Dawn of the amateur car enthusiast
A wonderful image scanned from a glass negative in the collection. The image likely dates from 1919/21, showing a pioneering young man at the wheel of his treasured home-converted racing car.
One of series of images, the car looks to have been converted from a pre-WW1 era Darracq/STD Motors Limited 15hp motor chassis for possible sports use.
Originally a French Company, the Darracq business was bought out by an English concern in 1903. It later became STD Motors Limited from 1905, and finally Automobiles Talbot in 1922. The company was liquidated in the mid-1930s.
Situated amongst period British terraced housing, the garage doors where the car is presumably housed are wide open, the car taken outside for these specially commissioned photos.
Note the period acetylene headlights, the bulb horn, and how the engine's starting handle is tied up with a leather belt. With no windshield; ...goggles, waterproof clothing (and a turned back cap!) are necessary to pilot this early motorcar.
Dawn of the amateur car enthusiast
A wonderful image scanned from a glass negative in the collection. The image likely dates from 1919/21, showing a pioneering young man at the wheel of his treasured home-converted racing car.
One of series of images, the car looks to have been converted from a pre-WW1 era Darracq/STD Motors Limited 15hp motor chassis for possible sports use.
Originally a French Company, the Darracq business was bought out by an English concern in 1903. It later became STD Motors Limited from 1905, and finally Automobiles Talbot in 1922. The company was liquidated in the mid-1930s.
Situated amongst period British terraced housing, the garage doors where the car is presumably housed are wide open, the car taken outside for these specially commissioned photos.
Note the period acetylene headlights, the bulb horn, and how the engine's starting handle is tied up with a leather belt. With no windshield; ...goggles, waterproof clothing (and a turned back cap!) are necessary to pilot this early motorcar.