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Kellner Carriage
"Break de Chasse", 1800s
Break de Chasse>
Designed for breaking in horses, this carriage hints at the Carrosserie Kellner’s future luxurious coachwork. Kellner et ses Fils was one of the most prominent coachbuilders in Paris, founded by Georges Kellner in 1860. The company passed to his son, Georges Jr. and eventually his son, Jacques, who began building bodywork for luxury motorcars such as Hispano-Suiza, Rolls-Royce, Delage and Renault. Famously, one of the six Bugatti Royales was bodied by the Carrosserie Kellner.
This style of carriage is called a Break de Chasse, derived from the Break carriage, a simple carriage where the coachman sits on a high seat to properly break in the horses. They were widely used for hunting excursions but could easily be adapted for various purposes. This carriage was built for the Van Hoboken family in Rotterdam, Netherlands and bears their coat of arms on the side. They were one of the last aristocratic families in Rotterdam to regularly use a carriage when automobiles were already in fashion.
The 1922 Renault Phaeton at the Mullin Automotive Museum is another beautiful example of Kellner coachwork. This carriage was a part of Jean Philippe Felix Marie de Neree tot Babberich’s collection in the Netherlands, and joined the Mullin Collection in 2014.
Coachbuilder | Georges kellner |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | unavailable |
Rear brakes type | Friction Shoe Type Brakes |
Front suspension type | Full Elliptic Leaf Springs |
Rear suspension type | Full Elliptic Leaf Springs |
Displacement | 0 |
BHP at RPM | 2 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Labourdette “Dog Cart”
1800s
A Coachbuilder's Carriage>
French blacksmith Jean-Baptiste Labourdette founded Henri Labourdette Carrossier in 1858, shortly after the birth of his son Henri. His firm became one of the oldest and best known carriage builders of the 1800s, specializing in strong but lightweight carriages. This style of carriage is called a two-wheeled dog cart, which was originally designed for sporting shooters and included a box underneath or behind the seat for retriever dogs.
In the late nineteenth century, son Henri-Jean took over the firm and brought new design ideas to many clients, including Empress Eugénie and eventual race car driver Chevalier René de Knyff. With the firm’s well-established reputation, he was able to make a successful transition to automobiles. He specialized in light and elegant coachwork and had a sales showroom in Madrid and on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. In 1921, Henri’s son, Jean-Henri, was asked to design coachwork that was light and comfortable with a torpedo shape, thus creating the Labourdette skiff design. The museum’s Hispano-Suiza H6B is an example of this style of coachwork.
This carriage was a part of Jean Philippe Felix Marie de Neree tot Babberich’s collection in the Netherlands, and joined the Mullin Collection in 2014.
Coachbuilder | Labourdette Carrossier |
Front brakes type | Friction Shoe Type Brakes |
Rear brakes type | Friction Shoe Type Brakes |
Front suspension type | Two Semi-Elliptic Leaf Springs |
Rear suspension type | One Transverse Semi-Elliptic Leaf Spring |
Engine Number | Unavailable |
Million-Guiet Phaeton
Carriage, 1800s
Before designing iconic Art Deco coachwork, the Million-Guiet firm specialized in high quality carriages such as this Phaeton. >
Founded in 1852 as a trading company by Eugene Million and Michael Guiet, Million-Guiet began producing harnesses for horses, and in 1860 they started producing light buggies, wagons and carriages. An American subsidiary allowed the company’s name recognition to grow overseas. By 1864, the company turned its focus to coachbuilding and went by the name of Million-Guiet et Cie. Following the death of the founders in the early 1890s, the business passed to Michael’s son Auguste Guiet.
This carriage style is called a Phaeton, a term used in the early nineteenth century for a sporty, open carriage drawn by one or two horses, typically with four large wheels. The name Phaeton comes from the mythical Phaëton, son of Helios, who nearly set the Earth on fire while attempting to drive the Chariot of the Sun.
This Phaeton has been fully restored in Belgium by famous restorer, Patrick Schroven. Another admirable example of Million-Guiet coachwork is the fantastic Bugatti Type 50 in the Mullin Collection. This carriage was part of Jean Philippe Felix Marie de Neree tot Babberich’s collection in the Netherlands, and joined the Mullin Collection in 2014.
Coachbuilder | Miillion-Guiet et Cie. |
Period | 1800s |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | unavailable |
Front brakes type | Friction Shoe Type Brakes |
Rear brakes type | Friction Shoe Type Brakes |
Front suspension type | Leaf Springs Front and Rear |
Rear suspension type | Leaf Springs Front and Rear |
Displacement | 0 |
BHP at RPM | 1 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Renault Carriage
"Victoria Park", 1890s
A Classic Carriage>
This Park Victoria carriage is a classic showcase of the styling, lines and early technology that carried over from carriages to automobiles.This carriage is a Park Victoria, a comfortable, open four-wheeled carriage with two small front wheels and two large rear wheels with accommodation for four or five passengers. It features leather fenders to protect passengers from debris, and a suspension system that would have brought an unprecedented level of comfort to its passengers. The carriage also features a retractable roof and no doors. This Park Victoria is exceptionally rare due to its original, unrestored condition.
If imagining this carriage with doors and a front end, it is possible to see the resemblance between early automobiles and carriages of this era. This Park Victoria was used at a French chateau and then was part of Jean Philippe Felix Marie de Neree tot Babberich’s Dutch collection before joining the Mullin Collection in 2014.
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | Unavailable |
Front brakes type | Friction Shoe Type Brakes |
Rear brakes type | Friction Shoe Type Brakes |
Front suspension type | Full Elliptic Leaf Springs |
Rear suspension type | Three-quarter Elliptic Leaf Springs |
Displacement | 0 |
BHP at RPM | 1 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Panhard & Levassor Type B1
Rear-Entrance Tonneau, 1902
Systeme Panhard>
The Type B1’s Systeme Panhard provided a standard for the new auto industry—a chassis with a front-mounted engine, clutch to sliding gears and final drive to the back axle by chain.In 1891 René Panhard and Émile Levassor secured a place in history by developing the Systeme Panhard. The configuration—a chassis with a front-mounted engine, clutch to sliding gears and final drive to the back axle by chain—was adopted by other manufacturers for decades to come. The Type B1 was one of the first Panhard & Levassor vehicles to showcase the Systeme Panhard; it was produced with a Daimler four-cylinder inline engine as early as 1896.
Panhard & Levassor was one of the most prestigious French marques to produce cars for the public at the turn of the century, beginning with gasoline-powered engines in the 1870s. Its first engines, licensed from Gottlieb Daimler, were sold to fellow visionary Arnold Peugeot in 1890. From 1895 to 1900 Panhard & Levassor won 15 out of 22 races they entered. Many of their construction techniques were transferred to their aero-engine business.
Chassis 3332 has been a frequent entrant among the pre-1905 cars in the Veteran Car Run from London to Brighton. Previous owner John Bentley participated six times before turning the car over to Peter Mullin in 2009.
Coachbuilder | Panhard & Levassor factory |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | 30 |
Front brakes type | Manual rear band |
Rear brakes type | Manual rear band |
Front suspension type | Leaf springs |
Rear suspension type | Leaf springs |
Engine number | 3332 |
Type | Inline |
Number of cylinders | 4 |
Bore x stroke | 80 x 120 |
Displacement | 2 |
BHP at 1,000 rpm RPM | 8 |
Gearbox | 3-speed manual |
Number of gears | 3 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Renault Type CB Laundaulet
1910
Brass Bombshell>
The Renault marque is one of the oldest in France, and as such was at the forefront of creating beautiful brass coachwork. This Landaulet features a striking brass steering column, horn and headlamps.
In 1899 Louis Renault and his brothers, Marcel and Fernand, launched Renault Freres—a company that has remained dominant in the French automobile market. Louis gained engineering prestige by developing a direct drive gearshift mechanism in 1898 for a voiturette that climbed the Montmartre hill in Paris. Early Renaults featured a distinctive “coal scuttle” hood and a radiator that protruded on each side of the engine. The radiator’s unique position utilized thermo-siphon or convection cooling in which increased temperature provided more circulation and cooling to the engine. This eliminated the need for a water pump.
Chassis 32862 was specially produced by Renault Freres “For USA Colonies and Cuba” and bodied by Brewster & Co. of New York. Brewster was an American coachbuilder immortalized in 1934 by the Cole Porter song “You’re The Top,” which included the phrase “you’re a Brewster body.” This example features artillery type wheels with wooden spokes in iron rims. It has leather fenders, a luxurious passenger compartment and a minimalist yet elegant dash. The brass headlamps were made by the Vesta Accumulator Company of Chicago, a supplier of electrical equipment and batteries from 1897 to 1964.
Coachbuilder | Brewster & Co. |
Chassis number | 32862 |
Body type | Landaulet |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | unavailable |
Chassis features | Rear Drive Open Drive Shaft |
Rear brakes type | Mechanical Rear Drum Brakes |
Front suspension type | Leaf Springs |
Rear suspension type | Leaf Springs |
Engine number | 2245 |
Type | Inline Four-Cylinder Cast in Pairs Engine |
Number of cylinders | 4 |
Displacement | 0 |
Fuel feed system | Juhasz Single Updraft Carburetor |
Engine capacity & output | unavailable |
Gearbox | Three-Speed Manual Gearbox |
Number of gears | 3 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Panhard et Levassor X17
Sedanca de Ville, 1911
An Early Adapter>
Panhard et Levassor created vehicles that were dependable and innovative, while they worked with coachbuilders to create bodies that were visually reminiscent of carriages with features like an open driver’s seat and paneled body.
Inventors of the modern transmission, Louis-René Panhard and Emile Levassor introduced a sliding gear manual transmission in 1894. This technology evolved into the traditional drivetrain layout that has become a standard feature in most automobiles produced in the second half of the twentieth century.
This layout featured a front engine with the crankshaft aligned longitudinally with the chassis and a gearbox behind that transmitted its power to the rear wheels via a chain drive. The chain drive was modified to a shaft drive by Renault, but the overall layout was Panhard’s.
The X17 was introduced in 1911 and production continued until 1915. This model featured the Knight sleeve valve engine licensed by Panhard just one year earlier. This double sleeve configuration used connecting rods to actuate sleeves covering and uncovering the inlet and exhaust ports on the valves. Panhard used this silent and reliable form of valve gear as the basis for all their models up until 1939.
Chassis 23685 features three-quarter elliptic leaf springs consisting of two semi-elliptic sets, one inverted on top of the other in both the front and rear, to provide a truly comfortable ride (See in Spec Overview, the rear leaf springs are not full). The driver’s instruments include a speedometer that records up to 80 kilometers per hour, a trip and total distance odometer and a switch to send acetylene to the headlamps. There is no fuel gauge.
Coachbuilder | Henri Binder |
Chassis number | 23685 |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | Unavailable |
Chassis features | Rear Drive Shaft Configuration |
Rear brakes type | Internal Expanding Rear Drum Brakes |
Front suspension type | Semi-Elliptic Leaf Springs |
Displacement | Three-Quarter Elliptic Leaf Springs |
Engine number | 23685 |
Number of cylinders | 4 |
Engine layout | Four-Cylinder F-Head Monobloc |
Displacement | 0 |
Fuel feed system | Single Side Draft Zenith Carburetor |
Engine capacity & output | Unavailable |
Gearbox | Four-Speed Manual Gearbox |
Number of gears | 4 |
0 |
Delaunay Belleville Omnibus
1912
The Seat of the Czar>
The advent of a quiet yet powerful petrol machine, dressed with an elegant and plush interior, transformed the art of grand touring for royalty throughout the world.
Over the years, the once great marque and builder of the world’s first supercars, Delaunay Belleville, has been largely forgotten.
At the turn of the century, a supercar was not the faster-than-sound, lighter-than-air sports car that we know today. It was an impeccably reliable machine that exuded the comfort and luxury coveted by royal and wealthy consumers. Delaunay Belleville machines were at the head of this field, having a reputation on par with Rolls- Royce before and after World War I. Czar Nicholas II of Russia famously had ten Delaunay Bellevilles. His motoring reputation changed the face of Russian infrastructure, introducing motorization to a new Russian market. The Mullin Omnibus, built in 1912, features ample coachwork that combined with the chassis is nearly nine feet tall. The spacious interior was specially designed to carry royal passengers and their belongings, neatly stowed on the roof’s luggage rack, between Russian palaces in Saint Petersburg and Yalta. The driver, left exposed to the elements, would have likely endured quite a chilly ride.
Delaunay Bellevilles were handcrafted machines known for their quality of construction, materials, and precise machining. Delaunay Belleville was one of the first to use four separate cylinders in its engines, and its cars are often identified by their unique barrel-like hood—a shape reminiscent of the company’s steam boilers and engines made for leading navies around the world.
The car was purchased from Daniel Ward in the United Kingdom, and was on long-term display at the Musée de l’automobiliste in Mougins, France, founded in 1984 by automobile aficionados André Binda, Antoine Raffaeli, and Adrien Maeght.It was acquired by the Mullin Automotive Museum in 2008.
Coachbuilder | La Carrosserie Industrielle |
Chassis number | 3197 |
Profile type | Touring |
Body type | Limousine |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | 130 |
Rear brakes type | Drum |
Length | 15' 10' |
Height (Ground line to highest roof) | 9' |
Width | 6' |
Engine number | 3197 |
Number of cylinders | 4 |
Displacement | 0 |
Engine capacity & output | Unavailable |
Transmission | Chain drive |
Gearbox | Manual |
Number of gears | 4 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Peugeot Model BP1 Bebe
1913
Bugatti Design for Peugeot>
A mutually beneficial partnership between the Bugatti and Peugeot marques resulted in this baby voiturette—quick, dependable, and the highest-selling Bugatti vehicle of all time.
In 1911, Ettore Bugatti endeavored to create lightweight and robust cars, which led to the design of the BP1 or Bébé. At that time, Bugatti production was slow to the point that production was outsourced. Local carrosseries and firms frequently partnered with the Molsheim, France based company.
The BP1 license was originally offered to German company Wanderer, but they turned it down and it went instead to Peugeot, an established name in automobile manufacturing. Giving the design license to Peugeot benefitted both Bugatti and the French marque; a source of much needed capital was generated for Bugatti’s operation and Peugeot created a unit that secured their place at the forefront of French light car design.
Bugatti’s Bébé utilized reversed quarter-elliptical rear springs, which soon became a Bugatti trademark. Other advanced features included were rack and pinion steering and a driveshaft instead of the chain drive frequently used in other voiturettes, or small cars, of the time. The Bébé was considered modern looking for 1912 and constituted 80 percent of Peugeot production in its first year. This model was produced from 1913 to 1916 and totaled approximately 3,000 units, including exports to other countries.
Coachbuilder | Factory |
Chassis number | 10252 |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | unavailable |
Front brakes type | No Front Brakes |
Rear brakes type | (2) Rear-Wheel Mechanically-Operated Drum Brakes |
Front suspension type | Solid Front Axle with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs |
Rear suspension type | Live Rear Axle with Reversed Quarter-Elliptical Leaf Springs |
Number of cylinders | 4 |
Engine layout | Inline Four-Cylinder Engine |
Displacement | 850 |
BHP at RPM | 6 |
Gearbox | Four-Speed Manual Gearbox |
Overdrive | 0 |
Voisin Type C1
Limousine , 1919
The Marque's First >
The debut of the Knight sleeve-valve Type C1 at the 1919 Paris Auto Salon marked the dawn of the golden age of Voisin and set the bar for impeccably engineered luxury autos.
The Type C1 was the first of Gabriel Voisin’s automobiles. Under its very conservative lines, this model set the foundation for Voisin‘s automotive pursuits and began to reveal some of his styling and technical preferences.
Voisin had been presented with the idea of creating an automobile in 1917, when engineers Ernest Artault and Louis Dufresne introduced him to their designs for a chassis powered by a Knight sleeve-valve engine. Voisin favored the simplicity, power, and quiet of the sleeve-valve engine in contrast to the loud and inefficient models then provided by other manufacturers. Voisin cars became known for their virtual silence, a feature that appealed to the luxury coach clientele. Beginning with the Type C1, the sleeve-valve engine was used on all subsequent Voisin models until the Type C30 in 1937.
The Voisin Type C1’s debut was much anticipated—Voisin was one of the first manufacturers to produce a luxury automobile after World War I, and the car’s success at the 1919 Paris Auto Salon was instantaneous. The engine block was cast iron, the sump was aluminum, and the factory coachwork was conventional.
This car was ordered by a Normandy industrialist, the head of Société des Hauts Fourneaux de Rouen, a steel company in Rouen, who resided in Grand-Quevilly. The car remained the longtime property of the same man before being stored at the Le Mans Auto Museum for many years. The Mullin Automotive Museum acquired it in 2008.
Coachbuilder | Factory |
804 | 804 |
Body type | Limousine |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | Unavailable |
Front brakes type | Drum |
Rear brakes type | Drum |
Length | 16' 2" |
Height (Ground line to highest roof) | 6' 5" |
width | 5' 7" |
Type | Inline |
Number of cylinders | 4 |
Displacement | 3969 |
Distribution | Knight sleeve-valves |
BHP at 2400 RPM | 75 |
Gearbox | Manual |
Number of gears | 4 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Bugatti Type 23
Brescia, 1922
Bitten by the Bug>
Small, quick, and fun to drive—the Brescia Bugatti stole the heart of voiturette racers around the globe.After World War I, Ettore Bugatti unearthed the Type 13 for the 1920 Grand Prix des Voiturettes at Le Mans. Using six-year-old technology that had been hidden during the war, Ettore lost no time in capitalizing on the renewed interest in racing. He won the race and launched the Bugatti name.
In 1921, four of these new models competed in the Italian Grand Prix des Voiturettes near Brescia, Italy. They came in first, second, third, and fourth place and set a new speed record that averaged seventy-two miles per hour over three hours. After this resounding victory, the Type 13 became known as the Brescia. It dominated early voiturette racing in Europe, winning numerous events and continuing to build the Bugatti name.
About two thousand Brescia models were built between 1920 and 1926 ranging from Types 13-27. The Type 23 Brescia model was introduced in 1922. As was typical for the time, only the rear wheels were equipped with brakes, enhancing the legendary claim that Bugatti built his cars to go, not stop.
Although few models exist today, their charm has not dwindled. Enthusiasts such as the Mullin Brescia’s previous owner, J. L. Kearney, pursue these autos as diligent researchers, carefully documenting provenance and ensuring the restoration accurately meets factory specifications. When Kearney first purchased the car in 1949, it arrived in boxes, and he began the painstaking process of piecing it back together. At some point author and Bugatti scholar Hugh Conway urged Kearney to determine the factory production date of the chassis. Thus began the chase. Using old tax records, he managed to track down many of the original owners. Meeting with each one, he collected miscellaneous pieces of the puzzle, and acquired even more pieces of the car itself. The restoration was completed in 1958. “Bitten by the Bug,” the story of Kearney’s quest for, and restoration of, the Brescia was published in Bugantics magazine in 1959.
The rolling chassis for the Bugatti Type 23 was produced and sent to the company’s showroom in Paris In 1922.>
At the time, the Bugatti factory did not create bodies for its cars, and the coachbuilder for this car remains unknown. Records indicate that in 1925, a wealthy gentleman from Londonderry, in northern Ireland, purchased the car. The Irishman drove his Brescia until about 1930, when it was put in storage. Londonderry tax records from 1939 indicate that the original body was removed and the car was dismantled.
In 1949 J. L. Kearney found the Brescia in Belfast, bought it, and began the process of reassembly and restoration. Of the original coachwork, only the firewall, hood, radiator, and seats remained. The original chassis and driveline were intact. It took Kearney nearly ten years, but the restoration was completed in 1958. Author and Bugatti scholar Hugh Conway owned the car from 1961 until 1971. It then passed through the hands of a number of European owners until Peter Mullin purchased the car in Germany in 2008.
Coachbuilder | Unknown |
Chassis number | 1361 |
Profile type | Touring |
Body type | Voiturette |
Number made | 2006 |
Production span | 1920-1926 |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | 72 |
Rear brakes type 3 | Cable-operated |
Front suspension type | Live axles with semieliptical leaf springs |
Rear suspension type | Reversed quarter-elliptical leaf springs |
Length | 12' 2" |
Height (Ground line to highest roof) | 4' 7" |
Width | 4' 8" |
Type | Inline |
Number of cylinders | 4 |
Bore x stroke | 65 mm x 100 mm |
Displacement | 1496 |
Distribution | Single overhead camshaft |
BHP at 3800 RPM | 45 |
Gearbox | Manual |
Number of gears | 4 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Hispano-Suiza Type H6B
"Skiff Torpedo" , 1922
Hispano-Suiza's Jewel>
Hispano-Suiza was known for refined chassis featuring the latest automotive innovations. When the H6 was introduced in 1919, it was one of the highest-quality chassis in the world. Hispano-Suiza brought out a new extraordinary model at the 1919 Paris Auto Salon—the Type H6—and it was soon followed by its variations: the Types H6B and H6C. The showpiece of the Type H6 was its enormous six- cylinder engine built with traditional Hispano-Suiza refinement devoid of avant-garde technology.
In 1922, wealthy French patron Suzanne Deutsch de la Meurthe purchased this new Hispano-Suiza H6B chassis and asked that it be delivered to Henri Labourdette for a skiff torpédo body. Jean-Henri developed the firm’s iconic “skiff” design in 1912 for a 20CV Panhard & Levassor chassis. This wooden design was inspired by the torpedo shapes of boats.
Little is known about this vehicle’s history until the 1970s when French collector Hervé Charbonneaux purchased the chassis, engine and body separately from one another and attempted to restore the vehicle. After numerous failed restoration attempts, the project was sold and subsequently changed owners until 1999, when marque historian Jules Heumann learned of the body’s authenticity. He was dedicated to its preservation and, therefore, purchased and completed its restoration. In 2008 Heumann exhibited the car at Pebble Beach.
Coachbuilder | Labourdette |
Chassis number | 12198 |
Profile type | Touring |
Body type | Coupé |
Number made | 1 of 2,614 |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | Unavailable |
Front brakes type | 4-wheel servo-assisted drum |
Rear brakes type | 4-wheel servo-assisted drum |
Front suspension type | Live axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs |
Length | 16' 4" |
Height (Ground line to highest roof) | 5' 8" |
Width | 6' 1" |
Engine number | 301224 |
Type | Inline |
Number of cylinders | 6 |
Engine construction | Aluminum |
Displacement | 6 |
BHP at 3,800 rpm RPM | 135 |
Gearbox | 3-speed manual |
Number of gears | 3 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Renault Phaeton Landaulet
Type JV , 1922
A Convertible Limousine>
Coachbuilder Georges Kellner’s unique convertible body was the perfect pairing for Renault’s powerful limousine chassis. At the turn of the century, Renault’s range of products spanned the spectrum from airplanes to world-record-setting automobiles. Of all its models, the forty-horsepower Type JV topped the Renault catalogue.
Renault earned an indelible place in French automotive history with its Kellner collaboration on the Type JV Phaeton Landaulet. Most impressive in the range of Renault 1922 offerings, the 40 horsepower Type JV was described in sales brochures as “very flexible, having a large reserve of power at all speeds.” The 17.5-foot long model, even with its established power capabilities, benefitted from Renault’s patented power-assisted brakes.
Carrosserie Kellner was known as one of the best coachbuilders in France. They were charged with designing a Phaeton Landaulet body (a long, semi-enclosed limousine style model) on the Type JV chassis for the French Presidential fleet, which formerly consisted exclusively of Voisins. The chauffeur-driven touring style with a convertible top hearkens to its carriage history and was well-suited to the parades of government officials and visiting dignitaries. The sophisticated system that transformed the closed top arrangement into a full cabriolet appearance was a major advancement for the time.
The Mullin Collection’s Phaeton Landaulet was imported to the United States by the Kellner Coachbuilding firm’s New York subsidiary in February 1922.>
The car was in the Klein collection in Pennsylvania until 1973, then in the collection of Bud Josey (owner of Dunedin’s Horseless Carriage Shop in Florida). In 1974 the car returned to Europe, where it was owned by several private collectors in Germany and Switzerland. It was sold at Christie’s in Paris, then again at Coy’s of Kensington in London. The magnificent Renault returned to the United States in 2003 to be featured in its new home, the Mullin Automotive Collection.
Coachbuilder | Kellner |
Chassis number | 102304 |
Number made | 42 |
Production span | 1922–1923 |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | 80 |
Front brakes type | Power assisted |
Rear brakes type | Power assisted |
Front suspension type | Leaf springs |
Rear suspension type | Leaf springs |
Length | 19' |
Height (Ground line to highest roof) | 6' 6" |
Width | 7' 3" |
Engine number | 194 |
Type | Inline |
Number of cylinders | 6 |
Bore x stroke | 110 mm x 160 mm |
Displacement | 9120 |
Engine capacity & output | unavailable |
Transmission | Rear drive |
Gearbox | Manual |
Number of gears | 4 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Voisin Type C3 S
Grand Prix , 1922
The Strasbourg Grand Prix>
Gabriel Voisin first achieved notoriety on the track with the Type C3 S—whose windand regulation-bending coachwork famously swept the podium at the 1922 Grand Prix du Tourisme in Strasbourg.
Building upon his aviation experience, Voisin crafted a narrow torpédo shape reminiscent of airplane bodies, with an engine block that was anchored in a low, forward position on the chassis. Voisin believed that this configuration balanced the car by placing the center of
gravity—the heaviest portion of the vehicle—in front of the center of aerodynamic pressure. This distribution allowed the car to slip through the air pressure created by the car’s speed and to resist turbulent lateral forces. The effect was increased handling, functionality, and safety at speed. To achieve this aerodynamic form, Voisin outwitted the Automobile Club de France’s regulations requiring a minimum width of 1.30 meters for the body. To meet the width requirement, he added streamlined running boards that extended beyond the body—an innovative trick that caused a scandal.
According to French Voisin expert Philippe Moch, this car in is a partial re-creation of the Strasbourg Type C3 S racecar built on a Voisin Type C3 chassis, which became a C5 chassis (Chassis 2718). The chassis is reported to be that of Car 12, driven at Strasbourg by Henri Rougier, while the body is new. The decision to re-create the car was made in light of the fact that all originals had been destroyed, and the fervent desire to honor the Type C3 S and its place in automotive history.
Chassis 2718 was re-created by Voisin marque expert Phillipe Moch from a Type C5 chassis that had been modified earlier from a Type C3 S chassis.>
The car was acquired by the Mullin Automotive Museum in 2009.
Coachbuilder | Recreation by Philipp Moch |
Chassis numbe | 2718 |
Body type | Grand Prix |
Number made | 90 |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | unavailable |
Front brakes type | Drum |
Rear brakes type | Drum |
Front suspension type | Solid axle with semielliptical leaf springs with friction shock absorbers |
Rear suspension type | Live axle with semielliptical leaf springs and friction shock absorber |
Length | 14' 8" |
Height (Ground line to highest roof) | 4' 10" |
Width | 5' 9" |
Engine number | 2624 |
Type | Inline |
Number of cylinders | 4 |
Displacement | 3969 |
Distribution | Knight sleeve-valves |
BHP at 3600 RPM | 120 |
Gearbox | Manual |
Number of gears | 3 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Voisin Type C3 L
Limousine, 1923
A Voisin Passenger Car>
Gabriel Voisin developed a new passenger line that was designed with luxury and aerodynamics in mind. The Type C3 L was one of the first models to undergo wind-tunnel testing to determine stability under speed and wind resistance—a scientific consideration necessitated by Voisin’s passion for aerodynamic efficiency.
The Type C3 was the first car designed by Voisin’s chief engineer of passenger cars, Marius Bernard. Bernard was an aircraft engineer at Panhard & Levassor and met Voisin by chance when he crash-landed his plane at the Villacoublay airfield near Paris. Voisin helped pull the pilot from the smoking wreckage. An introduction was made, and Bernard began working for Voisin a few months later. Bernard’s background in aerodynamics provided the basis for many of the innovative designs produced for the Voisin marque, including the Type C3 L Limousine.
The Type C3 L (or long) first appeared at the 1922 Paris Auto Salon alongside the Type C1 and the Type C3 Sport Court. The new Type C3 L had many of the Type C1’s essential features, but it had a longer wheelbase (nearly 3.559 meters instead of 3.46 meters). The engine size remained unchanged at 3.969 liters, and power was limited to 80 horsepower (in comparison with the Type C3 Court Sport’s 90 horsepower). The coachwork styles differed as well. The Type C3 L was a conventional design built for comfort rather than speed. It possessed the longest wheelbase offered to date on a Voisin chassis and was fitted with some of the most sumptuous and refined coachwork of the era.
Chassis 1946 was acquired by the Mullin Automotive Museum in 2009.
Coachbuilder | Factory |
Chassis number | 1946 |
Body Type | Limousine |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | Unavailable |
Front brakes type | Drum |
Rear brakes type | Drum |
Front suspension type | Solid axle with semielliptical leaf springs with friction shock absorbers |
Rear suspension type | Live axle with semielliptical leaf springs and friction shock absorber |
Length | 17' 7" |
Height (Ground line to highest roof) | 6' 5" |
Width | 5' 6" |
Engine number | 1946 |
Type | Inline |
Number of Cylinders | 4 |
Displacement | 0 |
Distribution | Knight sleeve-valves |
Engine capacity & output | Unavailable |
Gearbox | Manual |
Number of gears | 4 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Voisin Type C6
Laboratoire, 1923
A Laboratory of Innovation>
Gabriel Voisin’s original road racers, coined Laboratoires, were rolling test beds for experimental technologies that maximized power, economy, and simplicity. In 1923 Voisin unveiled the Type C6 grand prix car, an experimental model that embodied his knowledge of aerodynamics and engineering. The car’s unique shape and materials were innovations in the history of sports car design.
Voisin developed the unorthodox Type C6 in response to the Automobile Club de France’s new regulations for the 1923 season. In six months Voisin and his chief engineer, André Lefebvre, designed the narrow, lightweight, aluminum-bodied Type C6 Laboratoire. It was an aerodynamic monocoque car with a streamlined profile inspired by the wing of an airplane. Its front end borrowed from Voisin’s Type C5 series, but its engine was based on the Type C4.
Aside from these known elements, the mechanics were entirely new—a fact honored by the Type C6’s nickname, Laboratoire. Like many Voisin prototypes, the Type C6 was a rolling laboratory for Voisin’s experimental technology. The sleeve-valve engine, previously four cylinders (1.32 liters), was a six-cylinder model that displaced 1.984 liters, yet retained the dimensions of a 62 millimeter bore and a 110 millimeter stroke. The efficient water pump, driven by a propeller, was mounted on the prow to enhance engine cooling. In addition, aluminum was incorporated into the chassis construction, not only making it rustproof, but also easier and safer to handle at the speeds achieved by Voisin’s powerful engines. Unfortunately only one of the four Laboratoires competing in the 1923 Grand Prix de Vitesse finished the race, earning fifth behind three Sunbeams and a Bugatti Tank.
Coachbuilder | Recreation by Philipp Moch |
Chassis number | 005 |
Body type | Laboratoire |
Number made | 4 |
Production span | 1923 |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | Unavailable |
Front brakes type | Drum |
Front suspension type | Solid axle with semielliptical leaf springs |
Rear suspension type | Underslung axle |
Length | 14' 9" |
Height (Ground line to highest roof) | 3' 7" |
Width | 5' 5" |
Engine number | 28861 |
Type | Inline |
Number of cylinders | 6 |
Displacement | 1984 |
Distribution | Knight sleeve-valves |
BHP at 4800 RPM | 80 |
Gearbox | Manual |
Number of gears | 3 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Bugatti Type 37A
Grand Prix, 1926
Bugatti Horsepower>
A French thoroughbred in traditional blue livery, the Type 37A features a powerful engine that showcased a new generation of Bugatti racing technology. With the success of the Type 35, the Bugatti firm decided to expand its repertoire of racecars. In 1925 it introduced the Type 37, which was an instant success with racing enthusiasts.
The Type 37 replaced the renowned 1.5-liter Brescia and proved to be an excellent competitor in hill climbs and club races. For many celebrated racecar drivers, the Type 37 was the model that started their careers.
Outwardly, the French blue, narrow two-seater with a tapered rear does not look different from other Grand Prix models offered by Bugatti in the 1920s, but under the hood the vehicle’s powerplant featured an improved engine and chassis that increased power output and overall aerodynamics. The Mullin Type 37A is a 1927 model upgraded with a supercharger and a magneto on the dash. The brake drums were enlarged and the lubrication systems were increased to full pressure feed. With these modifications the Type 37A scored a top speed of 100 miles per hour, making it very successful on the voiturette racing circuit.
This Bugatti was sold new to Basle Karrer of Zurich on March 26, 1926. Little more is known about the car until 1958, when it was discovered by Amsterdam-based Bugatti collector Guy Huet near the Swiss–German border, where it was being used in a circus act. The body had been altered and extra seats were welded to the rear. Huet purchased the car, along with several Type 37 engines, from the circus owner. Returning to Amsterdam, Huet restored the Type 37 with the parts he had, installed motor number 23, and added a supercharger. As a result, the car was upgraded to a Type 37A.
In 1975 Huet sold the car to James How of Bexley, England. How commissioned Dick Crosthwaite of Crosthwaite and Gardiner to rebuild it. Peter Mullin purchased the car in 1991, and since then he has driven it in vintage car events throughout the United States. It is owned by the Mullin
Automotive Museum.
Coachbuilder | Factory |
Chassis number | 37129 |
Profile type | Grand Prix |
Body type | Grand Prix |
Number made | 21 |
Production span | 1927-1930 |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | Unavailable |
Front brakes type | Drum |
Rear brakes type | Drum |
Front suspension type | Live axles with semielliptical leaf springs |
Rear suspension type | Live axle with reversed quarter-elliptical leaf springs |
Length | 12' 8" |
Height (Ground line to highest roof) | 4' |
Width | 5' 3" |
Wheelbase | 2.4 m |
Engine number | 23 |
Type | Inline |
Number of cylinders | 4 |
Bore x stroke | 69 mm x 100 mm |
Displacement | 1496 |
Distribution | Single overhead camshaft |
BHP at 5000 RPM | 90 |
Gearbox | Manual |
Number of gears | 4 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Bugatti Type 52
Baby Bugatti , 1927
A Toy Bugatti>
The half-size electric Grand Prix car was a joy to youngsters throughout the world. Capable of speeds of ten to twelve miles per hour, the Baby Bugatti offered endless hours of imaginative play. In 1922 Ettore Bugatti developed a toy for his five-year-old son, Roland, a miniature Grand Prix car complete with electric motor, single-stage gear transmission, and pneumatic tires on detachable wheels with wooden shoe brakes.
The toy’s success convinced Bugatti to produce the car commercially. The Type 52, or “Baby” Bugatti, as it was known, was first shown at the Milan and Paris Auto Salons in 1927. Over the next decade it garnered 452 orders from excited parents. It was an instant hit for youngsters who frequented popular French promenades and resorts with their Bugatti-owning parents. Notable owners include the king of Morocco, whose son was among the first to receive a Baby. For a plaything, it was a sophisticated piece of equipment, with custom steel Grand Prix coachwork, custom-cast, spoked Bugatti wheels, and Dunlop Cord Ballon juvenile tires. Over time these refined toys have become pieces of pride in Bugatti collections around the world.
In 1987 Peter Mullin found this Baby Bugatti in Argentina, where it was being displayed at a circus. It was restored in Los Angeles under the guidance of Bugatti expert Bunny Phillips.
Coachbuilder | Factory |
Chassis number | 379-A |
Body type | Baby |
Number made | 452 |
Production span | 1927-1937 |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | 10 |
Front brakes type | Hand-cable-operated drum |
Rear brakes type | Hand-cable-operated drum |
Front suspension type | Solid axle with semielliptical leaf springs |
Length | 6' 4" |
Height (Ground line to highest roof) | 2' 1" |
Width | 2' 4" |
Weight | 150 lbs |
Displacement | 0 |
Distribution | 12-Volt electric |
Engine capacity & output | Unavailable |
Transmission | Rear Wheel Drive |
Overdrive | 0 |
Delage ERA
1927
Chimera - A Delicate Delage that Roars with ERA Power>
Chassis 6 is a Delage and English Racing Automobile (ERA) combination with royal heritage and a winning pedigree. The powerful machine became renowned for its sophisticated mechanics and reliability after numerous wins in more than a decade of races.
Anticipating the rule changes stipulated by the ACF for the 1926 season—a requirement for motors to have a maximum capacity of 1.5 liters—Delage chief engineer Albert Lory designed a straight-eight, 1.5-liter, supercharged, dual overhead camshaft engine. This Delage Type 15-S-8, often called the Type 1500, had a remarkable season and continued its domination of the track through 1927, winning the penultimate World Construction Championship title.
Almost a decade later, British driver Dick Seaman was still winning races with a Type 15-S-8, inspiring Prince Chula Chakrabongse of Siam (present-day Thailand) to purchase the grand prix car for his cousin, Prince Bira. Prince Chula acquired all remaining chassis and commissioned Lory to design two new chassis featuring the latest technology in independent front-wheel suspension resulting in two 1936 Delage Type 15-S-8 chassis based on the 1927 model: chassis numbers 5 and the Mullin 6. Chassis 6 remained unfinished as Bira’s backup chassis until English racecar driver Reg Parnell completed it in 1946, giving it a body and a Delage straight-eight engine like that of Chassis 5.
In 1949 Chassis 6’s blower was replaced with a Wade supercharger. Unfortunately the supercharger proved too powerful for the chassis, and all original Delage engines used in the project were destroyed. Walker replaced the Delage engine with a raucous two-stage supercharged E-Type ERA engine, creating the beast now known as the Delage ERA.
Chassis 6 was commissioned in 1936 by Prince Chula Chakrabongse of Siam (present-day Thailand) as a gift for his cousin, Prince Bira.
In 1936 Giulio Ramponi contacted the Delage factory on behalf of Prince Chula to commission Albert Lory to design two new Type 15-S-8 chassis. Lory had the chassis, designated chassis 5 and 6, fabricated by Rubery Owen in England. Chassis 5 was raced by Prince Bira while Chassis 6 was left unfinished.
Chassis 6 was sold to English racecar driver Reg Parnell in 1939. Parnell completed Chassis 6 in 1946, giving it a body and a Delage straight-eight engine.
Rob Walker, owner of the Rob Walker Racing Team, purchased Chassis 6 in 1949 for competition purposes. In 1950 he commissioned Freddie Dixon to get the car in running condition. Unfortunately, Dixon replaced the car’s blower with a Wade supercharger, and the result was irreparable damage to every Delage engine used in the car. The Delage engine was replaced by a two-stage supercharged E-Type ERA engine, which he later claimed was the most difficult engine he ever worked with.
Walker campaigned the car successfully for three years before selling it in 1954. It passed to Alan Burnard, who drove it for a short time before selling it again, at which point it went through a succession of owners: Jack Goodhew, Ian Kerr, R. W. Potter, Patrick Lindsay, Anthony Mayman, and Bruce Spollon. Peter Mullin acquired the car in 2006.
Coachbuilder | Factory |
Chassis Number | 6 |
Profile Type | Grand Prix |
Body Type | Grand Prix |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | 240 |
Front brakes type | Lockheed hydraulic |
Rear brakes type | Lockheed hydraulic |
Front suspension type | Independent transverse semielliptical springs and hydraulic lever-action shock absorbers |
Rear suspension type | Live axle with semielliptical leaf springs, trailing arms, and hydraulic lever-action shock absorbers |
Length | 13' 1" |
Height (Ground line to highest roof) | 3' 7" |
Width | 5' 11" |
Type | Inline - Two-stage, supercharged E-type ERA engine |
Displacement | 0 |
Distribution | Supercharged |
Engine capacity & output | Unavailable |
Gearbox | Manual |
Number of gears | 4 |
Overdrive | 0 |
Renault Type MC
Tourer, 1928
Renault’s Last Forty-Horsepower Model>
The Type MC was the last of Renault’s illustrious forty-horsepower line, known as one of the most creative automobiles of the era. Beginning in 1911 the imposing forty-horsepower model was the centerpiece of the Renault catalogue. The line improved throughout its long life, and it bore many designations. The last iteration, the Type MC, was unveiled in 1928.
In 1911 the Renault forty-horsepower was equipped with a four-cylinder, 7.5-liter engine. Over the years this fantastic machine was transformed with a goliath six-cylinder, 9.12-liter engine. It was also distinguished by the adoption of a power-assisted brake, an exclusive device that Renault patented in 1921. In 1920, after World War I, the forty-horsepower appeared as the Type HD and was quickly followed by the HF, the ID Tourisme, and the JV-1 Sport. In 1926 the Type NM came on the scene with a lengthier wheelbase, growing from 3 to 3.87 meters. The model was exhibited for the last time at the 1927 Paris Auto Salon. The Type MC was introduced in 1928, the last year of the forty-horsepower Renault.
Today the Type MC in the Mullin Collection is adorned in coachwork built at the Renault factory. The beautiful cabriolet-style sedan bears Renault’s signature wind-breaking prow and an unbroken line all the way to the windshield that seamlessly incorporates the radiator.
The Renault Type MC was acquired by the Mullin Automotive Museum in 2006
Coachbuilder | Factory |
Chassis number | 25927 |
Profile Type | Touring |
Body type | Cabriolet |
Acceleration | 0 |
Top Speed | unavailable |
Length | 19' |
Height (Ground line to highest roof) | 6' 6" |
Width | 7' 3' |
Type | Inline |
Number of cylinders | 6 |
Displacement | 0 |
Engine capacity & output | unavailable |
Gearbox | Manual |
Number of gears | 3 |
Overdrive | 0 |