1913 Peugeot Type 150

The 1913 Peugeot Type 150 Skiff with coachwork by Carosserie Jean-Henri Labourdette is designed like a boat, with mahogany wood fastened by copper rivets. The 'skiff' structure was built similarly to traditional naval carpentry methods, with the mahogany body fixed to the frame and a rear 'boattail' shape. It is believed that Labourdette's Skiff bodies were applied to many different cars including Rolls-Royce, Hispano Suiza, Renault, Abadal, and Peugeot (among others). The first 'Skiff-Torpedo' body style created by Mr. Labourdette was in 1912 and placed atop a Panhard & Levassor chassis. It was built for Rene de Knyff of France who was part of the noble class known as Chevalier. Often, oak was used for the framing while the outer planking was mahogany.

Manufactured by SA des Automobiles Et Cycles Peugeot, Lille, France, the four-cylinder engine has a single camshaft, a 7478cc displacement size, and delivers forty horsepower. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed gearbox.

This elegant automobile is currently part of the Seal Cove Auto Museum collection. It was purchased by the museum's founder, Richard C. Paine Jr., in 1964 from the Dr. Samuel L. Scher collection. Dr. Scher had acquired the car from his friend James Melton after the closing of Melton's Autorama Museum in Hypoluxo, Florida.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2023