Just a quick heads-up, the listing for this 1954 DB Monomill is in French but you should be able to invoke your browser translater unless, of course, you are fluent. The story of DB was short-lived but not without some interesting competitive successes. And this particular example had a fairly robust racing history which makes it worthy of further investigation. Located in Paris, France, this rare Monomill is available, here on Artcurial for an estimated €10,000 to €30,000 ($11,300 – $33,900) bid.
Charles Deutsch and René Bonnet set out in the car business in 1939. WWII threw a wrench in the works so their serious work was delayed until 1945 and DB automobiles was officially formed and a going concern in 1949. Using a combination of Panhard engines with some Citroen underpinnings, DB was a racing contender by 1952. According to Bonhams, “In 1952, DB-Panhard won 24 Formula Sport races and set ten new records in its class. Among the American successes were class victories at Bridgehampton, Elkhart Lake, and Sebring while in Europe the DB-Panhards dominated their category at the Mille Milles and Le Mans, where they won the prestigious Performance Index seven times out of nine editions, from 1953 to 1962“. Besides sports cars, DB also produced single-seaters for Formula 3, Formula 2, and Formula Junior competition. By 1961, the relationship between Deutsche and Bonnet started to fray, mostly over the engineering direction to pursue, and they split up and went their separate ways.
Before the big chasm, DB developed the Monomill in 1954 and this particular example saw success over the following year. The listing mentions, that this car started its racing career, in Formula Junior, “at the Aix-les-Bains circuit on 6 June 1954 in the hands of Alexandre Dussert, who won the regional drivers’ cup. It was then entered in the Grand Prix de Caen on the Circuit de La Prairie on 25 July. On August 15, it competed in the Narbonne-Plage event in the hands of Jean Lucas. Sold by D.B in 1955, it then participated in various events in the hands of its new owner, Wladimir Brodsky. It then joined the collection of Bernard Consten from whom, Bernard de Ligny, its previous owner acquired it in 2001“.
Known as Chassis 536, this Monomill is powered by an 850 CC, twin cylinder, flat, single carbureted, air-cooled, front-mounted Panhard engine. We are told that the engine has been rebuilt but will need to be “run-in”.
It is stated that this car was put away in storage in 2019 but has undergone no restoration beyond the aforementioned engine rebuild. It is still in possession of all of its contusions, scratches, scrapes, and faded paint. The most notable change from original is the nose cone which has been fabricated from fiberglass as opposed to the original aluminum construction. A simple and open design, this single-seater certainly is, can you imagine competing in the 24 Hours of LeMans with such an open exposure?
It is estimated that DB Automobiles produced approximately 2,000 cars in its thirteen years of existence but the historical details are light and a model breakdown doesn’t appear to exist. Regardless, this Formula racer is a fine example from a long-ago bygone era and it’s great to see that it has been preserved in its mostly original state. If you need an excuse to head to Paris, here you go, right?
Thanks Jim. This is crazy and cool. Maybe crazy cool. I like the odd ones.
Agreed. I like looking at Vettes like the next guy but this is unique and something I have never seen before.
The listing also has the english translation just below, if interested, Cool car amazing history.
That Panhard pancake twin was one of the very best designs of its time, powering a myriad of Panhard cars, including 4 door sedans seating 5 people in comfort. Despite its dimunitive size, the engine powered that model up to 80 mph. An army buddy of mine had a two.seat sports car with this engine, back in the day at the Hindenburg Kaserne in Würzburg, housing part of the 3rd. Infantry Div. He loved the car, which was brimming with ingenious fetures, like the heater consisting of the two exhaust pipes, perfectly sealed, running through the interior of the car. It worked amazingly well.
The French version of a Formula Vee.
Ooh La La !
It was Formula Junior, an international formula in the late 1950s, higher level of ambition than FVee.
“On August 15, it competed in the Narbonne-Plage event in the hands of Jean Lucas. Sold by D.B in 1955, it then participated in various events in the hands of its new owner, Wladimir Brodsky. It then joined the collection of Bernard Consten….
……after said hands of the two previous owners suffered the loss of knuckles in the same manner when both men inadvertently relaxed their arms mid-race…..
The Le Mans cars were nothing like this; they went for the Index Of Performance so there were very streamlined, enclosed, cars. It seems to have been the preserve of low-volume French manufacturers, but strikes me as the ideal home for the likes of Lotus.
Love it. I wonder if it would be eligible for Vintage racing?
Dear, oh dear! Would it be at all possible for you to actually read the 14 line entry for this car properly? It makes absolutely no mention of this car competing in Formula Junior, a formula that didn’t begin until 1958.
These Monomill cars were built to take part in a one make championship in France to help keep the DB brand in the public eye and to keep money coming in. These 750 and 850 Monomill cars came after a 500cc version that took part in France’s short-lived take on the UK’s Formula 3 500cc series, although the DB 500s were not always competitive with the main brands from the UK; Cooper, Kieft, Staride, Arnott, etc.
These cars can ofcourse take part in historic single-seater series today. However, they are somewhat underpowered and hampered to a degree by their front-wheel drive.
Further developed 950cc versions did take part in Formula Junior races and were somewhat competitive within France and mainland Europe, but again struggled against UK brand opposition. A rear-engined Formula Junior was also developed and competed in France, but the partnership between Deutsch and Bonnet split up before further fine tuning could be undertaken, prematurely ending that particular car’s competitive outings.
DB even produced a supercharged front-engined 750cc Formula One that took part in the Grand Prix at Pau in 1955, but it simply wasn’t powerful enough against its weight in the 2.5Litre Naturally Aspirated/750cc Supercharged formula that was present at the time.
The products of Deutsch Bonnet are very interesting and beautifully engineered, based around that flat twin Panhard engine, which can rev out to extraordinary numbers. As mentioned previously, they specialised in the 750cc and 1000cc classes and should be seen as France’s version of Abarth.
Arty Party is correct, this description should have been a part of the ad.
The Deutsch Bonnet has a long racing history in France.
Might be a good autocross car, I think the little car is too valuable to race.
Race something you can buy parts for.
A little clean up and it would be a great show piece.
This is not a DB but I saw this Formula III car being compression started at Lime Rock:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RUbENX9o0w
This is the sports car version of a DB that I saw at Bonneville a few years ago:
They were quite impressed that I knew what it was:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V92jB3d57Xc
It’s typical Formula Junior “death trap” but, it still looks like it needs a hug.