The X---- Porsche cars

[Porschinelle]

Now some disgression about the name choosen by Henk Van Zalinge for his cars :
Hirondelle
Hirondelle is the french word for swallow the bird who appear on the blason with a chequered flag

Why a french and not a dutch word for this bird
May be because Henk van Zalinge loved the South of France where he retired and died

[Porschinelle]

Henk van Zalinge was born in 1922 in Bossum a small city 20 kilometers east of Amsterdam
His father was running a rubber company
He first studied in Bossum and completed his studies by several years in England
He graduate in automobile engineering and went back to Holland and very quickly show a strong interest in car racing
On the contrary of Ben Pon (son of the larger VW and Porsche dealer in Holland) and Carel Godin de Beaufort who was a very wealthy Dutch aristocrat, he had no real fortune and decided to built his own race car with what he had under the hand
A pre war Alfa Romeo and a second hand Porsche Fuhrmann 4 cams engine

From the Alfa Romeo he kept the base chassis on which he assembled a tubular structure to support the aluminium body

The Fuhrmann 4 cams engine was displayed at the center front

[Porschinelle]

Gear box, brakes and wheels were also from Porsche origin
The power was transmitted to a non-independant rear axle

The origin of the Fuhrmann engine is not clearly establish
I have discover that a Dutch pilot killed himself on the Zandvoort race track at the wheel of a 356 Carrera GT who was severly damaged in the crash but it was in 1957 when nthe Hirondelle Porsche already raced in 1956
Andrew if you read this did you know if Steve was aware of this engine ?

[Porschinelle]

The first race of the Hirondelle Porsche was the Zandvoort Easter race by May 21st 1956
I have been unable to find photo but I read that Henk Van Zalinge won this race ahead of Carel Godin de Beaufort who was driving at the age of 22 a 550 spyder
At the end of the race he claim he had problem getting a good control of the car
Carel Godin de Beaufort 550 may be seen on this pic but I don't think it was taken during the Easter race

At that same race Rob Slotemaker was driving a VW Spezial (VW beetle chassis + Porsche engine built by himself)

[Porschinelle]

Establish a clear story of the race history of the Hirondelle Porsche is quite difficult as encouraged by his first succes Henk Van Zalinge built several other Hirondelle vey similar in shape with the Hirondelle Porsche but powered by a DKW engine




Why DKW ?
Just because that the first Henk Van Zalinge race car was DKW 3-6 berline

[Porschinelle]

Sorry it is quite late in France so you will have to wait until tomorrow to learn the end of the story

[Henk Vasmel]

[Porschinelle]

Thanks Henk for your wise comments
Of course being Dutch you know a lot more than me about this subject relative yo your country
I only discovered the existence of the Hirondelle Porsche a few months ago
I

[Porschinelle]

From what I have found on my side (may be Henk will tell us more) the Hirondelle either Porsche or DKW have only raced in Holland and particularly on the Zandvoort race track
Henk van Zalinge won :
May 21st Easter Zandvoort (this race had been described by Henk yesterday)
Zandvoort again, June 10th 1956 and same date in 1957
No race in 1958 but found that Henk Van Zalinge raced at Zandvoort May 31st and that the Hirondelle Porsche driven by Rob Slotemaker raced in the Zandvoort World Cup by July 5th 1959

[Porschinelle]

Found also this serie of photos which appeal questions :







I believe the place to be Zandvoort but do not find the date 1956 or 1957 ?
Henk any idea
The glockler race number 2 should also be Thieu Hezemans as the one already posted
The Hirondelle race, number 15 is not the hirondelle Porsche but an Hirondelle DKW (4 bolts wheels instead of the standard 5 x 205 Porsche)

[Porschinelle]

Henk do you know who was driving the VW spezial race number 16

[Porschinelle]

I have also found the following pics but cannot tell where and when

Rob Slotemaker with the Hirondelle Porsche


Henk van Zalinge (?) with the DKW Hirondelle

[Porschinelle]

Another pic of the Hirondelle DKW with the same 23 race number

[Porschinelle]

Now found this one in black and white (always with race number 23) who indicate the race to be Zolder May 31st 1959

[Porschinelle]