Description
1902 Panhard & Levassor Type A2 7HP Rear Entrance Tonneau
Chassis no. 5142
Engine No. 5142
– Four owners from new
– Remarkably authentic example
– Ordered from factory on March 1, 1902
– Veteran Car Club of Great Britain dated
– Eligible for London to Brighton and Teuf-Teuf events
The dawn of the automobile may be in the Benz camp, but in many ways the Système Panhard pioneered much of the concept of how a car was operated, now more than 120 years ago, and still does today. The engine was moved forward, under a 'hood' or 'bonnet', the transmission of speed was mechanical, cog to cog, rather than via a belt, and Panhards were the first to package their gearbox in a 'box'. Piano style pedals were used to operate the clutch and transmission brakes, ordered as they still are on most "stick shift" cars today. At first a tiller was used to determine the direction of the car, but within a few years this was replaced by a 'steering wheel'. It all sounds obvious now, but the Panhard was the first car to showcase these concepts. Only one important aspect shows its age, that of the transmission of power to the road by means of chains from the transmission 'box', this part of the mechanism would remain fashionable for at least another decade with the introduction of the Daimler 'Mercedes' product remain on many production cars and today among collectors the idea of a chain drive car remains very attractive!
This beautiful and remarkable Panhard & Levassor is one of the better known examples of its kind and has a simple, uncomplicated pedigree, having spent much of its 120 year existence in Wales, UK. The car dates back to the third generation of their voiturettes, by which time their own Centaur engines had replaced the Daimler Phenix twin-cylinders that had powered their cars from the brand's inception. The Centaurs series started with chassis number 5001, and this is the 142nd of the new cars produced, although they shared the nomenclature of the previous year's models from A2.
Panhard & Levassor factory records indicate that this chassis was supplied to the British agency of Harvey DuCros, which had its showroom at 14 Regent Street, London. The order date was March 1, 1902. The factory details confirm the specification in their standard style – 'Châssis de voiture automobile actionné par 1 motor à pétrole de 7 chevaux No. 5142, mouvement KA à 3 vitesses,' 'jantes métalliques pour pneus 770 x 65 AV, 870 x 90 AR'. The car was probably delivered to England as a chassis and M. du Cros is said to have completed the bodywork and sold the car in the British Isles.
As a new car it had a hot-tube ignition, for which the fuel reservoir remained in the back of the front seat. This ignition system would have been adapted, probably very early in his career, when the more useful Krebbs carburetor system was introduced, with steering wheel controls. It carried the distinctive style of British “tonneau” bodywork, with three shapely moldings on the outside of the rear seat, which are arguably better looking than some of the bodies made by the French factory during this period.
We know exactly what it was intended for, because under the British Road Act of 1903 it was registered in the Glamorgan region of Wales, where it was the 39th car to be registered for the road, as evidenced by its original number plate L39. According to copies of the original registration register, the car was first put on the road by John Percy Player, with the date of registration being December 28, 1903 (it should be noted that this date reflects the fact that the Road Registration Act in the United Kingdom was not introduced until 1903 came into force, and not so much with the age of the car). The car is described as a '7hp Panhard Petrol Engine, with Tonneau bodywork for 4 seats, Dark Green'. The record is updated on March 17, 1916 to note that the owner is now E. Martin Player, John's brother.
The John Player is not known for cigarettes, but for a completely different life, because he was the owner of John Player & Sons, a tin pâté business. Player was also a trustee of the Ynystawe estate, along with Swansea lawyers Strick and Bellingham. The closely knit family managed the late William Martin's assets, including land and mining ventures in the region. A letter from the 90s to a former owner suggests that the Panhard had long been put away by the 20s, as the writer remembered playing the car during that period and wondered if it still existed.
The Panhard may have been scrapped in the 1920s, but it resurfaced in the 1950s, like many vintage cars, when the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain encouraged enthusiasts to get such cars back on the road. The car had been inherited by a group of people, of whom G. Bellingham, probably related to the notaries who still manage the Ynystawe estate, eventually took the car under his wing and put it back on the road
According to a copy of the logbook of the British 'Buff' from this period, the car was owned by Bellingham from 1955. For a few years the car was used for the London to Brighton race and other VCC events, before disappearing from the community's radar again.
In 1984, the Panhard was purchased from the Bellingham family by renowned British collector John Bentley, who would keep the car for the next four years. Initially he undertook an extensive restoration of the car, completely disassembling the mechanical aspect and rebuilding it where necessary. This work would last almost 2 years before the car returned to the road and today he recalls it being used on one or two of the subsequent London to Brighton Runs. From Bentley the car briefly passed to a then prominent dealer, Paul Benton, who fitted a windshield to the dashboard to protect it from the elements on wet weather days or at events, and restored the original hood with tan canvas.
In 1991 the car was purchased by the Dolleschel Collection, where it joined a growing group of the most beautiful cars, including many French. The purchase was not only appropriate for the collection, but also ensured that the car was preserved. Once raced by Dolleschel on the London to Brighton with success, but more routinely on the Schnautrefel Wunderfahrt in Germany, and other local tours, the car was much cherished and enjoyed.
Today this is clearly one of the best cars in its genre to survive, it has its original engine with matching numbers, the factory plates are original and in their correct places, and often missing details such as the factory hubcaps remain in place. The bodywork also appears to be completely original, and better yet, it's highly likely that even the leather upholstery is mostly original to the car, as are details like the patterned rexine rear door lower panel. Very few Veteran Panhard & Levassors can make this claim.
Largely unseen for many years, this gem of a car has all the hallmarks of its breed and the attitude that makes them so popular. The twin-cylinder Panhard has long been regarded as the perfect balance of age, performance and style to complete the London to Brighton run and this unique British-delivered example is without a doubt one of the best.
