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Gabriel Voisin's records
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1929
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Although Marchand's terrible accident temporarily diminished the company's appetite for record-breaking, the hiatus allowed time for the next attempts to be planned. After more than a year had passed, the 12-cylinder Voisin was ready. |
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Largely subsidised by the Yacco oil company, it was a particularly impressive machine: a V12 based on two C16 six-cylinder blocks on a common crankcase, giving a total displacement of 11,660 cc. The monster was fuelled via two carburettors mounted in the 'V'. Starting was accomplished by Dynastart, and in the absence of a gearbox as before, the phenomenal torque of the 250bhp unit was fed through a multi-plate clutch. The loyal fuel sponsor of previous attempts, Gaz de Paris once again provided its notorious blend of petrol and benzol. |
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On this picture we can see the unbalanced engine...
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...and on this one, we can see an example of the tested
rear design.
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The car was very low, the chassis rails being underslung
beneath the axles. Different bodies were tested before the definitive
shape emerged, and the car was fitted with twin headlights to improve
visibility.
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With such potentially rich returns in terms of publicity, Gabriel Voisin decided with the sponsors' agreement to run at relatively low speeds in order to prolong the life of the tyres, vulnerable as they were carrying a car of this weight at high speed. The attempt began on September 16th, with Marchand (by now recovered from his accident) accompanied by André Morel, Serge Kiriloff and Leroy de Presale (the factory test driver). It differed from previous attempts in that Voisin installed several movable lighting units to illuminate the track, both around and within the great oval. A proper workshop was built, complete with a sleeping area for the drivers, and in view of the previous year's experience, a fully equipped medical post. The big Voisin took to the track early in the afternoon and had covered over 1100 miles by the end of the day; the drivers took their successive turns at the wheel for ten days with nothing but fuel and tyre stops.
And came the records :
At those ten world records, a new rule gives to the firm 9 nine other records, on the duration :
To disprove malicious rumours then circulating about the car's condition by the end of the attempt, Gabriel Voisin arranged for it to be dismantled and publicly examined by independent assessors, who duly confirmed the cause of the accident (spoke failure) and the excellent condition of the mighty engine. The 12-cylinder record car rebuilt to take pride of place on the Voisin stand at the Salon de Paris. |
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Only one question remained: would Gabriel Voisin leave
his competitors to snatch the prestigious 40,000 kilometre record?
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NB : the record statistics reproduced here are based on the pages on this subject published in 'Toutes les Voisin' by René Bellu and a three-part article by Serge Pozzoli in 'Le Fanatique de l'automobile' N°23, 24 and 26. |
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