French Ford

VeloceToday’s Australian Agent

Our latest VeloceToday Select Folio, Montier’s French Racing Fords, was an idea developed by author Chris Martin who became intrigued by this unusual story about a French family who raced their modified Fords at Le Mans and at Spa.

The restored 1923 Montier-Ford at the Le Mans Classic.

Chris contacted VeloceToday with his idea and it was decided that the story deserved to be published in its own right as a booklet or Folio.
Chris lives in Australia, VeloceToday is located on the East Coast U.S.A but the distance did not hinder this union with Chris becoming the contact point in the Asia Pacific region for his new book. In the making of this publication, ideas were collaborated from the very start, proofing the copy, researching the photos and permissions, and working on the design, even sharing the printing costs. From Virginia where it was printed, half of the run was then shipped to Chris.

[Read more…] about Montier Model A Ford

Le Mans, 1923: Ford's first attempt to conquer the 24 hour race.

VeloceToday’s latest Select Folio is hot off the press. Because the subject matter is relatively unknown, immensely interesting and concerns both the U.S., France, Le Mans, and Grand Prix racing, the story of the Montier Fords was clearly a great topic for a Select Folio. Below, Chris Martin tells us a little about the Montiers, but to get the rest of the story, you’ll have to read the Folio; unlike our earlier Select series, this one is not in the electronic VeloceToday.

By Chris Martin

First Fords at Le Mans

Most of us tend to think that Fords did not play much of a part at Le Mans until the early 1960s. But that does not appear to be the case. Charles Montier, a French Ford dealer, (called “Le Sorcier” by the locals long before Gordini) entered the famous endurance race in 1923, 1924 and 1925. Few people even realize that a Model T Ford not only raced in that grueling event (won by a Chenard Walcker) but finished in 14th place in the first ever 24 hours of Le Mans. But the Montier-Fords were just getting a start; amazingly, by the 1930s Montier-Fords would participate in a number of Grand Prix events, racing against Alfa Romeo, Mercedes Benz and Bugatti.
[Read more…] about Charles Montier’s French Racing Fords