How could you see in our chronicle of last week Le Mans Classic has become a first-class event, on a par with even the well-known Goodwoods or similar English ones.
This has undoubtedly a positive effect not only in terms of the jewels that we will see passing at high speeds through the mythical circuit, but also in that more and more clubs, companies and fans attend. to show off their best saddles in the parkines and around the circuit.
And it is here that we are going to focus, on the oddities that we can find around the circuit ... although within this there are also cars that would be almost impossible to identify without the help of a specialized book.
1- Curious Talbot Lago with Contamin bodywork, former participant in 24 Hours
2- Very old convertible FWB bus from 1929 of Swiss origin
For example, every year several buses of the alpine brand FWB come from Switzerland so that spectators can see the route "from within". The options are varied, as you can choose from a very old convertible “tourer” model from 1929 to models from the late 50s.
We could also use rare French buses loaned by local clubs, like a slightly aesthetic Renault Goelette from the early 50s.
In the outdoor area dedicated to specialists, there were many renowned and high-priced pieces in search of wealthy “gentlemans” who would come to the circuit not only to compete, but maybe to leave with something else under his arm.
1- A 250 GT TDF at that price? It must have been a -very good- replica
2- A unique Jaguar MKVI built by Graber in Switzerland in the early 50s
The star was undoubtedly the Ferrari 250 GT TDF Boano from the mid-50s, perfectly restored and with a curious silver color that in my modest opinion favored it a lot. This is not difficult to identify, but its price of "only" 499.000 euros makes us think that it was a replica.
Hunted at auction and exhibition
Returning to the rarities, inside the tent that the Artcurial auction house had set up we could find some other units unknown to the common fan: as remarkable and unique, a Lancia Aprilia Pininfarina from the early 50s and a Jaguar MKVI bodied in Switzerland by Graber at the same time.
Among the branded clubs stood out the robust and sporty Hotchkiss, brand undeservedly unknown in our country, especially if we take into account that it is the one with the highest number of consecutive victories in the Rallye Monte Carlo.
1- Elegant Hotchkiss 686 Cabourg, a car with a pedigree in rallies of the 30s, 40s and 50s
2- Curious Panhard Dyna from the 50s with air-cooled twin-cylinder engine
Not far from these, the Panhard club featured various units from the 50s with their distinctive aerodynamic design and air-cooled twin-cylinder engines.
Also very noteworthy was the exhibition dedicated to the French bodywork where you could see well why once the Gallic car achieved such a reputation for quality and style. In this we could see the inevitable Bugatti, Talbot-Lago, Panhard-Levassor or Salmson from different times.
In addition, some brands - even more - unknown to the general public: A Hotchkiss-Gregoire from the 50s, with an aluminum monocoque body and a boxer engine located in front of the front axle. Also, a little Lombard from the 20s, with a rabid 1.100 cc engine and double overhead camshaft… and bodied like a gentrified coupe!
1- Very interesting Lombard sports car from the 20s
2- Hotchkiss Gregoire, French aluminum bodywork
3- Voisin C11 from 1928 in a state of preservation
Also striking was an Avions-Voisin C11 saloon from the 20s in an exquisite state of preservation, still showing some dent and completely lackluster paint which only increased the already striking model.
THE TANK
The top rarity for this group went to the tiny 1925 Chenard & Walker Tank, a vehicle of great historical significance. These aesthetic models, let's say “debatable”, proved in a pioneering way that not only the power of the engine was important, but also the aerodynamics.
When they appeared on the circuits in 1925 they were branded as aberrations, but they triumphed incontestably in the category below 1.500cc in events such as Le Mans or our Lasarte Grand Prix, in San Sebastian.
1- Chenard Walker Tank from 1925: more important than it seems
2- Attractive Lancia Appia Zagato from the 50s
It is also important that at the controls of one of these devices a Spanish driver, Manso de Zúñiga, triumphed for the first time at Le Mans. And it is that walking there anywhere we could find a car remarkable for its quality and rarity.
All you have to do is see the 50s Lancia Appia Zagato parked casually among several more modern Lancia, or the magnificent 1937 Riley Sprite ... or the tiny Morgan-style motorized trike that a father had built for his lucky offspring, which I used to drive it around the paddock.
1- Magnificent Riley Sprite from 1937
2- Scale replica of Threewheeler
As is inevitable, every so often the roar of some mechanics made us look back to the circuit ... Sometimes to see something unknown. In the photos you can see the strange "aerodynamic" HRG from the 40s, of English origin, or the Talbot Lago from 1948 disguised under a strange Contamin body that already participated in Le Mans in its youth.
Or the hundreds of trays of different sizes and types: Italian Osca, Anglo-American Jaguar-Lister, French DB and Matra-Bonnet… all of them with strange shapes and sometimes with unique bodywork. A spectacle for the sight and the ear that unfortunately we still cannot enjoy in our country.
1- At Le Mans, a large number of DB trailers could be seen
2- The thunderous Jaguar-Lister of the 50s comes out of the chicane