The ' voiture de l'avenir ' today
page 1


2002-2003-2004
 
 

In 2002 the " Aéromécanique ", association created by Francis Metzger starts an a little bit crazy project: build a car with wheels in rhombus, following principles established by Gabriel Voisin. Additional difficulty, they start the adventure on the basis of the only document: the photo of a paper model made by the engineer Maurice Pain in 1942 on the request of Gabriel Voisin.

 

But having built a hydroplane evocating the Blériot " Pnydre " without any plan, it does not frighten them. No main car manufacturer never bent over this type of vehicle. But the idea come back regularly on the drawing boards of diverse engineers and engineering consulting firm.

The Philippe Charbonneaux's Ellipsys, including a Porsche powered example visible in the Reims automobile museum, a Chinese project and more recently another one from Franco Sbarro prove it.

The Francis' experience about side-car should be useful in the success of this project, which is a tribute to the Issy les Moulineaux manufacturer.

Gabriel Voisin is a model of inventiveness and determination for the association. So, capable of drawing and of building an engine of 42 cylinders for the aviation, a singlepost microcar for the french post or an unsinkable boat.


In spite of contacts experimented besides the Rhine, it is difficult to determine exactly the arrangement of the central axle (and engine). To equal distance from front and rear wheels, as expected on a plan of 1967 or not? As several patents of the 30s plan it.

After brainstorming and theoretical tries, it is the unequally distribution which is choosen. The construction already begun by the frame prototype will allow to verify these data, and to eventualy modify the parameters.

Main problem: determine the quotations and the dimensions of the automobile to be the most faithful possible in the model (or rather its picture), the front defining the rest of the vehicle, a whole summer was spent to find the best forms ( dismantling, bending, adjustment, weld ). And to keep a "40s" approach, the mechanical parts had retrieved in the vintage car circle.

Regarding the motorization, Gabriel Voisin had envisaged a 500cc bicylinder. So, a 560cc two stroke engine is fitted to the " Losange" ( wink To Gabriel Voisin who all his life remained faithful to engines "without valves" ).

 

 
 

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