:: [  cca 1939 Mochet Velocar, Puteaux, France   ] ::

Our Member Michel Gosset, who has in his collection of cars a Robin Reliant, a Citroen 5CV, a Mk 7 Jaguar, an XK 150, the ex Bernie Ecclestone 1955 Connaught F1 Type B Streamliner etc etc, - is also a keen photographer and has provided the bulk of the fascinating photos on our website about both of the Goodwoods and Prescott etc. Michel is also a keen darkroom developer of films. He recently found amongst his father’s things a roll of early 1940’s exposed but undeveloped film. He treated the film very gingerly and developed it very carefully, and to his surprise the film had survived and pictures started to appear. To his even greater surprise he discovered the pictures related to the day that Paris was liberated. The photos would have been taken by his father Claude Gosset in the afternoon of the 26th of August in 1944, and just after de Gaulle had walked down the Champs Elysees to go to the Notre Dame. The film had lain undisturbed and unseen ever since. Amongst the photos, which were featured in the SVVS Magazine, was one which showed some elderly cars. The older car is a De Dion Bouton and the newer car is a Simca. However caught in the left foreground of the picture is a very strange looking cycle-car type of machine, which intrigued. Michel then looked into this further and came up with the answer. The machine is a French cca 1939 Mochel Velocar.
                   

There is quite a lot of information available on Charles Mochet and the fascinating machines he built, but for the purposes of this item the most succinct information is on a most fascinating site dealing with microcars and really worth visiting at www.microcarmuseum.com. They have kindly agreed that we can include their photos and description in this item:

    

1938 Mochet Velocar Type H

This model was the final version of the pedal-powered Velocar as seen just before and after the Occupation of France by the Germans from 1940 to 1945. Along with the other models of Velocar that preceded it, it became virtually a symbol of the Occupation, and is remembered even today as such. It was the most sophisticated mode of transport available to a fuel-starved population, and owners were considered fortunate indeed. This restored example is seen in its correct original painted plywood finish. It has the vertical "cut off" tail of the late models, ready to be fitted with a fuel tank and motor if so desired. 

A series of motorised cyclecars followed, then three wheelers, and later small cars. These were manufactured up to as recently as 1957. Photo left shows a Mochet Velocar on the streets of London and photo right shows Miss France 1957 sitting on the bonnet of a later Mochet CM 125 Y.

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