Mystery Friday Foto #43 Solved: Gustave Caillois driving his Vanderbilt Racer
Did you identify Gustave Caillois' Vanderbilt racer?
Identify;
- The Racer
115hp #4 Thomas. One of 3 identical Thomas racers entered in the 1906 American Elimination Trial. The other 2 are the #6 Thomas driven by Hubert Le Blon, 115 HP. Finished 2nd. Qualified for American Team, and the #7 Thomas driven by Montague Roberts, 115 HP. Finished 9th. Roberts would later win the 1908 New York-Paris Race.
- The Driver
Gustave Caillois
- Race it participated in
The 1906 American Elimination Trial on Saturday, September 22, 1906.
- Its outcome
Caillois finished 7th. Retired with magneto problems on lap 6.
Comments (4)
Congrats to Bob Barauskas, Steve Lucas, and Art Kleiner for identifying the #4 Thomas. Kudos to Art for his documentation.
Greg O.
Comments
THE RACER WAS A THOMAS AUTOMOBILE
THE DRIVER WAS GUSTAVE CAILLOIS
THE RACE WAS THE 1906 AMERICAN ELIMINATION TRIAL
THE CAR AND DRIVER RETIRED ON THE 6TH LAP WITH MAGNETO PROBLEMS
That’s the #4 Thomas Racer with Gustave Caillois driving and Marcel Pouxe as the mechanician. They participated in the 1906 American Elimination Trial placing 7th having left the race during lap 6 with magneto problems. Consequentially, they did not qualify to enter the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race. In the photo, it looks like they have just arrived at the garage behind Krug’s Hotel in Mineola which was the Thomas headquarters that year.
Thomas #4
Gustave Caillois - an interesting Frenchman who said he didn’t want to finish 1st (he ultimately didn’t even finish) and who used a “dog cutter” to eliminate animals who wandered on the race course.
1906 American Elimination Trial
Finished 7th. Retired with magneto problems on lap 6.
One more article about Gustave.
This was a rather small car, and its design and construction was unrelated to any other Thomas. E. R. Thomas had a fondness for French engineers, and Callois himself was said to have designed this car. (Three were made.) The engine was a massive 4-cylinder F-head of over 650 cubic inches, rated at 115 hp.