Art & Inspiration What do you do with a 1 of 3 110 year old car part?

So....many years ago, I acquired this grill and radiator. And had no idea what it was for...



Occasionally I would spend a night googling pictures of obscure European and American automobiles. I found a lot of stuff that was close. But never a match. I figured it was a late teens automobile. 1916-19 or so.

I was wrong. It's from a 1911. A 1911 Breese Paris to be exact.



There are 2 known to exist. Some say 3 prototypes were made and some sources say an additional 61 or 62 cars were built, but lost when the ship carrying them sunk.

If I am reading the Hemmings article correctly. This would be the grill and radiator from the third prototype.


Last two surviving Breese roadsters head to auction in Philadelphia
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/20...ese-roadsters-head-to-auction-in-philadelphia

So the question is....what do I do with it?

 

Build a speedster!

 

Hand build a body to match the original on a model a chassis with a flathead, drive it , tell people it's the lost prototype,drive those in the know crazy. otherwise, contact the owners of the others, they may know where the rest it it is

 

See if the person who purchased either of the two cars wants a wall hanger?

 

Contact the owners of the only "2 known to exist" and see if there's the possibility, they desire a spare.
Or a conversation starter wall hanger.

 

Hope the third one shows up and is only missing the radiator...

 

That’s amazing. First I would do like others and try to contact the other 2 owners. If no luck build a cool roadster with it.

 

You can use keys to straighten the horizontal runners I would just take my time do not sandblast or chemical dip it . Start by using small carbon wire brushes delicately at the open rusted areas then wet sand with 600 , 1000 , 1500 then 2500 and then 5000 . The 5000 I use an actual pad then I would put it in a good climate area maybe create a crate for it , shrink wrap it then mark it until you use it

 

Try to contact Robert Ballard (who found the Titanic) and see if he will find the other 61/62 Breese's for you... so you can use that grille

 

Take up deep sea diving.

Nice car.

 

Thats an amazing story. I would post the story on the AACA club site and take the highest bid. Goofball's like us like model A grill shell for garage art, The big shot brass car guys have more expensive taste

 

I don't know but the front wings on that car are pretty damn cool

 

To answer your question... Build a car around it!

 

Maybe take it over to Dagers and try to trade it for a whole car?

 

Speedster for sure. Has a bit of a whippet look to it. Let's be real... the odds of anyone recreating the whole car are pretty slim and nobody's gonna need it as a spare. If you hang it on the wall it'll never be out in the world to be appreciated.

 

Where did you find it?

 

Bob Ballard died a few years ago and I believe his ashes are with the titanic now. Not going to be much help to you now.

 

Put it on a VW

 

Now I zoomed in ( home now ) so that's a brass radiator so you need a brass wire brush for the actual radiator but the shell would be carbon unless it's aluminum shell

 

I curious to know how you came across the part/s you have for this vehicle.
Lucky you and a kinder nice story with it...

 

Make a custom replica of an original car as a hot rod. It doesn't look like the shape is to complex and would be a way cool fenderless roadster.

 

I'm sure that would come as a great surprise to him, as he is still alive.

 

How cool is that!

 

I would put it in stained wood case with a glass front for wall display.
Make an info plaque.
Leave it for the offspring to figure out.

 

Follow the paper trail and try to figure who the current owners are. Tell/show them what you have and share Your story, it may lead you to further information as to the identity of your piece of Breese history.

 

A must have for the crazy guy building a replica of that car. The problem is finding him.

 

How cool. Those fenders and shell make that car. Looks as though it’s flying. Yes how and the heck did you come to acquire that thing?
I sell that baby.

 

https://www.guildclassiccars.com/

Sell it to this guy, they'll build the rest of the car. He loves weird French cars they only built a few of.

OR, just use it on your own project.

 

Wow, that's interesting.
Build a speedster with similar front fenders.
Call it the "Flying None".

 

Jay Leno would probably sleep with it !