Talbot Monoplace Décalée 1939

The Talbot Monoplace Décalée was launched to respond to the new international regulations of 1938 for car up to 3.000 cc with supercharger or 4.500 cc with normally aspirated engine. Competing against the German government-financed Mercedes Benz Grand Prix and Auto Union Grand Prix was a hopeless undertaking, but a few firms including Talbot Lago made the effort.

For reasons of financial and organizational problems, it was not until the 1939 Grand Prix of Pau that Talbot Lago first participated in the 1939 season. The chassis N° 90130 illustrated here and driven by René Carrière did not finish, but its sister N°90131 secured a remarkable 3rd place behind two Mercedes Benz Grand Prix cars. This was to be the only satisfactory result for several Grand Prix. The seating position, however, which was offset to the right beside the gearbox in order to ascertain a low seating position and therefore a low centre of gravity, suddenly offered an opportunity to enter the car in the international category of sports cars, converting the car to a biplace sport (two seats sports) adding doors, headlamps and cycle wings. In this form N° 90130 beats the Bugatti Type 57 G Tank with Wimille and brings home victory in the very first attempt during the Grand Prix of Cumminges.

Zora Arkus Duntov participated in Indianapolis in 1946 and 1947 in this car before asking Luigi Chinetti to sell the car for him. The second Talbot Monoplace Décalée N°90131 participated in the first postwar 24 Hours of Le Mans and did not finish the race. It arrived in 2nd position during the 1950 Le Mans 24 Hours. After some years in South America the Talbot Lago Monoplace Décalée N° 90130 was returned to Europe by Colin Crabbe. It was exhibited at Retromobile, in Paris, France, by Lukas Hüni AG.

Specifications: Engine 6 cylinder 4482 cc producing 250 hp - weight 900 kg.

Wallpapers : Talbot Monoplace Décalée 1939 (click on image to enlarge)