The 1952 ex-Jean Behra Gordini Type 16 with rain tires had a rare chance of stretching its legs during the Revival hillclimb event.
Photos by Nicolas Villion, captions by Tom Bromehead
A T13 Brescia sitting still with a 35 cresting out.
Details of a T3 Chenard & Walker. The make is remembered as the first winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
1924 Cottin-Desgouttes M3S with a 2.6 liter 4 and 3 valves per cylinder. This Lyon make was one of the early adopters of transverse leaf springs for independent suspension front and back.
1952 Arnolt-Bristol in unlikely two-tone. Always been very fond of these!
Cottin-Desgouttes M3S with a yellow Bugatti T35 approaching.
1925 Amilcar CGS. These ran a 1100cc, 30 hp side valve engine with aluminium head and were popular in French races.
Amazing MCO Amilcar scaling the Mt Verdun hill. These 1094cc twin-cam 6 cylinders with dry-sump and supercharger beat speed records at Monthléry in 1928 where they were clocked at 207 km/h with André Morel at the wheel.
1906 Léon Bollée in banana yellow. Léon Bollée was a French pioneer who built some of the world’s first calculating machines, the design of which he also patented in the USA. The company was sold to Morris in 1931. They’re also famous for their tricycles.
Details of a 1908 Rolland-Pillain B. Lovely nickel on that light; chrome didn’t appear until 1928. This one was campaigned by Bruno Vendiesse, a famous trader here in France.
Stunning T57 Stelvio looking ever-so glamorous.
Talbot-Lago T26 C:
I asked the gentleman from the museum if he’d pop the hood off which he did, and we were all the richer for it. Behold this 4.5 liter, aluminum, dry-sump, twin-ignition jewel with which Louis Rosier won the 1950 Le Mans 24 Hours, having spent 23 hours and 10 minutes behind the wheel! It was the last French victory at La Sarthe until Jean Rondeau.
Wilson pre-selector, 4 forward gears and as many reverse. Chassis 110 001 won at the 1950 Le Man and was later raced by Louis Chiron.
1935 Riley Racing six. I spent considerable time speaking with its owner who’s had this car for 35 years. He recently removed the supercharger and went for the 6 SU carbs configuration as devised by Freddy Dixon who had bought the car from the factory. He was a bike ace and decided to test a one-carb per cylinder approach with 'guillotine intake', a creation he is credited with. Dixon drank a lot and often got violent with the police, who banned him from racing altogether! Note the little devil straddling the radiator cap.
Cottin-Desgouttes M3S about to descend back to the start line for another go!
Thanks to Nicolas Villion for his wonderful photos.
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some very pretty photographs here, I missed surely a big event.
I don’t agree with the caption about Rondeau being the first French victor at la Sarthe since Louis Rosier. You missed the 3 years of Matra Simca dominant victories from 1972 till 1974.
Hi Rob,
You’re absolutely right…!
It doesn’t help either that I wasn’t there to witness it, but being French I feel very guilty for having forgotten the Matras and their wonderful V12 soundtrack.
The event really was world-class, I’m sure you would have loved it.
What car would you have brought?
Thomas