Le Dauphin
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Le Dauphin was a French auto maker established in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris by André L. Dauphin.[1] The company first presented a small two-seater cyclecar in the spring of 1941; production ended in 1942.
The car was an open-roof cyclecar with the seats positioned one behind the other.[1] The body was built around a simple tube-based structure, probably inspired by recent developments in airplane construction; there was no separate chassis.[1] The vehicles were produced on a production line at a small factory belonging to Kellner, a coachbuilder previously known for supplying bespoke bodies for chassis of France's luxury car makers. Dauphin versions were made with a petrol engine or an electric engine, with the motor for the petrol version being a two-stroke unit of 100 cc or 175 cc supplied by Zurcher.[1] Petrol for civilian use was becoming unobtainable, and a 2 hp 48-volt electric power unit was substituted.[1] The electric-powered cars were steered from the rear seat, whereas the petrol-engined ones were steered from the front.[1]
Sources and further reading
[edit]- G.N. Georgano: Autos. Encyclopédie complète. 1885 à nos jours. Courtille, 1975 (French)