The Spyker Speedster that never was

Hello Henk. The FN was a model 2700A, number 1005. After Mr Bartels died and the car was sold, it returned to Belgium. I'm not aware of the current owner.

Andrew

Hello there, more Spyker history.
Reading "Enciclopedia de oro del Automovilismo" by Luis Elias Sojit, page 252 says: 1 Nov 1908, Challenger cup "Thibaut" organized by the Moto club Argentino , between San Isdro and Vicente Lopez . Distance 8,200 kms Category A 4 cylinder engines , max alesaje 110mm, and 6 cylinder with max piston diameter 90mm.
1st. A. Becks with Spyker 4 cylinders, time 6' 7''
I have translated from the original Spanish. The book was printed circa 1955. (no date).
Hope some Spyker enthusiast finds this interesting.

Hello there, more Spyker history. Reading "Enciclopedia de oro del Automovilismo" by Luis Elias Sojit, page 252 says: 1 Nov 1908, Challenger cup "Thibaut" organized by the Moto club Argentino , between San Isdro and Vicente Lopez . Distance 8,200 kms Category A 4 cylinder engiens , max alesaje 110mm, and 6 cylinder with max piston diameter 90mm. 1st. A. Becks with Spyker 4 cylinders, time 6' 7'' I have transalated from the original spanish. The book was printed circa 1955. (no date) Hope some Spyker enthusiast finds this interesting.

When I saw the photo of the Spyker with the radiator and his body I knew directly “I have sentiments with this car”.

As I am archivist of the Pionier Automobielen Club (of the Netherlands) (PAC) we know more about the Spyker Mr. Mellaart sr. found in the late ’60-s in Indonesia.

In our archives we have some correspondence (dated 1968) of Mr. K.J. Mellaart - who worked for the Philips company in Indonesia – to our PAC-secretary that he had discovered some very interesting “Edwardians” and he would propose to export them to the Netherlands for interested PAC-members. Mr. Mellaart owned already a Bugatti 37A that came with him from Singapore.

First he noticed the Spyker, he found in the middle of Java, it was almost complete and he bought it. He discovered also a Lorraine Dietrich of about 1910 in Surabaya, but the Chinese owner wouldn’t sell. There was also a Lancia of about 1911 in Jakarta and a Haynes 12 cylinder of circa 1914 (Yes!) and a FN 1914 with landaulette bodywork by the Dutch firm of Pennock (The Hague).

The FN (originally from the Sultan of Yogyakarta) came to the Netherlands and was sold to Mr. Bartels who restored the car. After Mr. Bartels passed away the FN was sold and the trace of it is lost. Where is it now!!
Back to the Spyker; When Mellaart sr. bought the Spyker he found that the body – a 4 pers. Torpedo – was not original and he believed it was made by a local carpenter! When I saw the photo’s in our archives I knew this IS the original Spyker-body! We have some 15 photo’s of the car but no one with the radiator, so the photo issued now in the article of Mr. Rob Mellaart is new to me; I feel lucky about! The Spyker is a 18HP nr. 18117 and was claimed to be of 1911, but the body-style is more of 1912 as the Technical commission of the PAC assumed at that time (and I still support). The Spyker possessed the original registration nr. AB 1111, (AB stands for Yogyakarta”) in the prewar age when Indonesia was still “Nederlands Indië”. Mr. Mellaart sr. was the 4th owner, the first owner is unknown, and of the 2 owners there after we have their names.

Mr. Mellaart sr. claimed that the price of shipment to the Netherlands was much cheaper when the cars were dismantled in elements so what he did was to dismantle the Spyker in elements and leave the body and mudguards there so they rest separated and probably being destroyed. (who cares about originality at that time?)

Once in the Netherlands the chassis was there and what to do with it? The activities on this point where uncertain and in 1972/73 Mr. Mellaart sold it to Mr. Max Lips in Drunen where it was restored (?) and on display with the “fantasy speedster” body, created, in his Autotron-museum for a while. Who had the idea for this remains a question! After he passed away and the Autotron-museum was going to be broken-up, it came in the collection of the Louwman Museum in The Hague and the rest is known history… It’s a shame that such an automobile is spoiled by wrong decision and later has to be reconstructed to its original form! Bravo pour the Louwman museum!

Mr. Rob Mellaart; this is a fantastic story (apart from the “fantastic speedster”) and I hope to hear from you. We have the “registration form” and letters. Maybe we can update our archives?

Henk Oost, archivist.

Perhaps you all know this
The first open road race of Argentina was in 1906, From the center of Buenos Aires city to Tigre some 30 kms away, the winner was not clear, some complications in the time charts. The contenders were Mr. Marin in a Darraq and Mr Mackinlay in a Spyker. After much consultation the prize went to the Darraq. Yes, your question is where is the Spyker today, we do not know. Have aphotograph some where in my files.

In the book "Autopioniers van Insulinde, 1894-1940", by F.F. .Habnit several Spyker tourers are pictured. in the (former) Dutch Indies..
Also some names of owners/drivers are mentioned.

As I've said many times, "I wouldn't kick it out of my garage for drippin oil!" Love it with either body!