Boite de vitesse (2) (longish)

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Last night, responding to Jorge Mazlumian, I wrote "I am fairly sure that I
have normally seen 'boite de vitesse' in French." This morning, seeking to
verify that, I ran across a pair of files, one an article by Simon Moore on
the Alfa 2300 at Le Mans which appeared in 'Automobiles Classiques' (#54,
Fevrier/Mars 1993) and the other a computer translation (AltaVista Babblefish
or some such) which I had run on the scan of the French text. Moore's text,
presumably written in English and translated to French by the magazine, had
used 'boite de vitesse' ("Ce beau moteur ` compresseur transmettait sa
puissance -- 135 ` 165 ch selon les versions - aux roues arrihre via un
embrayage ` disques multiples et une bonte de vitesses ` quatre rapports
montis ` la suite"). But the article was interesting enough, and the computer
translation charming enough, that I thought a few of you might enjoy reading
it, and others can key down. So, herewith. Enjoy -

"The Alfa Romeo 8C 2300, chef de oeuvre of the engineer Vittorio Jano, already
made the object of a detailed study in Classiques Automobiles ([n0] 20) about
a Spider Corsa type Mille Miglia. Before deepen the version here +The Mans;,
replaces an instant the 8 cylinders 2,3 liters in their context.

"The 8 cylinders in line, with its original taken of strength for the practice
of the two trees to cams in head, of supercharger and some different organs
annex, situated to the center of crankshaft is evidently the master piece of
this Alfa Romeo of legend. Originalities corollaries, the block, the brace to
ten landings and the [culasses], is all in two parts. This beautiful motor to
supercharger transmitted its strength--135 ` 165 [ch] according to the
versions- to the wheels rear via a gearing to multiple disks and a box of
speeds to four relationships gone up to the following. The same block equipped
three types of frame who deferred especially in their serif. For the remainder
they characterized by an abeyance to four springs to blades [semi] elliptic,
some brakes to rod and a rear guided bridge by a tube of thrust and of
action.

"The shortest of these frame also was the last to appear. With its 2 650 [mm]
of serif, he equipped the [biplace] of called errand +Monza;. The type +Corto;
intermediary in making 750 [mm] with 2, was reserved to the Spiders Corsa. The
version +Lungo; (3 100 [mm]) who was not initially destiny that to receive the
elegant bodyworks of tourism--coupes and especially cabriolets- knew a sporty
outlet in reality, and no some least. The history is unwound on three years.

"First shopping, first success

"The 8C 2300 knew the baptism of the errand to the opportunity of the Thousand
Miles of 1931, April 11, under the shape of +[spiders corsa]; executed by
Zagato on the frame said +Corto;. But the constructor [milanais] already had
in head an engagement to the 24 Hours of Mans. In this objective he had
confided therefore to Zagato, its usual supplier for the bodyworks of errand,
five frame to dress to the lightest possible but with four positions in order
to answer to the specific regulation of the big errand of French staying. It
imposed the recourse to the long frame evidently.

"The first 8C-2300 The Mans (number of frame 2111002) also was the first
committed in errand, winning the errand of Phoenix Park, to Dublin. To the
Mans, the car foreseen for the Campari crew/ Minoia not didn't materialize not
but two other underpin the departure 2111011 for Marinoni/ Zehender and
2111005 for the Howe crew/ Birkin.   The 24 Hours this year there returned to
Sir Tim Birkin and Howe Lord. The headland of the 3 000 [km] in twenty-four
hours was cleared for the first times.

"To the 24 Hours of Spa, some weeks latest, Birkin/Eyston didn't succeed in
bringing back 2111002 until the arrival but, with the same car- alleviated of
its guard- mud type motorbike- Birkin/Lewis obtained an enviable fourth
position to the Big Prize of Belgium, on the same circuit, the following
Sunday.

"In order to enclose the season, to the Tourist Trophy, to Ards, in Ireland of
North, the five copies underpin present: 2111002 with Tim Birkin, 2111003 with
Tazio Nuvolari, 2111005 with Howe Lord, 2111009 with Giuseppe Campari and
2111011 with Borzacchini.  The production of the first set didn't pass indeed
ever the five copies, same if in the years 80, several posteriors frame was
equipped of retorts of Zagato bodyworks type +The Mans;.

"In 1932, in part in reason of the financial difficulties of Zagato, Alfa
Romeo turned toward the Carrozzeria Touring in order to dress its patterns
Thousand Miglia (on the frame +Corto; like for the The Mans.

"One didn't count less five LM set 2 in the Sarthe June 18 1932. But the
bodyworks of Touring contained more steel that those of Zagato, the cars
underpin therefore heavier and less rapids. Adding and Chinetti in benefitted
the absolute victory with a for [rafler] +Corto; clothed in Paris by Figoni.
One said moreover that in order to satisfy to the authorized verifications,
Chinetti literally incrust the flying in the thorax in order to show some
positions decent rear to the finicky commissioners.  He is always that this
+2+ 2; before the hour carried away it, preceding two towers the alone
surviving LM, the one of Cortese/Guidotti (2211063). But the +long frame; took
a revenge in August, to the Tourist Trophy, when Howe Lord (2211065) carried
away it before Sir Tim Birkin (2211063). Incidentally 2211063 and 2211067 are
today the two alone The Mans Set 2 to have preserved the bodywork Touring
roadster of origin, the four other having all summer, to a moment or other
[`un], [recarrossies] in cabriolet or in coupe.

"Four victories or five?

"In 1933, the difference was the absence of the Alfa Romeo+ factory; to the
Mans. After the season 1932, the business [milanaise] had delegate its service
indeed errand to the Scuderia Ferrari. This not not implying not to the Mans,
let the free field to the private mewses. Who more eastern, he was foreseen a
third set of patterns LM. He distinguished some two precedents by the position
of reservoir of oil under the frame. The opening of replenishment left
henceforth of side of pilots (on the right) and neither of side of momentary.
To defect of the LM Set 3 (2311201) of Howe Lord, unwell, he was two of it to
the departure, a for Chiron/Cortese who didn't rally the arrival, the other
for Lewis/Richard rose who finished third. One ignores however who of these
two cars was 2311202 and who was 2311204. Two LM Set 2 completed the
blackboard, the 2211067 of Moll/Cloitre who abandoned, and the one, no
identified, of Chinetti/+Varent; (alias Philippe of Gunzburg) who took the
second position behind Add/Nuvolari. To 401 meters. The victorious Alfa Romeo
this army was again one times a +Corto;, a similar Figoni to the one of the
previous edition.

"An ultimate+ Lungo; to bodywork Touring LM (2311248) was constructed in 1934
but he is to little near certain that she was not in the Sarthe this year
there. It is Etancelin/Chinetti who won the edition 1934 on a +Corto;
[carrossie] by Brianza, while an other+Corto;, the one of Adding/Felix, had
been constraint to the abandonment after only fourteen towers.

"In 1935, Alfa Romeo failed a fifth successive victory to the Mans in some
very strange circumstanceses. +Heldi; (alias the banker Pierre Pierre-Louis
Dreyfus) and Stoffel already escalated on the rostrum when the promoters
[pritexthrent] a mistake in the [dicompte] of the towers and declared winners
the British Fonths/Hindmarsh and the Lagonda. The car of +Heldi;/Stoffel, a
Set 3 Touring (2311204) who in was its second 24 Hours of Mans, would have
carried 2 against 3 the [score] of the +Lungo; against the +Corto;. What that
he is of it, the Alfa Romeo 8C-2300 let a superb trace in the history of the
24 Hours of Mans."
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