Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

21 minutes ago, Rona!d said:

D6

Correct Ronald. A 1938 D6 with a 3 litre straight 6 engine and 4 speed Cotal gearbox. The coachbuilder was listed as Brandoné but I think they may have either fitted or copied the Vita body made by Coachcraft in the UK. Some of these chassis had magnificent bodywork made for them by the likes of Chapron, Saoutchik and Figoni & Falaschi. 

They are lovely cars to drive, with light and reasonably accurate steering plus good brakes. The suspension was designed by André Dubonnet, the son of the aperitif maker and well known racing driver. They were available with either a manual gearbox or as an optional extra, a 4 speed Cotal. These gearboxes have an unfair reputation of being unreliable but they are actually quite simple devices. They use as their core, a two drum Wilson (also owned by Anthony Lago) epicyclic pre-selector box but instead of being operated by Bowden cables as on the Wilson, they use electric solenoids to control the oil flow to the actuating cylinders for the brake bands. As long as the gearbox oil and the contacts on the gearchange are kept clean, so that the solenoids get full voltage, they are very reliable.

When I get too old for my current 911 RSR, a D6 is what I will replace it with. The good news is that the unfair reputation of the Cotal, means that these cars are cheaper than the manual gearbox cars. The D6 drives better than the D8, which has a lot more weight on the front wheels with its very long and heavy 4 litre straight eight. Later versions of the D6 use the 3.5L Delahaye engine, as Delage was owned by Delahaye from the late 1930's onwards. The Delahaye 135 straight six engine is actually more powerful than the straight eight. 

Wilson

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited by wlaidlaw
  • Like 3
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Maker, model, coachbuilder please.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

13 hours ago, wlaidlaw said:

Correct Ronald.

13 hours ago, wlaidlaw said:

4 speed Cotal. These gearboxes have an unfair reputation of being unreliable but they are actually quite simple devices.

 

 

 

Many years ago I had a Talbot 110 with a Cotal gearbox.  It was reliable and fun to operate.  In fact so easy that my wife could drive the car unlike other prewar cars we had.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

vor 7 Stunden schrieb pippy:

Citroen DS 19(*) "Decapotable" by Chapron.

Philip.

(*) It could, of course, be a 21 but I think the 21 might have had slightly larger (in height) indicator lenses.

A 1961 DS19 "Cabriolet d´Usine" (so series 1). As the detail (light) indicates, it´s a works cabriolet (in the early days sometimes called "Decapotable", later "Usine").

The main difference is the framed rear trunk hood the works cabriolets had (the Chapron cabrios had it unframed until the end of the car). The works cabrios had the high series limousine front windscreen, while most Chaprons had a smaller more flat windscreen. Later you could also order a high windscreen for the Chaprons as well, when Chapron stopped producing own flat windscreens and also used the high series ones and cutted them down (cost them 25% damaged ones). Chapron made five different series of their own version, 4 seaters ("La Croisette", "Palm Beach") and 2+2 ("Le Caddy"). Many design changes over the years.

Although the works cabrios were also made by Chapron or with Chapron parts at Citroen, they are not called "Chapron" but "Usine". But you are correct, the coachbuilder still is Chapron in both cases. There were different other makers and a lot of self-cutted limousines. The last made original Usine had been sold for around 330K €.

In my eyes, the most beautiful Chapron DS wasn´t the cabriolet, it was the DS19 Coupe "Le Paris".

Attached some details of the "Usine". Your turn!

 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Although somehow looking elegant, in my eyes nowadays the DS cabriolets are pretty overrated pricewise. You pay the restauration costs (maybe 100-120 Grands if on a high level) plus 70-110K on top for "rarity". For that money you can buy a lot of other nice cars which are "not Citroen" 😉

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you Ronald.

I've liked (from a distance) the Chapron DS for a very long time yet have always struggled to comprehend, for many decades, the value these (admittedly pretty rare) cars can command.

Anyhow; from the Tres Chic to....erm....decidedly lesser fare.

Anything anyone can suggest will probably be good enough.

Sadly if no-one gets it from this first image I have to say that More Pictures of This Beast Will Follow! You have been warned!!!........

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Philip.

Edited by pippy
  • Haha 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

There is also the version of the Chapron convertible with tail fins like our one has (now uprated to DS23 engine, after the original ran its main bearings). These were usually known as "The Caddy" because of the tail fins. 

Wilson

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

I think my favourite Chapron DS has to be “Le Dandy” - possibly the best answer ever to the question “So, what are you driving these days...?”

Re Pippy’s “Beast” I’m already worried by the colour and the panel gaps.

  • Haha 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, NigelG said:

...Re Pippy’s “Beast” I’m already worried by the colour and the panel gaps....

...and yet it isn't a 1970's British Leyland vehicle!

Another snap of this Christmas Cracker!

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Philip.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Coincidentally somebody parked the same car in front of our construction site 🤭

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

If the name is correct, this must be a descendant of an early BMW (Dixi/Austin). Can‘t figure out why they put the exhaust onto the roof. Only one pipe indicates a 4cyl. 😉

  • Haha 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Rona!d said:

OK, in reality the Kei-class "Aixam Mega Truck" looks better than our building companies toilet 😉

ooohh....I'd say it's a close run thing, Ronald! Nice Porta-Loo!

Many congrats and thankfully we can leave this puzzle with just one final closing image;

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

To be fair the company (which hails from, I believe, Aix-en-Provence - hence the name) do manufacture very environmentally-friendly vehicles so Kudos to them in spirit if not on aesthetics.

Over to you, Ronald!

Philip.

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

We and our neighbours are happy when we see the rear lights of that thing.

That micro truck does not look bad when the body doesn‘t get too large. They are not uncommon in France and the Netherlands. For some jobs it fits perfect, no larger truck needed sometimes. As a Vespista I like Apes and other microtrucks. The gas engines were the problem, consume too much fuel (3-5 ltrs.). Electric versions should be better.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   1 member

×
×
  • Create New...