A true one-off, used in period as a daily driver by its French builder.

SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: M. Grataloup

Origin: Bagnères-de-Bigorre, France

Production: 1

Motor: Villiers Mark IX 1-cyl., 2-stroke

Displacement: 247 cc

Power: 7.5 hp

Length: 8 ft.

Identification No. 3045564

This is yet another one of the myriad of one-off microcars produced during a time when it was still possible to set up shop and build a car for the road with little governmental or regulatory interference.

The Grataloup is cleverly designed and built with a high level of craftsmanship and mechanical competence. It was discovered in a Citroën garage in Biarritz, on the southwest coast of France. The garage owner had met Monsieur Grataloup, who lived in Bagnères-de-Bigorre, near Lourdes, a short distance to the east, and it is understood that the car was used as a daily driver by the ingenious Grataloup.

A disparate collection of parts make up the drivetrain. The motor is a British Villiers MK IX, allegedly out of a BSA motorcycle. The Roman numeral designation was used by Villiers pre-war, and the Mk IX series A dates back to the late twenties. A separate gearbox from a French Renée Gillet is driven by a chain, and a separate starter motor is driven by a leather link-belt. The clutch is connected by three belts, and there is a chain drive to the rear wheel. Suspension is by leaf springs, transverse in front and longitudinal at the rear. More BSA parts are used throughout. For the enthusiast in search of absolute rarity, the French Grataloup represents a true once-in-a-lifetime offering.