Darmont photo find (UPDATE: Spécial)

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Look at this little three-wheeler. It was sent to us by Patrice Cordier from Paris, who tells us that it belonged to his parents around 1935. Just imagine what it would be like to take your loved one along for a holiday to the Côte d’Azur. Motor down on one of the almost deserted Routes Nationales; the RN7 from Paris to -let's say- St. Tropez would be nice. Then think of the peace and quietness while enjoying the gentle crystal-blue water of the Mediterranean Sea. Yes, we’re still talking 1930s! Back to reality: Patrick thinks the three-wheeler could be British manufactured. We tend to think it’s a Darmont made in France. Who can tell us more about this particular model? Mail us (RB)

Update III by editor Rutger Booy: Frédéric Viginier from France likes to form a register of all known Darmot three-wheelers. If you own a Darmont and think that Frédéric doesn’t know about it, let us know, and we’ll be happy to forward the information.
Update II from Jean-Frederic Frot: “The Darmont brothers took over the French distributorship for Morgans circa 1919. By 1921 they had negotiated a manufacturing licence from HFS Morgan and started to manufacture Morgans using a mixture of imported parts and locally made ones. In 1925, they introduced a racing model called the Darmont Special using a home made copy of the Blackburne engine. This model was so popular that Darmont decided to offer it to a wide clientele and equipped it with wings and headlights like the one on the photo. It was produced until 1939 when the factory was requisitioned by the German army. It was so dilapidated when Roger Darmont recovered it in 1945, that he decided not to resume production.”
Update I by Luc Ryckaert: “Due to the victory of Mc Minnies in a Morgan at the first Cyclecar Grand Prix at Amiens, Morgans became very popular in France and sold well. In 1919 there came an agreement with the Malvern factory to produce a French "Darmont-Morgan". Initially, the models were identical on both sides of the Channel. Over the years, Darmont became independent and produced new models of which the "Darmont Spécial" and "Etoile de France" are best known. Regarding the silencers, I guess the pictured model is a mid thirties Darmont Spécial, with an OHV engine and capable of speeds between 120 and 140 km/h, depending on engine specification.”

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