Successful pioneer aviator and aircraft manufacturer Gabriel Voisin turned his back on aviation after the Great War of 1914-1918 to focus on the manufacture of automobiles some of which, including his 1923 C6 Labortoire monocoque Grand Prix car count as some of the most innovative, exotic, distinctive if not plain idiosyncratic and outlandish ever seen.

The prototype C-25 first seen in 1934 included a radial 7 cylinder motor that was dropped in favour of a 2994 cc / 182.7 cui straight 6 cylinder motor for the production models such as the one seen in Geoffrey Horton’s photographs taken at this years Dana Point Concours d’Elegance.

The aluminium panels of the wings / fenders of the C-25 Aerodyne are not the only ones supported by struts in the Avions Voisin range.

No expense was spared in the interior appointments, the bespoke cloth to a Voisin design is just as distinctive as the rest of the car as are the René Lalique designed ashtrays.

The C-25 was also fitted with a pneumatically operated sunroof,

the carrier rails for which can be clearly seen in this photograph.

This particular car is one of 3 or 4 known to exist from a total production believed to have been no more than seven. After a six year restoration by the Californian Mullin Automotive Museum the car won Best in show at the 2011 Pebble Beach and 2012 Dana Point Concours d’Elegance, events.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his fabulous photographs.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Pneumatic Sunroof’ edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !