 Retromobile-Paris: I think, I mustn´t tell you, that the "Retro" is the most fascinating anually show for vintage car enthusiasts?! As we all have been there or at least read about this years edition and seen many pictures of the show, here are my personal highlights, that of course are the three mouth-watering Voisin. Before I entered the show, I only heared rumors, that Christoph Grohe "may" bring his latest barnfind, an original C11 "Lumineuse" (or better "Chasserons", as this model was officially called). But before I found Mr.Grohes stand, I spotted the most spectacular Voisin, I saw in the last years: The C28 "Aerosport". The chassis is specified as one prototype of the small series of about 10...14 Aerosport produced. The engine is a 3300cm³ sleeve-valve six-cylinder with a cotal-preselector gearbox,, accelerating the car to a top-speed of 150kph. A new body was handcrafted by the famous specialists of Dominique Tessier, who really made a brilliant job. Compared to the only other survivor, the well known blue car with the No.7 on its front fenders, ordered by chocolate-manufacturer Antoine Menier, Philippe Mochs C28 looks even more impressive, as at the Menier-C28, the mounted bumpers hide some wonderful lines, especially the rear edges. The second Voisin I detected, was a white C11 with a new custom body, built in Romania. The bodylines imitate an original boattail-body, that was once mounted on an early big-four-cylinder (C1/C3?), but as the original Chassis was much larger than the one of the C11, the proportions didn´t fit very good. Nevertheless, the body seemed to be built in a really excellent quality. After Christoph Grohe displayed the Voisin C7, once driven by famous architect LeCorbusier some years ago, this year he brought a stunning barnfind to Paris. The C11 with the typical body, that is mostly called "Lumineuse", even if the factory never officially used this name. The car has got very small A- and B- pillars with big side and rear windows for a good view out of the car and for an airy interieur. Mr. Grohes car, built in 1928, was stored in a farm since more than 50 years. There was an article about the car in 1967, but it´s believed, that before the article was published, the car was already stored since the late 1930s. The condition of the car is really amazing, as it still carries its original interieur-cloth and also the outer paintjob is believed to be original. Sadly some small parts, as for example the famous radiator-mascot (the "Cocotte") or the enamel scarab logo got lost over the years. In a typical Voisin-way, this car is the essence of "form follows function". Not a single detail of the car is mounted as a decoration and there are many details, you don´t spot before the second or third look. The little reading lamp at the rear seats for example, the network rack below the roof with an integrated hat-holder or the drawers for tools, spareparts or small luggage, integrated to the front fenders. In combination with a lightweight alloy body, a well-centred weight distribution and the silent sleeve-valve six-cylinder engine, this car shows all the typical Voisin characteristics in a perfect way. But what would you do with such an original non-runner? The unanimous opinion we had, while looking at the car was "too good to restore - too bad to drive"! So what would you do with a car in a condition like the Lumineuses? Words and photos: Hubertus Hansmann |
           |
↧
Three Neighbours in Paris
↧