1950 | Hotchkiss 864

1950 Hotchkiss 864 s49 Languedoc '50

€59,950
🇧🇪Dealer

Description

  • Amazing piece of French history
    - Ready to roll and in good condition
    - ‘La voiture du juste milieu’ (the golden mean’s car), very versatile: both a solid investment as well as a fun Sunday drive
    - Almost a museum artifact

    Hotchkiss not only enriched the history books as a manufacturer of automobiles but was, in a sense, a jack-of-all-trades, with several core businesses.

    It was established in France in 1875 by a gunsmith that held as last name ‘Hotchkiss’. After fleeing his homeland, the United States, right when the American Civil War ended, the man went to France and focused solely on making weapons and cannons. However, after his death in 1885, his associate decided to tap into a broader market. They started producing crankshafts, engine valves, connecting rods, eventually they started manufacturing cars in the early 20th century, an activity that would define almost their entire further history.

    Their cars were cleverly designed, only three engines and four body configurations were ever used and their cost-effective and pragmatic transmission design, often referred to as 'Hotchkiss drive' was applauded by fellow automakers.

    The First World War had a disastrous impact on Hotchkiss’ car production. Strategically, the brand chose for further manufacturing of weapons on a large scale, as a Hotchkiss machine gun became the universal attribute for the French soldier. During the interwar period, car production resumed. Hotchkiss built state-of-the-art sports and luxury cars of the highest possible quality, proving their expertise with consecutive victories in the Monte Carlo Rally, as they won the rally in 1932, 1933, 1934, and 1939.

    In anticipation of the looming Second World War, Hotchkiss built around a thousand tanks for the French army between 1935 and 1940. After the war, with Europe and the economy in recovery, the number of car orders plummeted, leading to an impending bankruptcy that was prevented by a large batch of orders from the French government. Post-war, Hotchkiss produced jeeps for Willys MB, acquired the well-known Delahaye-Delage in 1954, and in 1966, the company was absorbed by Thomson-Houston, a major electronics and defence company.

    The logo depicting two cannons pays homage to the roots of the luxury car brand that positioned itself, translated freely, as ‘the golden mean’ (originally 'la voiture du juste milieu'), somewhere between the offerings of Renault and Peugeot on one side and Bugatti and Talbot on the other.

    Hotchkiss 864 S49

    In 1948, Hotchkiss presented the 864 S49 at the Paris Motor Show. It is a descendant of the 486 and the 686 that Hotchkiss built in the 1930s before the war.

    Not many of them remain in a good condition, showing how rare they are. For collectors, this is the perfect opportunity to acquire a road-ready 864.

    Technical information:

    Body work

    - Length (cm): 476 (187 inch)
    - Width (cm): 143 (56 inch)
    - Wheelbase (cm): 293 (115 inch)
    - Weight (kg): 1300 (2866 lbs)

    Mechanics

    - Engine: straight-four 2312 cc front-engine
    - Valve gear: 8
    - Fuel system: 1 carburettor
    - Gear box: 4-speed manual
    - Transmission: RWD
    - Right-steered
    - power: 65 hp (48 kW) at 3500 t/m
    - Top speed: 120 km/h (75 mph)

Vehicle details

Vehicle data

Make
Hotchkiss
Model name
864
First registration date
Not provided
Year of manufacture
1950
Mileage (read)
53,720 km
Chassis number
Not provided
Engine number
Not provided
Gearbox number
Not provided
Matching numbers
Yes
Previous owners
Not provided

Technical details

Body style
Convertible
Power (kW/hp)
51/70
Cubic capacity (ccm)
2312
Cylinders
4
Doors
2
Steering
Right (RHD)
Gearbox
Manual
Gears
Not provided
Transmission
Rear
Front brakes
Drum
Rear brakes
Drum
Fuel type
Petrol

Individual configuration

Exterior color
Others
Manufacturer color name
-
Interior color
Others
Interior material
Others

Optional equipment

Rechtslenker

Condition, registration & documentation

Has Report
Registered
Ready to drive

Location

Logo of Oldtimerfarm

Oldtimerfarm

Xavier Molenaar

Steenweg op Deinze 51C

9880 Aalter

🇧🇪 Belgium

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