1953 PANHARD Dyna JUNIOR Cabriolet

Exceptional condition Unique color Three seats in the front ! French registration title Chassis n° 856121 The project of the Dyna Junior was born from the will of Panhard to settle in the United States in the 1950s. Fergus Motor, the French brand’s importer in NewYork, suggested to the firm to produce a small and playful roadster. Convinced, Jean Panhard launched a project using the Dyna X chassis as its basis. The design of the bodywork was entrusted to Di Rosa, who was already working on Panhard’s utility vehicles. The first prototype was proposed to Fergus Motors in May 1951 but the latter is not convinced and withdraws from the project in June. Paul Panhard nevertheless decided to continue the studies of this roadster and to adapt it to the French market. Albert Lemaitre was commissioned to redesign the bodywork for presentation at the 1951 Paris Motor Show. Compact, low and round, the Dyna Junior’s silhouette is unprecedented. Unlike the Dyna X, the bodywork was made of steel, as it was easier to form and more economical. The car is powered by the flat-twin engine that made the brand famous after the war, thanks to its advanced technology. Despite its small displacement of 745cc, the small twin-cylinder engine, boosted by a Zenith twin-barrel carburetor, propels the package to more than 130 km/h. With a very attractive price, the Dyna Junior was a great success as soon as it was presented. The handmade production was first entrusted to Di Rosa’s workshop, before being integrated into the production line of the Orleans factory in 1953. That same year, the Dyna Junior 5 CV and 5 CV Sprint appeared with an engine increased to 851cc and an improved chassis allowing the installation of a 3-seat bench. A convertible version also appeared, recognizable by its side windows. In 1954, it will know a final evolution with in particular the modification of its front face. The «obus» grill inherited from the Dyna X was replaced by a simple oval air intake decorated with an aluminum blade.Although it lacks high performance, the Junior is agile and fun to drive, even if its gearbox handling is tricky and its braking not very effective. Uncomfortable, hardly waterproof but so lively, it was bought for fun and forgiven everything. Its production will stop in 1956 with a total of about 4,700 units manufactured. The Panhard Junior which illustrates these pages is a rare 3-seater convertible version whose registration title indicates a release in 1953, but which presents all the characteristics of a 1954 model, with in particular its new front face. The car has a 851 cc engine, which is in conformity with the original, although of more recent construction (1956-1957 S5 type engine). The restoration, which is now almost ten years old, is simply of exceptional quality, never seen on a similar model. The body was of course stripped, and everything was redone, mechanically and cosmetically, according to the rules of the art. The car is certainly more beautiful than when it left the factory. The orange color, which was not in the original color chart, was chosen by the current owner during the restoration. We offer you the opportunity to acquire a unique Dyna Junior Cabriolet, for a budget much lower than the cost of its restoration... An opportunity not to be missed!