Lot 283: 1908 PANHARD-LEVASSOR 15-20HP TYPE X OPEN-DRIVE LANDAULET

Engine: Type T4R, four individual cylinders, 90 x 130mm bore and stroke, 3,308cc, T-head side-valve, pumped water-cooling, pressure lubrication, magneto ignition; Gearbox: four speed and reverse, multiple-disc clutch, shaft drive to bevel back axle; Suspension: front, semi-elliptic leaf springs, rear, three-quarter elliptic leaf springs; Brakes: rear wheel and transmission brakes. Wooden wheels with Challiner detachable rims. Right hand drive.

When Emile Levassor made the first Panhard-Levassor motorcar in 1890 it had final drive by two chains from the half-shafts to chain-wheels bolted to the back driving wheels. Some of the earliest Panhard-Levassors used only a single chain for final drive but by 1895 dual side-chain drive became to be the accepted norm for the firm's cars. Therefore, when the 1908 model range was announced and a shaft-driven car was included for the first time, it created quite a stir in the motoring press. For example, The Car Illustrated was moved to comment: 'When an old firm like Messrs PanharJ and Levassor' … produces a live-axle chassis' … 'it is sure to command more than ordinary attention. On viewing the new 15-20hp live-axlJ"J"assis for the first time an impression of great strength is given. ThJ" is especially so in the case of the back axle, which is a fine piece of work of unbreakable steel, and is well worthy of the name of Janhard.'
The restoration of this car was started many years ago and then it was "ut to one side and today the process needs starting again from scratch. However, all the basic mechanical elements are in place along with some of the ancillaries and controls. The main structure of a formal body of the period has been built on the chassis and it carries Mulliner body plates from the original.

The potential is here to bring back into use a highly significant model in the history of the Société anonyme des Anciens Établissements Panhard et Levassor.