Tuesday, October 30, 2007

The Oldest Car!

De Dion-Bouton & Trepardoux steam quadricycle -„La Marquise” 1884 year.

Technical details:

Paired horizontal underfloor-mounted two-cylinder tandem-compound single-acting steam engines with high-pressure cylinders of 75mm bore, expansion cylinders of 115mm bore, and a common stroke of 90mm. Inlet and exhaust via slide valves operated by eccentrics, manual steam admission control located at centre of vehicle. Direct drive to each rear wheel by overhanging cranks.

Front-mounted coke-fired vertical water-tube wrought-iron boiler of patented design, surrounded by the coke box, with a water tank to the rear of the vehicle beneath the dos-\ga-dos seating.

Channel steel chassis with semi-elliptic suspension front and rear, wheelbase 1.12m, front track 1,24m, rear track 0.44m. Front wheels approx 0.8m diameter, rear approx 0.6m diameter; all wheels wire-spoked with bronze hubs and solid rubber tyres. Centrally-operated hand-brake operating shoes on the rear tyres, foot-brake also to rear tyres. Steering to front wheels by spade-handled twist-grip on the right-hand side of the vehicle.

Dark green and black with red coachlining, black leather seat cushions.

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