Description
For sale in our forthcoming auction 'Retromobile the Official Sale', on 2 February 2024 :
French title
Chassis no. CRB. 1/ 1085
Engine no. 804-00* 2947*
- One of the rare "tubular" versions, 15 examples.
- Professionally restored by E. P. A. F.
- The first milestone in the Matra saga
- Eligible for Tour Auto, Le Mans Classic and Targa Florio
- No reserve
This René Bonnet Djet III is quite simply exceptional: it is the 14th of 15 examples built between 1962 and 1963 for competition, of which only 8 are still in existence (according to brand historian Gérard Scherer, author of a book on René Bonnet), one in the Le Mans museum, one in the Lohéac museum and one in the Matra museum in Romorantin. Built by René Bonnet in Champigny, with bodywork and chassis fabricated in the Chappe brothers' workshops in Brie-Comte-Robert, these berlinettes innovated by featuring a central engine position (a first for a touring car), and their tubular chassis encased in fiberglass resin confirmed their resolutely sporty nature. It should be remembered that on production Djets, the tubular structure gave way to a beam chassis, which was easier to produce but also heavier. The Djet III made its mark on circuits, rallies and hill climbs in France and abroad. The Tour de France automobile, the Targa Florio, the 12 hours of Sebring, the 12 hours of Reims, the 1000 km of Nurburgring, the 1000 km of Monthléry and the Tour of Corsica, to name but the most prestigious.
The owner has owned it since 1982, but it's worth recalling that in May 1965, at the age of 21, he was a Djet salesman on avenue de la grande armée in Paris, the first store opened by Matra after the acquisition of René Bonnet. Years later, after seeing an advertisement in the November 1981 issue of La vie de l'auto, he decided to buy the car, restore it and enter it in historic competitions in France, England, Holland and Italy, where it performed brilliantly, including a 3rd place in Brands Hatch behind two Lotus Elites (results and photos in the file). But in 1986, on the Dijon circuit, a mechanical incident caused the car to run off the track, and the adventure ended there. However, our driver kept it, and in 2007 decided to put it back on the road. The car underwent a state-of-the-art restoration. The chassis and bodywork were entrusted to Jean-Paul Humbert's E. P. A. F. workshop in Romorantin, known for its work on Matra prototypes and single-seaters, and the owner of the original plans and molds, marble chassis assemblies, contacts with suppliers of the time and unrivalled know-how.
The 1148 cm3 Gordini hemispherical cylinder head engine, rebuilt by Bozon in Neuilly sur Seine, was dyno-tested and rated at 105 hp (2 hours of use, to be run in), fitted with Mondial forged pistons, balanced, deburred, squared and polished connecting rods, and fed by Weber carburetors with long bored cones.
The original Renault Estafette gearbox was reassembled with new René Bonnet competition gear by the excellent Christian Péan at E. P. A. F., ex-mechanic at the Courage team at Le Mans. He also reassembled all the mechanics on this car, including the magnesium hub carriers at the rear and aluminum ones at the front, the Uniball ball joints, the De Carbon spring-damper combinations, serviced at Ohlins, the 70-liter aluminum fuel tank and stainless-steel exhaust, etc. This René Bonnet Djet coupe was originally one of the most original sports cars of the early 1960s, its mid-engine architecture subsequently being used on numerous models such as the De Tomaso Vallelunga or the Lotus Europe. Its tubular structure is emblematic of the quest for lightness and performance, in a similar vein to Alfa Romeo's TZ "Tubolare". Its heated windscreen comes from the Alfa Romeo Giulia SS, and the curvature of its roof is inspired by the Giulietta Sprint and its mouth by the Lotus Elite, but the rear bubble, truncated rear end, innovative mid-engine and chassis inherited from a single-seater racing car are far more original.
The engine still needs to be break in, the running gear and ride height adjusted, and finally the exemplary condition and rarity of this Djet III Multitubulaire, eligible for the Tour Auto, Le Mans Classic, Targa Florio and numerous international events, should be enough to convince enthusiasts.
It remains the first milestone in the Matra Automobile saga, from Formula 1/ 2/ 3 to prototype sports, Le Mans victories and Jackie Stewart's F1 world championship titles.
