Tracfort
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1933 |
| Founder | Louis Carle |
| Defunct | 1934 |
| Headquarters | Courbevoie, Paris , France |
| Products | Automobiles (front-wheel drive cars) |
Tracfort was a French car manufacturer that operated between 1933 and late 1934.[1]
Origins
During the winter of 1933/34, Louis Carle established Automobiles Tracfort in Courbevoie, a district of Paris at the time.[1] The vehicle design was the work of André Bournhonet, who previously collaborated with the Courbevoie-based automaker Derby. Production took place in a workshop located at 71 Rue de Normandie in Gennevilliers, close to Courbevoie. The company specialized in manufacturing front-wheel drive automobiles under the Tracfort name, preceding the launch of Citroën’s successful 1934 Traction Avant model.
The cars
Tracfort models incorporated the side-valve 933 cc, 8 hp engine sourced from the Ford Model Y[1], which was installed rotated by 180 degrees to position the gearbox at the front, enabling front-wheel drive. Customers could choose between two two-door body configurations: a four-seat "coach" known as "Mouette" featuring a fast-back design, and an open two-seat "roadster" called "Irlande."[1] The front grille was also borrowed from the Ford Model Y.[1]
While maintaining Ford’s transverse leaf spring suspension, Tracfort introduced independent suspension for the front wheels.
Presentation
The company showcased its vehicles at the 27th Paris Motor Show in October 1933 but discontinued operations shortly afterward due to the insolvency of SABAB (Société anonyme des Brevets André Bournhonet), which owned crucial patents necessary for manufacturing.[1]
Tracfort or Tracford?
Because of the incorporation of Ford components, some sources mistakenly referred to the brand as "Tracford," an error that appeared in English-language publications including early editions of Nick Georgano's "Complete Encyclopaedia of Motorcars."[2] Nevertheless, contemporary French advertising and subsequent authoritative references verify that the correct brand name is Tracfort.[1]
Reading list
- Harald Linz, Halwart Schrader: Die Internationale Automobil-Enzyklopädie. United Soft Media Verlag, München 2008, . (German)
- George Nick Georgano (Ed.): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile. Volume 3: P–Z. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, . (English)
- George Nick Georgano: Autos. Encyclopédie complète. 1885 à nos jours. Courtille, Paris 1975. (French)
- George Nick Georgano: The New Encyclopedia of Motorcars, 1885 to the Present. 3rd ed. Dutton Verlag, New York 1982, . (English)
- David Burgess Wise: The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Automobiles. Greenwich Editions, London 2004, . (English)
- Marián Šuman-Hreblay: Automobile Manufacturers Worldwide Registry. McFarland & Company, London 2000, . (English)
- René Bellu: Automobilia. Ausgabe 22. Toutes les Voitures Françaises 1934. Histoire & Collections, Paris 2002. (French)
- René Bellu: Automobilia. Ausgabe 9. Toutes les Voitures Françaises 1935. Histoire & Collections, Paris 1998. (French)