Topic: barrett's #134 - Solved - SCVS/ DB Renault 4CV Berlinette

[barrett]

What's this car, when was it built and who by? Detailed answer very welcome

[pguillem]

I have it as a D.B. Renault.  It is a SCVS prototype on a 4 CV basis (license plate 744 AQ 75), sold by Louis Pons to Jean Terramorsi in the 50s, but I don't have Jean Redelé's book where it is described.

"Au tout début des années 50 Louis PONS, garagiste à Paris, rêve de fabriquer des voitures sportives à mécanique Renault. Inspiré sans doute par les réalisations de D.B il commanda début 1951 une barquette D.B Antem avec laquelle il participa aux 24 Heures du Mans (barquette aujourd'hui au Musée du Mans). En septembre 1951 il prend la décision de faire construire un coupé chez D.B, coupé pour lequel il fournira le châssis et le moteur. Son objectif est de participer aux Mille Miles 1953 avec cette voiture et en compagnie de Jean REDELE. Malheureusement la finition et la mise au point prirent beaucoup de temps (problèmes de suspension arrière) et la voiture sans moteur fut livrée chez PONS quelques jours avant le départ. On installa aussitôt le moteur d'une 4cv préparée pour la course et on lui donna les n° d'immatriculation de cette 4cv à savoir 744 AQ 75. REDELE fit des essais à Montlhéry et la voiture étant parfaitement inconduisible, il fut décidé en catastrophe de remettre le moteur dans la 4cv et de partir aux Mille Miles avec cette 4cv. Bonne décision puisque PONS et REDELE gagnèrent leur catégorie.
Par la suite on n'entendit plus parler de cette voiture qui avait été référencée comme châssis Renault 1065. La barquette construite en même temps chez DB pour REDELE et qui a fait le Mans en 1953 fut référencée 1066. En 1954 Renault fera construire 3 barquettes à moteur Renault chez DB référencées 2001, 2002 et 2003."

Another source gives these details

" ....Pons s'était engagé avec René Bonnet qui devait lui faire un coach et une barquette. Il m'avait fait comprendre que cela soulagerait ses finances si je participais à l'opération. J'avais donc accepté de prendre la moitié des frais à ma charge dans cette affaire. Le coach devait être prêt bien avant les Milles Miles. La convention passée entre Pons et Bonnet était qu'avec un moteur de 1063, la voiture devait atteindre les 160km/h à Montlhéry. La caisse de la voiture avait une aérodynamique réussie, qui a d'ailleurs servi à Bonnet pour faire le coach DB Panhard. Ainsi, cette voiture a été en partie financée par Pons et moi même..."

[barrett]

Quite right, although I'll have to take your word for whatever it says in the French text 

I'm not sure if this is technically a D.B but I'll add that to the title too

[pguillem]

I had this photograph on my hard disk.  I just googled the license plate and found these french references.  The first text tells us that it was a D.B. coupé with no motor where the motor of a prepared 4 CV was installed. The second text, by Jean Redelé, tells us that Pons was associated with René Bonnet and Jean Redelé for the production of this car (From Rédélé / S.C.V.S. / Rosier... Associés ou concurrents?).

An english translation would probably help.

[Tom_I]

I'll have a go, but please forgive any blunders in my schoolboy French.....

"At the very beginning of the 1950's Louis Pons, a garage owner in Paris, dreamed of making sports cars with Renault mechanicals. Doubtless inspired by the achievements of DB, early in 1951 he ordered a DB Antem roadster in which he participated in the Le Mans 24-hour race (the roadster is now in the Le Mans Museum). In September 1951 he decided to have a coupé built at DB, for which he would provide the chassis and engine. His objective was to participate in the 1953 Mille Miglia in this car, accompanied by Jean Rédélé. Unfortunately the development and completion took a long time (problems with the rear suspension) and the car was delivered to Pons, without an engine, a few days before the event. The engine from a race-prepared (Renault) 4CV was immediately fitted, and the car was given the registration number of the 4CV, namely 744 QA 75. Rédélé carried out trials at Montlhéry, but the car being completely undriveable, it was decided in the face of this disaster to put the engine back into the 4CV, and to compete in the Mille Miglia in that. This was a good decision since Pons and Rédélé won their category.

After that nothing was heard of this car, which had been given the reference number Renault chassis 1065. The roadster built at the same time at DB for Rédélé, and which ran at Le Mans in 1953, was referenced 1066. In 1954 Renault had three roadsters built at DB with Renault engines, referenced 2001, 2002 and 2003.”

Another source gives these details (presumably written by Jean Rédélé):

"….Pons had an undertaking with René Bonnet, who was to make for him a coupé and a roadster. He gave me to understand that it would be a relief to his finances if I were to participate in the project. I therefore agreed to take on half the cost of this affair. The coupé was to be ready well before the Mille Miglia. The agreement between Pons and Bonnet was that with an engine of 1063 cc, the car should attain a speed of 160 km/h at Montlhéry. The body of the car had successful aerodynamics, which had elsewhere enabled Bonnet to produce the DB Panhard coupé. Thus, this car was partly funded by Pons and myself ... "

[woodinsight]

Very interesting!
I was unaware of this car - can anyone enlighten me as to what S.C.V.S. stands for?

[Tom_I]

Société de Construction de Voitures de Sports, a company set up in 1951 by Louis Pons and somebody called Bousquet, who I can't find anything about.

[woodinsight]

Thanks Tom

[pguillem]

Thanks Tom for the trouble.  I caught a flu and couldn't do the translation myself.  I thought that an automated translation would do the job.  It helps me a lot when surfing pages written in rather exotic languages.