an anorak writes

[Steve kay]

I  know I should be busy somewhere, but scanning the forum before descending to the workshop, my eye was caught by the references to the French ATF site. I'm not aware that anyone has posted about the Austin pictured at Monthlery so I've done a bit of work. This car, under the name of Austin Yacco Special, ran between 19th  April and 2nd May 1934, taking a number of records in the 3 to 5 litre class. Drivers were de Prescale, Bodecat and  Fortin, "Marchand" also drove but some sources suggest he built and/or entered the car, although I cannot immediately find whther this is Cesar Marchand or his brother Lucien. All these drivers seem to have been Monthlery professionals or almost residents as their names appear on other record breaking drives, of which Citroen's were by far the longest. Maybe the petrol head of the time, after a splendid meal at a famous bistro, or a wild night at a cabaret, could drive over to the circuit and drink coffee and watch the dawn come up over the banking whilst the Citroen continued to lap hour after hour. I have not been able to find more about the car, but since this site attracts researchers and historians of a far greater calibre than any other, no doubt when I emerge from the workshop the true meaning of "Yacco" will have been revealed.

I hope the French teacher is already in class, I can't find out how to add the correct accents.

[Reckless Rat]

Go into settings and add a french keyboard.

[Steve Jones]

Yacco were (and still are) a French oil company who sponsored such things. They can trace their history right back to Marc Birkigt and Hispano pre WW1.

Steve

[Reckless Rat]

It became Yacco after one of the partners of OMO called Jean Dintilhac used the last syllable of his name (pronounced Dinty- yak in French), with the American Co for Company added, to create a new product identity which then became yacco. Omo was a marque used by Hispano Suiza and stood for " huiles moteurs et usines". (oil for motors and machines). Yacco is still available today.

[Pearls not a Singer]

It became Yacco after one of the partners of OMO called Jean Dintilhac used the last syllable of his name (pronounced Dinty- yak in French), with the American Co for Company added, to create a new product identity which then became yacco. Omo was a marque used by Hispano Suiza and stood for " huiles moteurs et usines". (oil for motors and machines). Yacco is still available today.

If using MS windows. the easiest way to get french accents on your letters is to do a windows search for character map and copy from there. Unfortunately its file is found in different places depending on the version.

[Steve kay]

Assisted by getting a French O level half a century ago, and talking to a couple of pals who own our big brothers, Austin 20s, a little more has been unearthed about April 1934.

Cesar Marchand was born in 1897, and apprenticed to Sizaire Naudin. He went to work for  Antione Voisin, initially I think as a test driver, but becoming part of the record breaking team and so getting well used to Monthlery. In  July 1928 Marchand had a very bad accident, a burst tyre causing him to go over the top of the banking, and ended up with serious injuries. Voisin was a brilliant and imaginative designer and engineer but no business man. When his company went bust, the recovered  Marchand opened a garage business, and a major customer was the petrol company Yacco, for whom Marchand had a fleet maintenance contract. This must have given him the contacts which generated a number of record breaking attempts for a variety of marques, supported by Yacco. Marchand died in 1966, having a heart attack whilst digging his Cortina GT out of a snow blocked garage.

The Austin 20 is a puzzle. One or two Austin 20s were well known at Brooklands, notably driven by Felix Scriven. Our own Austin Harris has several photos of them on his web site, which he might kindly display. These however were the four cylinder 20s, whereas the car in the picture recorded as having taken records over twelve days at Monthlery was the later six cylinder 20, as far as I can tell, unknown at Brooklands. So, a bit of a challenge for the detectives amongst us. Who decided to go to France for record breaking with a six cylinder 20, or was there a major French dealer of Austins, rather than Rosengarts wanting to attract attention?

[MartinH]

In Bill Boddy's excellent book on Montlhery he explains how the "industry" of record breaking was established and maintained there. As early as 1924 angry residents established a ban on night time running at Brooklands. From then on the winter months at Montlhery were taken up by groups of enterprising (mad?) drivers who hurtled round the banking for thousands of miles, day and night. Their reward was the "bonus" paid by any and all companies who could link their names to the records; car makers, tyres, oil, anybody who stood to gain from the subsequent advertising. The same mercenary sponsorship that earns our footballers a crust today! These drivers, many British, would work for anyone and cared not if the car was Austin, Citroen, or Riley. The only major drawback was that Montlhery sits on an exposed hill and the winters can be very cold!

[Duncan Grimmond]

That's all fascinating stuff! I'm glad the post engendered some interest. I subscribe as Benjaustin, posting occasionally and I usually check in on the site every few days as I have a morbid interest in three-wheelers and a degenerate love of French Cyclecars!