FRENCH VINTAGE AND EDWARDIAN CAR CACHE
NOWADAYS WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT "BARN FINDS", A POOR CAR LEFT ALL ALONE IN THE DARK AND THEN RE-DISCOVERED ONLY TO BE FOUGHT OVER BY SERIAL RESTORERS.
I FOUND THIS CACHE IN AROUND 2003 WHEN I WENT TO BUY A WONDERFUL PAIR OF ZEISS HEADLAMPS THAT EVENTUALLY ENDED UP IN THE HANDS OUR STANLEY, I SWAPPED THEM FOR A 4 LITRE BACK AXLE CASING THAT ENDED UP IN CHRIS WILLIAMS`S LATEST AERO CAR.
THE OWNER ALLOWED ME TO PHOTOGRAPH THE CACHE WHICH HAD BEEN ASSEMBLED IN A HUGE BARN THAT ALSO HOUSED A SMALL HERD OF SHEEP, SOMEWHERE IN THE CHAMPAGNE REGION. I HAD TO PROMISE NOT TO REVEAL THE LOCATION SO THAT MY LIPS HAVE TO REMAIN SEALED!
BELOW YOU WILL FIND A SELECTION OF THESE CARS:
I FOUND THIS CACHE IN AROUND 2003 WHEN I WENT TO BUY A WONDERFUL PAIR OF ZEISS HEADLAMPS THAT EVENTUALLY ENDED UP IN THE HANDS OUR STANLEY, I SWAPPED THEM FOR A 4 LITRE BACK AXLE CASING THAT ENDED UP IN CHRIS WILLIAMS`S LATEST AERO CAR.
THE OWNER ALLOWED ME TO PHOTOGRAPH THE CACHE WHICH HAD BEEN ASSEMBLED IN A HUGE BARN THAT ALSO HOUSED A SMALL HERD OF SHEEP, SOMEWHERE IN THE CHAMPAGNE REGION. I HAD TO PROMISE NOT TO REVEAL THE LOCATION SO THAT MY LIPS HAVE TO REMAIN SEALED!
BELOW YOU WILL FIND A SELECTION OF THESE CARS:
ABOVE LEFT A COMPLETE LE ZEBRE CYCLECAR. ABOVE RIGHT A VIEW OF IT`S 4 CYLINDER ENGINE
ABOVE A SALMSON LIGHT TOURER OF ABOUT 1929
ABOVE LEFT SALMSON TOURER FRONT VIEW. ABOVE RIGHT THE REAR VIEW REAR VIEW
ABOVE LEFT A WONDERFUL BRASIER TORPEDO AROUND 1914. ABOVE RIGHT A SELECTION OF ENGINES
BELOW SOME MORE PHOTOS OF THE FRENCH CAR CACHE. THESE WERE TAKEN BY MY MINOX 35mm CAMERA JUST BEFORE I PURCHASED MY FIRST ELECTRONIC CAMERA. I DIDN`T HAVE A FLASH WITH ME SO HAD TO USE LONG EXPOSURE SHOTS THAT DIDN`T GIVE VERY GOOD RESULTS.
ABOVE LEFT, A DELAGE ROLLING CHASSIS RIPE FOR RESTORATION. ABOVE RIGHT A VIEW SHOWING A FRACTION OF THE CARS THERE JUST WAITING FOR NEW OWNERS.
ABOVE LEFT, A NICE RENAULT BOULANGIERE "DANS SES JUS" AS THE FRENCH SAY (IN IT`S GRAVY). ABOVE RIGHT, AMONGST THE LATER TALBOT SALOONS ANOTHER LE ZEBRE.
NOT ONLY WERE THERE THE VINTAGE AND VETERAN CARS BUT ALSO TOY CARS, PETROL PUMPS, ADVERTISING SIGNS, IN FACT EVERYTHING THAT YOU COULD THINK OF CONCERNING MOTORING IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.
THE OWNER WAS QUITE WILLING TO SELL TO ME AND I DID CONSIDER BUYING THE SALMSON TOURER BUT THE PRICES WERE RIDICULOUSLY HIGH TO BE ACCEPTABLE.
NOT ONLY WERE THERE THE VINTAGE AND VETERAN CARS BUT ALSO TOY CARS, PETROL PUMPS, ADVERTISING SIGNS, IN FACT EVERYTHING THAT YOU COULD THINK OF CONCERNING MOTORING IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.
THE OWNER WAS QUITE WILLING TO SELL TO ME AND I DID CONSIDER BUYING THE SALMSON TOURER BUT THE PRICES WERE RIDICULOUSLY HIGH TO BE ACCEPTABLE.