Moana Spierings asked us if we could identify N-440, a fine veteran car. The car doesn't look like a big mystery to us, yet as we made a zillion mistakes over the years we rather leave it up to you. Anyway in our view it looks like one of the founding fathers of the coal scuttle hood era. The lid on top, the angled louvres it all seems quite clear.
Aside the motorcar. The person at the wheel was grandfather Alphons Spierings. He drove the car in The Netherlands between his houses. In that time quite a challenge but apparently, when the horsepowers weren't available, he could rely on manpower.
Rumour goes that he drove the car in a ditch, but as you can understand he was quiet about that situation.
She starts to enjoy prewar cars and even participated in the Via Hellenica. And when she found this picture, she started wondering what car it may be and if it still exsists.
UPDATE II by Ariejan Bos: "The car is a 1902 Déchamps, probably imported by B.A. Jansen who was an early motorist sales agent in Den Bosch, The Netherlands. When these photos were taken the car was at least 4 years old: the license number was issued in May 1906. Time obviously (and not only time) had left its marks on the car: the front left side of th bonnet has a clear dent!"
Update by Mathieu Cuppens: possibly a belgium built Pipe?