1904 Talbot Type CT2K 9/11 HP Twin Cylinder Rear-Entrance Tonneau

The name Talbot is inextricably linked in the veteran era with that of Adolphe Clément who had commenced motor car production as early as 1899, graduating like so many contemporary French manufacturers from the bicycle industry and also active involvement in the development of the pneumatic tyre. Clément's earliest cars adopted the ubiquitous De Dion Bouton engines, while a Clément-Panhard was also built to the design of Commandant Krebs of Panhard-Levassor fame. Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury, lent his name in 1903 to a new company established in England to import French Clément-Bayard motor cars. The Clément, Talbot, Bayard history is at best complicated and the marketing of their cars and branding thereof perhaps appeared somewhat random. This car carries supplier's plates on the footboards bearing the name of Clement Talbot Ltd, Ladbroke Grove, North Kensington and the Veteran Car Club of GB, in dating the car, record it as a Talbot. Whatever the nomenclature there is no doubting that this is a car of quality for which all the aforementioned brand names were highly respected.

Mechanical specification includes a twin-cylinder engine with separately cast cylinders and two camshafts operating the side inlet and exhaust valves. A Prested coil provides the spark along with a Ruthardt magneto and a Dubrulle oiler no.7203 provides the lubrication. Drive is through a three-speed gearbox with shaft final drive. Semi-elliptic leaf springs provide for passenger comfort and the car sits on 30 x 3 1/2in beaded edge tyres.

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