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Een ontmoeting met een Cord L-29 in Frankrijk

De aanleiding was onze vakantie, in het jaar 1977. We genoten van een rit langs de westkust van Frankrijk, van La Rochelle naar La Baule, Brest, Mont-Saint-Michel, Honfleur, Dieppe en zo verder. Tijdens onze reis kwamen we zo terecht bij de gebouwen van Edouard Bitel in Jugon-les-Lacs in de Côtes-d'Armor, destijds een bekende verzamelaar/handelaar van auto’s.

 

Daar nam ik deze foto van een Cord L-29-chassis dat buiten op Bitels terrein lag. Blijkbaar was dit een auto die ooit voor race­doeleinden was omgebouwd, gezien de niet-standaard viervoudige carburateurs en de lage lijn van het schutbord. Op de achtergrond is een Bugatti-achteras te zien. In de schuren stonden schatten als een Hispano-Suiza H6B roadster, een Mercedes 540K cabriolet, een Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport coupé door Chapron, een Delahaye 135MS en nog zoveel meer. Dat waren tijden!

 

Tekst en foto door Hans Veenenbos

 

Oorspronkelijk gepubliceerd op 27 oktober 2022

 

Gepubliceerd:
donderdag november 27th, 2025
Hans Veenenbos
01 December 2025, 14:55
To answer to Le Moine's (is that Eric Le Moine of the Labourdette photo files?) request, attached is what I have of Edouard Bitel, his museum and some photos taken at his premises (not sure if all were taken at Bitel). The Hispano is the H6B which won its class at Pebble Beach in 2024, and the "Delahaye" might in fact be the aforementioned Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Chapron coupé.
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Eldon Guay
01 December 2025, 01:02
I'd love to know what happened to the Bugatti back axle in the image.
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Le Moigne
30 November 2025, 08:39
I remember Bitel's garage in the eighties, at Jugon Les Lacs, the garage was called "Antic Auto". Despite all my efforts, I 'ved been unable to find a picture of that garage.
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Hans Veenenbos
28 November 2025, 10:54
Great to see the news that the Cord L29 chassis still exists and is awaiting restoration.
Here are some pictures of other cars at Edouard Bittel’s place – several literally went from “rags to riches”. After a long string of many different owners, the restoration of the Hispano was eventually seen through to the end by Sam Mann. He won his class at Pebble Beach in 2024. Recently this H6B was for sale for $1,850,000 at a dealer in Arizona. The Talbot-Lago T26 GS Chapron coupé was acquired by Bruno Vendiesse and is now in the Louwman Museum in The Hague.
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Guillaume
27 November 2025, 16:13
The car still exist and is now in my garage waiting for time to restore it to it's previous go glory.
If you have other photos I am interested.
Thanks
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PERRIN
23 Maart, 09:31
Hello, are you the owner of this L29 chassis? I own the second Cord L29 in the Bittel collection; perhaps we could get in touch?

—-
Bonjour, vous êtes le propriétaire de ce châssis L29? je possède la deuxième Cord L29 de la collection Bittel, peut être pourrions nous entrer en contact?
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Job
30 October 2022, 15:26
Was Antik Auto still around in the ‘90s? I remember a place in a French village. Owner was an old man. Had an US army motorcycle outside, old red/yellow citroen truck in the back yard amongst many other things. I’m sure I have pictures somewhere. The name rang a bell, good chance it’s the same place.
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Ylm
31 October 2022, 09:55
Antic Auto was still existing in the nineties, must have been demolished in the years 2000 +.

It was located just on the border of the road. I'd like to see pictures from that period because I have a personnal childhood's memory with that garage.
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Phil Seed
30 October 2022, 13:59
No idea whether this was in the same place, but I took the photo in Brittany in 1977.
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Ylm
31 October 2022, 09:57
I don't recognize the front of the garage, maybe this is the backyard ?
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Nigel Ricardo
30 October 2022, 10:50
When we lived in Brittany I recall a family with that name with an SS 100 doing the tour de Bretagne, maybe they are still the same family
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Ylm
27 October 2022, 00:40
I remember very well that garage called in the eighties "Antic Auto", now destroyed.

I 've been searching for pictures of that garage for years, thank you for your picture.

If someone here has got others pictures please let me know.

Thank you.
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