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an old car parked on the grass in front of a buildingan old car that is parked in front of a buildinga rusted out old truck with a rusted out enginethe back cover of a book with the title r l chambrin on ita picture of a passport with a picture of a man in a turban on itan old book with a black and white image of a motorcycle on ita vintage photo of a car parked in front of a fencea man sitting in the driver ' s seat of a race caran old car that is sitting in the grass
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1 - CHENARD & WALCKER Torpille Type Y7 Rated power: 9 hp Serial …
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Estimate €20,000 - €30,000
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Description
CHENARD & WALCKER Torpille Type Y7 Rated power: 9 hp Serial number: 89582 Date of first registration: 20 May 1930 Current registration: 1291-RE Engine: 1,496 cc inline 4-cylinder Bore-stroke: 69 x 100 Developing 30 hp at 4,000 rpm. Pressure lubrication and oil cooler Valve train: overhead intake valves, rocker-operated, side-mounted exhaust valves Ignition: Vertex magneto Gearbox: 4-speed manual with reverse Brakes: drum brakes on all 4 wheels Chassis: metal side members and cross members – semi-low-slung Bodywork: Torpédo Sport Profilé without doors and with windscreen (originally had a wind deflector) – 2+1 seats. Right-hand drive Colour: brown – brown wings Interior: orange leather seats – soft top and side panels in beige canvas. Vehicle to be registered as a classic car. Exceptional original condition and preservation. Seized engine. On display in front of the Hôtel Drouot, 6 bis Rue Rossini, Paris 9th arrondissement, on 1 July from 11 am to 12 noon. In 1927, the firm CHENARD & WALCKER, then based in Gennevilliers, presented a new sporty 1,500 cc model at the Motor Show, available in two versions with similar mechanics: the semi-low-slung Y7, known as ‘La Torpille’, and the Y8, dubbed ‘Tank’. Designed by Robert SENECHAL, the Y7 Torpille was referred to in the early catalogues as the ‘Chenard-Sénéchal Spéciale’. The engine was the work of engineer TOUTEE. The block was only 36 cm long; it was a semi-overhead valve design, with intake on the left via four ports and exhaust on the right. The braking was satisfactory for the time; this was a characteristic of Chenard cars. Ready to run, the Y7 weighed just 650 kg and was advertised as capable of 130–135 km/h at a price of 27,700 francs. In fact, it was tested in 1929 by Marc CHAUVIERE, a journalist who covered the flying kilometre at 126.250 km/h. After winning the first edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1923, the CHENARD & WALCKER marque withdrew from the race in 1927. It was subsequently customer cars that brought the Torpille its racing honours. Serge POZZOLI mentions it in 1974 in the Album du Fanatique: “In 1928 there was an entry in the 24 Hours of Belgium; in 1929, hillclimb victories and the top three places at Gaillon (Michel Doré was first in the 1500 sports class). Class victory in 1929 and 1930 at the Algiers Grand Prix, and also in 1930 the Ladies’ Cup at the Monte Carlo Rally Carlo, coming from Tallinn in Estonia, finishing 9th overall, and above all Marc Chauvière’s victory in the 1930 Paris-Nice, where he triumphed over prominent figures driving supercharged 1750 ALFAs, BUGATTI 3Ls, CHRYSLER 77s, DELAGE D8s, etc.” The car we are presenting has had an exceptional history. It was purchased new by Robert Léon CHAMBRIN, a veteran of the Great War, who ran a garage in Boulogne-Billancourt. According to his business card and various period leaflets, his business focused mainly on renting out garages with water and lighting. He also traded in petrol, oils and car accessories, as well as selling tyres. All these activities were based at 11 Rue des Longs Près in Boulogne-Billancourt. Born in 1897, Robert Chambrin grew up in a family with a keen interest in cars; they owned, notably from 1902, a CREANCHE built in Courbevoie, followed later by various RENAULTs. He obtained his driving licence in 1916 at the age of 19. In 1929, he took part in the Bol d’Or in a 6 CV Renault, bodied as a racing-style sports torpedo with spoked wheels. In 1930, he obtained his competitor’s licence from the Commission Sportive de l’Automobile Club de France, just as he had done the previous year. He entered and won with his Chenard Torpille at the 8th Coupes de l’Armistice organised by the Motocycle Club de France. It was entered under number 108 in the ‘1500 cc Sports Cars’ category. The race took place on 11 November 1930, starting from Pavillons-sous-bois. According to the newspaper Le Sport, “The Cup was contested in fine, cold and dry weather. In the preceding days, torrential rain had washed out the local roads along which the route passed. The race proved very gruelling. 121 competitors lined up at the start at 6 am and, despite the difficulties of the race, 88 finished". The first time check took place in Dammartin, opposite the gendarmerie. The second was in Mériel, the third in Mantes, on the Place du Château. The finish line is in Dampierre, followed by the ‘Course de côte des Dix-Sept Tournants’, to break any dead heats. The car also took part on 1 June 1930, with Madame Chambrin, in a concours d’élégance held in Montlh
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About the sale MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART
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Auction time 07/01/2026 at 1:30 PM
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