Let's Talk Cyclecars

Two pictures you just reposted Bob I posted a week or two ago (#5215 and #5227). The first at #5405 above shows the AZA De Dion I found in the Mahymobile Museum in Leuze in Belgium, the only survivor and maybe the only one ever built.

The 'Longdon JAP' above is actually an Eric Longden made by retired Australian jockey Eric Logden who built cars in a first floor factory above a theatrical agency in theatreland in London under his own name from 1922 till approx 1925, although production of the later cars was by the Air Navigation and Engineering Co of Addlestone, Surrey, 3 miles from Brooklands.

This actual picture above shows Stuart Tresilian, an engineering student at Cambridge University at the time, racing his EL at a local sprint meeting, there being few hills big enough to run a hillclimb anywhere near Cambridge. This picture was passed to me by Nick Tresilian his son. EL cars were fitted with JAP and Blackburne V twins, both air and water-cooled, and latterly with 11hp Alpha and 9hp Coventry Simplex engines.

 

Don't know who the G.L. claiming ownership of the Longdon pic in #5407 above is, but its neither his nor mine but the poperty of the son of the owner of the car as mentioned above. I asked for and was granted permission to post it on another blog, hence I felt OK about posting it here. Presumably G.L. has downloaded it from the web and is now claiming ownership. Not a very good plan if you ask me!!

Marticelli

 

Ah,I can only post the information I was given regarding the ownership of images.If G.L. does not cite his source,neither can I. Sadly most of the image I post here would fall into that category.I do ask permission to post those images and cite MY source.

 

But who on earth is G.L.? I have no idea... Perhaps you could send me his web address so I can pursue the matter with him/her direct. Its simply not fair to download someone else's image and redescribe it as your own. Its infringement of copyright as well as misrepresentation. I was sent a scanned copy of the album original of this picrure by Stuart Tresilian's son Nick, and he agreed I could post it on the Autosport Nostalgia Forum which is probably where where G.L. has downloaded it from. If he posts it somewhere, he cannot claim its his image when its patently not!

Marticelli

 

Here is a BNC we have seen before.It is headed to auction with R&M at Amelia Island.

http://www.rmauctions.com/lots/lot.cfm?lot_id=1065113

 

Reposted on behalf of new member "Projecta":

I'm new to this forum and joined because I'm doing research about a cyclecar that was designed with prototypes built in 1914, but which never went into full production. I'd' like to learn as much as I can from anyone who might know something about this cyclecar or the cyclecar industry of that era. The designer's name was Percival White and he named the car the Projecta. White started a company in London, England, in 1914 to produce the Projecta and that is where the prototypes were built, although White was an American and returned to the US in the late 1910s. The Projecta is mentioned in one or more enclopedias of motoring but with almost no information and no photos. My interest in learning more about the car is partly motivated by the fact that I recently published a short biography of Percival White. In addition to any information specifically about the Projecta, can anyone suggest the best reading sources for information about the cyclecar industry around 1914? Thanks in advance.

 

The ultimate research resource is the magazine of the ers, which was called originally Cyclecar when launched in November 1912. It soon was expanded to include light cars and retitled Light Car and Cyclecar. There are bound volumes in several libraries in the UK, and occasional electronic excerpts in a number of digital archives which you should be able to find by searching for the title.

I will check my own library for the Projecta but its a new one on me! Good luck with your research!

Marticelli

 

Now that is cyclekart material.

 

I understand your feelings but if you put something on the net it becomes free information. I agree that credit should be given but it rarely is. If someone wants to retain provenance of a picture he should print his name on the photo itself so it will show up on any reproduction. Still that does not prevent someone from cropping it out.
Just the world we live in,

 

We were talking about the building that housed the Paris Salon...and now Retromobile. Here are some images used with permission by Pavel Novitski ( www.Pavelnovitski.com) from Retromobile 2014.Although they are not specifically "CYCLECAR" images,they show what a grand building it is!Oh yeah,I like these cars too.

BanjeauX Bob

 

A few more from Pavel Novitski (www.pavelnovitski.com). The Swan cars are from the Louwman Museum in the Netherlands ( www.louwmanmuseum.nl ).The Rolls woody is plain stunning.

 

Some more of J-J's pictures from Retromobile 2014.

 

Retromobile is at the expo center at the Porte de Versailles, the Grand Palais is along side the Seine River and the Champs Elysee.
The Paris Auto Show is also at the Porte de Versailles not anymore the Grand Palais since 1961.
The beautifull glass building is the Grand Palais.
All this to say : not Retromobile pictures.

 

So,are these 2 run at the same time?

 

I love the look of the weird headlight set-up, but what are the upper units? They look a bit like WWII blackout kit.

 

1
No, those pics are I believe from an exhibit called "110 years of Automobile"
The Tour Auto starts from there since last year and Bonhams auctions there too. There will be a Ferrari exhibit this year in the Grand Palais.

 

These are from the Bonhams auction: Le Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais. The motorcycle in photo # 2, a c.1930 Majestic 500cc with Bernardet Sidecar,was lot #208, but the website did not list whether it had sold, or what it sold for.

 

Went to both of these last week - had a good time in Paris too.

Retromobile was much better this year than in previous years - perhaps because of the involvement of the big auction houses.

After Retromobile we went on to Reims to visit a favourite champagne house. We also went to the excellent Reims Motor Museum - it has a very good selection of cyclecars;



http://www.musee-automobile-reims-champagne.com

 

Bonham's auctioned a Shell Oil sign for $11,623.00!!!???? I hope the American Pickers are watching.

 

I didn't realise that so many HAMBers went to Retromobile. Maybe we should all meet up next year...

BTW, star of the show for me was this Bucciali - FWD and, to give some idea of scale, those wheel rims are 24";

 

Just a small bit beyond "cyclecar", but beautiful none the less.

 

Yes - just a bit. But indicative of what turns up at Retromobile.

Fitted with two straight eight engines...

 

Side by side or coupled end to end?

 

Could someone please ID this car for me?

 

Large-Tablet or Talbot-Lago T26C

 

Is this the engine in that car? I found this on google. The car looked the same except for the hub caps.

 

Never mind. here is the answer. The U-16 was never built.

 

I heard that Bucciali built a U16 show car using 2 Continental (American made) flathead sixes and displayed it at auto shows around 1930. Years later a collector got his hands on the car and when he took the engine apart, found empty cylinder blocks stuffed with old newspapers.

Evidently the car was a mock up. Perhaps if they had gotten enough orders at the car shows they would have built them for real but the orders never materialized.

PS I wrote this before I read the description above.

 

Am looking for a well known but hard to find photo of an Austin seven neck and neck with a Bentley at Brooklands in the late 20s. Here is a contemporary version.

 

I heard that there were six cars built but only one runner. A friend who was with me at Retromobile said last time he saw the pictured car it didn't have an engine and, maybe, had never run. He doubted the claimed engine was fitted - or any engine at all.

It that's true I'd love to fit a modern BMW V12 ;-)