Miguel Sánchez
El Vintage Revival of Montlhéry 2024 It is an event to take into account. What's more, given the inclination of the hobby towards certain well-known vehicles - and even very recent ones in time - it would not be out of place to insist from the specialized newspapers on everything related to the so-called "prewar".
All this despite seeing the number of readers reduced in the articles dedicated to them, well, let's not fool ourselves, among our parish of readers The emotional and individual tends to take precedence more than what is historically notable from a technical and encyclopedic criterion.
That is to say, although it may sound disappointing, we know how the most hackneyed vehicle of the eighties - about which nothing more can be said - sows greater interest than any competition model from the thirties, even if the latter is a piece full of stories as unknown as they are surprising. Unfortunately, today this is the case.
However, the appearance of quotes relating to centuries-old models beyond British borders - a territory where the public exercises the healthy habit of buy magazines thus facilitating the support of a specialized press - acts as a lever towards a future with more visibility for our veteran automobiles.
Thus, while in Spain the FEVA is going to celebrate the second edition of its Centennial Rally Next June, in the French town of Montlhéry, the seventh edition of its Vintage Festival.
An authentic celebration of competitive motorsport prior to the Second World War and which, in addition, is framed in the historic oval opened in 1924 in the image and likeness of Brooklands, Monza and Indianapolis.
VINTAGE FESTIVAL MONTLHÉRY 2024, FULL OF UNIQUE PIECES
Since a century ago the automobile was still an object of consumption restricted to the masses, the ranges of those times were much more artisanal and customizable than it might seem. Likewise, this character is raised even further when speaking of vehicles for competition, thus making events like the Vintage Festival Montlhéry incredible gatherings of unique or quasi-unique pieces.
That said, reviewing the images related to its latest edition is a pleasure from a mechanical point of view, and you can see all kinds of technical solutions improvised at a time when automotive engineering was still in its infancy.
In this way, from the quadricycles and tricycles to the Amilcars with their volumetric compressors, everything here is a historical lesson. And that's not to mention the Auto-Union designed by Ferdinand Porsche -pioneers in the central position of the engine- or the first aerodynamic bodies with faired wheel arches and Streamline rear ends. Without a doubt, a wide series of solutions well represented at Montlhéry 2024.
THE TASTE FOR ALFA ROMEO
Beyond offering the image gallery by unai ona, in this short article we will also review some of the most interesting participants of the last Montlhéry 2024. And boy, since choosing the start is very difficult among the dozens of participants seen on the oval of the circuit located near Paris, we are going to go with something more than expected of us: an Alfa Romeo.
Of course, one from 1923 owned by the well-known “bullishChristopher Mann. Regular in places like Goodwood at the wheel of a 3000 Disco Volante or a 1900 CSS Zagato Coupe, here he was seen appearing with an RL Super Sport “Targa Florio”; model on which the four-leaf clover was stamped for the first time while hiding under the hood a six-cylinder in-line engine capable of taking over the victory in the 1923 Targa-Florio. By all accounts, one of the most prolific racing cars of its time thanks to the almost 400 units assembled.
In turn, the British Richard Pilkington presented a 1750 1931 GS Zagato on the track; a perfect example in relation to the new paradigm introduced by Vittorio Jano, with the improvement of the weight/power ratio above the endless increase in displacement.
Without a doubt one of the most interesting racing cars of all time, responsible for highlighting the benefits of well-understood simplicity and a taste for engines.downsizing".
RENAULT OFFICIAL PRESENCE
Renault is one of the European brands responsible for its past, maintaining a good collection of units among which prototypes and competition models stand out. Furthermore, they are taking the pleasure of presenting some of them in perfect order; something that we were able to verify at Montlhéry 2024 thanks to the 40 CV Records of 1926 and the Nervasport des Records of 1934.
Two excellent examples of the sportiness inherent to the house of the rhombus, which saw one of its own founders die in the failed Paris-Madrid of 1903. Regarding the first, its engine with more than 9 liters and free escape provides a spectacle in the stands capable of creating fans from the first moment; If you have the opportunity, take your children, but with hearing protectors.
In relation to the second, its bodywork with aeronautical reminiscences speaks for itself about the frenetic obsession based on conquering world speed records. By the way, we were also able to see the Étoile Filante from 1954; another record hunter this time equipped with a gas turbine capable of exceeding 300 km/h on average in the Bonneville salt flat. One of the most interesting - and unknown - pages in the entire sporting history of Renault.
THE AUDI REPLICA
Likewise, Audi carried out the reconstruction of the 1938 Auto Union Wanderer Streamline. A very interesting light design by Ferdinand Porsche, who here marked the counterpoint to the Type A/B/C/D single-seaters thanks to its aerodynamic volumes forged in aluminum with endurance racing in his sights.
Anyway, it would be great to make a comparison between this vehicle and the BMW 328. We write it down on the agenda of possible things.
NAIPER-RAILTON, FLYING AT GROUND LOW
Assembled in 1933, the Naiper-Railton It holds the honor of being the car with the fastest lap at Brooklands with an average of 230,84 km/h. All this thanks to its aircraft engine - yes, these things were relatively common before the Second World War - with 24 liters of displacement (!) and a compression ratio adjusted up to 6,1:1.
Simply spectacular and, at the moment, happily preserved by the Brooklands Museum.
GOING TO THE MOST MODEST DISPLACEMENTS
By the way, continuing with the always ingenious British trail at Montlhéry 2024 it was also possible to enjoy incredible vehicles in very small displacements. In this way we noticed a 1926 Seal Sociable taxiing on the runway.
One of those designs in front of which it is impossible not to stop. And the fact is that, with its three wheels, it reverses the concept of a sidecar by putting all the living space in it, leaving the motorcycle - in this case a JAP with 980 cc - removed from the seat, in order to create a vehicle nondescript. "Safe, economical and light" their commercial motto said, we would add “delightfully extravagant.”
And, in the wide panoply seen in this celebration of the most veteran motorsports - not to mention motorcycles - which we will not discuss because this is a headline centered on all four wheels– there was room for all types of displacements and designs.
Some as concise and charming as the one with the quadricycle Bontemps Type A with only 289 cc as well as an attractive patina. Today, a toy for adults with which it would be quite an experience to undertake long-range trips.
Images: Unai Ona
