Lot details Registration No: TO 3880 Chassis No: 12236 Mot Expiry: Feb 2007
The Societe des Moteurs Salmson was founded at Billancourt in 1921 by Emile Salmson (1859-1917), a civil engineer who turned to making aero engines at the age of fifty. The war helped his business building magnetos and complete aircraft and after his death M. Heinrich, the manager of the Lyons branch, took over to try and stop it going under after the armistice. They tried most things but it was really only the car bodies' side that flourished and was soon hived off by Salmson's sons and they formed Societe des Fils d'Emile Salmson in 1922.
It was decided to make cars under licence using the British G.N. cyclecar company and production got underway in 1920 and kept on right through until 1957. The years 1925 to 1930 were Salmsons finest in motorsport, achieving 52 wins in 1925 and the 1926 Grand Sport was sold as the Grand Prix in England.
This early and correct example was rebuilt by a skilled engineer owner over many years to an exemplary standard and finished in 1993. It has the 1100cc twin camshaft four cylinder engine with the single bronze bodied Solex carburettor and magneto ignition. It has a standard Grand Sport chassis with braked front axle (four wheel brakes), semi elliptic springs at the front with quarter elliptic springs to the rear. A solid back axle with no differential gives magnificent handling and huge trials potential and it has the three-speed centre change gearbox with beaded edged tyres and a side mounted spare. The bodywork is a standard doorless Grand Sport two-seater finished in polished aluminium with French Blue paintwork and fitments include Marchal headlamps, the original O.S. instruments and helmet rear lamps. The interior is fitted with dark blue hide seats and trim and it sports a Vee windscreen with long sports wings and all fittings are finished in nickel.
The car is well known in club circles and a colour photograph of it appeared in Motor Sport in 1998 and it is in excellent condition throughout. A rare and highly desirable motor car.
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