:: [  cca 1901 Begot et Cail , Reims, France   ] ::

The following photos were received from Emmanuel Abit, from France. Emmanuael  is a French car collector with a very unusual car. He knows the car is a Begot et Cail, that it was built in approximately 1901, that the serial number is 135 and that it has a De Dion Bouton engine with the serial number 4442. He asked if we could get more information on this actual car and the make. 

    

We are trying to obtain some more recent history on this car from Emmanuel. The only information on the make that we have so far been able to find if from Georgano's Encyclopedia which advises: 

Begot et Mazurie, Begot et Cail (1900 - 1902) Reims, France

Begot et Mazurie were general engineers who made a few voiturettes with 4hp single cylinder engines of oversquare dimensions (100 x 95mm). They were front-mounted, and final drive was by double chains. In 1901 two light cars appeared under the name Begot et Cail. One had a 5hp single cylinder De Dion engine, and the other a 7hp V-twin of their own make.

    

It would therefore seem that this car is the one referred to in the book, which gives it interesting provenance. The maker's plate advises " Begot et Cail    Usines a Reims    4 Rue Charras, Paris ". There is no engine identification plate.



This is one of the make of cars that has gone into the English Quiz folklore because the British manage to mispronounce foreign  names and come up with something rhyming. Many continental cars once imported into Britain had their awkward-sounding names modified by mechanics and chauffeurs. Thus, the once-popular De Dion Boutons became Ding-Dongs, Metallurgique became Metally-jerk, Vinot et Deguingand became Veeno, and then Eno. The Hispano-Suiza was dubbed Banana Squeezer, the Isotta-Fraschini became I-Shot a-Flash-Sheeny, and the Begot et Mazurie inevitably turned into a Bag o' Misery.

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