Passing of Georges Mochet

[MochetVelo]

I belatedly learned of Georges Mochet's death which occurred in January 2008 at age 94. Mochet was, perhaps, the last of the pre-war car makers. He took over the Mochet firm after his father Charles Mochet died in 1934. The company continued under the "Charles Mochet" name until it closed in 1958. These diminutive cars found a market with average folks who wanted their own car but lacked the means for a full-size vehicle. The Mochet form began with an early recumbent bicycle and velocar (a 4-wheel pedal car for adults). The plywood-bodied Velocar was sold until after WW2 when a 100cc (Zurcher-powered) motorized version was introduced. This was followed by more car-like motor-powered vehicles. The most popular was the mid-'50s CM125Y, motored by a 125cc Ydral two-cycle engine. Mochet was never a mass producer. Ten bodies at a time were set upon sawhorses and completed for sale in the Peteaux, France factory. The cars were about as stripped down as possible: mechanical brakes, no differential, minimal interior fittings. All this in the 1950s. Still, they had a nice sporty look and, due to the very light weight, were fairly peppy provided the load was minimal and the terrain not too vertical.

I am lucky enough to own three Mochet cars, and can only admire the ingenuity of their designer. Merci, mon ami!

Philip