Car Panhard et Levassor 7HP Twin Cylinder for sale

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1903 Panhard Et Levassor 7HP Twin Cylinder Rear Entrance Tonneau

Registration No. T3372

Engine No. 6376

Chassis No. 6376

VCC Dating Certificate No. 486

Panhard et Levassor sold their first automobile in 1890, based on a Daimler engine license. Levassor obtained his licence from Paris lawyer Edouard Sarazin, a friend and representative of Gottlieb Daimler's interests in France. Following Sarazin's 1887 death, Daimler commissioned Sarazin's widow Louise to carry on her late husband's agency. The Panhard et Levassor license was finalised by Louise, who married Levassor in 1890. Daimler and Levassor became fast friends, and shared improvements with one another.

These first vehicles set many modern standards, but each was a one-off design. They used a clutch pedal to operate a chain-driven gearbox. The vehicle also featured a front-mounted radiator. An 1895 Panhard et Levassor is credited with the first modern transmission. For the 1894 Paris–Rouen Rally, Alfred Vacheron equipped his 4 horsepower with a steering wheel, believed to be one of the earliest employments of the principle.

By 1903, Panhard et Levassor had become the frontrunning suppliers of quality automobiles in France and most of Europe, their cars were sold under license in the UK by this point also. The car offered here today is an example of the 7HP ‘Centaure’ engined Twin Cylinder that was very popular in 1903. The car featured a ‘new to the year’ radiator with surround and the same conventional pedal layout, chain driven gearbox with internal differential that was very common in Panhard cars from 1900 onwards.

The early history of Engine 6376, shows that it was sold new in April 1903 and delivered on 30th April to Mr Harvey Du Cros of London. Du Cros was the UK’s exclusive supplier of Panhard Et Levassor cars and this example was one of the early UK supplied examples that left his showroom at 14 Regents Street, London. Du Cros was prolific in the supply of Panhard Cars and their popularity was well noted in the UK in a market that saw them compete with the likes of Napier in not only competitive events but also sales.

We know from correspondence in the history file that the car was first assigned the registration number ‘T3372’ in July 1912 and the car was owned by Court Garages of Belgrave Road in Torquay until as late as 1936. An image in the file shows the car at this time. The next ownership was that of a H. Garratt-Adams of Elmdon, Birmingham and it was from this ownership that the cars first real correspondence appeared, it was put forward for dating in March 1954 at which point midway through this process it was purchased by Mr L.G.Higham of Warwick. Mr Higham completed the dating process and the car was given a certification of 1903, certificate number 486. The car was clearly very important to the Higham family as it changed hands briefly in 1962, when its next recorded owner was Mrs Audrey Payton from Worthing in Sussex, only for Mrs Antonia Higham to buy the car back in November 1965. It was from this ownership that long term owner and VCC stalwart Mr John Landless purchased the car in 1967. Remarkably the car remained in the Landless family from 1967 – 2015 when it was purchased by the current ownership.

The car today is offered for sale having recently completed the 2026 Creepy Crawly event and has completed the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run on the last 11 occasions. Presented in good useable condition, the car starts well and shows a good turn of speed, able to carry 4 passengers with ease and changes gear with particular ease. The car has maintained a number of its key components including Krebs carburettor and Ducellier lamps. The VCC Dating Certificate occupancies the sale. A twin cylinder Panhard et Levassor has long been considered the perfect car for the worlds oldest motoring event and this example gives a new custodian the opportunity to add their name to this cars long history.

1903 Panhard Et Levassor 7HP Twin Cylinder Rear Entrance Tonneau - VCC Dated

1903 Panhard Et Levassor 7HP Twin Cylinder Rear Entrance Tonneau - VCC Dated

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