1924 Chenard & Walcker T5 Roadster

The Chenard & Walcker two-liter T5 traces its lineage to the marque’s three-liter overhead-cam engine that achieved a 1-2-3 finish at the inaugural Le Mans in 1923, repackaged in a broader market form. A testament to the far reach of the company at that point, this T5 Roadster was sold new to Australia, where it was shipped to Mr. Manalac of Melbourne and bodied with coachwork by Coffey Brothers of Richmond, Victoria.

Its second owner is believed to have been Alf Fairfax of Sydney, who raced the car before selling it in 1929 to garagiste Maurice Gascoigne of Bexley, New South Wales. Gascoigne laid the car up from 1931 to 1954, and then returned it to the road and used it regularly until his death 20 years later.

In 1980, his family elected to sell the Roadster, at which point it passed into the hands of noted UK collector Frank Woolley of Hampshire.

After passing through several collectors during the active UK market of the 1980s, and receiving the refurbishment it wears today, the Chenard was acquired by a passionate Francophile, Abraham Kogan, circa 1992. Of like minds in their car tastes, the Chenard was snapped up by Mr. Mullin in 2004, residing as part of his collection ever since.

A rare and wonderful example of the important marque that was the winner of one of the most important races of all time.