Engine: 1 cylinder, horizontal (air cooled) 3.35" bore (131.9mm) 5.75" stroke (209.3mm) 50.1 cubic inch (822 cc) 2 hp @ 800rpm Manufacturer: Automobiles Leon Bollee LeMans, France Price when new: $3,750 Introduced in 1896, Léon Bollée's motorized tricycle was powered by a horizontal, one-cylinder engine that displaced 822 cubic centimeters and achieved 800 noisy revolutions per minute. It was rated at two horsepower--enough to propel the 350-pound vehicle to a top speed of 27 mph. Features include belt drive, arm and link steering, platinum tube ignition, and a seating arrangement that placed the driver safely behind the passenger. The small gas tank provided a 72-mile cruising range, and the tricar cost one cent per mile to operate. The driver steered with his or her right hand, while the left hand operated a versatile lever that changed gears, applied the wooden brake pad, and engaged or disengaged the leather driving belt, depending upon whether the lever was pushed, pulled, or twisted. After a promising showing in the 1,063-mile 1896 Paris-Marseilles-Paris race, the Léon Bollée tricars were entered in the inaugural London-to-Brighton event where two finished in second and third places. The tandem tricar was built until 1899, and of the hundreds of Léon Bollée tricars built, very few survive. The car displayed here bears serial number 891. HISTORY Léon Bollée was the son of Amédée Bollée, a pioneer in steam road vehicle production in France. In the 1890s, France was the center of the fledgling automobile industry and it was in that environment that Léon Bollée created the tandem tricar. Due to a heart condition, Bollée's physician had ordered him not to ride his bicycle prompting young Léon to adapt the gasoline engine to his favorite transportation. The tandem tricar filled the need for light, speedy vehicles, and he set up a factory and produced them as direct competiton to the popular deDion motorized tricycle. Léon Bollée eventually built a number of full-sized automobiles, and in 1924 Sir William Morris bought the LeMans factory. The Morris-Léon Bollée enterprise was not a success and production ceased in 1933. COACHBUILDER: Automobiles Léon Bollée, LeMans, France History: see Manufacturer