Show a pre-war mystery

An Isle of Wight Mystery... (upd. Minerva or 1913 Pic-Pic Torpedo)

Vivian Orchard from the Isle of Wight was looking through some family papers and photographs and found this picture of a man by a car. He has no idea why it was in the family papers or who the person was. He wonders if anyone can identify and date the car as this might give him a clue. It looks as if its been on a journey, it might be in France because of the writing on the shop. It has no front wheel brakes, they look like acetylene front lamps and possibly electric side lamps, but why are the latter covered? Michael Ware

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Comments

#7 2013-03-13 22:36

In mine opinium it is a Turcat-Méry.
The profile in the bonnet running from the radiator to the scutle is typical.
The radiator is flat, as the radiator of the Pic-Pic has already changed to a V-shape in the period of the car, I think it is about 1912.

Henk Oost.

#6 2013-03-13 04:02

Very suspicious, waiting outside a French Bank !
Could this be the Bonnot gang's latest heist, with covered lights, and getaway driver, caught on camera ?
http://www.societegenerale.com/en/nous-connaitre/notre-histoire/chronologie
Stuart

#5 2013-03-12 16:39

For a comparison with the Pic-Pic check http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Donne_and_Willans.

#4 2013-03-12 10:38

To see what I think is a similar Minerva, go to www.vccaq.org - Veteran Car Club of Australia (Queensland)

#3 2013-03-12 09:13

That radiator has a Minerva look about it. The headlamps appear to me to be rather vaguely defined, so perhaps they're also covered - wartime requirements?

#2 2013-03-12 07:38

The low resolution of the photographs first misled me towards Turcat-Méry and its alter ego Lorraine-Dietrich, but in the end all details fit in best with a 1913 Pic-Pic torpedo tourer. Why the side lamps are covered, I don't know, perhaps because of the weather? It is my impression that the front lamps have some kind of covering too.

#1 2013-03-11 17:11

If the photo was taken in France this car could be a 1910 Turcat-Mery, but appears more like a Fiat of the same ages.

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