More photos of the Madame Michelin Traction Avant 15-6 Roadster Discovery in the USA

Last month we published a photo of the Madame Michelin Traction Avant 15-6 Roadster in the USA under Richard Haynes’ ownership and prior to Auggie Pabst acquiring the car from him. (Read the article here: https://citroenvie.com/early-usa-photo-of-madame-michelin-15-6-cabriolet/). It sparked interest from Citroënvie member Ronny Kienhuis who now lives in France but attended the Red Dellinger estate auction near Mechanicsburg, PA on Sept. 10, 2008, when he was living in the USA. Ronny recalled that at the auction he purchased an envelope marked “Mme Michelin Traction” that contained a number of photos and negatives showing the car as it was found by Red on Auggie Pabst’s farm at Oconomowoc Lake, WI in 1990, its transport to Red’s Citroën service shop in Mechanicsburg, and its display at Carlisle in 1991. Thanks to Ronny, who sent them along, we are pleased to share them, many never seen before and showing in detail the condition of the car in Red’s care. We also contacted Brad Nauss, who worked for Red at the time, and got his input which is included in the photo captions.

Red stated to us when we interviewed him in 2008; “David Allen and I were talking about cars and he came to visit one day. I think it was after the event in Northfield, the Rendezvous at Northfield Mountain. Well, he went home and then came back for some reason or another. We were sitting in my shop and he showed me some pictures he had brought me. He said what do you think.” We believe this is one of the photos.
We believe this to be another one of the photos that Dave Allen showed Red, taken by Auggie Pabst at Oconomowoc Lake, WI. Besides the C6 Familiale is a truck with Pabst Brewing Company signage on the door. Red bought the C6 along with the Mme Michelin roadster.
Either another photo that Dave Allen showed Red or one taken when Red first saw the car in person at Oconomowoc Lake, WI. Note the wind wings on the windshield and the boat on the wall behind. And to the right of the Traction is a Corvair station wagon (built only in 1961 and 62).
Again, either another photo that Dave Allen showed Red or one Red took when he first saw the car in person at Oconomowoc Lake, WI. The license plate proves it is the same car that Richard Haynes and then Auggie Pabst owned.
Arriving at Red’s dealership in 1990. Red had hired a guy to deliver both cars. The 1929 C6 Familiale roof incurred some damage along the way.
Arriving at Red’s dealership in 1990. The 1929 C6 Familiale roof had come unlatched along the way.
Arriving at Red’s dealership in 1990. Red was not pleased about the damage to the 1929 C6 Familiale’s roof, but given that the cars were transported on an open trailer, things could have been worse!
Just after arrival at Red’s dealership. Get it running… Bottle hung on the windshield to feed gas to the carburetor.
Brad Nauss in the shot just after arrival.
Just after arrival at Red’s dealership. Note the Citroëns at the right in the back. You can see a DS Wagon, SM and a DS parts car with the hood cracked open, along with other cars lined up, behind the Lincoln Continental, that Brad Nauss says sat out on the lot with the intent of being brought back to life and sold at some point.
Just after arrival at Red’s dealership. The Roadster had weird non-original running/brake lights in the back, though the light under the license plate appeared to be original. Note the C6 Familiale in the background sitting over the pit in the garage.
Just after arrival at Red’s dealership. Engine running (fan in motion). Note the gas line from the bottle hung on the windshield feeding to the carburetor. Electric fuel pump on the engine block. Red said that the brakes, fuel system, head gasket all needed to be redone. It had one sleeve blown.
Interior, seats removed, just after arrival at Red’s dealership.
Interior, seats removed. Note the US pushbutton radio under the dash, red gearshift lever knob, sports car of America plaque on the glove compartment.
The rear floor appeared to be very solid. Note the 3 front seat brackets, probably there for alignment of the posts on the front seat bottom to prevent the tilting seat from shifting.
A wider view of the rear floor.
Metal straps welded on the inside of the boot lid look like they were added at some point as the welding looks rather shoddy for work being done at the factory.
Note the RRH plaque on the body-side. The car was sold to an American enthusiast, Richard Haynes.  Mr. Haynes was fully aware of the significance of his purchase and commissioned American Citroën distributor Charles Buchet to research its history. Upon its arrival at the port of Detroit in 1954, the car was fitted with a chrome radiator grille and straight bumpers, and the body refinished in metallic gold.
The first job on the rack at Red’s was to do the brakes. And judging by the angle of the left front headlight, probably sort out an electrical grounding issue.
It would appear that the aerial was fitted at the same time the radio was added. most likely in 1954. A
A photo that Red took at his shop trying to document originality.
Another photo Red took at his shop trying to document originality.
Another photo Red took at his shop trying to document originality.
Another photo Red took at his shop trying to document originality.
Interior photo taken in Red’s shop. Seat installed again, but bulkhead carpeting partially removed.
The 15-6 roadster fender on the left. Center is an 11CV owned by a guy in Louisiana. The clock on the wall, above Brad’s tool kit, Red got because he advertised on WCMB, the local radio station. The clock eventually ended up with Judy Reiter in Washington, DC.
At Carlisle in 1991 at the back of the show field – with a Mme Michelin plate that Red made for the front bumper and new Michelin tires installed that they provided for free when Red told them he was about to show the Mme Michelin roadster to the press at the event and “It would be kind of odd to show Mrs Michelin’s car with Firestone tires on it!”
Arriving at Carlisle in 1991. Brad Nauss’ father Ralph in the front passenger seat, Jim Bandy standing and saluting (no relation to the Bandy brothers in Michigan), and Brad Nauss in the rear with a Citroën dealer sign on his lap.
Posing in front of the 15-6 roadster in Carlisle – long-time customers of Red’s from about 25 miles away; Dr Brophy and second from the left his wife, and his 3 kids, He drove a DS21 and she a D station wagon.
Photo 1 – Pulling into the driveway at Red’s dealership, Brad Nauss driving. The car having been cleaned up just prior to Carlisle in 1991.
Photo 2 – Pulling into the driveway at Red’s dealership, Brad Nauss driving.
Photo 3 – Pulling into the driveway at Red’s dealership, Brad Nauss driving.
Photo 3 – Pulling into the driveway at Red’s dealership, Brad Nauss driving. In the background you can see that by that time Red’s main thrust was selling used cars.
In Red’s old shop under his apartment at the dealership, most likely taken just before of after Carlisle in 1991.
In Red’s old shop under his apartment at the dealership, at some point after Carlisle 1991. Note the window wings have been removed.
In the showroom at Red’s dealership in the new portion of the new building – after Carlisle 1991.
Photo we found showing the interior, taken after Red sold the Mme Michelin 15-6 Roadster to Nico Michon in Europe and prior to restoration. You can just see one of the posts at the rear of the seat bottom that slide into the brackets on the floor to prevent the tilting seat from shifting.
Photo taken after Red sold the 15-6 Roadster to Nico Michon in Europe showing interior door panel detail.

What a treasure trove of photos and added historical info documenting the time that Red owned the Madame Michelin 15-6 Roadster.

Photo of the Mme Michelin Traction Avant 15-6 Roadster after it as restored under Nico Michon’s ownership – taken by Ronny Kienhuis at Tractionades in 2005 held at The Circuit de Charade, also known as Circuit Louis Rosier and Circuit Clermont-Ferrand, near Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Photo of the Mme Michelin Traction Avant 15-6 Roadster after it as restored under Nico Michon’s ownership – taken by Ronny Kienhuis at Tractionades in 2005 near Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Photo series of Mme Michelin Traction Avant 15-6 Roadster – re-restored by German owner and for sale the RM Sotheby’s Monaco auction in May 2014. As the reserve price was not met, it did not sell.

You can read the interview we did with Red about his acquiring both the Mme Michelin Traction and the C6 Familiale from Auggie Pabst in the Winter 2008 edition of Citroënthusiast.

Red Dellinger (at Carlisle in 2007).

You can also view the photos Ronny Kienhuis found in the “Michelin Traction” envelope on Flickr here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmKD3pqv

5 comments

  2. I think the yellow car parked beside it is a first generation Corvair station wagon. The roof is a bit higher than the sedans, so it changes the proportions, but the filler cap gives it away.

    Reply

  3. Simply amazing! Thanks George and Ronny! I got to park next to it in my ’39 Slough Roadster at the 100th anniversary. What a treat!

    Reply

  4. In 1991 I purchased the DS wagon in the background of the photo at Red’s garage. I still own and drive it. Red’s place was actually in Lewisberry, PA.

    Reply

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