1904 Darracq 10hp Twin-Cylinder Swing-Seat Tonneau

•Delivered new in the UK
•Known ownership history
•Restored in the 1980s
•Present ownership since 2000
•Many-time London-to-Brighton participant


"Alexandre Darracq was one of the great entrepreneurs of the European bicycle industry which grew phenomenally between 1885 and 1900, making fortunes for several people, including Darracq. He... must be the only man who gave his name to a famous make of car, yet never learnt to drive one. Indeed he was said to be unhappy even travelling as a passenger." - The Beaulieu Encyclopedia Of The Automobile.

Born in Bordeaux in 1855, Alexandre Darracq made a fortune in the bicycle industry's boom years of the late 19th Century and like many of his contemporaries subsequently turned his attention to powered transport. Darracq's new venture was financed by the sale of his Gladiator bicycle business to Dunlop, though he continued to make bicycle components in his new factory at Suresnes, Seine.

After two false starts that saw him abandon electric carriage manufacture and then attempt unsuccessfully to sell the built-under-licence Léon Bollée voiturette, Darracq launched his first successful internal combustion-engined automobile in 1900. Darracq was a businessman rather than an engineer and had recruited designer Paul Ribeyrolles to be responsible for its production. That first 6½hp single-cylinder voiturette was followed by a range of twins and fours, and to publicise his products Darracq set about establishing a reputation for sporting prowess. In December 1905 a 22-litre V8-engined monster designed by Ribeyrolles and driven by Victor Hemery set a new World Land Speed Record of 109.65mph, and that same year Darracq won both the Circuit des Ardennes and Vanderbilt Cup races, repeating the latter victory in 1906, thereby demonstrating that Darracqs were durable as well as fast.

Dated 19th February 1985, a letter on file to the VCC's Dating Committee reveals that at that time this twin-cylinder Darracq belonged to Mrs Joan Arm and Mr Basil Ripley. This letter mentions a Mrs Green, "widow of the man who found it rotting away in the open, 'somewhere near Portsmouth'" (the letter is annotated 'between 1963 and 1973'). Basil Ripley's research had revealed that the late Leslie Green was founder and first chairman of the VCC's South Eastern Section, and that he had purchased the Darracq from another VCC member.

According to Leslie Green: "It was bought new by a doctor who lived on Star Hill, Rochester, Kent, and who used it between 1904 and 1909." Information supplied by the City Museum, Rochester revealed that this was Doctor James Vincent Bell, MD, formerly practising in London, who came to Rochester in semi-retirement in 1903 and bought 22 Star Hill, a large Georgian house. When Dr Bell died in 1909 the practise, house and car passed to his assistant, a Dr White.

When purchased by Leslie Green, the Darracq was fully assembled and over 90% complete, though in a bad state through long exposure. According to Green, Darracq started to produce 10hp van chassis' around the middle of 1904, and some of these were fitted with car bodies and sold in the UK as 10hp cars. Green established that 'LC 1736' was a car with a van chassis of 1904 manufacture; he did not attempt to restore the car, but did dismantle it for easier storage.

Around the early/mid-1970s the Darracq was purchased by a Mr Streton, who began its restoration; sadly, this was cut short by a heart attack after much work and considerable expenditure. In March 1984 'LC 1736' got a new restorer and by February 1985 the rebuild was underway once again. The Darracq was purchased by the late owner in 2000 (see letter on file) and completed numerous London-to-Brighton Runs up until 2020. The car has not been run in the past five-or-so years and will require recommissioning before further use. It comes with full weather equipment (hood and side screens).

This Darracq's history is recounted in a three-volume scrapbook from the 1980s showing it as was and recording the car's complete restoration together with the assembly of evidence leading to the aforementioned four-page letter sent to the VCC Dating Committee. Additional documentation consists of a V5C Registration Certificate; a quantity of old MoTs and tax discs; and some bills from South Cerney Engineering Ltd accumulated during the late owner's stewardship.