After reading through the catalogue for the H&H auction to be held at Duxford on Wednesday 14 October we are feeling very sporty. If you buy a car from Paris in 1929 and it's painted red, it's easy to understand how it got the nickname 'Moulin Rouge'. It was a Rally Type ABC (Abiassee, or underslung chassis). But UK car dealers Driskell and Cutbill also bought a blue one - both for competition and to promote the marque. You can guess what they called the second car.
The famous beggar's Roost hill on the 1929 land's End Trial ..." The two Rally cars, driven by J A Driskell and L Cutbill literally romped up, the former making his usual spectacular climb "and at the equally punishing Bluehills Mine hill..." the two sports model Rallys made most impressive climbs, their acceleration after the hairpin been loudly applauded by the crowd. Moulin Rouge (UL 8540) is offered with blue paint, the original much-repaired SCAP X11 1.1litre engine, the Silver Medal won on the 1929 Lands End Trial and pictorial Brooklands history.
It is well known that W.O.Bentley was agent for the French DFP car made by Doriot, Flandrin and Parant and his 1914 racing success at Brooklands surely helped sales especially after he fitted his own aluminium pistons inspired by a paperweight. You too can own a 1914 DFP which carries the same registration, LL2687, as the DFP raced by Bentley, but do not expect it to be the same car! WW6726 started life as a 1928 3 litre Bentley fitted with Vanden Plas saloon coachwork, but in 1963 the body-snatchers changed it into a tourer and in the 1990s the engine grew to 4½ litres and it is now a fully sorted 3/4½ and "as usable and enjoyable to drive as possible" as described by the long-term Bentley Drivers' Club member who knew what he wanted.
Bentley used Arabic numerals and Lancia used the Greek alphabet - each to their own. The driver of the 1932 lancia Astura will dress to complement the elegant style of the Pininfarina designed coachwork and after silencing the refined rumble of the 2.6 litre narrow V8, he will step onto the kerb in his expensive Italian shoes with an air of breeding that befits such a car. The owner of this 1931 V12 Cadillac, however, will be in his overalls because there is a fair bit of work to be done . The bad news? The car was laid up years ago with engine trouble. The good news? It has survived intact, and there's a spare engine.
(Text Robin Batchelor, pictures courtesy H&H and The National Motor Museum)