World’s Oldest Car Headed For Auction

The Winding Road ^ | June 28th, 2007 | unknown

[Daffynition]

The world’s oldest running car is set to cross the auction block at Pebble Beach in August.

The catchy-sounding De Dion-Bouton et Trapardoux was built in France in 1884, and amazingly, it’s a three owner car. Among its many credentials, “La Marquise” is a steam-powered four-wheeled car that is believed to have won the first automobile race.

Top speed on the car is a startlingly high 38 miles-per-hour, which must feel decidedly exciting given its primitive construction and solid rubber tires. To reach that heady speed, drivers need to first stoke the car with coal, wood, paper, or other readily combustible materials, and then wait for around a half-hour to generate enough steam for the car to get rolling.

The De Dion-Bouton et Trapardoux is expected to hammer for between $1.5 and $2 million.

[Daffynition]

[Jaysun]

Fantastic. I have a half-completed steam car in my garage. I’m building it myself.

[Daffynition]

How amazing! The age of steam was fantastic!

[Jaysun]

How amazing! The age of steam was fantastic!

Yes it was. I'm using an old set of plans from the 1960s (I think) for my car. It's called the "Educator" steam buggy. It should also go around 40 mph when complete, perhaps a bit faster.

[Oberon]

Building your own steam car...now that's something.

Really, external-combustion steam power is an idea that ought to be on the road today. If this technology had been developed alongside the Otto cycle engine, we would have some truly modern and truly efficient designs today.

Gotta love the torque curve on those bad boys. They make peak torque from a standing start...

[Daffynition]

I am most impressed.

I recall my dad having a Stanley Steamer in the barn. It was his intent to restore it but he never had the time, so his brother expressed interest in it. He gave it to his brother, who stored it in his barn ...as luck would have it, the barn as struck by lightening and burned to the ground with the Stanley in it. Sad.

[Jaysun]

I am most impressed.

Oh don't be. I have such a huge variety of interest that I'll never live long enough to get to all of it. I'm not a expert on the subject of steam engines. I just found the plans one day at a garage sale and thought it would be fun to try and build it. But it's coming along nicely.

[Daffynition]

Do you have pix?

You should create a website with your goings on [in your spare time] ...LOL

[combat_boots]

The Pebble Beach show is one wonderful car show.

[neb52]

1960s

Is it a 60s design or is it based on the old steam engine cars? I wonder if it would be considered street legal?

[Jaysun]

I don’t think it would be street legal, I don’t know.

But I just found a website which shows some of the plans and the car being built. These are the same plans I’m using and this is the same car. I’m modifying mine quite a bit. There’s some pictures of the finished car (as built per the plans) at the end.

http://www.firedragon.com/~kap/Educator/

[Muleteam1]

Interesting but possibly not the most intriguing car though. I would have to vote for the walking elephant car as most interesting.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

I think I saw that car in a bootleg copy of Tokyo Drift?

[Daffynition]

I can only imagine. Is it televised? I could have someone record it for me.

[Daffynition]

That is awesome! Thanks for posting this ...a pachydermvehicle. Cool!

I suspect it gave a lot of people a lot of pleasure over the years.

[Daffynition]

Are you manufacturing the parts yourself or using salvage? This is so GREAT!

[Lady Jag]

Not unlike the 1895 De Dion Bouton Quadricycle

[Jaysun]

Are you manufacturing the parts yourself or using salvage? This is so GREAT!

A mixture of both. I'm using a salvaged weed burner to heat the water (as the plans suggest). I'm making the drive myself but I'm still trying to figure out the best way to do it.

[Daffynition]

Some of those early de Dion models had steam brakes.

[Daffynition]

Have you seen the Doble steamer archives?