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The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

Delage

Brooklands New Years Day Classic Car Show

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1933 Duesenberg Single Seater

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

I have just bought a new camera! Not that there was anything wrong with my old one, it’s just that technology has moved on in the 10 plus years I have been using it, and when shooting indoors, unless the room is well lit, is was, to put in mildly, a bit of a pain in the butt. So a new camera, but it is early January, and I have nothing to point it at! But wait, how about The Brooklands Museum New Years Day Classic car gathering? Ideal!

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Peter Mullin’s Legacy

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A moment to remember: Best of Show award, Pebble Beach, 2011, goes to the Art Deco 1934 Voisin C-25 Aerodyne of Peter and Merle Mullin. Hugues Vanhoolandt photo.

Peter Mullin passed away on September 20th at the age of 82.

VeloceToday has reported many times on the Mullin Automotive Museum he created, beginning with the opening in April of 2010. It was a commemoration of the art deco design era when exquisite art and magnificent automobiles were elements of an artful, futurist culture.*

Over the years, we have been fortunate to have four of the most seasoned, respected and knowledgeable automotive writers visit the Mullin and report back to us in detail. Larry Crane explained the museum’s display of Bugatti furniture; the late Eric Davison searched for something really different; Hugues Vanhoolandt was given a special tour and did his magic with his camera; finally, another museum traveler, Brandes Elitch, opined on the opulent Citroen celebration.

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A French Day at Brooklands P1

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1926 Bugatti Type 37 GP, and the Brooklands Watch Company’s ‘Little Car Company’ baby Bugatti Type 35. The Type 37 was originally owned by Mr Smith, the chief engineer at Lever Brothers who, during the 1930s, carried out a very well-engineered conversion of the engine to twin magneto ignition.

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

August 13, 2023. Popped up to Brooklands in Surrey last Sunday for Brooklands French Car Day.  I think it was a new event, it was certainly new to me. So said the website, ” French legends from our Collection will be on display around the Motoring Village, from all-conquering Bugattis to veteran Peugeots, Malcolm Campbell’s Lorraine Dietrich ‘Vieux Charles III’ to the British Grand Prix winning Delage; you will be able to get close to these amazing machines.”

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1923 French Grand Prix at Tours: Delage

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By Gijsbert-Paul Berk

From the VeloceToday Archives, 2012

When Pierre Louis Delâge (1874 – 1947) was still a child he lost the sight of one eye. This did not prevent him from graduating in 1893 from the Ecole des Arts et Metiers in Angers with an engineering degree and then to fulfill his military service in Algeria. In 1905, after working for Turgan-Foy and Peugeot, Louis Delâge began for himself as a car manufacturer and soon engaged his cars in races with considerable success.

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Driving the Delage Bequet

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The Delage Bequet at Kop Hill, 2013. This car was originally built as a 2 liter V12. The car was rebuilt for Maurice Bequet and was fitted with a 12 Liter Hispano Suiza V8 aero engine in 1926. The runs are not timed but this did not seem to deter Boswell’s spirited run. Jonathan Sharp photo.

Those who have ridden as co-pilot say that a desire to survive is their dominant emotion.

By Alexander Boswell, owner, driver
From the VeloceToday Archives, November 2013

It’s an amazing experience to drive any car built for Grand Prix racing. One knows that relentless effort, concentration of resources, and usually a huge budget have contributed to the creation of something technologically remarkable. Despite its 90th anniversary, the 2LCV Delage still encapsulates all these elements. In 1923 this was the only entry from the stable of the Delage company, and therefore it represents the pinnacle of the technology of the time. This car was driven in the French GP by René Thomas, the Sebastian Vettel of his day.

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Graham Gauld: Le Mans, 1949

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Story by Graham Gauld

Everyone remembers that the first Le Mans race held after WWII was in 1949 and was won by Luigi Chinetti and Lord Selsdon driving a Ferrari barchetta. Usually that is where everyone’s recollections end; but that Le Mans race was fascinating not just as a spectacular event to take our minds off post-war austerity, but for some of the cars taking part. [Read more…] about Graham Gauld: Le Mans, 1949

Voiturettes Part 2: ERA to Talbot

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ERA (English Racing Automobiles Limited, Bourne, U.K.)

Competitive years: 1934-1938 Horsepower Range: 180-225

While the MG, Alta, Riley and Austin 750 did remarkably well for Great Britain, the Raymond Mays/Peter Berthon ERA combined a production based supercharged Riley engine with a solid conventional chassis and to launch the best known British upright of all time. It was fast, mostly reliable, and attracted top notch drivers from the U.K. and one from Thailand. Prince B. Bira (for short) was a grandson of King Mongkut, the hero of the book and musical, “The King and I”.

Bira was encouraged and financed by his cousin, Prince Chula Chakrabongse, and the pair bought three ERAs, naming them Romulus, Remus and Hanuman under the White Mouse Stable.

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Voiturette Racing Cars: Part 1 Alfa through Delage

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By Pete Vack

The voiturette (750cc, 1100 cc and 1500cc) races which took place between 1931 and 1940 were magic; technically interesting cars, around the house race venues, truly international with multi-make participation, a cast of characters from a Siamese Prince to Enzo Ferrari, Dick Seaman’s drives with the ERA, MG and Delage, and a devastating secret weapon unleashed by Mercedes Benz which defeated and demoralized the opposition. There was never a dull moment on or off the track. The venues were largely ‘around the houses’ circuits such as Pau and San Remo, the drivers were semi-professional or talented amateurs, and interestingly, there were no points or championships for manufacturers or drivers. In fact the formula was so good it became the official Grand Prix class in 1945, which lasted until 1952.

Below, we present the first six of twelve short stories about the primary voiturette racers of the 1930s, covering Alfa, Alta, Amilcar, Austin, Bugatti and Delage. Part 2 will cover ERA, Maserati, Mercedes Benz, MG, Salmson and Talbot.

Alfa Romeo (S.A. Alfa Romeo, Milan, Italy)

Competitive years: 1938-1940 Horsepower Range: 195-225

The voiturette class was eventually dominated by the 158 Alfetta in 1939 and 1940. However, it is not clear why Alfa did not choose to participate in the voiturette races of the early 1930s. Many of their customers, such as Count Gianni Lurani however, did so using the 6C 1750 reduced to 1500cc and equipped with a lightweight open-wheeled body. They won class victories at the Nurburgring in 1932 and a third place in the 1500cc in the 1933 Czech Grand Prix.

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The Warren Classic with Jonathan Sharp

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Williment-Cobra

Willment-Cobra. Next week we'll have a personal story on this Savonuzzi-designed car that has been through so much. Here it appears at the Warren Classic event.


Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp

A golf course on a Saturday morning is somewhere I do not as a rule frequent. If the golf course, however, is the location for a display of classic cars then I will make an exception. The golf course in question was the Warren Golf and Country Club in the English county of Essex; the event, the second Warren Classic and Concours. Saturday had dawned wet and windy but by mid-morning the weather had cleared. Unfortunately a few of the cars listed did not show, probably due to the weather, but those owners who did make the effo rt brought along some real gems. I have picked a few of my personal favorites which I hope you will enjoy.

[Read more…] about The Warren Classic with Jonathan Sharp

Racing Voiturettes, 1931-1940

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The voiturette (750cc, 1100 cc and 1500cc) races which took place between 1931 and 1940 were magic; technically interesting cars, around the house race venues, truly international with multi-make participation, a cast of characters from a Siamese Prince to Enzo Ferrari, Dick Seaman’s drives with the ERA, MG and Delage, and a devastating secret weapon unleashed by Mercedes Benz which defeated and demoralized the opposition. There was never a dull moment on or off the track. [Read more…] about Racing Voiturettes, 1931-1940

Epoqu’Auto in Lyon, 2013

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Story and Photos by Thomas Bromehead

Next month everyone will be headed to Paris for Retromobile, France’s largest classic car show. But last November 8-10, 50,000 people attended France’s second largest event, Epoqu’ Auto. No newcomer, the event celebrated its 35th anniversary and now boasts more exhibitors than even the fabled Retro. [Read more…] about Epoqu’Auto in Lyon, 2013

Driving the Big Ones: Delage Bequet Hispano Suiza

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The Delage Bequet at Kop Hill, 2013. This car was originally built as a 2 liter V12. The car was rebuilt for Maurice Bequet and was fitted with a 12 Liter Hispano Suiza V8 aero engine in 1926. The runs are not timed but this did not seem to deter Boswell's spirited run. Jonathan Sharp photo.

Those who have ridden as co-pilot say that a desire to survive is their dominant emotion.

By Alexander Boswell, owner, driver

It’s an amazing experience to drive any car built for Grand Prix racing. One knows that relentless effort, concentration of resources, and usually a huge budget have contributed to the creation of something technologically remarkable. Despite its 90th anniversary, the 2LCV Delage still encapsulates all these elements. In 1923 this was the only entry from the stable of the Delage company, and therefore it represents the pinnacle of the technology of the time. This car was driven in the French GP by René Thomas, the Sebastian Vettel of his day.

The Delage was raced in 1923 with the world’s first V-12 racing engine. At 2 liters capacity, each piston was no bigger than an eggcup. It was a complex engine, and by our standards today, only moderately powered.

That’s why the addition of a 12 liter Hispano Suiza out of a SPAD fighter in 1925 created such a sensational machine. The brilliance of the finest 1923 racing chassis was mated to the effortless power of a big low-revving engine. This was former test-pilot Maurice Bequet’s inspiration….and it’s still causing a sensation to this day.

A Hispano Suiza H8 similar to the engine in the Delage Bequet.

The car is delicate in every way apart from the motor. Once those great pistons start moving and the twin-plug ignition fires the mixture, the beast is dominated by the engine. Smoke and flames emerge from the stub exhausts, and the noise is a sharp low bark. In the cockpit the engine feels frighteningly alive. Let out the clutch and the narrow wheels spin uncontrollably. In first gear it’s doing 30mph whilst the engine runs at idle. Second gear is good for nearly 100; third is geared at 65mph per 1000rpm, and over 150 mph is possible. [Read more…] about Driving the Big Ones: Delage Bequet Hispano Suiza

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