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Metropolis motor keeps on rousing readers

September 3, 2014, 4:00 pm
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There is no doubt that one of the most daring of silent film projects is Fritz Lang's epic 'Metropolis'. One reader writes: "As I have viewed the film over the years, the question what the make and model of the white limousine, used by Freder in the movie is, has never been answered." Indeed, the big chauffeur driven landaulette - clearly modified for the movie - remains a Metropolis mystery of the first kind.

The still shown above comes from our friends of the Internet Movie Cars Database and have dug up another one, too. Their reader's suggest anything from Mercedes to Hispano-Suiza, De-Dion Bouton to Bugatti and from Panhard and Adler to Farman. Martin Koerber of the Deutsche Kinemathek - considered the world's leading expert on the film Metropolis - states that even he has no clue about the automobile used for the film. Urban legend has that Fritz Lang used the car to arrive at the opening of Metropolis in Berlin at the Palast am Zoo movie theater on January 10, 1927, but no photographs to prove this appear to be known. What do you think?

(Picture courtesy www.imdb.org)

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Beauty and the Bédelia

September 4, 2014, 4:00 pm
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Beauty and the Bédélia (friday lady)

Back in May we shared with you the story of the 2014 Festival of Slowth – a celebration of cyclecars and their owners. The event was held in the grounds of Llysdinam Hall in Wales, the family home of Sir John and Lady Carolyn Venables –Llewelyn … both avid car enthusiasts and lover of gardens. Today’s subject is Becky and she is head gardener at the Hall. She took time out of her busy day to show anybody interested around the gardens – I think everybody joined the tour and fascinating it was too.

Becky knew the Latin names of all the flowers, shrubs and trees and such was her enthusiasm that Mike Bullett offered her a ride in his 1912 Bédélia. You could see the nervousness in her smile as she clambered aboard the car where the passenger sits in front of the driver, but once they got going her smile rose to helpless laughter and she forgave Mike for any damage we caused her lawns and paths during the driving tests.

(Text/pictures Robin Batchelor)

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What is it? Quiz #378

September 5, 2014, 4:00 pm
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This great colonial style picture found its way to us all the way from Bombay. A reader's friend recently found it and, like ourselves, wondered about the 5 w's: who, what, where, when and why? Well, some of these have yet been answered as it's supposedly taken in Bombay in 1905. As a matter of fact the couple on the photograph may be known, too, as Mr and Mrs J (Jeff?) Duff Blair with their prized posession - that alone must have been reason enough to photograph it. Now, that leaves with just one more questions: what? Easy as that.

You know the drill. We want the name and model designation of the car with any extra information being awarded. How many horns/whistles/valves/gears? Did Mahatma Gandhi have a ride in it? Was it painted purple at one stage? Does it survive? Bonus points for any trivial knowledge not readily available from 'the web' or 'the shelf'. In order to have a chance of winning the infamous PreWarCar T-shirt, please check The Rules under 'Read More'. Results will be published next Saturday September 13.

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Adler and others go Antwerp

September 6, 2014, 4:00 pm
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Adler and others go Antwerp

Next Sunday, on September 14, tourists and travellers walking the serene gardens of Chateau Belvédère near Antwerp, may be rudely awoken by the sound of sputtering and gurgling four-, six- and eight cylinder engines of days gone past as the estate’s gardens will host a range of classic cars entering the 10th Antwerp Concours. Oh – there will surely be some 12-cylinder sounds, too since Ferrari is the chosen make for this year’s anniversary edition of the event.

But like before the organizers have several more surprises up their sleeve. How about the rare 1937 Adler 2.5-litre cabriolet, also known as the ‘Autobahn Adler’, shown above? In coffee-and-cream colour scheme it will make its way to the castle’s gardens. The car was bought in 1979 by a former Karmann-employee who cherished it like a baby. It stayed in the family only since earlier this year, when its current owner took it over from the man’s grandson. Adjacent the event, there is the Antwerp Concours ‘Jubileumrally’ tour, with a string of pre-wars attending. Be careful for those manicured lawns chaps!
 
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A SCAP afficionado

September 7, 2014, 4:00 pm
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We'd like to introduce you to a French friend, Monsieur S.C.A.P. Defrasnes. Apart from his everyday vintage Salmson he has a funny hobby on the side. He likes to fiddle around with a car sharing his initials: a 1913 SCAP of the early Type A. Now most of you will know this name as producer of interesting cyclecar engines; few of you will know it as a motorcar manufacturer.

Perhaps not very surprising, as no more than 7 cars bearing this name on their radiator badge are believed to survive - despite the fact that at least as many variants and models once existed... Our friend S.C.A.P. is planning a full restoration on his rare car and has already started on the phaetonesque body design, which will be mounted upon a sturdy frame. We're sure it will be a stunner once finished. Like a SCAP, too? It's going to be a challenge since you are some 95 years too late for finding them regularly in the ads section of French newspapers...

(Picture courtesy S.C.A.P. Defrasnes)

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The oldies must go to keep the youngsters interested...!?

September 8, 2014, 4:00 pm
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Fancy a Ford?

No less than 47 pre-war and early post-war Fords will be auctioned on October 1 and 2 in the Dutch flowerbulb municipality of Hillegom. They form part of the largest private collection of Fords in the world, the Den Hartog Ford Museum. In 1997 the Den Hartogh Ford Museum openend its doors to the public and in 2002 the Guinness Book of Records granted it official status as world's biggest private collection of Fords. The museum houses some rare examples including a 1903 Model A, 1904 Model B and C, 1905 Model F and the first 6-cylinder Ford, a 1906 Model K. However, the times are changing and the Ford Museum feels it needs to attract a younger public... ouch that hurts!

To do that, they are looking to say goodbye to no less than 10 Model T's plus 37 other oldies and to add a number of post-1940 Ford models to the collection. Pfff, as if that will help! They would do better in stead of selling to use the Model T's to drive around town and pick-up youngsters from bus stops and nearby train stations. Bet you they like these more than a modern classic Mustang or Capri...

The good news, the really good stuff remains in the collection. Yet there are some quite interesting buys. Buses and fire engines feature prominently, not sursprisingly as they take up a lot of space. And how about a 1937 model 950 V8 touringcar that seats 16? Perfect if you like to travel with friends, Beaulieu? Hershey? Or maybe you have a big garden and are looking for something to speed up watering your plants? The 1946 V8 fire truck with its impressive engine driven Kronenburg waterpump at the front might be just the ticket! The oldest car to be auctioned is a 1911 Model T Speedster. Viewing day is on Sunday, September 28 and the online auction takes place on October, 1 and 2. See for full inventory BVA auctions.
 
  
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Drive slow or...

September 9, 2014, 4:00 pm
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Our friend Fer likes to stroll around on flea markets, jumble sales and car boot sales and manages to find a little treasure every now and then, too. Take this picture for example, discovered at a 'marche aux puces' in Belgium recently. It shows a beautiful Peugeot 402 cabriolet. And it's not on its own. In fact it came in a stack of 10 photographs, all depicting the same, Belgian registered, 402. Fer believes they must have been made during a trip through Austria and Hungary. And there were even more. As a matter of fact visiting a race seemed to be one of the purposes of the travels, with more pictures of cars in action - Auto Unions supposedly - emerging. However, these were left on the flea market as the picture's quality was pretty bad, says Fer. Ouch!

He wonders about this cool picture, though, showing another pre war car. It's mounted high up on a sign post, which according to Google's translation programme reads 'Drive slow or memorial service'...  We can only guess the car was once involved into a nasty crash. Question is what it can be. A modified T-Ford?, Fer asks. We're sure you will be able to tell him.
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A one-pot, four-valve, four-spark Mystery.

September 10, 2014, 4:00 pm
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1910 one_pot_4_valve_mystery_300The Beaulieu  Autojumble always will cough up a few mysteries. This time best  of show  in that respect was the engine Yesterdays (antique Motorcycles) put up for display. An extremely well engineered one cylinder,  approximately two and a half feet high.  The Yesterday  people think it was created around 1910 yet the machine is ultimately modern in many respects so anything is possible. Let's start with the basics. The single cylinder for breathing has four desmodromic valves and a compressing unit getting the umpf from sub-piston pressure, and regulated by  the bevel axle which also drives valvetrain and ignition. The twin ignition feeds four sparkplugs. 
Ok, now where would one need a set-up like this. Car (Voiturette racing machine? Racing boat? )  Except for a a few below 10  digits the engine has no markings at all.  Possibly it is a prototype or  demonstration machine. The machine is showing strong family resemblances withe the 1910 Lion-Peugeot Evolution long stroke vertical twin as shown in Kent Karslakes's book. Maybe a one cylinder study  on the same theme?

 Over to you....
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Beaulieu Bluebird

September 11, 2014, 4:00 pm
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When you spend three days at the annual Beaulieu Autojumble, the three fields are mostly filled with men and their beloved motoring stuff. So it was a refreshing surprise to come across Jackie sitting in the Napier-Campbell Bluebird Special which had only recently emerged from the workshop of Lord Lorne Jacobs.

Jackie is no stranger to big cars with big engines because her friend Mike Vardy owns this Isotta-Fraschini-Fiat whose engine is a mere 16½ litres compared with the Napier Campbell’s 22.3 litres from its (earliest known) Sea Lion W12 cylinder engine. I had recently photographed the Napier-Campbell elsewhere,  but these pictures were more fun as can be seen as Jackie climbed out of her new favourite car.

(text and photographs Robin Batchelor) 
 
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About Quiz #378...: no winners: 1905 l'Elegante

September 12, 2014, 4:00 pm
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About Quiz #378
Crikey, not everything is what it appears to be. We just learned that once more when the answers for the latest quiz car came in. There were just three of you giving it a go, and two of them followed our ideas about the colonial car in question. A Rover, or so we believed. Neil Rankine wrote: “It's a Rover 6hp single. These had a solid rear axle housing and transmission tunnel to gearbox & engine all in one unit that formed the chassis of the car. Rover's first car and considered quite a good attempt.” And also John Tanner thought the same: “The car looks similar to the vary early single cylinder Rover, probably around 1904.”

But then, the answer of jury member Ariejan Bos came in, making us all confused. He wrote: “Not an easy one! I am not for 100%, but for only 90% sure that it is a 1905 L'Élégante, one of these relatively cheap makes which are almost forgotten now and of which there were numerous in France and especially Paris at the time. L'Élégante has a typical Lacoste & Battmann feature: the bend in the steering connecting rod. There are some other makes which come close, like Tony Huber, but also English ones like Mobile and Canterbury (all having an L&B-connection by the way and showing the same characteristic bend in the connecting rod!). Obscurity however was no obstacle for being sold wherever in the world: we know that the most obscure French makes were sold in countries as far as New Zealand!”

Meanwhile, we have discussed the photograph once more with Ariejan and can now rule out it’s a Rover. Have a look at the detail in the bonnet and the dumb-irons and compare those to pictures of Rover's earliest and you'll agree with him. Ariejan adds to that the clear different position of the steering column, the different cooling system and - even a stronger clue - the lack of a brake- and gear change lever on the car's left hand side. And... he adds a picture from an ad of the 1905 L'Élégante, too! There's no way back, it seems. L'Élégante and/or Lacoste & Battmann experts are never the less invited to throw their light upon this matter – but Ariejan is our man for today.
 
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A new generation of pre-war car rescuers

September 13, 2014, 4:00 pm
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A new generation of prewar car rescuers

Report by Francisco Carríon (on right in photo):

The continuity of the pre-war car hobby among young people is under fire. Just a few days ago we wrote about the auction of the Fords from the Den Hartog museum to attract younger people. But as many of us know, true interest usually arises from participation in the hobby: being a co-driver in rallies, helping -where possible- with a restoration... You need to touch these cars! So, how about helping in bringing a barn find to the light - arguably the best part of the hobby.

In the case of the Peugeot 201 on these photographs the team of rescuers consisted of young afficionados from 6 to 25 years old. Only the eldest (this modest writer) was really interested in pre-war cars before arriving. The others -especially the youngest- were casual observers who fell in love with the little Peugeot. They never guessed that this old piece of rust located in the bottom end of a garage could roll on its own deflated tyres, even pulled by a crane! Also they didn´t expect such cute lines emerging from this rural place. Definitely a show for these youngsters, which made all of them much more interested in this pre-war car. Since this day they come back regularly asking about the progress  of the Peugeot in the workshop...! 

So, over to you, when did you see real interest of young people about really old cars? The editors of PreWarCar have decided to dedicate our 2015 calendar to the New Generation. So sorry chaps, no 'Proper Cars True Ladies' next year but Youngsters with Oldies. We're looking forwards to seeing your contributions come in! Please send to office @ prewarcar.com
 
     
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The fate of the South American cars

September 14, 2014, 4:00 pm
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The fate of the South American cars

The pictures accompanying this article were taken one month ago, but  these american cars have not been moved for many years. Still this can´t be considered as a "barn find"the . The owner is a classic car dealer and they are parked in the cellar of a storehouse where also other cars in much better conditions can be found. So, what is  the case? Ten years ago the european classic car market was flooded with pre-war cars imported from South American countries such as Argentina and Uruguay. The business appeared easy, as these vehicles were bought cheap there -always below $3000- shipped, and  then sold here for 6.000 euros or more.

All these cars were easily recognisable: American cars from the mid 1920s to mid 1930s with right hand drive and many non original headlights, tops, colours, wheels... everything due to a past life of hard work which was probably daily till the moment of the sale to the european dealer. Not in every case the cars were in so bad conditions, but when the market seemed to accept almost everything years ago, many heavily modified cars came in reasonable quantities to europe, and then the crisis came... and many remained unsold till present days. How many Ford, Chevrolet, Willys, Durant, Rugby, and other popular american cars are hiding in Europe?? And there will be market for them  some day?  (photos & text Francisco Carrion)
 
    
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Avions Voisin mystery Drophead & Dealer Sign.

September 15, 2014, 4:00 pm
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Slightly similar to the Voisin Drophead coupe sold at Bonhams recent Beaulieu sale.  Yet the one on this photo sent by Vincent Juvenelle seems more elaborate.  After counting the bonnet louvres we concluded that the car is probably based on a C14 chassis . Vincent who only recently  found the photo wonders who could be the coachbuilder. Now that we're talking Voisin, you may be  able to help your editor learning more about the heavy bronze Avions Voisin ( Issy-Seine)  dealer(?) shield recently found by  him.  Size is about 25 cm in diameter, weight around 2 kilos. The seller told it once was in the showroom of a (Voisin) car deaeler in Coimbra, Portugal. Anybody who can add some information to that? 
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The 24-pot Zanvoort Revival Challenge.

September 16, 2014, 4:00 pm
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Due to an unhappy  decision of the Zandvoort Circuit management organiser the Zandvoort Vintage Revival is in the  same weekend as the DTM, a championship for souped-up post-2010 saloons. Revivial organiser DVSCC hower has picked up the challenge and will use the weekend to learn the hamburger kids about real race cars. A fabulous field of 69 articipating  sports and racing cars from six countries. Most intersting it will be to see the dinosour battle between the Bugatti Type 54 and Volpi V16 (Cadillac). Will the mighty Molsheim Eight hold up against the brute force of Detroit's V16 ?
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A new life to my 1929 Chrysler Imperial Le Mans Roadster

September 17, 2014, 4:00 pm
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The 1929 Chrysler Imperial Le Mans roadster series 75. They call her "The Breeze" (click main photo for current condition). She's a former stockcar restored in Australia in 1976 (photos 5,6,7) and once more in The Netherlands in 2007 (photos 1-4 ). Now she 'new' and roaring again and doing 95 miles/hour.

editor: Well Mr. Legrand, let's hope you don't try this 95 mph on a daily basis. Er... the Breeze is an old lady, no matter how goodlooking she is.
Anyway, we just love to see Before & After photos.
So don't be shy and upload 'your work' through this page. 
      
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It's only a fish

September 18, 2014, 4:00 pm
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Its only a fish.

When I have guests staying from overseas I like to take them to Oxford and all its architecture and museums and shops, but on the way there I turn down a small side street and stop. Out with the camera and take the picture that is always the favourite. A shark in a roof!

It’s known as the Headington Shark and when ‘Kat’ came to stay from Germany, a ride in my Bullnose Morris would have been enough,  but the look on her face as we rounded the corner was priceless. The car was made in 1921 only a few miles away, in Cowley. The shark has become very popular with tourists and the original house owner has now rented the house out to new people to let them answer the constant questions.

(Text and photographs Robin Batchelor)

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What is it? Quiz #379

September 19, 2014, 4:00 pm
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It is a lovely cyclecar with outspoken radiator, nice cocky wings, interesting frontaxle and 'desirable' beltdrive. The radiator is topped with a figurine which looks like a flamenco dancer, yet that's not very clear and we're also not sure if it's a factory item. The photo is a bit unclear due to the fact that it was printed for use as a postcard. We understand this is the two seater sports version, but we are not sure if we're looking at the 2 or 4 cylinder (Ballot?) version and in fact are hoping to learn more from you. The marque lived only for two years.

You know the drill. We want the name and model designation of the car with any extra information being awarded. Bonus points for any trivial knowledge not readily available from 'the web' or 'the shelf'. In order to have a chance of winning the infamous PreWarCar T-shirt, please check The Rules under 'Read More'. Results will be published next Saturday September 27.

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Eastbourne revisited.

September 20, 2014, 4:00 pm
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Rick Ford reponds to our earlier feature about Eastbourne:
Your story of early  motor engineers in Eastbourne was splendid. But let us travel to the west and back in time to perhaps the turn of the Century? The New Forest occupies much of southern Hampshire and on it's eastern boundary flow the lower reaches of major chalk streams, the Avon, Test and Itchen
The fly-fishing offered, attracted wealthy  residents aplenty. Market towns prospered and in one, Romsey, the brewery supported many, many pubs, the landlords of which often worked in the day for the Brewery !

This affluence around Romsey and the appearance of the Motor Car persuaded a young engineer, Mr. Mitchell, to set up a business to service this growing need.  He started in the matriarchal home on a tributary stream of the Test, which boasted a mill house adjacent. This became the first workshop of Mitchell Brothers, Romsey. Later a highly successful Vauxhall agent, relocated in yet another ex-mill but much more extensive, in the town.

So here, in the first image, the embryonic workforce labour, in the open, are straightening a very early chassis. A stout baulk of timber and young muscles, their tools, the jig, the empty crates from the delivery of the "Pratts Motor Spirit", no doubt from the railway station, on the handcart. The tricycle fore-car will tease your readers, whilst behind sulks a quality  rear entrance motor car, from very early in the century, perhaps it is the owner of the radiator propped against the mill house door.

Note they were already  agents for 'Napier Motors' but I do not recognise the striking poster on the door of a striding figure. Why is the riverside home of Mrs Mitchell flag bedecked at this period?

PROGRESS. The business grows rapidly, the open mill yard is now a well built shed. This is on the main London to Bournemouth, unsurfaced road and directly opposite the town entrance to Lord Mountbatten's Broadlands estate.

A hire/taxi vehicle is now required and poses on the entrance ramp, AA3942 (foto 2) is (maybe a Buick of 1909/10 ? ) is soon on an errand seen here on 'The Causeway' on the bank of the mighty River Test. No doubt heading for 'Saddler's Mill' where the salmon leap on the way to their upstream spawning grounds. Many years later I also drive to Saddler's Mill to collect a passenger, the resident, Mrs Wellesley-Parkin (her car: RR 20/25  GLZ63  Coupe by Barker) 

photo Mrs. Wellesley with her Rolls-Royce 20/25 by Rick Ford

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Charleston commuter

September 21, 2014, 4:00 pm
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Charleston

Chris Leigh-Jones reports from wonderful historic Charleston. Would you know of any better place in the US to use a french vintage car? Chris wrote: "In the past I did the 2 hour daily commute from Littlehampton into London. Luckily my wife convinced me to emigrate and now the commute takes only 22 minutes in the rush hour of Charleston, South Carolina. I drive the Bug perhaps 20 times a year. It has to be a time when it's not going to rain, rain here is torrential but failing that the weather is beautiful most of the year, the commute is 12 miles. If you have a truck behind you then bet to go faster, they can’t see you very well most times or just don’t look. My son gets taken to school in it at the same time." Chris is very modest and honest about the car, "...it's made from Ebay in the main and has very many none standard parts on it. Like the steering box came from a Fiat, the chassis is a copy."

Editor: Well Chris, the number of Bugattis with a non-Molsheim frame probably would give a traffic jam longer than the French Quarter where you live is wide. So don't worry too much about that. The great thing with a car like yours is that you won't hesitate to take it out in US rush hour traffic!   

(Photos by Chris Leigh-Jones)

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Liberation Task Force

September 22, 2014, 4:00 pm
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Liberation Tak Force

Karel Vermeer is travelling on a frequent basis from Holland to France. Last week he stumbled over the Liberation Task Force only miles accross the border between Belgium and Holland.  

"On our way back from France we thought, lets have dinner in  Valkenswaard. When we arrived at the village there was a parade of the Liberation Task Force - just like 70 years ago on 16 & 17 September. There were about 80 cars, lorries and tanks, amongst those a Hillman, Austin, Austin Bel car, plus of course the inevitable Willy Jeep in period 'decoration'. Yet what again is the name of the US built half track? 
 
      
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