Friday 25 November 2016

1967, News: The last Panhard passenger car leaves the production line

In July 1967 the last Panhard passenger car, a blue model 24BT, leaves the production line. It ended the existence of the world’s first commercial manufacturer of automobiles, selling 21 cars in 1891. The French company Panhard & Levassor, later Panhard, established the front-engine, rear-drive architecture used by most cars for many decades. It was also one of the first carmakers to adopt front wheel drive.
René Panhard
Émile Levassor
Panhard & Levassor was founded as a car manufacturing company by René Panhard and Émile Levassor in 1887. In 1891 Panhard & Levassor marketed the first production car using a licensed Daimler engine. In 1892 Panhard & Levassor built the world's first front engined car with clutch and transmission driving the rear wheels (Système Panhard).
First Panhard & Levassor with Daimler engine (1891)
Panhard & Levassor (1892)
Panhard & Levassor (1892)
After the death of Émile Levassor in 1897, Arthur Krebs becomes General Manager in 1897. He turned the Panhard & Levassor Company into one of the largest and most profitable car manufacturers before World War I. Between the two World Wars, Panhard & Levassor focused on the luxury market. Most cars used sleeve-valve engines licensed from Charles Yale Knight. The elegant Panoramique (Panhard CS RL-N) of 1934 featured three windshields (center and two at the sides for “panoramic” visibility) and numerous mechanical innovations. The last big Panhard & Levassor, before Wold War II, was the streamlined Dynamic designed by Louis Bionier.
Panhard & Levassor Panoramique (x73) (1934)
Panhard & Levassor Dynamic (1936)
After World War II the company was renamed Panhard and produced only light cars such as the Dyna X, Dyna Z, PL 17, 24 CT and 24 BT, all with air-cooled flat-twin engine. In 1965 Panhard was taken over by Citroën. In 1967 civil production ended.
Panhard Dyna X (120)
Panhard Dyna Z
Panhard PL17
Panhard 24CT
Panhard 24BT

Sunday 20 November 2016

1966, Car spotting: Antwerp, Frankrijklei

Left to right:
Unidentified van, unidentified car, Volkswagen 1200 (Beetle), Volvo Amazon, Ford Cortina Mk I, Opel Rekord A, unidentified car probably Opel Kadett A, Opel Rekord P2, unidentified small car, Fiat 1300, Citroën 2CV, Ford Anglia Sportsman (123E), Volkswagen 1200 (Beetle), BMW 700, Opel Rekord P2, Citroën 2CV.


Saturday 12 November 2016

1965, Belgian Comics: Suske en Wiske “De Koddige Kater”

In 1965 a new "Suske en Wiske" (UK: "Bob & Bobette" or "Spike and Suzy", US: "Willy and Wanda") album is published: "De Koddige Kater" (translation: "The Droll Tomcat"). The series "Suske en Wiske" was created by Willy Vandersteen in 1945.

No 54: "De Koddige Kater"
  • two-coloured
  • never published in English
  • story and drawings by Willy Vandersteen
  • published in French ("Bob et Bobette") as "Le matou marrant"
  • published in German ("Ulla und Peter") as "Wastl und der Geisterkater"
  • published in Finnish ("Anu & Antti") as "Kaikkien aikojen katti"
  • published in Fries ("Suske en Wiske") as "De boartlike boarre"
  • published in Norwegian ("Finn & Fiffi") as "Den gåtefulle katten"
  • published in Swedish ("Finn och Fiffi") as "Den gåtfulla katten"
No 54 "De Koddige Kater" (translation: "The Droll Tomcat")
The story was pre-published in the newspapers "De Standaard" and "Het Nieuwsblad" from 11 September 1964 until 22 January 1965. The main characters are Suske (Spike), Wiske (Suzy), aunt Sidonia, Lambik (Ambrose), Jerom (Jethro), mister Erdemelcher, Hans (servant), the Mayor and his wife Hildgarde, Siegfried (the tomcat) and Nonoletta (female cat). The main location for this story is Luxembourg. The album was reedited in 1967 as No 74 in the coloured series.
Mister Erdemelcher and Lambik (Ambrose)
Hans the servant
Hildgarde and Siegfried
Lambik (Ambrose) and Jerom (Jethro)
Synopsis
Lambik (Ambrose) accidently drives his car over a bike and he pays the bike owner for the damage. Seconds later he sees the man throwing his bike in front of another car. Aunt Sidonia's kitchen is not finished by a hired painter, she gets angry when she hears Lambik paid the painter in advance. Lambik leaves his good friends in anger, he's had enough to be taken by people. Willy and Wanda see how he gets into a black car...
The Mayor, Wiske (Suzy) and Sidonia
Sidonia an Lambik (Ambrose)
Siegfried and Nonoletta
Wiske (Suzy) and Suske (Spike)
Trivia
  • the message "Helpt Elkander", at the beginning, is inspired by the "Bond Zonder Naam", a Christian organisation that promotes charity
  • the white female cat Nonoletta is a reference to the Eurovision song “Non ho l'età” by the Italian winner Gigiola Cinquetti (1964)
  • the quote by Wiske (Suzy) “Ik hang hier als een vaandel van Toon Hermans” is a reference to the famous Dutch comedian
  • the quote by the old woman: "Joep! Gejaagd door de wind in Altenfels!" is a reference to the novel "Gone with the Wind" (1937) by Margaret Mitchell and the movie of the same name with Vivian Leigh and Clark Gable (1939)
"Helpt Elkander" inspired by the "Bond Zonder Naam"
Reference to the novel "Gone with the Wind"
Reference to Toon Hermans
Cars
  • Ford Fairlane 500 (1962) (2x)
  • Renault Dauphine
  • Volkswagen 1200 (Beetle)
Ford Fairlane 500 (1962)
Ford Fairlane 500 (the black car) (1962)
Renault Dauphine
Volkswagen 1200 (Beetle)