Pierre Daligand was born in 1907 in Le Creusot and died in 1987 in Lyon. He completed his secondary studies at the Lycée Carnot in Dijon. Then he came to Lyon for his university studies. He enrolled at the same time in the Faculty of Medicine and the Dental School. Having obtained both diplomas, he set up as a stomatologist in Lyon where he practiced from 1938 to 1978.

He started out on motorcycles in 1929: circuits, rallies, hill climbs. He moved on to cars in 1934: rallies including in particular the Alpes Cup from which he would draw inspiration to create the Charbonnières rally. In 1946, he was appointed president of the Moto Club of Lyon. In this capacity, he would organize various competitions, rallies, speed circuits, hill climbs, motocross from 1946.

Pierre Daligand created the Charbonnières rally in 1947. He alone is responsible for the idea and the successful search for funding for the first version.

- Pierre Daligand and one of his Bugattis -

THE COMPANY:

As early as 1948, Pierre Daligand saw the potential that could be drawn from the Renault 4HP. After a personal transformation, he entered the Mont Ventoux hill climb.

Excerpt from the book by Jacques Rousseau (1958) page 413: "It was not even the Renault 4CV that did not reveal its sporting class by climbing Mont Ventoux at an average speed of over 60 km/h, in the hands of Daligand".

In 1950 he created S.T.A.L. Société de Transformation Automobile Lyonnaise (Lyon Automobile Transformation Company) in Lyon to transform Renault 4HP into rally cars.

The 750 cm3 S.T.A.L. type was a transformation of the Renault 4HP of which it was a sports version. 

- A 4HP S.T.A.L. at the Monte-Carlo rally -

The engine was 747 cc and thus placed the car in the 750 cc category. This was a considerable modification that interested all rally or endurance competition enthusiasts, and more generally all those who liked a brilliant car. International sporting events such as the Monte Carlo Rally and the Mont Ventoux hill climb, had allowed good performances for the normal 4CV competing in 1,100 cc. It was obvious that the same car, brought down to below 750 cc, thanks to a very slight reduction in bore, would have increased sporting possibilities.

S.T.A.L. transformation "Standard" type: special cast iron liners, bore 54.5, stroke 80, engine size 747 cc, specific Vitex pistons, connecting rod on regule, cylinder head transformed for high compression, modified valves and springs, special camshaft, ignition distributor, cold spark plugs, special ignition, large oil pan, reinforced clutch, adapted suspensions. Speed ​​of around 110 km/h.

S.T.A.L. transformation "Rallye" type: same as "Standard" type, high-performance cylinder head, chrome crankshaft, balls on pink metal, special exhaust manifolds, intake with 1 or 2 carburetors of your choice, special brake linings.

Additional transformation of chassis and car body: suspensions, brakes, lightening of the car body by using light materials, empty weight 540 kg. Two-seater, two-door car body: empty weight 500 kg.
Subsequently, S.T.A.L. produced a lowered barchetta with Renault mechanics.

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