Free up your con-rods at the Débloc-Bielles rally

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Freeing up the con-rods after winter is the specific purpose of one of the first events of the year on the Belgian calendar: the Débloc-Bielles, organised by the Royal Veteran Car Club Belgium. The 29 entries are cars and motorcycles built before 1919, and they started on 27 April from Cuesmes near Mons for a 80-kilometer run.

Some don't come from a one-winter hibernation but from literally decades of standstill. The 1906 Darracq was bought from the family of the first owner, Mr Croquet of Charleroi, who bought it new at the Darracq-Palace in Brussels. The big 4,8 litre engined beauty has its first run today and performs brilliantly, carefully driven by its proud new owner.

The entry list is eclectic (and the drivers eccentric, in some cases…), going from a low-powered De Dion Bouton vis-à-vis, through the posh Delauney-Belleville to the ultimate 6-cylinder McLaughlin, whose chauffeur has a real Mr Toad appearance. A 1913 Stanley steamer charabanc always draws a crowd, as does the 1907 Nagant, a rare Belgian racing machine. Other marques present are Cottereau, Humberette, Zédel, Ford, Buick, Clément, Hillman, etc...

As important as running the cars is meeting old and new friends. It is so nice to see youngsters in cars as well. One family has a grandfather, his two sons, and three grandchildren participating in three cars: a father and son are in the oldest car entered, a primitive 1899 Decauville, his brother takes the full family in a magnificent 1907 Lorraine-Dietrich, and grandfather goes in a fabulous 1902 Renault racer. Soon these kids will have driving licences themselves and because of events like today, they will want to keep the family traditions alive, using the cars for what they were built for: being on the road.

The day starts a bit rainy, making the damp rural roads a bit slippery sometimes, but all cars are driven in safety. The roads that lead us through the Borinage and even a few miles into France are hilly enough to test our vehicles for perfect running. Not all of the machines like it. Today's test shows that winter storage can give a few surprises. The V-twin 1916 AJS motorcycle often runs on one cylinder only, other machines have tyre trouble, and I notice that quite a few problems are linked to fuel systems. I think old cars don't like modern petrol...

Words and photographs by Nick Jonckheere.

Aggiunga un commento...