Le Monstre: strange apparitions at the Le Mans circuit

Posted on 13-06-2014 at 18:13 by sir_smokalot – 12 Comments”

Anyone who thinks that the Nissan Deltawing (and Zeod RC) a foreign participant in the 24 hours of Le Mans, will be somewhat disappointed. In the early 50’s was a very special Cadillac.

The circuit of the Sarthe has always foreign participants known, or to the DB Panhards with petieterige 750 cc flat twin motors the 24 uitreden or a Fiat Dino Spider that is slightly modified part, after the race just as a used car to be sold.

One of the most strange creations remains in my eyes the in 1950, registered Cadillac Briggs Cunningham, that as by the French public –lovingly – was renamed in “Le Monstre“. Cunningham was an American racelegende and millionaire who chose Cadillac because the 1950 Caddy the most hot car was that you could buy. In that year, Cadillac namely the V8 with overhead valves was introduced, a motor, which is the blueprint for all future American manufacturers, Ford and Chrysler included.

Cunningham didn’t half work, he bought himself two Cadillac Coupes, let alone listen to there by Grumman (an aircraft factory) a streamlined aluminium body to fit and that was the Le Monstre. Cunningham introduced a new interpretation of the American racekleuren that is always blue-white had been, a blue top with white side panels, the guy would a few years later, our beloved racing stripes find it.

That Caddy’s were the supercars of the early fifties, only a Jaguar XK 120 or a DB2 Aston Martin was something they accomplish, but in terms of pure power and reliability, there was little that they file. They were equipped with a 3-speed gearbox, Bendix brakes with ratification, a special steering and an independent front suspension.

Unfortunately it was Cunningham as stubborn to the idea of a folding shovel to carry in the wind to hit, he drove himself stuck in a sandbank with Le Monstre (who has well crash barriers needed?) and had more than twenty minutes to themselves to dig with….a borrowed shovel from a spectator.

The Caddy’s should besides not above the 4400 RPM (rpm), because the valves were floating, in that time if you don’t your engine itself modified, but still they managed to finished in a respectable 10th place for the Coupé, with bumpers and radio (!) and Le Monstre was number 11.

And Briggs Cunningham?

Well, who had the taste to tackle, he would have many occasions to shine at Le Mans with by himself built and developed cars and become a legend.

With thanks to @desjonnies for this guest article!
Photo credit: Cadillacclub.ch