Thierry Dubois drawings

[jeanlouis]

Citroën Ami 6 and Lancia Flavia Sport coupé Zagato in early sixties : Two front wheels drive cars comfortable on the snow.

 

[jeanlouis]

Prototype Panhard Dynavia 1948 assembled on a Dyna X plateform appeared two years ago.

Like a plane without wings.

Louis Bionier, designer of the Dynavia, worked at Panhard&Levassor from 1915 to 1967, end of the constructor.

Two models were made. One is showed at the "Musée National de l'Automobile de Mulhouse" (France)

Louis Bionier aerodynamical searches ended at the Dyna 54 or Dyna Z in 1953.

 

[jeanlouis]

1975 : A new Citroën CX is following a rare Glas 1700 ten years older.

Special feature of this German model : The engine with over head camshaft driven by a toothed belt.
It's become current today, but this technology, developed by the factory Continental, was totally new in 1961 when appeared this Glas motor.

A kind of German Peugeot 404 !

In 1966 the small constructor Glas was bought by BMW and the production of the 1700 was stopped two years later.
Notice the logo of the Bavarian make on the wheel trims.

 

[jeanlouis]

A prototype Citroën M35 powered by the monorotor engine Wankel is cruising on the Parisian ringroad nearly finished in 1970.

On a reinforced Ami 8 frame, Citroën made 267 coupé M35 instead of 500 expected. Outside the motor, various hydraulic devices and the new gearbox of the future GS were tested by some selected customers.

Derived from the M35 experience, the GS birotor was presented at Francfort motorshow 1973.

 

[jeanlouis]

A coupé Simca 1200 S followed by a Renault 12.

From the pretty coupé Simca 1000 designed by Bertone to the aggressive 1200 S.
"Careful, nasty car" said the ads.

French actress Mireille Darc presenting the new coupé Simca in 1967.

 

[jeanlouis]

Ligier JS2 (1971 - 1975). JS initials are chosen in memory of the pilot Jo Schlesser, Guy Ligier friend.

Paris motorshow 1971 : After two development years with the JS1, JS2 seem to be the definitive model ready for the "serie" production. The Citroën SM V6 Maserati is fitted in central position and there is an agreement with this constructor for the marketing.

Retracting head lights and 3 liter V6 for the last model.
After the failure of the JS2 (Citroën and Maserati too), Guy Ligier will manage a Formule 1 team.

 

[jeanlouis]

Tatra T 603 - Czechoslovakia 1955 - 1975

Motor V8 2.5 Liter fitted at the rear of rear axle.

In front of the Atomium in Brussels.
The Tatra has aerodynamic profil and flat floor like the Citroën DS. However both cars are mechanically opposite.

In 1974, Tatra replace the 603 by the 613 (V8 - 3.5 liter) using the same base.

 

[jeanlouis]

1936-37 - Cord 810-812

1937 : Cord 812 with compressor had two big exhaust chromed flexibles on each side of the bonnet.

Front Wheels Drive, the Cord 810 was powered by a V8 Lycoming 4730 cm3 - 125 HP (170 HP for the 812 with compressor).

 

[jeanlouis]

We are in the 60's, a coach CD Panhard travelling toward Chartres (France) cross a Peugeot 404 under the rain.

The flat-twin engine is the one of the PL 17 Tigre : 848 cm3 - 60 HP - 165 km/h instead of 145 for the Panhard.

 

[jeanlouis]

Crossroads of the "Belle Epine", south suburbs of Paris (15 Km), 70 years ago. We were yet in the country at this time.
Forground a coach Delahaye 235 and, in the other direction, a Peugeot 203 early model with the small rear window.

Two coach Delahaye 235 bodyworked by Chapron


The one sold by Henri Chapron on Delahaye 235 frame (1952)



The coach "usine" from Delahaye catalog made by Chapron (1953)

 

[jeanlouis]

Spring 1953 on a French big traffic road : A brand new Renault Fregate Amiral is about to cross a Studebaker Champion four doors Sedan with a rare red TT plate (Temporary Transit).

Early Renault Fregate drawings and photos (1951-1953)


For 1953, two versions : Amiral on the left and the cheaper Affaires model.

 

[jeanlouis]

Thierry Dubois at the Vintage Montlhéry-Lalique 2001


Thierry Dubois is the happy passenger on board of this pretty Hispano-Suiza Alphonse XIII 1911

Both extremes : Left, a Bentley 8 Liter and right, the little Austin Seven


Two cyclecars BNC at first of the parade.

Jacques Potherat, automobile historian, English cars and cyclecars specialist, is the founder of the Vintage Montlhéry-Lalique

 

[jeanlouis]

On the holiday road seventy years ago.
Foreground, a Bristol 400 and behind, at the gas pump, a Ford Vedette second generation pulling a caravan Notin.

Diversification at Bristol Aeroplane Company


In 1945, Bristol decided to become an automobile constructor. The first model is barely the copy of this BMW 328 made immediately before the war. "War Reparation Board" allowed to grab all the drawings and, doing it, Bristol saved a lot of time.

Bristol 403

Exhibition in front of a big aeroplane hangar at Filton House for a retrospective 1945-1955.

 

[dargelos]

Have you ever seen the bonnet opening on a Bristol 403 or similar. It has the most ingenious mechanism so that you can open the lid fully from the left or the right, whichever side you happen to be standing on. There are no door handles, push a button to get in. Beat you to that one Tesla.
They were full of little design tricks like that and had an exceptional safety record. Brilliant cars, very rare today.

 

[jeanlouis]

Thank you very much for this detail about the Bristol 403, Dargelos.


I don't remember if I have already posted this Bristol 410 photo...
At this time I watched a British thriller TV serie whose I forgot the name. The policeman had this coupé Bristol.
From 1967_68 Bristol cars are no more imported in France by André Chardonnet. These models become confidential.

In 2004 there is yet two models at the Bristol catalog. The new coupé Fighter is powered by a Dodge Viper engine!
I presume that it is the last Bristol car.

 

[dargelos]

We met a car nut who showed us his perfectly restored Bristol. Stunning. You have to see it to believe it.
Here is Jay Reno praising his own magnificent example.

 

[jeanlouis]

Before war, a coach Delahaye 135 M bodyworked by Chapron is driven by the competitor of a rally on a small Alps road. On the left, behind two spectators, one Peugeot 301 is stopped on the road side.

Delahaye 135 MS, a classic from Henri Chapron.

 

[jeanlouis]

1971 on the French RN 20 northern Orléans : One Renault 8 Gordini, passing a Mercedes 220 SE, is ittself passed by the experimental Aerotrain cruising quietly on its test rail at 340 Km/h.

Aerotrain is something half train, half plane as the name indicate it.

Jean Bertin, the designer-engineer father of the Aerotrain (1917 - 1975).

Only witness of the Aerotrain today : The test rail of concrete and some stations in the middle of the country.

A train on air cushions

October 1965

A sculpture at Gometz-La-Ville (France) to commemorate the location of the first experimental test.

Concorde, Aerotrain, rotative engine, three fake good ideas from the seventies too greedy in oil.
Competitor of the Aerotrain, the TGV of the SNCF was chosen then inaugurated in 1981.

 

[jeanlouis]

Battle on the snow : A Talbot Lago Grand Sport T26 1954 is purchased by a Daimler Conquest Century 6 cylinder - 2.5 Liter

Talbot Lago GS T26 cabriolet 1949


Last "true" Daimler and Jaguar-Daimler


Daimler Majestic Major (1959-1968) V8 - 4.5 liter

Motor V8 - 2.5 liter

In 1960 Daimler is taken over by Jaguar then, at London motorshow 1962, the Daimler 2.5 L V8 is presented.
This model, powered by a cabriolet SP 250 motor, get the body of the Jaguar Mark II.

Becoming just some high scale Jaguar versions, we can recognize one Daimler outside by one specific radiator grill and rear light plate.

 

[jeanlouis]

Alfa Romeo 1900 from 1950

Panhard Dyna Z presented in June 1953, marketed early 1954 and replaced by the PL 17 in 1959

A specific catalog for the cabriolet Dyna realized by Alex Kow