Jean-Albert Grégoire
Encyclopedia
Jean-Albert Grégoire was one of the great pioneers of the front-wheel drive
car. He contributed to the development of front wheel drive vehicles in two ways. The first way was in developing and promoting the Tracta joint (designed by his friend Pierre Fenaille), which was, until manufacturing techniques had progressed sufficiently to allow the successful manufacture of the constant velocity joints commonly in use today, the preferred choice of most manufactures of vehicles that had driven front wheels. Tracta joints were used by many of the pioneers of front wheel drive, including DKW
between 1929 and 1936 and Adler from 1932 to 1939 as well as the cars designed by J A Grégoire that will be mentioned later. The Tracta joint was fitted to most of the military vehicles that had driven front wheels used by most of the combatants in the Second World War. They included Laffly and Panhard
in France
, Alvis
and Daimler
in the UK and Willys
in the USA that used the joint in a quarter of a million Jeeps and many others. This was to continue after the war, the first Land Rover
being so fitted.
The second way he contributed to the development of front wheel drive vehicles was in designing and in some cases manufacturing front wheel drive cars. The Tracta
Gephi was his first design and it was this car that inspired him to design a constant velocity joint. All subsequent Tracta cars, and there were about two hundred manufactured between 1927 and 1932, used it. The first of these was raced at Le Mans
in 1927 completing the 24 hour race. The Tracta cars used engines from S.C.A.P. from 1100 cc to 1600 cc, and Continental and Hotchkiss
, from 2700 cc to 3300 cc.
J .A. Grégoire designed an 11cv 6 cylinder car for Donnet
in 1932. Only four prototypes were produced, one being shown at the Paris Salon of 1932 before Donnet went into liquidation. He then worked with Lucian Chenard to design two cars for Chenard et Walcker
. They were of advanced design but were not a commercial success. In 1937 he designed the Amilcar Compound
, produced by Hotchkiss from 1938 to the Second World War, by which time 681 examples had been made. It was constructed using another of Grégoire's ideas, a cast Alpax (light alloy) chassis frame. Other advanced features were rack and pinion steering and all independent suspension. But the car had its bad points, cable brakes and gear-change linkage and a side valve engine although the latter was still common at this time. An overhead valve version came later. During the Second World War he secretly worked with his design team at his works at Asnières-sur-Seine
on a small car the Aluminium "Francais-Gregoire". It had a chassis-body frame of light alloy, front wheel drive, an air-cooled flat twin engine and independent suspension on all wheels. A four-seat car weighting only 880 pounds (399.2 kg) and could reach 60 mi/h while returning 70 mpg. This design was to form the basis of the 1950 "Dyna
" Panhard
. In 1950 another Hotchkiss car the "Hotchkiss-Gregoire", was produced again with an alloy chassis and body. With independent suspension on all four wheels and fitted with a water cooled flat four engine of 2 litres, ahead of the front axle, it was fast, with a top speed of 94 mi/h, but the car was expensive and only 250 examples were made by 1954. In 1956 Grégoire produced a two seat convertible with a 2.2 litre supercharged flat four engine producing 130 bhp and, as in the case of the cars mentioned previously, front wheel drive. All of ten cars made were fitted with bodies designed and built by Henri Chapron
.
All the cars mentioned previously were front wheel drive cars. Grégoire also designed a couple of rear wheel drive machines, the first an electric car with the machinery in the mid engine position and a gas turbine
car the experimental Socema-Gregoire with a front power unit and rear drive layout.
Front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive is a form of engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel drive and...
car. He contributed to the development of front wheel drive vehicles in two ways. The first way was in developing and promoting the Tracta joint (designed by his friend Pierre Fenaille), which was, until manufacturing techniques had progressed sufficiently to allow the successful manufacture of the constant velocity joints commonly in use today, the preferred choice of most manufactures of vehicles that had driven front wheels. Tracta joints were used by many of the pioneers of front wheel drive, including DKW
DKW
DKW is a historic German car and motorcycle marque. The name derives from Dampf-Kraft-Wagen .In 1916, the Danish engineer Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen founded a factory in Zschopau, Saxony, Germany, to produce steam fittings. In the same year, he attempted to produce a steam-driven car, called the DKW...
between 1929 and 1936 and Adler from 1932 to 1939 as well as the cars designed by J A Grégoire that will be mentioned later. The Tracta joint was fitted to most of the military vehicles that had driven front wheels used by most of the combatants in the Second World War. They included Laffly and Panhard
Panhard
Panhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Alvis
Alvis Cars
Alvis Car and Engineering Company Ltd was a British manufacturing company that existed in Coventry, England from 19191967. In addition to automobiles designed for the civilian market, the company also produced racing cars, aircraft engines, armoured cars and other armoured fighting vehicles, the...
and Daimler
Daimler Motor Company
The Daimler Motor Company Limited was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H J Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The right to the use of the name Daimler had been purchased simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler Motoren...
in the UK and Willys
Willys
Willys was the brand name used by Willys-Overland Motors, an American automobile company best known for its design and production of military Jeeps and civilian versions during the 20th century.-Early History:In 1908, John Willys bought the Overland Automotive Division of Standard Wheel Company...
in the USA that used the joint in a quarter of a million Jeeps and many others. This was to continue after the war, the first Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
being so fitted.
The second way he contributed to the development of front wheel drive vehicles was in designing and in some cases manufacturing front wheel drive cars. The Tracta
Tracta
Tracta was a French car maker based in Asnières, Seine, that was active between 1926 and 1934 . They were pioneers of front wheel drive vehicles....
Gephi was his first design and it was this car that inspired him to design a constant velocity joint. All subsequent Tracta cars, and there were about two hundred manufactured between 1927 and 1932, used it. The first of these was raced at Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
in 1927 completing the 24 hour race. The Tracta cars used engines from S.C.A.P. from 1100 cc to 1600 cc, and Continental and Hotchkiss
Hotchkiss et Cie
Société Anonyme des Anciens Etablissements Hotchkiss et Cie was a French arms and car company established by United States engineer Benjamin B. Hotchkiss, who was born in Watertown, Connecticut. He moved to France and set up a factory, first at Viviez near Rodez in 1867, then at Saint-Denis near...
, from 2700 cc to 3300 cc.
J .A. Grégoire designed an 11cv 6 cylinder car for Donnet
Donnet
Donnet was a French manufacturing company of the early twentieth century. Founded as Donnet-Denhaut by Jérôme Donnet and François Denhaut at Neuilly-sur-Seine in 1914, the firm manufactured a highly-successful line of patrol flying boats for the French Navy...
in 1932. Only four prototypes were produced, one being shown at the Paris Salon of 1932 before Donnet went into liquidation. He then worked with Lucian Chenard to design two cars for Chenard et Walcker
Chenard-Walcker
Chenard-Walcker, also known as Chenard & Walcker and Chenard et Walcker was a French automobile manufacturer, from 1900 to 1946. The factory was at first in Asnières-sur-Seine moving to Gennevilliers in 1906.-History:...
. They were of advanced design but were not a commercial success. In 1937 he designed the Amilcar Compound
Amilcar Compound
The Amilcar Compound is a front wheel drive car with unitary body/chassis introduced shortly before World War II by Amilcar after their takeover by Hotchkiss...
, produced by Hotchkiss from 1938 to the Second World War, by which time 681 examples had been made. It was constructed using another of Grégoire's ideas, a cast Alpax (light alloy) chassis frame. Other advanced features were rack and pinion steering and all independent suspension. But the car had its bad points, cable brakes and gear-change linkage and a side valve engine although the latter was still common at this time. An overhead valve version came later. During the Second World War he secretly worked with his design team at his works at Asnières-sur-Seine
Asnières-sur-Seine
Asnières-sur-Seine is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France, along the river Seine. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:...
on a small car the Aluminium "Francais-Gregoire". It had a chassis-body frame of light alloy, front wheel drive, an air-cooled flat twin engine and independent suspension on all wheels. A four-seat car weighting only 880 pounds (399.2 kg) and could reach 60 mi/h while returning 70 mpg. This design was to form the basis of the 1950 "Dyna
Panhard Dyna X
The Panhard Dyna X was a lightweight compact saloon car designed by the visionary engineer Jean Albert Grégoire and first exhibited as the AFG Dyna at the Paris Motor Show in 1946....
" Panhard
Panhard
Panhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...
. In 1950 another Hotchkiss car the "Hotchkiss-Gregoire", was produced again with an alloy chassis and body. With independent suspension on all four wheels and fitted with a water cooled flat four engine of 2 litres, ahead of the front axle, it was fast, with a top speed of 94 mi/h, but the car was expensive and only 250 examples were made by 1954. In 1956 Grégoire produced a two seat convertible with a 2.2 litre supercharged flat four engine producing 130 bhp and, as in the case of the cars mentioned previously, front wheel drive. All of ten cars made were fitted with bodies designed and built by Henri Chapron
Henri Chapron
Henri Chapron was a prominent French automobile coachbuilder. His atelier, created in 1919, was located in the Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret....
.
All the cars mentioned previously were front wheel drive cars. Grégoire also designed a couple of rear wheel drive machines, the first an electric car with the machinery in the mid engine position and a gas turbine
Gas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal combustion engine. It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between....
car the experimental Socema-Gregoire with a front power unit and rear drive layout.
See also
- "Best Wheel Forward", J.A.Grégoire.
- Jean Albert Gregoire (1898-1992)