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179:). These were used to connect the massive steel ladder format chassis of the luxury cars of the time to the Vanvooren timber frames of the car bodies, and successfully eliminated the unavoidable squeaks and rattles that had hitherto been a feature of large coach-built cars. They also limited the risk of timber bodies becoming torn in response to excessive flexing from the steel chassis to which they were attached.
545:
steel. Vanvooren were restricted to a handful of special orders to provide new car bodies (including, notably, a special bodied
Bentley Mk VI Coupé, identified by chassis number B332LEY) or rebuilding existing cars from before the war. But it was apparent that the business in which Vanvooren had specialized had virtually ceased to exist, and in 1950 operations came to an end at the Courbevoie factory.
390:, virtually all the manufacturer's cars sold during the 1930s in France came with Vanvooren bodies. Again, commercial collaboration was underpinned by a personal relationship: Walter Sleator, who was in charge of "Franco-Britannic Autos", Rolls-Royce's French importer, had been Vanvooren's own sales director in their prestigious Rue Marbeuf Showroom back in the 1920s.
394:
B-pillar, and the rear door hinges were at the rear edge of the doors, so that when both front and rear doors were opened the entire passenger area could be accessed without the encumbrance of a central pillar. The "Pillarless saloon" was subsequently made available to the leading
British coach builders so that they could study it in detail.
464:, in western central France where Rolls-Royce had been trialing the car, the chassis was sent back to the Rolls-Royce plant in Derby. Back in Derby a further six Mark V "Corniche" chassis were at this time under construction. It was planned that these would be fitted with a newly developed straight-8 engine and participate in the 1940
279:. In 1932 the collaborative nature of the relationship between the two businesses was further deepened when Marius Daste quit the top job at Vanvooren in order to take up an appointment as production direction with Hispano-Suiza. From 1932 Vanvooren provided the bodies for more than a third of Hispano-Suiza's output of HS26, K6 und
459:
to
Vanvooren's Paris factory, and of these four had already received their bodywork. The prototype, identified by Chassis number 14-B-V was fully finished as was a second car, carrying chassis number B12AW. Car 14-B-V was badly damaged in an accident during testing in France, and while the body work
516:
The production facilities at
Corbevoie were badly damaged by bombing in 1943, and the company's written records were all destroyed. Contemporary technical information on cars produced before then survives only, if at all, in the records of manufacturers or customers ordering Vanvooren car bodies.
393:
Rolls-Royce engineers were highly impressed by the
Vanvooren's approach to design and production methodology. They decided to have a Bentley 3½ Litre (chassis number B187BL) fitted with a Vanvooren body featuring a pillarless sedan body, another Vanvooren patented speciality. The car body had no
544:
France's own luxury auto-makers were much diminished financially by the grim economic conditions of the 1940s and by government policy which consciously discriminated against cars with engines above two-litres of capacity, using both taxation policy and a dirigiste approach to the allocation of
174:
1929 saw another milestone when company boss Marius Daste, working in collaboration with his new business partner Romée de Prandières, developed and patented a flexible metal-reinforced car-body structure, employing the "Silentbloc" rubber anti-vibration mountings and joints manufactured by a
524:
The business environment for Europe's luxury car makers had changed fundamentally by the end of the Second World War. The principal auto-makers for whose cars
Vanvooren had built bespoke bodies in the 1930s had either withdrawn completely from the car business, as was the case of
401:. Vanvooren were mandated to develop construction methods for the production of car bodies that were as far as possible light-weight and durable despite being made of steel. In connection with this contract Rolls-Royce commissioned four Vanvooren bodies for their
270:
on the north-western edge of Paris, just a few hundred meters from
Vanvooren's own factory. The fruitful collaboration between the two evolved during the 1930s into something comparable to the relationship developing at the same time in England between
151:
is remembered as an aircraft pioneer, and his car body designs, with timber frames and synthetic leather skins, clearly drew inspiration from the aircraft of the time. Vanvooren mounted
Weymann designed bodies on various chassis including those of the
246:
chassis, all three finished in an eye-catching two tone silver/black colour scheme, and which made a big impression. In
Britain patent marketing was handled by a company called "Silent Travel" and most of the major auto-makers purchased licenses.
374:, also supplied chassis to be equipped with Vanvooren bodies. A project to move closer to the mass market sector by collaborating with Citroën collapsed after just a handful or prototypes had been built out of a planned minimum quota of 100 cars.
113:
Achille
Vanvooren (1857 - 1928) began his Corbevoie-based business in 1888, producing bodies for carriages and cars. The firm's reputation grew rapidly. The oldest surviving Vanvooren bodied car, dating from 1911, is a
468:. That never happened; meanwhile, the now fully repaired body from the crashed prototype was sent back to the Rolls-Royce Derby plant in order to be reconnected with its chassis. However, on the dockside at
661:
Bentley was purchased by Rolls-Royce in 1931 and progressively lost its independent identity during the 1930s, becoming by the decade's end little more than an alternative badge for Rolls-Royce cars.
696:
238:
in 1930 where it was identified as an important advance. Almost at once more than 40 European carriage builders acquired licenses to apply the Vanvooren/Daste patent. In the same year at the
323:
received their bodywork at Vanvooren's Courbevoie factory. The massive Type 46s bodied by Vanvooren included a strikingly designed body with which the model made its debut at the 1929
451:, and it was intended that the standard bodies for the car would by produced by Vanvooren. A German invasion of France was widely foreseen, but its timing and the speed of
443:
On the product development side collaboration with Bentley extended further during the closing years of the decade. The Bentley Mark V "Corniche" scheduled to succeed the
338:, including four cabriolet bodied Type 57S models. At the end of the decade, in 1939, they were commissioned to provide coachwork for a unique Type 57 commissioned by the
250:
Vanvooren caught the mood of the luxury car market in the 1930s, combining high quality standards with a careful combination of advanced style and conservative elegance.
291:
Romée de Prandières, previously Daste's partner at Vanvooren, stayed with the business and during the 1930s was able to build a close business relationship with
529:
who were now focused on aircraft engines, or were beginning to offer customers complete cars, producing steel bodies themselves. That was the case with
92:
Carrosserie Vanvooren was active between 1888 and 1950, but in terms of output and of reputation the company's golden decades were the 1920s and 1930s.
703:
339:
681:
222:
Hispano-Suiza K6 Vanvooren Pillarless Saloon. Pillarless saloon bodies were another feature patented by Vanvooren. This one dates from 1937.
652:
Sometimes the name is presented using Dutch naming conventions as "Van Vooren", but the Flemish-style "Vanvooren" is usually preferred
58:. The company concentrated on producing car bodies for luxury cars, being closely associated, during the 1930s, with the products of
358:
chassis, and has a flamboyant style quite out of keeping with the restraint characteristic of Vanvooren's other work at this time.
140:
In 1921 Vanvooren retired from the business he had created, handing over control to his technical director, Marius Joseph Daste.
626:
563:
501:
295:, helped by his personal friendship with the director of Bugatti's Paris agent, Dominique Lamberjack. Numerous Bugatti Types
109:
The transfer of the business by Vanvooren to his technical director, Marius Daste, in 1921, ushered in a period of expansion.
541:
appeared in 1946, no doubt drawing on lessons supplied by Vanvooren's steel bodies supplied to Rolls-Royce in the 1930s.
612:
591:
577:
397:
Collaboration with Rolls-Royce also led to a cooperative relationship with their leading UK based car-body builder,
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828:
689:
171:(chassis number 27EF) went to a British customer. This would be the first of many Vanvooren bodied Rolls-Royces.
126:
763:
711:
778:
82:
242:
the company's British agent, J. Smith & Co., exhibited three car bodies of this type constructed on
418:
455:
had not been. At the time when France fell, seven Mark V "Corniche" chassis had been delivered from
218:
328:
226:
204:
414:
671:
77:
In addition to their production facilities on the edge of town, Vanvooren had a show room at 33
803:
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410:
148:
444:
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187:
105:
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Vanvooren also collaborated extensively in respect of the company's Bentley chassis, with 69
406:
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in 1934 (supplemented, according to one source, in 1936 by an equivalent body on a
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324:
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and Vanvooren also provided bodies for the Bugatti Type 50s which featured in the
210:
538:
335:
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316:
308:
304:
161:
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119:
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78:
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One-off sensations during the 1930s also included a Vanvooren sporting bodied
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526:
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in 1940, was developed by the Paris-based dentist and part-time car designer
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59:
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From the early years Vanvooren had worked closely with the luxury car maker
813:
343:
47:
195:
788:
521:, in 1947, work resumed at the location, albeit on a much reduced scale.
137:
from the same year. The number of car bodies produced climbed each year.
123:
758:
55:
35:
27:
19:
823:
398:
276:
493:
371:
355:
334:
Vanvooren were also responsible for the bodies on approximately 20
798:
783:
534:
508:
as an introduction of the Alvis brand to the French auto-market.
425:
387:
292:
230:
Rolls-Royce Wraith Faux Cabriolet with Vanvooren coachwork (1939)
157:
130:
71:
63:
773:
714:
469:
367:
263:
243:
728:
472:
it was caught by a German air-raid and completely destroyed.
456:
86:
51:
570:
The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile – Coachbuilding
366:
Other French leading manufacturers of luxury cars, notably
199:
Vanvooren provided the coachwork for the Torpedo bodied
147:
in 1923 for the production of light-weight car bodies.
234:
Daste's car body building system became public at the
191:
Vanvooren bodied Panhard et Levassor X14 25hp (1911)
175:neighbouring firm called "Repusseau and company" (
867:
492:chassis). 1935 saw a Vanvooren body built for a
635:des Museums für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg 1983.
697:
475:
377:
361:
704:
690:
253:
428:travelling to Paris for their bodies (16
133:also survives as does a Vanvooren bodied
556:Encyclopédie de la Carrosserie Francaise
225:
217:
214:Vanvooren bodied Hispano-Suiza K6 (1934)
209:
194:
186:
104:
34:
26:
18:
868:
685:
572:, Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers 2001,
350:. This car was based on a design by
342:as a wedding present for the future
286:
607:, The Silent Sports Car Club 2004,
603:Neill Fraser & Tomas Knapek:
131:Panhard & Levassor Typ X14 20HP
13:
548:
266:automobile factory was located in
14:
887:
713:
511:
182:
100:
664:
655:
646:
1:
639:
329:24 Hours Le Mans race of 1931
205:24 Hours Le Mans race of 1931
855:List of French coachbuilders
143:A licence was obtained from
7:
829:Société des usines Chausson
167:In 1927 a Vanvooren bodied
50:based in the north-western
10:
892:
621:, Complete Classics 2000,
582:Ernest Schmid d’Andrès:
453:France's military collapse
354:intended originally for a
129:. A 1912 Vanvooren bodied
95:
847:
724:
586:, J.-P. Barthelemy 1997,
476:Other foreign auto-makers
169:Rolls-Royce "New Phantom"
568:Nick Georgano (Edit.):
486:Mercedes-Benz 500K sedan
378:Working with Rolls-Royce
362:Other French auto-makers
876:Coachbuilders of France
719:Coachbuilders of France
596:Pierre-Yves Laugier:
254:Work with Hispano-Suiza
135:Hotchkiss 55HP Roadster
804:Letourneur et Marchand
764:Fernandez & Darrin
744:Billeter & Cartier
631:Exhibition catalogue:
231:
223:
215:
207:
203:which featured in the
192:
110:
40:
32:
24:
839:Weymann Fabric Bodies
834:Carrosserie Vanvooren
598:Bugatti, Les 57 Sport
494:Cadillac V8 cabriolet
352:Figoni & Falaschi
348:Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
229:
221:
213:
198:
190:
108:
44:Carrosserie Vanvooren
38:
30:
22:
819:Carrosserie Pourtout
794:Hibbard & Darrin
466:Le Mans 24 Hour race
617:Bernard L. King:
496:and another for an
460:went for repair at
419:Rolls-Royce Wraiths
177:"Repusseau et cie."
16:French coachbuilder
769:Figoni et Falaschi
749:Chappe et Gessalin
739:Belvallette Frères
619:The Derby Bentleys
490:Mercedes-Benz 540K
482:Alfa Romeo 8C 2300
232:
224:
216:
208:
193:
145:Carrossier Weymann
111:
83:8th arrondissement
41:
33:
25:
863:
862:
627:978-0-9565671-0-9
564:978-2-7268-9562-7
558:, E-T-A-I 2011,
504:presented at the
405:model, one for a
287:Work with Bugatti
240:London Motor Show
81:in the exclusive
883:
718:
717:
706:
699:
692:
683:
682:
676:
675:
674:. 4 August 2020.
668:
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659:
653:
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506:Paris Motor Show
445:Bentley 4¼ Litre
336:Bugatti Type 57s
325:Paris Motor Show
236:Paris Motor Show
154:Hispano-Suiza H6
127:weaponry dynasty
116:Mercedes 38/70HP
891:
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669:
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642:
551:
549:Further reading
539:Bentley Mark VI
514:
478:
438:Bentley Mark Vs
380:
364:
289:
256:
185:
149:Charles Weymann
118:, delivered to
103:
98:
17:
12:
11:
5:
889:
879:
878:
861:
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857:
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849:
848:Related topics
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841:
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779:Gaston Grümmer
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605:Bentley Beauty
601:
600:, Bugattibooks
594:
580:
566:
554:Serge Bellu:
550:
547:
513:
510:
498:Alvis Speed 20
484:in 1933 and a
477:
474:
449:Georges Paulin
417:and seven for
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809:Million-Guiet
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754:Henri Chapron
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613:0-9547462-0-1
610:
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592:2-909413-23-3
589:
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584:Hispano Suiza
581:
579:
578:1-57958-367-9
575:
571:
567:
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546:
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527:Hispano-Suiza
522:
520:
509:
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502:Coventry firm
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491:
487:
483:
473:
471:
467:
463:
458:
454:
450:
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441:
439:
435:
434:4¼ Litre cars
431:
430:3½ Litre cars
427:
422:
420:
416:
412:
408:
407:"New Phantom"
404:
400:
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268:Bois-Colombes
265:
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260:Hispano-Suiza
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60:Hispano-Suiza
57:
53:
49:
46:was a French
45:
37:
29:
21:
833:
814:Pichon-Parat
666:
657:
648:
633:Die Bugattis
632:
618:
604:
597:
583:
569:
555:
543:
523:
515:
512:1940 to 1950
479:
442:
423:
415:Phantom IIIs
413:, three for
409:, one for a
396:
392:
381:
365:
356:Delahaye 165
344:Shah of Iran
333:
290:
257:
249:
233:
183:1930 to 1939
176:
173:
166:
158:Bugattis T43
142:
139:
112:
101:1888 to 1929
91:
76:
48:Coachbuilder
43:
42:
789:Heuliez Bus
672:"Weltkrieg"
531:Rolls-Royce
462:Châteauroux
384:Rolls-Royce
273:Rolls-Royce
156:and of the
124:his uncle's
120:Samuel Colt
79:Rue Marbeuf
68:Rolls-Royce
759:Facel Vega
734:Autobineau
640:References
517:After the
500:which the
411:Phantom II
340:government
122:, heir to
56:Courbevoie
54:suburb of
824:Saoutchik
399:Park Ward
277:Park Ward
870:Category
426:Bentleys
372:Delahaye
283:models.
262:, whose
201:Type 50s
799:Jousset
784:Heuliez
535:Bentley
388:Bentley
293:Bugatti
96:History
72:Bentley
64:Bugatti
774:Franay
625:
611:
590:
576:
562:
537:whose
470:Dieppe
436:and 7
368:Delage
264:French
244:Delage
39:(1937)
31:(1934)
23:(1911)
729:Antem
457:Derby
432:, 46
403:20/25
87:Paris
52:Paris
623:ISBN
609:ISBN
588:ISBN
574:ISBN
560:ISBN
386:and
382:For
370:und
319:and
275:and
160:and
70:and
519:war
440:).
281:J12
162:T44
85:of
872::
421:.
346:,
331:.
321:57
317:55
315:,
313:50
311:,
309:49
307:,
305:46
303:,
301:44
299:,
297:43
164:.
89:.
74:.
66:,
62:,
705:e
698:t
691:v
533:-
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