Description
The A presents the Talbot-Lago T14 America V8 Barchetta
1958 chassis · BMW V8 2, 476 cc · ZF five-speed gearbox
This Talbot-Lago combines the rarity of a T14 America chassis with the sporting elegance of a bespoke body inspired by the roadsters fielded by the marque at the 1956 Le Mans 24 Hours.
Its Le Mans blue silhouette captures the characteristic proportions of these competition motorcars: a long bonnet, enveloping wings, a low windscreen and an open cockpit. The exposed bonnet straps, Jaeger instrumentation and black leather trim extend this evocation of the 1950s.
A chassis from a confidential series
Bearing the number 140076B, this chassis belongs, according to certification established in 1999 by Dominique Dupont, then president of the Talbot Club, to a series of 23 Talbot America chassis, numbered from 140056B to 140078B.
Two certificates accompany its provenance. They trace its passage through the stock of vehicles and parts acquired by Georges Grignard following the liquidation of the Talbot factories, then taken over by Dominique Dupont.
They also identify its BMW V8 engine, a particularly rare motorisation: only 12 T14 Americas are said to have been equipped with it. They specify that the chassis, preserved incomplete, subsequently received its roadster body.
A characterful engine
This example combines a T14 chassis and T14 rear axle with a BMW V8 engine of 2, 476 cc, developing 120 bhp at 6, 200 rpm, coupled to a ZF five-speed gearbox. This five-speed transmission constitutes a remarkable technical feature of its configuration.
According to the data provided, 0 to 100 km/ h is achieved in 8 seconds, for a top speed of 230 km/ h.
The engine and gearbox were overhauled in the early 2000s, respectively by Bozon and by ZF.
The lines of the Talbot-Lago Le Mans Sport
Created by Christophe Labrière, this body follows, according to the Talbot Club certification, the plans of the Talbot-Maserati Le Mans 1956 roadster. It is entirely constructed in aluminium, as is the fuel tank.
Aesthetic continuity lies at the heart of its identity. It harks back to the 2 Talbot-Lago Sport 2500s fielded by the marque at the 1956 Le Mans 24 Hours: roadsters with fluid, compact lines, conceived around a six-cylinder engine.
This example extends their stylistic expression whilst maintaining its own technical identity, that of an America chassis combined with a BMW V8, each sourced from the Talbot factory.
A particular administrative identity
The French registration document mentions the Talbot marque, the chassis number 140076B and a first registration date of 1 January 1958, under the particular designation "14EXPLAGOAME".
This inscription could correspond to an administrative contraction of a historical specification linked to the registration of this singular vehicle. The hypothesis of a designation with an experimental prototype character remains to be confirmed by factory archives.
Through its provenance, its engine and its silhouette, this unique roadster offers a personal interpretation of the Talbot-Lago heritage, intended for the enthusiast sensitive to the history of a chassis, the beauty of a body, artisanal craftsmanship and the spirit of racing.
Same owner since 2001.
Road and circuit use.
Comprehensive file, photographs and video available upon request.
The A Paris
