Lane Motor Museum Blog » Exhibits http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org Antique, European, Vintage, Cars, Motorcycles, Nashville, TN Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:30:47 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 Tatra – The Final Fifty (Years) http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2011/03/tatra-the-final-fifty-years/ http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2011/03/tatra-the-final-fifty-years/#comments Fri, 25 Mar 2011 20:38:22 +0000 David Yando http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/?p=213 2011 Tatra Exhibit at Lane Motor Museum

"Tatra- The Last 50 Years" will be on display at Lane Motor Museum until May 21, 2012

Tatra is a storied marque, but one unfamiliar to most car enthusiasts. Beginning like so many auto manufacturers in the wagon and carriage trade, Tatra rose through the Czechoslovakian industrial landscape – first with railroad cars, then fairly conventional cars, but later with something really special and almost unknown – the aerodynamic sedans they are best known for.

Aerodynamicist Paul Jaray’s ideas on automotive design and aerodynamics took firm hold with Tatra chief engineer Hans Ledwinka. Ledwinka, an Austian-born mechanic, had worked his was across central Europe – with Tatra, then Steyr, and back to Tatra, where he held the chief engineer’s post from 1921-1937. He, along with his son Erich and other talented designers, was responsible for what many consider the Golden Age of Tatra. The T-77, T-77a, T-87, and T-97 are arguably some of the most attractive and the advanced designs of the period anywhere. To see such cars coming from Moravia was truly stunning.

Unfortunately for Tatra, their location eventually led to their downfall, at least as far as a producer of interesting and advanced passenger car manufacture goes. Situated between Poland, Austria, and Slovakia, the area has long been a region of political turmoil. In modern times, Czechoslovakia was annexed by the Nazis in 1938, and existed under difficult conditions for decades, including Communist rule for many years. After the “Velvet Revolution” of 1989, democracy was restored, and the region was peacefully split into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic in 1993.

How does all this political turmoil affect Tatra? For decades, as a nationalized manufacturer, and under Communist rule, Tatra was not able to advance themselves technically. They were essentially tasked to be the “official” manufacturer to meet Czechoslovakia’s premier automotive needs, but were not allowed to offer their cars abroad, lessening their competitiveness with the rest of Europe’s auto makers. Also, when the “Velvet Revolution” occurred, Tatra was at a critical crossroad – they were wrestling with whether to continue with the old rear-engine, air-cooled designs of the past, or modernize with a fresh design incorporating a modern, front-engine, water-cooled conventional sedan design? The timing of the political upheaval could not have come at a worse time for Tatra. Without firm leadership and the associated development budget, Tatra was forced to shelve Project T-625 and instead do the best they could with updating the aging T-615. The “new” Tatra T-700 was too little, too late, and Tatra passenger car production ended in 1996, with a trickle of cars being sold through 1999.

The exhibit “Tatra- The Last Fifty Years” will be on display until May 21, 2012.

]]> http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2011/03/tatra-the-final-fifty-years/feed/ 0 The Complex History of the DKW Brand http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2011/03/the-complex-history-of-the-dkw-brand/ http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2011/03/the-complex-history-of-the-dkw-brand/#comments Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:44:18 +0000 James Green http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/?p=201
DKW Auto Union

The badge on the front of the DKW F800 Schnell-Laster Kombi. DKW? Auto Union? Audi?

One of the duties of my great job is that I change out the displays on the main floor. Usually, our director, Jeff Lane, will give me a list of cars coming and going from the display area. It is a fun part of the job, since I usually end up learning something new about at least one of the vehicles. I recently placed our collection of DKWs on the floor. I’ve always thought of all of these vehicles as DKWs mainly based on the goofy two-stroke engines under their hoods that produce copious amounts of smoke whenever started. I didn’t pay much attention to the badging and just assumed that somehow DKW became Audi. Boy, did I learn a lot once I looked into the history of Audi.

Who made these automobiles? DKW or Auto Union or Vemag and isn’t that an Audi badge? In short: yes to all is accurate. The brand history of Audi is a many-forked road that involves Volkswagen, Daimler-Benz, NSU, IFA, DKW, Auto Union, Wanderer, and even Dr. Porsche. But it all began with August Horch, who founded Horch & Cie in 1899. Horch left Horch & Cie in 1909 after disagreements with the supervisory board, and the following year he began a new company, Audi. So, Mr. Horch founded both Horch and Audi.

This pre-war Audi company is not the one we know today. Its first emblem was not the traditional four rings, but a globe with a number one on top. The original Audi, much like today’s Audi, manufactured mid-to-high-priced cars that emphasized reliability and safety. The Audi Type K was the first German serially produced car to have left hand steering. Early Audis also were one of the first German cars to have hydraulic brakes and engines with torsional vibration dampers.

Meanwhile, in another area of Germany, Jorgen Rasmussen was busy expanding his company that made steam fittings. Anxious to get into the automotive field, he developed a steam-powered car. The first vehicle wasn’t a success, but it did give its name to a soon to be developed automotive/motorcycle empire. The registered name, DKW meant “Dampkraftwagen” (steam-driven vehicle.) Near the end of the World War 1, Mr. Rasmussen became enamored with the two stroke engine. Initially a small toy engine was built with the name “das Knaben Wunsch” (the boy’s wish), then a larger engine to power bicycles was introduced with the name: “das Kleine Wunder” (the small miracle.) Mr. Rasmussen was rather fond of the initials “DKW.” Motorizing bicycles was hugely popular and led to the development of motorcycles. Within eight years DKW was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world.

DKW brought the simplicity of two stroke engines to cars also. In 1924, Rasmussen bought a small company that made electric powered wooden-bodied cars and named it DEW. The first DKW production cars were based on the principles of the somewhat successful electric cars. They had load-bearing wooden bodies covered in faux leather with a two stroke engine. Rasmusssen acquired Audi in 1928, and in 1930 had the two remaining Audi designers design a new front wheel-drive-two-stroke engined car, and do it in six weeks. The first prototype was ready for testing in 36 days. The car was available for purchase in February of ’31 at the Berlin Motor Show. It was the cheapest car on the German market and proved to be a success with strong sales.

Badge on the Auto Union 1000 SP

The four rings on the trunk lid of the Auto Union 1000 SP. This was before the VW-owned Auto Union brought back the pre-war Audi brand name.

In June of 1932 the Auto Union was formed. Horch, Audi, DKW, and Wanderer were merged into the second largest motor vehicle manufacturer in Germany. Auto Union offerings ranged from DKWs inexpensive motorcycles and cars to the luxury cars made by Horch. Audi and Wanderer continued with their lineup of moderate to expensive cars. The now familiar four ring badge was introduced to be placed on the cars along with their own traditional badges, thus the Auto Union DKW badging. Wanderer, before being brought into the Auto Union, had contracted Ferdinand Porsche to design race cars. Porsche’s work continued on with the Auto Union after the merger and led to some of the greatest race cars in history. The Auto Union Type C reached more than 249 miles per hour on the Autobahn in 1937!

Like many things, Auto Union was destroyed during World War II. After the war, in West Germany the new Auto Union was started and since only cheap transportation was marketable only the DKW brand was revived. Horch, Audi, and Wanderer were dead brands. In East Germany, IFA was formed using the pre-war DKW designs. IFA lasted until 1956.

Auto Union DKWs were built outside of Germany under license in many different countries. The DKW-Vemag Belcar 1000, while differing slightly from the Auto Union 1000, was built in Brazil. Companies in Spain, the Netherlands, Argentina, Ireland, South Africa, and even Mexico built DKW licensed cars or vans.

Gas Cap from an Auto Union 1000 SP

The gas cap on Auto Union 1000 SP reminding drivers to add two-stroke oil to the tank before adding gas.

The Auto Union DKW brand came back strong with affordable cars, vans, and motorcycles. The cars and vans were front wheel drive, and all vehicles were of course two-stroke. With the company doing well, buyers for the company were sure to come looking. In 1957 Ford Motor Company looked at buying Auto Union, but once Daimler-Benz caught wind of the talks they quickly bought up the company. The problem with the merger was that Daimler-Benz didn’t like the two stroke engines. The relationship lasted until 1964 when Daimler sold their interest to Volkswagen. Out of the brief relationship Daimler kept plants in Spain and Dusseldorf. It also kept the name to a once fierce competitor in the luxury market- “Horch.”

Volkswagen bought Auto Union since it would increase their production capacity and also to take down a major competitor. Volkswagen was not a fan of two stroke engines, and the public’s enthusiasm had also dimmed by the mid ‘60s. The last two-stroke DKW left the factory in March 1966. The new DKW, the F102, had a four-stroke 1.7 liter engine that had been demanded by the Daimler Benz management. VW at this point killed the DKW brand because of the public’s distaste for the brand and its two-stroke engines. VW brought back a brand name that was associated with quality upscale cars- Audi, one of the four brands of the original Auto Union. Mercedes has yet to bring back the Horch nameplate.

In 1969 Audi and NSU merge to form Audi NSU Auto Union AG. This is the company that we know as present-day Audi. NSU’s difficulties with their rotary engines led to their demise. Today at the old NSU factory in Neckarsulm the higher-end and higher performance Audis are produced.

Our display features a 1933 DKW F2, a ’58 DKW utility van, a ’61 Auto Union 1000 Universal Coupe de Luxe, a Brazilian-built ’62 DKW-Vemag Belcar 1000, and a lovely ’62 Auto Union 1000 SP coupe. They all have two-stroke engines and smoked profously when awakened from their slumber. After all this research I now know who to blame for all the smoke that filled the museum: Damn Rasmussen!

The museum’s DKW exhibit will be on display until September 5, 2011.

]]> http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2011/03/the-complex-history-of-the-dkw-brand/feed/ 1 The Fiat 500 Family Tree http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2011/02/the-fiat-500-family-tree/ http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2011/02/the-fiat-500-family-tree/#comments Sat, 19 Feb 2011 00:34:06 +0000 David Yando http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/?p=184 Fiat 500 Exhibit at Lane Motor MuseumIn the Beginning…

The Fiat Topolino (1936-55) became the Fiat 600 (1955-69)
The Fiat 600 became the Fiat Nuova 500 (1957-75)
The Fiat 500 became the Fiat 126 (1972-93)
The Fiat 126 became the Fiat Cinquecento (1991-98)
The Fiat Cinquecento became both the Fiat Seicento (1998-2010)
and the Fiat New 500 (2007+)

Why a Fiat 500 exhibit, here and now? Well, we have a number of interesting Fiat 500s and variants, with several examples of the 500 since the mid-1930s. Why now? As you may know, the American auto industry fell on hard times a few years ago, and Chrysler was in real danger of going out of existence. Fiat saw an opportunity to reenter the North American market by partnering with Chrysler – a potential win-win for both. Chrysler would get an infusion of much-needed cash plus some fresh small cars, and Fiat would gain a new foothold here with an established dealer network. Fiat had abandoned the US market in the early 1980s, but has remained a huge, successful, diverse manufacturer elsewhere. Fiat’s immediate plans are to bring the New 500 here in the spring of 2011, and other models will surely follow.

Is the 500 the “right” car to bring here now? Maybe yes, maybe no, but it is Fiat’s current offering in the very competitive “city car” segment. Stylistically, it does a great job of evoking the cuteness of the classic 500, although mechanically it is far more modern in both design and materials. Why is the New 500 right for Chrysler? CAFE standards. That’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy to you and me. Chrysler’s fuel-efficient Neon and PT Cruiser had outlived their product cycle, and production has ended. The Charger, 300, and Challenger were wildly popular, but are very thirsty. In 2009, Chrysler ranked a distant 8th among domestic auto producers – well behind Ford, GM, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and others. Every small high-mileage car sold helps Chrysler’s fuel economy average. With the dire straits they were facing, no small and efficient designs in the pipeline, and no money for new product development, Chrysler was in a bit of a pickle – and new, higher CAFE standards were just around the corner. Fiat offered a ready-made, proven small car that gets pretty good mileage. A deal was struck, and we’re waiting…

Enlarge this graphic to see a chart of how the Fiat 500 has grown over the years.


The New 500 that the museum has had for a while is a right-hand drive, Irish market car, with a much smaller engine than that proposed for America. While 1.2 liters and 60 HP are adequate, that’s about the nicest thing one can say about the engine. Well, that and it gets 45 MPG! The US market is slated to have a small choice of engines, with the smallest offering about 100 HP. EPA ratings for fuel economy are not yet listed on the FiatUSA website – for a car that was expected to go on sale in December of 2010, there really is not much official information out there. That rollout date was pushed back on December 29th to “sometime in March 2011 as a 2012 model”. No mention of Fiat even appears as of this writing on the Chrysler corporate website! (I hope that Fiat is not playing into the role of Alfa Romeo’s long-awaited return to the US!)

How will the new New 500 fare against other small city cars in this segment? With direct “retro” competition from VW’s New Beetle and BMW’s MINI, plus a dizzying selection of conventional, hybrid, and all-electric competition from all corners of the globe, Fiat may have a tough row to hoe. A combination of styling, content, and low price will be its strong suit, at least in the first round of models. A new high-performance Esseesse model may put it on more even footing with cars such as the MINI Cooper S, and will surely be an affordable, attractive offering in that segment, while future diesel and all-electric models in the planning stages will appeal to those more interested in the planet than performance.

Right now, we’re just waiting to see if Chrysler acknowledges and embraces Fiat, or will Fiat be a bitter pill for American dealerships to swallow? Only time will tell.

Dan Neil, Pulitzer Prize-winning automotive journalist says of the New 500:

“The Fiat 500 will be a hit: “Iconic” is a much-abused word, but it fits the Fiat 500, which was modernized in the manner of the BMW Mini (sic) a couple of years ago. As part of the Chrysler-Fiat merger, the 500 will go on sale in the U.S. this month, and the Alfa-Romeo MiTo next year. For high-school girls, the adorable Fiat 500 will be the new sparkly phone.

Meantime, it satisfies my sense of the absurd that Italians will get a chance to buy the restyled Chrysler 300, rebadged as a Lancia. Can the world ever get that small?“

Source: Wall Street Journal, January 15, 2011

The exhibit “Fiat 500 Through the Years” will be open until Monday, February 13, 2012.

]]> http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2011/02/the-fiat-500-family-tree/feed/ 0 The Z Car on the Road and the Track http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2011/01/z-car-on-the-road-and-track/ http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2011/01/z-car-on-the-road-and-track/#comments Thu, 20 Jan 2011 18:06:06 +0000 David Yando http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/?p=148 Nissan Exhibit- Lane Motor Museum

These cars are part of a Nissan Exhibit that will be on display until January 9, 2012.

The Nissan (née Datsun) Z car celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, with a huge local presence anchored by Nissan’s corporate headquarters in nearby Franklin, TN. Several hundred enthusiasts from all over North America descended on middle Tennessee, enjoying our curvy roads and Southern Hospitality.

Lane Motor Museum was one of the destinations on the agenda for attendees, and we rolled out a few of the Zs we care for. We don’t have large Nissan holdings, but we are the caretaker for the Nissan Heritage Collection. When Nissan North America relocated here from the west coast a few years ago, they brought with them a diverse collection of cars, including 11 Z cars. Ranging from an early 240Z to a 350Z, most of the chassis are represented in the collection. As you may know, the Z was a very significant car in the American market – and racing successes certainly helped raise awareness of the brand.

We thought it might be interesting to see the “regular” street car paired with its racing counterpart. We’ve done a Z exhibit before, and we’ve shown the race cars before, but we’ve never paired them so an observer can look at what was done to the car to make it race-worthy. We hope that, displayed this way, you can see both the similarities and the differences in what is done to turn a sporty passenger car into a series-dominating racer.

Represented here are but three pairings – an original body style 1970 240Z; a later 1984 300ZX, and an even later still 1996 300ZX. Hopefully you can see the evolution in the bodies – certainly the family resemblance is strong from 1970-1984, but there are styling cues carried through to the 1996 model as well. Two of the race cars are only display bodies – they look like race cars on the exterior, but under the skin have simple frames and no drivetrains. The Bonneville car, however, is the real deal. With its engine modified to produce 300 horsepower, it ran an average of over 166 miles per hour, a class record that stood until 1985!

I certainly enjoyed doing the research on this exhibit. I learned that our good friend Sam Posey was closely involved in the development and testing of the Paul Neman #33 car, and I always enjoy any opportunity to talk with Sam. The “real” #33 is now in the hands of TV and radio personality Adam Carolla, and I understand it gets regular exercise. I saw this car many times in the 1980s when I began attending the Spring Sprints at Road Atlanta, and even ran into PL, as he preferred to be called when racing, in the pits many times. He was an exciting driver to watch!

I also have a bit of a connection to the #75 Millen/O’Connor car. My wife and I were at Road Atlanta in the spring of 1995 for our spring racing fix. We took a shortcut through the woods between The Bridge and the back straight, hoping to get back to Turn 5 before the end of the race. Millen was screaming around the track, running in second, and I wanted to see that car win. Unfortunately, as we were hustling along the back straight, we heard a sickening screech-thud, and were showered in Road Atlanta’s well-known red clay. Millen was out, in what turned out to be a professional career-ending crash.

We hope that you can visit while the exhibit is ongoing. The opportunity to see cars such as this side-by-side, and get a look into the “office” of the racer, is a rare one indeed.

The Nissan Exhibit “Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday” will be on display at Lane Motor Museum until January 16, 2012.

]]> http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2011/01/z-car-on-the-road-and-track/feed/ 1 A Closer Look: Aero Cars http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2010/02/a-closer-look-aero-cars/ http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2010/02/a-closer-look-aero-cars/#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:57:38 +0000 Vicki http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/?p=137 1-aero-display

Aero Cars on Display at Lane Motor Museum

When founded in 1925, Aero mainly produced airplanes. After a decline in sales, they began producing cars from 1928-1947; introducing their first car, the Aero 10, in 1929. The Type 10 was a low-priced car that the factory workers could build yet also drive themselves.

While many of the Czechoslovakian vehicles are rarely seen outside of Europe, there were eight passenger car manufacturers in Czechoslovakia between the mid 1920s to the late 1940s: Aero, Jawa, Praga, Skoda, Tatra, Walter, Wikov, and Z. Aero was the fourth largest Czech auto manufacturer. Aeros were imported to Austria, Germany, Poland, Yugoslavia, and Bulgaria. They participated in Monte Carlo rallies and other prestigious international competitions.

After WWII all important industrial works were nationalized and the government implemented a plan for three classes of autos to be manufactured, based on engine displacement. Those companies were Jawa (smaller than 1000cc), Skoda (1000cc-2000cc), and Tatra (above 2000cc). As a result, Aero cars ceased production in 1947.

It was not until after the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989 that a new free-market environment emerged. 2005 saw a record number of passenger cars produced in the Czech Republic, with Skoda producing 500,000 and the Toyota Peugeot Citroen Automobile plant producing 100,000.

A display of the following Aero cars can now be seen at Lane Motor Museum:

1931 AERO 10
The Aero 10 was their first production car and it was a very simple cycle car with a single cylinder 500cc water-cooled engine driving the rear wheels. The Aero 10 had brakes on the rear wheels only, and electric start was extra. If a consumer did not order the electric start, there was a long rope that came through the dashboard with a wooden T-handle to give the car a pull start. Another interesting feature of the Aero 10 is that the gearbox is located in the rear axle instead of being mounted on the engine. This configuration was used in the 1970-2000 time period in many sports cars in hopes of evening out the weight distribution on front engine cars.

1931 AERO 18
After three years of production of the Aero 10, Aero introduced an updated version of this car in 1931. The new car was called Aero 18. From the exterior appearance nothing had changed, but the motor size was increased, and HP was increased substantially from 10 to 18.

1934 AERO 30
With the introduction of the Aero 30 in 1934 Aero took a giant step forward in its car business. Aero’s previous cars, the model 10 and 18, were pretty basic with technological and styling features that were very common during that time for manufacturers. The Aero 30 changed all that. The styling was dramatic and beautiful for its time, and even now, 75 years later the car still has great lines. Underneath the great styling, Aero went to front wheel drive, which was a very novel technology in the 1930s. Engine size was again increased to 998cc and HP was raised to 28 – giving the Aero 30 good acceleration and a very respectable top speed.

1936 AERO 30
When introduced, the Aero 30 made a big impression. These front-wheel drive cars used all-independently sprung platform frames with mechanical brakes and friction dampers. The longitudinally mounted engines were two-strokes, water-cooled, with light alloy deflector-type pistons. Production ceased during the war but the A30 was briefly revived–about 500 cars with redesigned grilles and a synchromesh gearbox were produced in 1946 and 1947. Annual sales in the late 1930s were around 1000 cars; they were exported to France, Belgium, Hungary, and Romania. The Aero 30 was produced from 1934-1947 with approximately 7,780 produced during this time.

]]> http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2010/02/a-closer-look-aero-cars/feed/ 17 Now On Display: Tennessee Tubs ~ Porsches and Pictures http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2010/01/now-on-display-tennessee-tubs-porsches-and-pictures/ http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2010/01/now-on-display-tennessee-tubs-porsches-and-pictures/#comments Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:44:18 +0000 Vicki http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/?p=77
Photo By: David Yando

Photo By: David Yando

Our newest display features three Porsche 356s as well as photography by Tennessee Tubs member Bruce Sweetman. The Porsche 356s will be on exhibit until March 29, 2010 and are graciously loaned by members of the Tennessee Tubs.

The Tennessee Tubs was founded in 2000 by enthusiasts of the Porsche 356 (aka bathtubs) as an excuse to get out and drive their tubs to the nearest Starbucks and then onto the back roads of Tennessee.

Among its members are Sunday drivers, vintage racers, concours competitors, mechanics, original owners, and those yet to acquire a 356.

The Tennessee Tubs Bar-B-Que, the club’s signature event, is held the Saturday before Memorial Day Weekend. This year’s event will be on May 22. Visit www.tennesseetubs.com for more information.

]]> http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2010/01/now-on-display-tennessee-tubs-porsches-and-pictures/feed/ 1 A Closer Look: The 1919 Leyat Helica Replica http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2009/12/a-closer-look-at-the-1919-leyat-helica/ http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2009/12/a-closer-look-at-the-1919-leyat-helica/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:22:26 +0000 Vicki http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/?p=54 1919 Leyat Replica

1919 Leyat Replica


Last week when we put up the story about our newest display, the 1919 Leyat Helica Replica, we received several requests for more detailed information and photos. Hope this helps to fill in more of the story. Enjoy!

Marcel Leyat was a degreed engineer who designed, built, and flew his first airplane in 1909. Leyat developed the belief that propeller-driven vehicles were the wave of the future, and in 1913, built his first propeller-driven car. He tested this 1913 car extensively, and in 1919 Leyat began production of the model you see here.

There were other people who also shared Leyat’s belief about propeller power, but Leyat spent years trying to develop a viable propeller-driven car. His theory was that the cars would be simpler (no transmission, rear axle, or clutch) and lighter, therefore they would be able to obtain better fuel economy. If you look at the Leyat closely, you can see how exquisite the engineering is. Leyat paid very close attention to aerodynamics and weight. The body, resembling an airplane, is fully streamlined – as is the front axle – to reduce drag. Instead of using traditional wheels, Leyat built his own with aluminum discs, and integrated the brakes to further reduce the drag. Weight was also reduced to a minimum by using a full monocoque chassis and many aluminum parts to obtain a total vehicle weight of 625 lbs.

Leyat showed his car at the 1921 Paris Auto Show and claims to have received 600 orders. Unfortunately, Leyat was never able to get funding to go into large-scale production, but he continued to build propeller-driven cars until about 1926, with a total production of about 25 cars.

Specifications:
Manufacturer: Marcel Leyat
Country of Origin: France
Drivetrain Configuration: Front engine, propeller-driven
Engine: Harley-Davidson J Model, V-twin, air-cooled, 1000cc, 18 hp
Transmission: Direct drive
Top Speed: 50 mph
Years of Production: 1919-1921
Number Produced: 6
Original Cost: Unknown

]]> http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2009/12/a-closer-look-at-the-1919-leyat-helica/feed/ 2 Celebrating 90 Years of Citroën http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2009/11/celebrating-90-years-of-citron/ http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2009/11/celebrating-90-years-of-citron/#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:54:47 +0000 Vicki http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/?p=13 citroen-exhibit
Join us for a new exhibit that celebrates the 90 year history of Citroën.

Eleven different Citroëns are featured that demonstrate the company’s innovative engineering practices from 1930-1980. Citroën was the first high volume manufacturer of front wheel drive cars and then developed the first cars with hydropneumatic suspension that gave the car a ride quality that is unmatched to this day.

The cars featured include:

  • Citroën 5CV Trèfle- 1924
  • Citroën Berline 11 Gazogene- 1938
  • Citroën 2CV Ripple Bonnet- 1954
  • Citroën ID 19 Saloon- 1959
  • Citroën 2CV 4×4 Sahara- 1962
  • Citroën Bijou- 1964
  • Citroën M35- 1970
  • Citroën H-Van- 1972
  • Citroën SM Coupe- 1973
  • Citroën CX220- 1976
  • Citroën BX4TC- 1986
]]> http://blog.lanemotormuseum.org/2009/11/celebrating-90-years-of-citron/feed/ 4