once) ... owned by George Waterman a noted early collector of racing cars." Anyway the photos may be 50-60 years old. So chances are big that this pure bred racing machine already is back in it's former glory and also bakc to the country where it was put together years prior to WW I . It has a big lump of a four-potter with a verrrrry long stroke. And when you take a closer look
'under' the bonnet you will aslo see the elaborate drilling of the firewall structure to add lightness to a make that not has the name to produce light cars. So al you have to tell us 1. The make 2. The year 3. Who may have been the driver. May the best competitor win the infamous PreWarCar T-shirt! Please send your answer before Monday 8 March to
\n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
'>
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
and add # 102 to the subject line.
Add comment
Friday, 05 March 2004
Update: We thought that you all look under every bonnet and hood that you can find, so we thought this famous Benz racer wouldn't be too much of a problem for you. Jury member Henk Visscher hesitated for a moment between Mercedes and Benz, but finally he was the only one to produce the right answer: 1908 Benz Grand Prix racer. He added: "....the driver might have been Victor Hémery, who finished second to Lautenschlager's Mercedes in the French Grand Prix of 1908. Or René Hanriot, who took third place. In the next year, the same engine was used in the famous Blitzen Benz." 
