1923' Amilcar Cs

Amilcar manufactured light, sporting voiturettes in Paris through the 1920s and 30s and their often elegant designs and sound engineering made them popular with the road motorist and racer alike.

The little Amilcars made their mark in motor sport across continental Europe and regularly caused concern to significantly mightier cars on the banking at Brooklands. The Grand Prix style two-seater coachwork was of course highly fashionable, lightweight and very attractive and there was little wonder that the Amilcar became affectionately known as 'the poor man's Bugatti'.

This car was acquired by the late Jack Tattersall in 2008 from the enthusiastic ownership of a VSCC member. The car was issued with a VSCC buff form in March 2007. The 8hp engine of the CS had a bore and stroke of 55 x 95mm, giving a cubic capacity of 902cc. This car is recorded as having a bore of 57mm and as such would have a cubic capacity of 970cc.

The car has been restored to the highest standard with an offset two-seater coachwork finished in French racing blue, a polished aluminium bonnet and a maroon interior and a red tonneau cover. Dashboard equipment includes an OS 0-80mph speedometer, SIFAM amp meter and an OS time clock. The car is equipped with Bleriot headlamps and a Vibror Klaxon as well as a Samson Lion Klaxon. The quarter-elliptic front suspension is assisted by Hartford shock absorbers. Fittings throughout are nickel, fuel is fed through a Solex carburettor and spark is by magneto.

The car has been used little since the restorative work was completed, with only local journeys undertaken but it would be eminently suitable for so many forms of VSCC competition including the ever-popular Light Car and Edwardian Section events, and yet would be equally at home in a concours d'élégance line-up.