SAC#425: Elgé 1924 built by Roger-Louis Maleyre (Bordeaux_France )

[SACO]

Not SCAP
More obscure !

[kwgibbs]

Alba,possibly?

[SACO]

Not Alba !

[kwgibbs]

Alcyon?

[SACO]

Not Alcyon !

[targhediferro]

G.M. 1926?

[SACO]

Not GM !

[targhediferro]

Crespelle?

[kwgibbs]

Is this the only one ever made?

[SACO]

Not Crespelle !
It's not a one-off !

[targhediferro]

Croissant?

[cmetisse]

Elgé, built in Bordeaux and shown to the press in february 1927. 1 300 cc (69x91) engine, very low roof (just 1,26 m of height !), aerodynamic tail and slanted pillars, a bit like the "Prismatiques" Voisin saloons.

It seems it only lasted for about one year...

[targhediferro]

Elgé, built in Bordeaux and shown to the press in february 1927. 1 300 cc (69x91) engine, very low roof (just 1,26 m of height !), aerodynamic tail and slanted pillars, a bit like the "Prismatiques" Voisin saloons.

It seems it only lasted for about one year...

I've very few notices about Elgè, but according to Georgano, it was a Belgian car, not a french one;  The firm, whose commercial name was Lanbin et Gendebien, was settled in Houffalise.  My source refers only about a 2,3 litre, but it's certinly possible that Elgè built also the car you told about, perhaps after moving in Bordeaux.  May I know your source?

[cmetisse]

A special issue of "Automobilia", a french classic car magazine, which covered in the same volume the 1927 and 1977 Paris Motorshow, and made by the famous journalist, René Bellu.

He seems to be very precise about that car and the fact that it was first shown in february 1927... I've looked in the old Georgano Encyclopaedia, and the Elgé car was not yet featured.

Moreover, I got another source, with the Burgess Wise/Cole Encyclopaedia. It says that "the Elgé brand was created in Bordeaux by Roger Louis Maleyre, pioneer of aerodynamics. Very light, low and thoughtfully streamlined, the Elgé cars used CIM engines. Maleyre built too a prototype using a velocity joint. Total production was roughly 30 cars."
And there is another picture, showing clearly the same car featured in that puzzle, so I still think this is the car we're talking about...

[targhediferro]

Your informations are far more precise than mine, so I'm convinced you're completely right.  My Georgano edition is from 1970 and Elgè is described as I told.  Not impossible that there have been two different makers with the same name.  Thank you for sharing your source.

[Paul Jaray]

This is what I have:
Elgè #1 Lambin et Gendebien, Houffalize, 2 models a 12\14HP with Fondu engine and a 10HP with a Chapuis-Dornier unit. (1912-1914)
Elgè #2 Roger-Louis Maleyre, Bordeaux, 2 models: the puzzle car another one (1924-1924)

That according to the Beaulieu, Georgano's Encyclopedia and Burgess Wise'

[targhediferro]

  Thank you.

[SACO]

In the book "L'automobile à Bordeaux " by Lucien Chanuc :
30 cars "Elgé " built by Roger-Louis Maleyre in 1924 with
Cime or Chapuis-Dornier engine and body like a plane
1 point for cmetisse

[SACO]

A Belgian Elgé (barn-find after 50 years ) :