1908 Motobloc Type K

1901 - 1902 Automobiles Schaudel, Bordeaux. France
1902 - 1930 Automobiles Motobloc, Bordeaux, France

Charles Schaudel was a Bordeaux gunsmith who made bicycles from the mid-1890's, and in 1900 built a car which he exhibited at the Paris Salon. It wqas unusual in several ways, having an engine with two vertical cylinders mounted transversely in the frame, with the gearbox in the sump. This was the same layout that Sir Alec Issigonis used in the Mini nearly 60 years later. The engine was integral with the gearbox, which led to the name motobloc; this was originally a description of the design, and only became the name of the marque when Schaudel was bought out by his brother-in-law Emile Dombret. The rest of the car was conventional enough, with a tubular frame, single cain final drive and a rear entrance tonneau body. It was made until 1904, when completely new cars designed by Dombret appeared. These had 2 0r 4 cylinder engines, with inlet-over-exhaust valves and pressed steel frames. Their most distinctive feature, introduced in 1906, was the placement of the flywheel between the cylinders rather than at the end of the crankshaft. In 1907, when saft drive began to replace cains, there were five 4 cylinder models, from a 2798cc 18/22hp to a massive 11,655cc 60hp with oversquare cylinder dimensions of 160 x 145mm. This was offered for only one season (1907-1908). A light car with a 9hp 942cc single cylinder engine was offered in 1909, but thereafter Motoblocs were fours, joined in 1911 by their first six, the 3316cc Type AN. Two larger sixes followed, of 3617 and 4460cc. There were also fours of 1592, 2412, 3306 and 4070cc. They were well made and very conventional looking, and could easily be mistaken for a small Lancia or Mercedes. Most distinctive was the 20hp six which had a vee-radiator and electric lighting. Motobloc also made trucks and engines for motor boats. During the first World War they made shells and Salmson aero engines.

Times became more difficult after the war, as the had factory capacity to make 1500 cars a year, yet struggled to sell 300. Two models were offered initially, a 2412cc 12CV and a 2974cc 15CV, with pushrod overhead vcalves and, from 1922, front wheel brakes. They had vee-radiators and most came with disc wheels, but were not sufficiently distinctive to comperte with many othe makes offering similar cars. By 1924 there was a smaller car of 1323cc with single overhead camshaft engine, which was enlarged to 1450cc in 1927. Following a reorganisation of the firm, a new all-independantly sprung chassis was announced for 1930. Three 6 cylinder engines were planned for it, of 1.7, 2 and 2.3 litres, but it is not certain thqat all were made. A saloon and a cabriolet were shown at the 1930 Bordeaux Fair, alongside a light truck, a tractor and a motor boat, but that was the last gasp of Motobloc. There was a Motorbloc motorcycle made at Vichy after World War 11, but it is not thought to be connected with the Bordeaux cars.