BRAZIER – year 1905

Automobile Brasier Company, Ivry Port, France.

Thanks to Mercedes' victory in 1903 of the year, the fifth competition for the Gordon Bennett Cup was held in Germany. The route was mapped out in the Taunus Mountains. Despite the large share of German Mercedes, which also competed in the colors of Austria-Hungary, Leon Thery won on the French Brasier car, thanks to which the cup was back in France, which was therefore obliged to organize the sixth competition of this type. Organizers – after the sad experience of the Paris-Madrid race – prepared the track in Auvergne with the greatest care. The surface was covered with a special dust-free mixture, Barriers have been placed along the route, and the cars started at five-minute intervals. Leon Thery also showed excellent this time, smooth ride, which earned him the nickname "Chronometer” and triumphed on the route of length 549 km in time 7:02:42.

Victorious Brasier car had a four-cylinder engine with a cylinder diameter 160 mm and piston stroke 140 mm. At total capacity 11 200 cm3 has reached power 70,6 kW (96 KM) by 1200 RPM. Two cylinders constituted one cast, so that the engine consisted of two blocks with valves placed on the sides. The maximum engine speed was regulated by a centrifugal regulator. The mixture was ignited from the magneto. The fan supported water cooling with forced water circulation. The plunger oil pump lubricated the engine. This device was taken from steam engines, in which it was used for condensation lubrication of the cylinders. A decompressor is used to facilitate the manual ignition of the 11-liter engine. The driving force was transmitted via a cone clutch to a three-speed gearbox, located on the frame in one housing with a differential. The drive was transferred to the rear wheels via two roller chains. Rigid axles suspended on semi-elliptical springs were damped by friction shock absorbers. One of the brakes acted on the differential, and the other one directly on the rear wheels. The diameter of the front wheels was slightly smaller than that of the rear wheels. All spoke wheels were made of wood. Capacity fuel tank 125 liters, it was also a seat for the driver and mechanic. A car with a weight 950 kg reached a speed of approx 140 km/h.

W 1905 The year ended the six-year history of the Gordon Bennett racing silver cup. The Brasier company, after some serious successes in the Grand Prix competition, ceased to exist in 1930 r.