8 replies to this topic

[Darren Galpin]

While searching the US newspapers for motoring events, I came across the following in the Galveston Daily News, 7th February 1910, pg 4. How a French event came to be reported in the Texas press I don't know, but I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere else. The report was as follows:

“Sixteen out of twenty-nine cars survived with perfect scores in the first reliability trials held in France. The event was an endurance test of 2000 miles spread over fifteen consecutive days, with conditions similar to those of the sealed bonnet tests of America, with the exception that the seals were replaced by an official observer. The percentage of clean score survivors is remarkable when it is considered that the event was run in midwinter over roads which were bad under the French standard.”


Does anyone know anything else about this event, such as date, route, competitors......

[Allan Lupton]

I expect "La Vie Automobile" or "Omnia" will have covered it. If nobody else comes up with details, I'll have a look next time I'm next to those magazines (in a week or two).

[Hans Etzrodt]

I looked through the 1910 Omnia magazines last month and copied only the 1910 Targa Florio pages. I found nothing else of interest. But reliability events were never of great interest to me.

[Darren Galpin]

Allan - any chance that you got a look at your magazines?

[Allan Lupton]

Originally posted by Darren Galpin
Allan - any chance that you got a look at your magazines?

No but thanks for the prod: today or tomorrow with a bit of luck.

Not my magazines but Veteran Car Club's

I have found a bit in "La Vie Automobile", "Omnia" and "La Vie du Grand Air" but can't really answer the specific questions you pose. Please bear in mind that these magazines are in French and my limited capability in that language makes for a bit of a struggle.
The event was referred to in all three magazines as "Les Reliability Trials" and ran from 5-14 December 1909 but so far I can't find any mention of where apart from "the Paris area".
28 cars of 12 marques started and 16 finished, these being
Alcyon (3 finishers out of 3)
Delàge (1/1)
Demeester (1/1)
Corre-la-Licorne (2/3)
Grégoire (2/3)
Rolland-Pillain (2/3)
Barré (1/3)
Doriot-Flandrin-Parant (1/3)
Hurtu (1/2)
Sizaire-Naudin (1/3)
Turicum (1/2)
Zénith (0/1)

Between two of the magazines, there are photos of most marques, but the photocopies I took are not really up to posting.

[Allan Lupton]

ttt

[Darren Galpin]

Thanks Allan!

[Hans Etzrodt]

The French reliability tour for small cars was organized by “Auto”.
The participating cars were checked on Friday and Saturday at Suresnes (Paris) for the first of 15 stages to begin on Sunday, December 5, 1909. The following 29 cars were released in one minute intervals.

1 – Sizaire (Sizaire-Naudin, 1-cyl. 120x140)
2 – Marette (Sizaire-Naudin, 1-cyl. 120x140)
3 – Court (Sizaire-Naudin, 1-cyl. 120x140)
4 – de Marne (Gregoire, 4-cyl. 75x120)
5 – Anthoine (Gregoire, 4-cyl. 75x120)
6 – Cournat (Gregoire, 4-cyl. 75x120)
7 – Haye (Delage 4-cyl. 75x120)
10 – Vaquette (Hurtu 1-cyl. 100x120)
11 – Koening (Hurtu 4-cyl. 80x120)
12 – Mazières (Fouillaron 1-cyl. 100x130)
13 – Ravaud (Barré-Niort 4-cyl. 75x120)
14 – Milpied (Barré-Niort 4-cyl. 75x120)
15 – Fulgence (Barré-Niort 4-cyl. 75x120)
16 – Rivat (Doriot-Flandrin 1-cyl. 100x130)
17 – Deschamps (Doriot-Flandrin 1-cyl. 100x130)
18 – Godefroy (Doriot-Flandrin 1-cyl. 100x130)
19 – Mouton (Corre-La Licorne 4-cyl. 66x100)
20 – Lefrançois (Corre-La Licorne 4-cyl. 66x100)
21 – Collomb (Corre-La Licorne 4-cyl. 66x100)
22 – (Turicum 4-cyl. 75x110)
23 – (Turicum 4-cyl. 75x110)
25 – Barriaux (Alcyon 4-cyl. 75x100)
26 – Olivier (Alcyon 4-cyl. 75x100)
27 – Tiercelin (Alcyon 4-cyl. 75x100)
28 – Arnaud (Zenith 4-cyl. 80x110)
29 – Bouteiller (Demeester 4-cyl. 75x110)
30 – Pilain (Rolland-Pilain 4-cyl. 80x110)
31 – Jourdan (Rolland-Pilain 4-cyl. 80x110)
32 – Benard (Rolland-Pilain 4-cyl. 80x110)

According to contest regulations all cars could classify if they completed each of the 15 stages (of aprox. 200 km) at a speed of no less than 25 km/h.
Each car had to carry a commissionaire.
Not counting as break-downs were: tire damage, lubrication, cleaning of a spark plug or plugged carburetor, tightening of screws/bolts, regulating of brakes, adjusting of chains, unforeseen shortage of oil or gasoline. Any other reason for a breakdown would prevent classification of the car. Cooling water could only be topped up once on each stage.
After completion of each stage the cars were immediately locked up and returned to the drivers only at the beginning of the next stage the following day.
Daily stages went alternating over the following routes: [This appears not to be 100% correct]
Paris-Coulommiers-Sezanne and back (200 km);
Paris-Mantes-Evreux and back (186 km);
Paris-Pontoise-Beauvais and back (183 km);
Paris-Ablis-Chartres and back (180 km);
Paris-Chantilly-Compiègne and back (175 km);
Paris-Fontainebleau-Sens and back (220 km).
The cars have to complete therefore about 3000 km within the 15 days.

First day, Sunday, December 5, 1909: the 29 cars completed the 186 km course within the required maximum time of 7h26m.
13 – Ravaud (Barré-Niort 4-cyl. 75x120) lost classification due to broken fan belt.
16 – Rivat (Doriot-Flandrin 1-cyl. 100x130) lost classification due to tightening inlet manifold.
18 – Godefroy (Doriot-Flandrin 1-cyl. 100x130) lost classification due to engine problems.

Monday, Dec 6 route Paris-Ramboillet-Chartres-Paris (168 km).

Tuesday, Dec 7 route Paris-Compiègne and back (184 km) :
17 – Deschamps (Doriot-Flandrin 1-cyl. 100x130) lost classification because exceeded max. time.

Wednesday, Dec 8 route Paris-Beauvais and back (168 km) :
23 – (Turicum 4-cyl. 75x110) repair of a brake lever (was re-admitted?)
13 – Ravaud (Barré-Niort 4-cyl. 75x120) lost classification: crashed with #14 – radiator defect?
14 – Milpied (Barré-Niort 4-cyl. 75x120) lost classification: crashed with #13 – radiator defect?
28 – Arnaud (Zenith 4-cyl. 80x110) lost classification: unable to complete the route.

By Friday, Dec 10 already 8 of the 29 cars were out of the running, of which 2 were still allowed.

Source: Automobil-Welt (Berlin)

[Darren Galpin]

Hans