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1 - Removing the Shell

On the first day, Alexandre and I decide to take exterior shots of the newly sanded car. Alexandre tells me that “In France, it is absolutely prohibited to drive a non-painted car on the road”; the reason being that the shine can blind other drivers.

I discover the car for the first time as he lifts it: it is so shiny, almost unreal !

As I watch him cautiously move the car out of the shop with the forklift and carefully unloading it in the grassy field, I realize that he is caring for the car in the same way as he would be caring for a child.

These photos are a unique occasion to save the memory of a Traction car with a non-existent color.

Alexandre obtained this amazing result after thermally removing the paint, getting rid of a few dents, and a lot of sanding.

The body of the 15 six/H was not subject to sandblasting like it is usually done to remove the deep rust. This is the first good surprise of this restoration: there is no body part to be replaced and almost no see-through corrosion.

Once back inside, this takes longer than I expected. It would take almost 2 hours for the three friends to finally remove the 15-six H front hood as well as part of its wings.

To remove any metallic part, counterbalance, or move the car, the two friends, André and Jean-Louis, are never far.

Everyone is taking care of their own business in the garage, but Alexandre can count on his two buddies as soon as a job needs more than a person. There is no need for words. Everything comes naturally between those three friends. Their passion brings them together in an exceptional way.

A fixing bolt proves more difficult than expected; it is the perfect opportunity for me to take close shots of Jean Louis’s eyes and busy hands as he focuses on his task.

Well, it is also a great opportunity to take photos of a funny situation !

Here is a shot of the 15 six H serial number and vehicle identification number (VIN). The bolts still in place prove that these plates are indeed the original ones and indicate with no doubt the year the car was built.

The “Tractionists”, as the traction lovers like to call themselves, consider the vehicle identification number to be THE historical number that proves the car’s identity.

I like this photo very much. Alexandre is alone in his shop, leaning in front of the 15 six H, busy fixing it while other cars are patiently waiting for their turn. This shot reveals the silence of the shop as well as the grand scope of the project awaiting the lonesome enthusiast.

From the beginning, I have been wondering about the meaning of the letters MEV and the adjacent numbers. Even Alexandre has a hard time finding an explanation for them, but after some research, he will explain me that

MEV stands for MERVILLE, a trademark paint that was used in the 50’s”.

© Crystof crystof - crystof.com@gmail.com

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