Multiple Goodwood S. F. Edge Trophy competing
1909 Lorraine-Dietrich 16.4-Liter Grand Prix Two-Seater

16,387cc OHV 4-Cylinder Engine
Single Updraft Zenith Carburetor
200hp at 1200rpm
4-Speed Triple Pinion Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Semi Elliptic Leaf Spring Suspension with Solid Front Axle and Dual Chain Drive
Inboard Rear Brakes and Expanding Shoe Wheel Drums


*Uncompromising performance by any standards
*Proven on the racing circuit, touring events, and Concours lawn
*Exquisitely prepared, well-known, and highly regarded in motoring circles
*A singular driving experience


THE LORRAINE-DIETRICH

Today's collector car hobby is dominated by high performance cars of all eras. Many of the great cars of history are remembered for their thrilling performance and speed. Modern supercars continue the tradition and deliver their performance with technological precision. Today even basic cars are quite fast and many people have driven or experienced fast cars even hyper fast cars – but what is more elusive is an unforgettable experience. Unique experiences are rare in automobiles and genuinely mind-blowing ones are even rarer.

How many people on this planet have hurtled down the road at 100mph propelled by a 1000 cubic inch four-cylinder engine ticking over at little more than idle? How about pulling away from a stop light in a car designed in 1909 – tires spinning, lit up in smoke leaving modern cars in disbelief? This exquisitely built machine is a functional tribute to the engineering of its day and the staggering performance designers in this period were capable of. No one who experiences this car, the pinnacle of pre-WWI performance, will ever forget it!

The Lorraine-Dietrich is arguably one of the most romantic and revered marques from the age of these enormous Edwardian racers. Originally De Dietrich et Cie started out as makers of railway locomotives and infrastructure in Germany before branching out into automotive manufacture in 1896. Various designs were licensed by the firm from Amédée Bollée, Vivinus and Turcat-Méry as well as the young, 20-year-old Ettore Bugatti. The untrained engineer from an artistic family created some ambitious designs for De Dietrich and helped develop a four-speed transaxle design and huge four-cylinder engines. In 1905, a new division of the firm was opened in Lorraine across the border in France and the company name was changed to 'Lorraine-Dietrich'. The new firm was managed by Baron de Turkheim who was keen to push new progressive ideas in the emerging motoring scene and the Cross of Lorraine was adopted as their emblem. Like Napiers and Mercedes, Lorraine-Dietrich's reputation was built in part on racing, which was "consistent if not distinguished", including Charles Jarrott's third in the 1903 Paris–Madrid race and a 1-2-3 in the 1906 Circuit des Ardennes, led by ace works driver Arthur Duray.

The last two decades have seen a renaissance around early racing machinery thanks to a talented group of craftsmen in the UK. This passionate group of enthusiasts have revived many historic machines like the iconic 1911 FIAT S76 "The Beast of Turin" and the 1905 Darracq 200hp V8 land speed record car. The cars are beautifully turned out and driven with tremendous skill by their owners/restorers. The rise of this active group of Edwardian racers has seen the growth of the SF Edge Trophy race at Goodwood. An all-Edwardian grid sees around 40 machines going at it in what has become one of the most exciting, popular, and closest races of the event. First time spectators watch in awe at the sensational speed and the skill with which these machines are driven to their limit around the twisting circuit.

THE CAR OFFERED

This Lorraine-Dietrich is one of the more sensational cars to emerge out of this scene. Executed by master craftsman (and many would say artist) Richard Scaldwell, his restorations have captivated the motoring world, be it this Lorraine-Dietrich or his famous and fabulous JAP/GN special. This particular labor of love is based around a carefully assembled group of Lorraine-Dietrich components gathered together over 30 years including the complex 4-speed racing transaxle. The first parts of this car were acquired in about 1987 with the purchase of a rolling chassis described as Lorraine-Dietrich, bearing the registration number ST190 which subsequently proved to be a 60hp De-Dietrich imported and registered in Scotland in 1909. The car had no engine or gearbox and different axles, but it had a lot of useful components including wheels and hubs, gear levers and pedals etc.

A major turning point for the project was finding the original Lorraine-Dietrich racing chain drive gearbox. This gearbox was, at one time, part of a project owned by Kent Olsen who had the intention of building a replica Blitzen Benz, but it was sold and eventually acquired by Scaldwell. Careful dismantling showed the gearbox to be all original Lorraine-Dietrich, clearly a racing gearbox with the sole identification on the outside of the case being 'BND' (special high strength steel) but all the parts inside being stamped with the Cross of Lorraine and serial numbers. It has a mind-boggling 3 separate crown wheel and pinions, giving a direct drive for top and third gears and using a simple pair of spur gears for first and second. It runs a top ratio of about 1.4 to 1. A further lucky break occurred when the front axle on the car, and several of the other parts including the steering box, were acquired from Marcel Boutet at Depanoto in France. A collection of parts, magnetos, and drive sprockets also came from Uwe Hucke who had assembled parts for a 1905 De Deitrich race car project he was undertaking.

The engine of this car was built from scratch, drawing on the vast experience and knowledge of other similar surviving period cars. Scaldwell was fortunate to have access to the 1912 G.P. Lorraine-Dietrich "Vieux Charles III" (the only surviving Lorraine-Dietrich Grand Prix Car) while it was dismantled and undergoing significant work at the Brooklands Museum, enabling him to inspect the original engine and its design. He also had close connections and access to the restoration of the 1905 200hp Darracq, all of which enabled the commissioning of new pattern-work to cast new blocks.

All the major engine parts were made new with a replica crankcase and sump of the correct, period 4 chamber type. A delightfully complicated oil pressure feed and scavenge system was fitted, directly derived from the 1914/16 Indianapolis Sunbeam, (which Scaldwell restored and raced for its current owner). This is a much more reliable system, designed in America whilst that car raced here, and is reassuringly a lot more likely to preserve the beautiful new crank and rods, which are running on correct period white metal bearings.

Clearly the radiator had to be as accurate as possible and therefore the 1907 Gruvell and Archenburg serpentine derivative radiator of the earlier cars was used instead of the later honeycomb type of the 1912 Lorraine-Dietrichs, so having taken the dimensions of all of the surviving 1908 Grand Prix cars a new radiator was built to the correct scale. This philosophy is applied all throughout the car, even using a correct, huge, cone clutch, original rear wheel brakes, and original 35mm pitch chains driving the rear wheels, all as the car would have been in period. The car rolls on a beautiful set of early type "double lock" Rudge-Whitworth wire spoke wheels - part of the original De Deitrich chassis acquisition in 1987. Fully rebuilt with Firestone type rims to take reliable straight-sided tires that are up to the job of handling the massive power.

The finished product is a masterpiece of craftsmanship, engineering, and presentation. It looks so right and the performance is breath taking. The car is fully registered in the UK on its original identity as ST190 and has been regularly used on the road for events and touring.

With its regular and popular appearances at Goodwood's magnificent race circuit for participation in the world-famous S F Edge trophy race and its subsequent invitations to some of the world's top concours presentation shows, it is a car that has been enormously enjoyed and appreciated by competitors and public alike. One of the "top choice" cars at the front of the grid and chosen for celebrity demonstrations, it has also been used for many amazing long-distance continental tours including the west coast of Ireland, France, and Belgium. It was invited by Brooklands Museum to run in the historic re-opening of the re-instated start finish straight and has been a regular competitor at the Chateau Impney Hill Climb and Vintage Sports Car Club races where it has won three consecutive Edwardian Racing Trophy awards. It has also been invited to numerous other events, including the Chantilly Concours celebration and Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace where it was awarded the "People's Choice Award" by the ICJAG judges.

Even though this car is not just one "Grand Prix" vehicle, with its hugely significant use of a vast collection of original components it is surely one of the best surviving representations of the marque itself. It is a marvelous, useable motorcar, capable of demonstrating the fabulous and exceptional experience of the first racing cars ever to regularly exceed the 100 miles per hour barrier. It gives an entirely awesome and accurate experience of the Grand Prix race giants which is an experience unlike any other we can enjoy on the road.

Despite the brutish dimensions, the machine has proven itself quite docile and easy to drive and enjoy. With an estimated 850 ft-lb of torque and a lazy maximum rev limit of 1500rpm it is a racing car that is quite happy to bumble home from the pub on a summer evening at 45mph!

The motor is surprisingly smooth and the excellent gearbox, steering, and braking make for an authentic and capable machine still comfortable on modern roads. The car has also proven to be extremely reliable. With triple ignition, conventional intake, and excellent lubrication and cooling, the car is set up with dependability as a high priority. It has always proved to be an easy starter on the handle and has been used regularly both on the circuit and around town. All this makes the Lorraine-Dietrich a thrilling prospect for all sorts of vintage car events. With the ability to keep up with much more modern performance cars this could be the ultimate machine for events with all eras of cars.

This exquisitely engineered machine is something that could simply not be replicated today. The original components, sourced over decades of searching, along with the impeccable craftsmanship make this an exceptional and exciting motorcar. These big 4-cylinder engined monsters are a truly wonderful and joyous experience, and this car is the result of a deep knowledge and experience with these types of car and a passionate desire to experience the joy of owning and using an authentic example of the period. This is a singular opportunity to acquire one of the most thrilling cars that any true motoring aficionado could wish to experience.