Arrow, Tank, Teardrop - 1930's car design

I have all three in one scale or another. It seems we're both in love with prewar French coachbuilders with their aerodynamic Art Moderne designs.

@rich-sufficool Hi Rich Like yourself I certainly have a fascination with aerodynamic Art Moderne designs from the 1930's a period of experimentation in streamlining to achieve comfort whilst engaged in high speed touring on Continental European roads or to gain advantage in competition such as racing on the Le Mans circuit.

Luckily I have further examples and will show these shortly.

@chris-sweetman I have lifted the following article directly from supercars.net and hope they won't sue! Reason being I've been given to understand that 'blade' aerodynamic thesis was the first, and its most famous example is the 1926 Renault Type NM 40CV. Altaya did a perfectly acceptable and very cheep version but I don't have it with me to photograph. Many thanks, Chris,  for adding your expertise to my little post. It's much appreciated. (The white type 45 is NOT the open tourer mentioned, but I include it, as it would have been of this form, and these type 40 and 45 Renaults are among my favourite cars ever!)

In the 1920s, vehicle manufacturers were locked in an all-out race to set new records, a fashion encouraged by the construction of speed rings. In France, the Montlhéry ring built in 1924 set the stage for many a confrontation, with the last word going to the stopwatch.

Renault was among the front-runners in this ongoing sprint. It relied primarily on its 40 CV flagship model with an enormous engine of over 9,000 cm3!

Made to race

The 1st campaign involved a 40 CV Open Tourer. Almost a production model, this car set a lap record of 178.475 kph in 1925. It also set a world record with 3,384.74 km covered in 24 Hours at an average speed of 141.03 kph. The difference in speed can be explained by the many stopovers to refuel and – more particularly – to change tires, of which 1000 or more were used up by this particularly heavy vehicle!

These figures did not satisfy Plessier and Garfield, the pilots and engineers responsible for the operation. In 1926, they launched an NM Type 40 CV car on the speed ring. This single-seater model was more streamlined than its predecessor and placed the radiator behind the engine. At the same time, the 14 people responsible for fuel stops received special training. The aim was to get the job done in no more than 50 seconds. The modified vehicle went on to cover 50 miles at a speed of 190.013 kph and – above all – smashed the 24-hour record by covering 4167.57 km at an average speed of 173.649 kph!

Sundown on a sporting career

After more than 15 years of faithful service (from the CG Type to the NM Type), the 40 CV took its retirement in 1928. It was replaced by the new executive models developed by Renault, the Vivastella and Reinastella.
Before bowing out, the 40 CV earned its sporting colors and entered the legend of motorsports as the “record-breaking 40 CV”!

Great discussion - thanks y'all!  The 2900 B is even bladier in person, but the way Touring took the pointed blade and made it blend into the round rear is amazing!

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Although this is a 1/43 1946 Delahaye it certainly looks to be a aerodymamic design holdover from the thirties.

Posted by: @karl

Great discussion - thanks y'all!  The 2900 B is even bladier in person, but the way Touring took the pointed blade and made it blend into the round rear is amazing!

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I attach the present 1939 Touring Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Sport (Ra Mei 11) by way of emphasising the 'Blade' form of your B 2900, in that we may see that the Touring design of both is exactly the same, however the proportions - as you say Karl, the b 2900 is quite extremely 'bladey' when you stand next it  - are totally different.

@parisi50 This is a stunning design by Guillore which we have coincidentally, just been raving about elsewhere in these posts. I am envious of you and Randy for having this model.

Posted by: @parisi50

Although this is a 1/43 1946 Delahaye it certainly looks to be a aerodymamic design holdover from the thirties.

 

@parisi50 Hi Curtis Although clothed in a 1946 body with styling cues from the late 1930's the chassis together with a formidable 6 cylinder engine is a 135 CS (competition sports).

This chassis/engine combination was first released in 1935 and with a competition body the car type finished 2nd at the 1937 Le Mans, and 1st, 2nd and 4th in 1938. Carrying out some research I don't know if this particular chassis was from a famous prewar racer where the body was damaged or a new chassis built in 1946. The 135 chassis was built until 1954.

With a 135 CS chassis/engine Delahaye's Woody could have been the fastest in this period.

@charles-rockett Hi Charles Many thanks for adding the historical context to the Blade design and putting forward the originator Renault's Type NM 40CV from 1926.

This certainly provides depth to this thread and somewhere I have an old Solido Renault 1926 40CV H6B saloon with opening bonnet revealing a detailed engine.   

@chris-sweetman Rio also did versions of the Renault 40 including a sports dual cowl phaeton with the unusual configuration of closed convertible top for the rear passengers only. Please bear with the very bad pictures.

@charles-rockett Charles those three Rio Renault 40CV's perfectly compliment the two versions issued by Solido in their Age d'Or range.

@chris-sweetman Sorry Chris, the blue sedanca/ landaulet is the Solido model. The burgundy open tourer and white sports dual cowl phaeton, are the Rio models.

@chris-sweetman Thanks for the info. I was sure it had it's roots in an earlier time.

More French teardrops

The teardrop was a serious aerodynamic study pioneering a design principle from the late 1920s known as Goutte d’eau, literally translated, a “drop of water.” The French regarded this as what we might call today, organic design: the water droplet is nature’s most perfect aerodynamic shape. Goutte d’eau endowed the obsequious wings of French cars with new prominence, and lent itself to bold, sweeping coachwork that is still visually stunning and inspiring today.

https://heacockclassic.com/articles/streamliners-and-the-evolution-of-fastbacks/

All these three models are made by Spark and showcase the teardrop design based on Delage models from the late 1930's. They are made in resin and were released a few years ago.

Delage V12 Labourdette 1937

Spark’s model represents the car as it appeared when presented at the Paris Motor Show in 1937 on the Delage display stand. Designed to be a racing car to complete in the ACF Grand Prix of that year. Unfortunately, it crashed whilst being tested on the autodrome and did not take part in the race. After being repaired and given a different colour scheme it is exhibited again at the Paris Motor Show the following year, this time on Labourdette’s stand. Body designed by Jean Andreau - his signature is the shark fin, which is also found on the Peugeot 402 which he designed. The car is very streamlined and this continues under the base. The chassis was a Delahaye - Delage were taken over by this company in 1935. Engine is a V12 at 60° with a central camshaft developing between 150 and 200 hp - designed by Delage’s engineer Albert Lory. Labourdette provided the coachwork and includes Vutotal (view-all) pillar less windshield. The full size car history post war is unknown and is likely to have been dismantled.

Delage D8 120 S Pourtout Aéro Coupé 1937

Spark’s model represents the car as presented at the 1937 Salon de Paris and the purpose was to show off the design and appeal to wealthy people who would then hopefully commission a similar version for themselves. Body designed by Georges Paulin and hand-formed in aluminium with steel front wings. Chassis was a special low-slung one and the “S” (Surbaissé, or lowering) in D8-120 S. Engine is a Delage OHV Straight 8 4.75L developing 115bhp. Pourtout was commissioned to build the body. Both this car and the one below are still around today.

Delage D8 120 Letourneur 1938

Unlike the two models above this was a series production car with twelve built to this design and eight remain today. Spark’s model carries registration plates 5V 60 and represents a particular version of one of a stunning trio of cars sent by the French government for display at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, cars that were observed by curious Americans, most of whom had never seen a French automobile. The most striking of the three World’s Fair models was this streamlined Aerodynamic Coupé with its sweeping arched window design and sleek fastback roofline. Chassis and engine are as the Pourtout Aéro Coupé although this particular aero sport coupe body was crafted by the Parisian firm of Letourneur & Marchand. The beginning of World War II prevented the World’s Fair cars from returning to France, and all three were sold to American buyers after the Fair closed for an estimated price of $7,500 each. They have remained in the USA ever since.