Problematic Pilain

1911 PilAiN 16/20hP

back in 1979 I was offered the mortal remains of a 1911 Pilain. It had been discovered by a friend in a flour mill in the Jura mountains on France’s Eastern border and had been cut in half to allow the engine to drive the mill’s generator. I had always fancied an Edwardian and the Pilain’s round radiator and 3.1-litre T-head engine, so typical of the era, seduced me. Renowned for its quality of construction, the Société des Automobiles Pilain lasted only from 1902 to 1917.

As they do, things got in the way of the restoration: quite apart from the search for appropriate spares and accessories, there was the lucky acquisition and rebuild of a 1903 De Dion-Bouton and the purchase and renovation of our Victorian curacy to occupy my time and money, as well as the need to earn a living. Nevertheless, the heap of components eventually became a car, thanks to the mechanical wizardry of James Gunn of Ecurie Fusil; it had only taken four decades to get there!

Faced with making its public debut recently at the Warren Classic concours, the Pilain decided to throw a fit of stage fright. Having started easily in the garage, it refused to start once it was shown fresh air, and I had to resort to my Lawn King ride-on mower to tow it out of the drive to be winched onto the lorry that was taking it to the event.

OK, it had been driven into the garage, so I had no doubts about its ability to be driven into position once it reached The Warren golf club. But no, it could be started but had lost drive to the rear wheels, and had to spend the day in splendid isolation in the lee of the P&A Wood stand.

A shame, really, as I would have liked to have seen it alongside the other cars in its wonderfully eclectic class of ‘Racing and Sports Cars’, which included an S-Type low-chassis Invicta (the eventual Best of Show), Paul Wood’s 1936 Austin Seven Speedy, a Ford GT40 (a real one), a Dodge Viper and a 2007 Piper GTR Le Mans.

I didn’t have time to attend to it on the day, as I was busy judging. The following week, the wizards at P&A Wood found the problem: one of the driving dogs in the rear hubs wasn’t engaging with the half shaft. A cure was effected, which should stop it happening again. The Pilain arrived home one Saturday morning, started and ran readily (turns out I’d inadvertently left a vent tap closed, inhibiting the engine’s ability to suck fuel through the updraught Zenith) and I was able to drive the car down the drive and into the garage.

There’s much to learn, apart from the quirks of the eccentric lubrication system. The multiplate clutch is fierce and the steering heavy at parking speeds, but practice will, I hope, make perfect. It’s had its hours of glory on its first outing; now the real work begins!