Millot Mobile Saw (vis-à-vis) 1900

[BERTRAND]

What's this car and when?

[BERTRAND]

Expert!

[BERTRAND]

Pros!

[Wendax]

1900 Millot 9 CV mobile saw

[BERTRAND]

Millot: Yes
Mobile saw: No and I have a french name for the model (I don't know if the traduction is correct), but as you are a (very) strong expert ::), I think it's not difficult for you for give me the good model name
I locked for you for one try or 24 hours

[Wendax]

That's where the advertising art of an auction house starts to defeat the historical facts. Oldtimer Galerie Toffen has this one for sale as a 1895 Millot Vis-à-vis. Millot built a few automobiles in 1901/1902, none of which survived. Their main business at that time was the production of mobile saws, which could be converted easily into cars when not needed as a working machine. Because of their rather crude design (Who needs a fashionable moile saw?), the few surviving examples could easily be taken for even older cars. Gazoline.net had this car featured as a cca 1900 Millot saw. I rather trust them.  ;) As far as I know, all existing Millot cars started their life as mobile saws.
Below you can see the very puzzle vehicle, once as a car and once as a saw.

[pguillem]

A derivation of the Guillotine mobile ?

[BERTRAND]

One more point for you today wendax

[West]

Here are some more recent photographs of the Millot car that is featured in Raymond Dornier's book "Franche-Comte, Berceau de l'Automobile". This Millot is definitely a car rather than a converted saw bench, and is one of only four genuine cars (all vis a vis) known to have survived.

[Allan L]

Thanks for joining us and posting these photos.
I've reduced the size a bit here so they can be seen more easily:

[Wendax]

Thanks for that information. Why does it say "Banc à scie transformé en vis-à-vis" (saw bench transformed into vis-à-vis) then on your second picture???

[West]

According to the book's author, Raymond Dornier, the manufacturer constructed four vis a vis cars by modifying their mobile saw bench. These cars differ in a number of respects from the saw benches in that, inter alia, they lack the saw drive mechanism and uniquely have a black apron fitted at the front between the dumb irons. Other differences include the prominent Millot name in brass mounted on the radiator and at the front, together with both the radiator and fuel tank being made of brass.  Other differences include the prominent Millot name in brass mounted on the radiator and at the front, together with both the radiator and fuel tank being made of brass. All others were initially manufactured as saw benches before being modified into vis a vis cars.

The Millot shown in the attached photograph (reg. no. 1898 RV25) also has this black apron at the front, as well as plenty of brass, and is therefore a genuine car.

The photograph submitted by Bertrand clearly shows a Millot vis a vis that has gears at the front for driving the bandsaw.

[Wendax]

Thanks for clarification!