About What is it? Quiz #487: 1926 DeCoucy

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Well, we could expect that. With a beautiful car like this 1926 DeCoucy it is no wonder that we received this many answers. When I saw the car for the first time, I wanted to know all about it myself. The specific shape of the radiator, small bonnet, low headlights. Yes, it looks to be fun to drive. Unfortunately this isn't the price you could win.

Back to the quiz, as said it is the 1926 DeCoucy. The engine is an impressive 8 cylinder 1100 cc, with a cozette compressor. We quickly received a very interesting link, with more photos of the car and the engine (click here). And then came a former owner of the car with, as you would expect, a correct answer: 'I was the owner of this car registered 6DV13 DeCoucy from 1926, it was entirely restored by the bodybuilder Michel Collet. This car was built by engineer De Coucy The original engine was an eight-cylinder in-line 1100 cc engine with 2 overhead camshafts driven by a cascade of gears Located at the front the engine had the particularity of turning left and was hitched to a five-speed gearbox The most typical was the elegant radiator and the very tulipee body of this car The chassis included straight springs at the front and rear. It was a barnfind in the 90s"

It was Andread Lehmann who gave us more information and a nice photo. Unfortunately in too many words: "Enguerrand de Coucy was a Flying Officer during the Kaiser War.He was a great Engineer and designer.He started his career with Doutre in 1912.In 1921 he designed on his own light car fitted with a 1100cc ohv engine which he claimed to rev at 5555rpm.In 1927 de Coucy designed his first racing car with an eight cylinder monobloc dohc engine 51 x 67 mm ( 1100cc) which surprisingly enough rotated anticlockwise!!This little car was nicely made with a tubular front axle and four brakes actuated by cables instead of usual but heavier Perrot - Piganeau system.The tulip shaped radiator was quite an archievement in 1925.As an artist ,de Coucy could only build a nice and narrow chassis with external springing.The frame was underslang at the rear and aluminium was used. De  Coucy's  were in competition with Amilcar,Rally and Salmson.Two or three were ever made."

Peter Stellwag and Philippe Ogier have both seen this car and said that the original engine was replaced by a Simca engine. As our source said as well.

Neil Beadle gave us more information about its racing history: "The engines were advanced - twin overhead cam straight eights of 1100cc and 1243cc (rotating anti clockwise), when supercharged they were reputed to produce over 100hp per litre at 9000 rpm.
De Coucy's were entered into, but did not compete, two races at Monthlèry, the 1927 Coupe de la Commission Sportive and the 1931 French Grand Prix, (as a Demo-De-Coucy). 
In 1932 a De Coucy set a speed record at Montlhéry driven by Lucien Clement."

Other good answers came from Jens Gubitz, Yves Franssens, Thierry Houdayer,  Tim Gunn and Hervé Smagghe.

We also received an answer from Gerd Klioba, thinking it was a Vagova 5CV. The car does look quite the same indeed, but unfortunately Gerd, it is a different one.

The winner:

Thank you all for competing and giving us this amount of very interesting information. The winner of this week's quiz and the one to receive 5 points in the six month competition, sponsored by Hans Compter Rare Cars, is the one who gave us most information about the engine and its racing history: Neil Beadle. Congratulations Neil!

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