Domain Motors Melbourne agent (early twenties~1926) for Th. Schneider automobiles (part 1)

The Argus 18 September 1924

Adelaide to Melbourne record breaking Th. Schneider (part 2)

Sydney Morning Herald 20 May 1925

Adelaide to Melbourne record breaking Th. Schneider (part 1)

On 11th April 1925 Arthur Barnes and J. McCulloch broke the record for the time driven between Adelaide and Melbourne. This feat was reported in numerous Australian newspapers. The distance was reported as 573 miles travelled in a time of 12 hours and 10 minutes. This reportedly lowered the previous time by 1 hour and 11 minutes. The car was a stock 25.5 hp six cylinder Th. Schneider. It is understood that the record car might have survived to this day although there is conjecture about which car it might be if indeed it has survived. The type in question is known as the 21.20.1. It is believed that possibly only three chassis of the six cylinder type were delivered to the Melbourne agent Domain Motors including chassis #26?/engine #29, chassis #28/engine#28 and #29?/engine#30. These three chassis are known to still exist. The question is whether there is evidence linking the record car to one of these three chassis.

1926 Le Mans 24 hour race and Th. Schneider

On the 4th occasion of the Le Mans 24 hour race a Th. Schneider (#27) driven by Pierre Tabourin and August Le Franc finished a creditable 6th place overall and first amongst in the French 2 litre class. Tabourin and Le Franc managed an average speed of 84.914km/h. The team car (#26) driven by Robert Poirier and Antoine Fontaine failed to finish. See image below.

By 1926 Robert Poirier was the company director of Th. Schneider and director of Paris Nord Automobile. He was of the view that entering events like the Le Mans 24 hour race would be good for publicity and he was a fair driver himself. On the strength of the success in the 1926 Le Mans race he would enter two cars for the 1927 race with a very different outcome. In the 1927 race both THS would crash with all three of the factory Bentley entries at the “White House” bend.

The 2 litre Th. Schneider known as the “25SP” or in the UK as the “Le Mans” model had a listed top speed of 115km/h. Motor Sport of May 1929 tested a “Le Mans” model at 76mph. The cars prepared for Le Mans had slight modifications that would afford them a higher top end speed. Serge Pozzoli the well known French aficionado claimed that the race cars had modified heads with larger ports, exhaust headers and twin Zenith carburetors in place of the standard single carb set up. Pozzoli claimed that the Tabourin and Le Franc car, now reportedly the same car in the Henri Malartre museum in Lyon, was timed at 140km/h down pit straight in the 1926 race at Le Mans.

The 1927 Le Mans 24 hour race “White House Crash”

The 1927 Le Mans 24 hour race will remain perhaps best known for a crash that occurred at a bend in the circuit known as “La Maison Blanche” or “The White House”. Contemporary French newspaper accounts report that the accident occurred around 5 and a half hours into the race, at dusk. Car #11, a Theophile Schneider driven by Pierre Tabourin had apparently entered the the turn too fast, lost control and hit a building close to the road. He ended up side on the road partially blocking it. This would spell disaster for the Bentley team following close behind. The French newspaper Le Temp reported that Bentley #1 driven by Callingham approached the corner at around 110 kilometres per hour and saw #11 too late and swerved into the ditch on the opposite side of the road. Close behind it came #2 Bentley driven by George Duller. It too had to swerve causing Duller to hit #1. Then came car #3 driven by Sammy Davis Benjafield who in his own words had entered the turn “flat out”. He too hit #1 in his attempt to avoid hitting #11. However the damage to #3 was less extensive and Benjafield was able to extricate himself, conduct emergency repairs and continue.

History records that no one was seriously injured. Pierre Tabourin was taken to hospital however with broken ribs. Theophile Schneider #12 driven by Chanterelle and Schlitz withdrew from the race following the accident out of respect for their injured team driver Pierre Tabourin. Benjafield and Bentley #3 went on to win the race despite a valiant effort from the 3 litre Aries driven by Laly and Chassagne who led the race up until the 23rd hour.

At the time of the accident #11 had covered 25 laps, #1 34 laps, #2 33 laps and #3 35 laps. It has been speculated that Pierre Tabourin had lost control due to the pressure of Callingham bearing down on him as the four cars came toward the turn.

It is believed that the road was cleared quickly to avoid further incident. I speculate that this meant that no photos of the cars before the road was cleared were taken. My searches to date have only resulted in photos after the road was cleared, such as the image below of Bentleys #1 and #2.

 

Mystery carrossier/coachbuilder

I would be very interested in thoughts about who the carrossier/coachbuilder might be for these two THS shortly before delivery to their new owners. Note the engine turned finish and the unsual twin spare wheel arrangement at the rear of the car on the right.

Any ideas who the carrossier/coachbuilder might be?

IMAGE MAY BE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT ACKNOWLEGEMENT IS PROVIDED WHERE POSSIBLE.

About the register

Welcome to the TH.SCHNEIDER register. The register was formed in 2011 with a view to establishing a database of known TH.SCHNEIDER automobiles. In addition the register aims to foster communication among custodians of the marque and assist with parts and information sharing.

The register has a  comprehensive archive of period revues, images, competition results & factory records.

Bienvenue à l’e.schneider registre automobile. Le registre a été créée en 2011 en vue d’établir une base de données de connu e.schneider automobiles. En outre, le registre vise à encourager la communication entre les gardiens de la marque et aider avec des parties et le partage de l’information. Le registre a une archive complète de période journals, d’images, la concurrence résultats & usine enregistrements.

Marc Fellman