Sacre Bleu! Matra V-12 Prototype Cutaways and Video

I really love these cutaway illustrations by Robert Roux, showing the inner workings of the Matra Prototype race cars.  The Matra V-12 has one of the most spine-tingling, ear-shattering mechanical banshee screams I have ever heard. It was not terribly successful in an F1 chassis, but in the Matra sports prototypes, it propelled the French aerospace company, formerly occupied with advanced missile systems, to 3 time outright victory at La Sarthe in 1972-74.

The good part starts around 0:35 when they fire it up! The exquisite part starts around 1:18 when the dumb piano music fades out and they really uncork it!!

Quite a model kit! The XKE Series III V-12 revealed!

The engine bay of a Series III V-12 E-type is of Byzantine complexity. But when you lay all the parts out like this, it looks like child's play doesn't it? That's because none of the crazy wiring and plumbing is present! I loved this photo, taken by Photographer Mike Dean at "The Sports Car Shop" in Eugene, OR.

Click here to see more extensive photosets of this remarkable E-type's full resto.

Via "The Chicane" hat tip to commenter Dan Crouch for the additional info!  Image Credit: Mike Dean