(first posted 9/7/2016) The fifteenth of August is a public holiday in France, to mark Assumption Day, and each year the Peugeot Enthusiasts’ Club in the department of Lot and Garonne organises a car show, with a slight difference. There is the opportunity to have your car blessed by the local Priest (in the presence of the Mayor) before a good French lunch and then an afternoon surveying the car show and an evening concours competition. All entry is free and unbooked, and the public are made more than welcome to join in throughout the day.
Many are better qualified than me to talk about the significance of the date, so I’ll run through some of my highlights of the show.
If the Morris Minor is a sign of a complete car show in the UK, then perhaps a French show cannot be fully complete without a Citroen 2CV, and this one was no exception with a good range of ages and variations on show. Starting with the datum – an early 2CV distinguished by the grille and the lack of rear quarter windows. There’s something very 2CV, as in practical, durable, farm equipment like almost, about the paint scheme on this car also.
If your tastes are more affluent, how about an Ami, in this case an Ami 6? The Ami was the most upscale derivative of the 2CV, if that term can be applied to a air cooled, twin cylinder Citroen saloon, with the distinctive rear window profile clearly visible.
Also available as an estate, of course.
Still, to me, a characterful and appealing car, for certain occasions at least.
If you’re feeling a bit more laid back, how about a lowered Citroen Dyane with a tandem on the roof?
For the true 2CV aficionado, perhaps the ultimate is a 2CV Sahara Bi-Motor, with a second engine driving the rear wheels.
The interior of the Bi-Motor shows a conventional looking gear shift in place of the usual umbrella handle through the dash associated with these cars. Quite a sight, and sound!
Other Citroens were present as well of course, including this very attractive 1930 Citroen Torpedo AC4.
This provides some evidence that although Citroens have a great history for ingenuity and challenging convention, the company built its initial reputation on more conventional cars…..
…..with more conventional interiors.
Just six years after the Torpedo was launched, Citroen were offering the car that made their reputation for technical innovation, and which also bankrupted the company.
The Traction Avant was present, in both pre-war and post-war varieties.
Robert Kim gave us a great overview of Traction Avant a while ago; I cannot do better than guide you to that. In reality, there are few cars that were more technically innovative for their time than the Traction Avant.
But one that was, was the Traction Avant’s successor, just 20 years later. The Citroen DS and its de-contented sister the ID were once the kings of the autoroute but are now rarely seen on the roads, even in the dry south of France. Thankfully, two owners were seeking blessings for their cars, a D-Special, a low specification version of the DS, and an ID21.
My thoughts about these cars are well established on CC, and there was little delay in running across the field to get up close. After all, it was only 37 degrees, Celsius.
CC’s recent Peugeot Fest has shown us many great cars, and many were present at this show.
A 203 – the first postwar Peugeot and the car that set the template for the Peugeot saloon for many years, except that it had American inspired rather than Pininfarina styling.
The 104 was Peugeot’s first supermini, coming in 1972 and serving to 1988, albeit with a limited range. One quick look shows that the long travel suspension was there, as always.
The 104 gave way to the slightly larger 205 from 1983 onwards. The pinnacle of the 205 range was the 1.9 GTi, a car that took the fight to the Golf GTi. It may not sound much now, but 130bhp from a 1.9 litre, 4 cylinder hot hatch was impressive in 1986.
A 304 Cabriolet, as covered by Perry Shoar here.
The 404 was present of course, as a saloon, a cabriolet and as an estate, seen here leaving early, to explore Africa presumably, and this rather lovely Convertible
Of all the European convertibles directed linked to a a saloon style, this is perhaps the most elegant.
The 404 Cabriolet has Pininfarina styling, that if it weren’t for the 504 Cabriolet could qualify it as my favourite 1960s convertible.
The 504 Coupe and Cabriolet were both represented.
During Peugeot Fest, there was debate about the relative aesthetic appeal of these cars.
My vote goes to the Cabriolet every time, but what do you think?
My vote for the best Peugeot saloon probably goes to the 604, a derivative of the 504 using the Peugeot-Renault-Volvo Douvrin V6, perhaps being the car best suited to that engine. Always rare even when new, and now almost unseen on the road anywhere.
So while this example is clearly well cared for, it is also very easy to declare it the best example I have seen for perhaps 20 years. Truly, a good and underrated car and one that could tempt me from a Rover SD1 3500 or a Mercedes 280E W123.
The 504 was followed by the 505, which never achieved its predecessor’s level of greatness but which deserves its enduring popularity as a capable, solid and dependable car. Think of it as the French SAAB 900, perhaps.
France’s other main manufacturer Renault was well represented, with a couple of true rarities being among the stars of the show for me.
The Renault 14 was Renault’s contemporary take on the Golf format, of a five seat, five door hatchback with Renault’s first transverse engine, which it shared with the Peugeot 104, and which consequently led to a car that never really looked at home in the Renault range. Conceptually, also close to the Simca 1100, then one of France’s bestsellers.
Like so many French cars, long wheel travel and three wheels studs were there. This was the car that showed Renault were beginning to conform more closely the European market datum points in size and format, rather than diverge as they had been doing previously, but also one that perhaps didn’t convince Renault to do so.
With the combination of modern styling and format, smart interior and comfortable ride, it was a fully credible if rust prone Golf rival, that knocked the Austin Allegro into the proverbial top hat. Rust has taken most of them from us, though.
The other Renault rarity was this Renault 7, a saloon version of the Renault 5 (Le Car) built in Spain from 1974 to 1984 for sale in southern Europe only. Considering the size of the car and the limitations of the conversion, this is a pretty neat little car.
The doors were shared with the five door version of the regular hatchback, which was also there.
The Renault 15 is another of my favourites, though other than the styling and interior I‘m not clear why. Still, a nice piece of 1970s alternative thinking, and a nice example of another rare car.
Earlier Renaults were less conformist than the 1970s cars, such as the 14 and 15.
The rear engined Renault 8 and 10 saloons were present, including an 8 Gordini, with the 50bhp 1.1 litre engine, wider tyres and the inevitable additional lights.
The larger 10, albeit only in length but not cabin, could be seen as Renault’s Super Beetle. It had the same centre section as the earlier 8, and was fitted with the same 1108cc engine under the longer rear and a larger boot under the longer front. The first cars were marketed as Renault 10 Major, a designation used on some Renault 8 variants as well. Later cars, identified by the rectangular lamps, were known as just Renault 10, or as 10-1300 when fitted with the 1289cc used in the later Renault 12.
The 10 was effectively replaced by the Renault 12 in 1969, with the same mounted longitudinally at the front with the gearbox ahead of it. This car was a conventional three box saloon with a distinctive spiky profile, or a five door estate, and there was a Gordini version as well. If the Renault 14 was Renault’s Allegro, then perhaps the 12 could be viewed as the Renault take on the Morris Marina, built using major elements of an older model, modelled as a conservative saloon, and styled to impact
But perhaps the most epochal Renault of the 1960s was the Renault 16. Undeniably, this is one of the most influential and enduring cars of the 1960s, and truly a landmark product. Through the 1960s, 1970s and into the 1980s, if you couldn’t get to a DS, then this was an undeniable master of the autoroute and N road. Another car now very rare on the road, sadly.
As I commented earlier, the Simca 1100 was France’s bestseller for several years. There is something about yellow spot lamps added to a grille that only appeals in France….
Earlier Simcas were present, as well.
A Simca Aronde Grande Lago Coupe may be best considered as France’s Sunbeam Rapier…..
….and a 1960 Aronde P60 saloon as France’s Hillman Minx.
France has several now defunct brands, some absorbed into the remaining organisations. Perhaps the best known of these was Panhard, descended from the pioneering Panhard et Levassor concern.
Panhard’s post war cars were among the most distinctive and innovative in Europe, with this 1948-54 Dyna X for example featuring air cooled two cylinder engine, with just 610cc initially, powering the front wheels through a four cylinder gearbox.
The later PL24 encapsulates all Panhard knew, and after the company was absorbed by Citroen the spirit of the company continued to be apparent, in cars like the Citroen GS with its air-cooled engine for example. Quite a change for a company that before 1939 had been a manufacturer of large, expensive cars.
Other parts of Europe and elsewhere were represented.
A late 1960s Porsche 911, with Fuchs wheels?
A highlight for me was this Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato, a car which I have not seen since, well, I can’t remember. One of the recent highlights for me on CC was JohnH875’s review of a Lancia show in Australia and whilst this car did not feature in the report, it was great to see Lancia on CC. This car produced from 1965; this example is a 1968-69 Sport S with a 92bhp 1.3 litre engine. This was one of the last generation of Lancias produced prior to the company’s integration into Fiat.
Power came from Lancia’s famous narrow angle V4, from 1.2 to 1.6 litres and the car was closely based on the Fulvia saloon, a car that could be compared most closely to an Alfa Romeo Giulia, albeit with front wheel drive.
Styling was by Zagato, with a distinctive profile and attractive window line adding to it. Its successor was nominally the Lancia Beta Coupe and HPE, but somehow they don’t quite have the same full Lancia DNA. A true highlight of the day, for me.
The other star from outside France was this Alfa Romeo 2600 Spyder, looking even more like junior Ferrari than may be even Alfa expected.
This car was the big brother for the more popular Alfa Spyder (or Graduate) and shared a platform with the 2600 saloon and Coupe.
Another rare car that was a surprise, at a predominantly French show.
Two other surprises to close with – a 1963 Buick Skylark convertible and a 1964 Dodge Dart saloon.
France has long had a different relationship to American cars than that of Britain, with them providing some Hollywood glamour at a more affordable cost than a prestige British or German brand, and some aspects of the cars themselves, such as soft ride, fitting well with French tastes.
Something this 1963 Buick Skylark fits in with well. There were a few other truly special cars there, and these will come onto CC on their own way over the next few months.
And next summer’s holiday planning is already in hand.
After all, I only had time for a quick check on the Citroen H vans!
The two-tone paint on the Dart looks surprisingly good, perhaps too good for a factory job.
Looks like a blue Delta 88 in the background of the Skylark picture.
Glamorous all right: American cars must’ve been expensive to own in France given their larger (higher HP tax) engine displacements, even for the smallest /6 (2.8L), same size as the luxury Pug 604.
I was interested in your comparison of the Renault 12 to the Morris Marina. While not without faults. a typically French too small engine and not enough sound deadening, the Renault had an amazing 30+ year life. On the other hand, the Marina lasted less than 15 before getting pianos dropped on it and being deported to Pakistan.
Argentina and Romania have so much to do with the long life of the 12 while no off the path country took the Marina to heart. I have heard though that the original RWD Hyundai Pony was influenced by the Marina.
Actually the Marina in estate and van format did have an afterlife in China as the Huandu CAC6430
http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/around-the-world/china/morris-marinaital-huandu-cac6430/
Hard to think that an operation would restart production of a not completely successful vehicle like the Marina in 1998 in China where the car had no history. The only longer length I can think of was when Beetle production resumed in Brazil. That car at least had a long history in Brazil.
Regarding the Pony, I was lucky enough to come across a humongous book called Giorgetto Giugiaro: The Genius of Design this summer. It actually got into great detail about the origins of the Hyundai Pony. The book made it very clear Hyundai did not develop or copy any engineering solutions on their own. They commissioned Giugiaro to create the styling elements, and approached Mitsubishi Motors to license their technology for the necessary platform, engines, and transmissions. Mitsubishi agreed, and gave access to their Saturn series of engines and compatible transmissions, as well as the A70 Lancer platform (both share the 92.1 inch wheelbase).
Does the book discuss his work on the Colt?
Sadly, if it did, I did not notice it. I don’t recall seeing sketches or photos.
My observation on the Renault 12 and the Marina was around the similarities in idea – the Marina used a fair bit of Morris Minor, the 12 used the engine from the 10, both were saloons arguably styled to impress and to meet contemporary fashions, rather than try to take the mid-size car to the next level, which was to be the task of the Allegro and 14, and Golf, Alfasud, Citroen GS.
The 12 was significantly more successful than the Marina, both technically and commercially, of course
Sorry, Roger, I believe you got it backwards…
The R12 came out with the 1300 cc 54 hp DIN engine first in ’69. Then the R10 got it (slightly de-tuned to 48 hp DIN) in ’70.
Great cavalcade. Peugeot 404 wagon and Renault 15 just edged out by lowrider Dyane and the gorgeous little Simca Aronde Grande Lago Coupe.
As goofy-looking (to my eyes) as many French cars were, that looked to be a really cool car show, one I wish I could have attended! I do like oddball stuff.
I didn’t see one of those cute Panhard coupes, though, like the one that has graced the pages of CC in the past.
there was actually, and I will put it on CC sometime aoon
Thank you!
I was surprised to see this Panhard at a local show in July.
A front view….
…and the white plastic instrument panel.
I can almost hear Paul drooling over the Peugeots, and I’m over 1000 miles away! 😉
Thank you, Roger, I really enjoyed these photos ! During my trip to UK this August I’ve seen a surprising amount of old French cars, including a 2CV, an H Van and a Peugeot 304 convertible just like the one on one of your photos. But that pales in comparison with the treasures you’ve discovered in France itself. Wish I could’ve visited this show too !
What a wonderful variety of cars at that event; I would enjoy it.
At least at this show, the French car people don’t seem to have too much interest in old German or English cars.
Neat exhibition of cars we don’t see much anymore (especially in the US).
My Dad bought a 1968 R10 new when his ’59 Beetle was creamed (it was parked in front of our house on the street, and one of the teenage neighbors down the street ran into it, probably after drinking a bit much)…so your comment of the equivalent of a “Super Beetle” as the R10 compared to the R8 was interesting to me based on his sequence of models he owned. Of course there was not yet any “Super Beetle” when my Dad bought the R10. It was a US model, with regular (seal beam) headlights, and came with the Michelin radials (probably first car with radials he ever owned, and I remember him liking them back then). It didn’t have any other designation like “Major”, maybe because they only offered one model of R10. I wouldn’t call the R10 exactly “plush” but it was probably a bit nicer than a beetle inside, and of course it had 4 doors and was maybe a bit roomier inside. I never got to drive the R10 as I sadly got my learner’s permit and driver’s license a few months after my Dad traded in the R10 (on a conventional Datsun 710) in 1974.
It kind of seems like Renault followed VW in keeping rear engine around a bit longer than they could have, as the VW type 3 and 411 all kept this format, but Renault did come up with their front engine R16 5 years before VW had any front engine models…but I guess in retrospect, front engine FWD wasn’t quite the obvious choice in the mid 60’s when the R8 and R10 was being designed. To me, it seemed like the R10 was kind of a “clone” of the Corvair (albeit water-cooled instead of air-cooled)…even had the Corvair-style roofline
The 1st FWD Renault car was the R4 in 1961.
The R8 (1962-73) and R10 (1965-71) were designed so as to keep the clients who had bought the previous rear-engine Renaults (4CV and Dauphine) in such vast numbers. But Renault’s top brass knew this was not going to last too long, and indeed, it did not.
Rear-engined Renaults had a reputation for terrible handling that rivalled the Corvair’s – but they were nice & cheap and Ralph Nader was an ocean away…
In the 60s (in Europe at least), many carmakers had at least one FWD model in their range: BMC, Triumph, Renault, Citroen, Simca, Panhard, Peugeot, Saab, Ford Koeln, DKW/Audi, NSU, Lloyd, Wartburg, Trabant, Syrena, Autobianchi/Fiat, Lancia… The ‘traditional’ front-engine / RWD layout was still very common of course, but FWD had made inroads into most European markets and segments by the mid-60s.
The ones who really stood out were those who launched their 1st rear-engined cars in the ’60s: Rootes, Simca and Skoda.
Excellent article, you just made this Francophile`s voiture lovers day.
Beautiful cars, all of them, thanks for the photos. In the states I’ve seen a DS, Peugeot 205, 404, and 505, and the Porsche 911, but none of the others. Special thumbs up for the H vans, Lancia Fulva Zagato, and of course the 504 cabriolet.
Great set of photos.
Love that Aronde coupe … for some reason I’ve been dreaming about Arondes lately.
Nice! Highlights for me were the 205GTI, the 404 wagon (the red is gorgeous), and the Lancia of course. But overall a very comprehensive collection of wonderful cars that once plied the roads in droves…
The lowered Dyane is very much a French version of the lowered late 60’s US station wagon with loads of patina cruising many a car or hot rod show over here…I can picture the driver – longish hair, bushy goatee, flatbrimmed cap, jeans wearing through where they drag on the ground in the back, scuffed boots, maybe some sort of vest over a black tee, but in this case smoking a yellow Gauloises and holding a bottle of red…But it works!
Yes I also thought that Dyane looked a bit hipster, there are a lot of VW’s in that style over here as well
It wasn’t until sometime in the ’80s that all cars sold in France had yellow head lights. We then got EUrized and now have white like the rest of the world. Yellow was mellow, and you never had any headlong glare at night plus it cut through the fog better.
Sounds very Cartesian. René Descartes’ ideas have long influenced France, as opposed to England & Italy. I say this because several different authors have alluded to French love of his methodology.
80’s? No, it was in the later 1930’s that France required cars to have yellow headlights. This lasted until 1993.
What a feast. Where to begin? The Fulvia is certainly a special treat. The 404 wagon is a gem; ours had a similar roof rack from front to back.
Great selection of cars — if I was at that show I don’t think I’d be able to leave!
The Traction Avant is the car that started my fascination with French cars. Back in the late 1980s, there was one for sale by the side of the road not far from where I lived (near Philadelphia). It sat for months there, since it’s not really the type of car that sells easily with only a For Sale sign in the windshield — but I’d often stop and admire it. Since that time, I’d always admired Citroens and Peugeots.
That said, one of the many standouts for me in this grouping is the 1950s Panhard. I’ve never seen one in person, but that’s a real interesting design. It took me looking twice to see that it was in fact a 4-door, and I love the lights mounted high up on the rear fender.
How does one distinguish a prewar Traction Avant from a postwar model?
Quickest and easiest visual indicator is the bonnet side cooling flaps on the prewar, which were replaced by punched louvres postwar.
There are many differences and varieties, in engines, lengths, body changes etc, of course.
Wow, flashbacks of the CC Meetup in Nashville are all over the place here! Is this the second dual engine Sahara Bi-motor we’ve found collectively?
This was indeed quite the show!
A little secret – when you run articles like this, I enjoy looking into the background to see what else was there and anticipate what else you might be showing us. This show was full of neat little peeks of other cars present.
Thanks Jason – your suggestions (and requests?) are?
You did a thorough job! It’s almost like the teasers on television and you have delivered.
Thanks for the pix. Nice to see marques that are no longer sold in the US.
On the Renault 14, sticks in my mind these had more than their share of mechanical issues as well.
Transmission location: My R5 had the transmission in front of the engine, as did the R4 and iirc R6 and R16, indicating the powertrains had been taken as a unit from the rear engined cars and stuck in the front. The French market shifter location in the dash was probably the most direct way to reach the trans. The Cord L29 also has the shifter extending from the dash, with the rod running over the engine to reach the trans. That setup was probably deemed too weird for the US market, so I had a rather vague floor mounted shifter.
The R12 however, had the trans to the rear of the engine, in a rather Audi like arrangement. The R12 platform was used in the R15 and R17, and later the R18 and Fuego, as well as the Ford Brazil Corcel.
The closeup of the R12 powertrain shows the accessory drives on the back of the engine, so perhaps the engine was derived from the rear engined cars, with the trans moved to the back of the engine.
” to have your car blessed by the local Priest ” how quaint.
I’ve had all my cars blessed by the local priest. Your point?
Yes, it’s a common practice in Latin America. Hard to see why the incredulity.
Again, I find the way people from different continents view certain cars fascinating. To me, growing up in Israel as I did, most of those cars* were, well, porridge. We had tons of 2CVs, Renault 5s, 12s, 16s, Peugeot 104s, 404s etc. and even Panhards, and nobody got overly excited over them back then. A Traction Avant or a DS was something to scratch one’s head over (“who is crazy or eccentric enough to buy such a weird car?”), a 304 cabriolet for those who could not afford a real sports car like an Alfa Spider.
The Americans were luxury cars back then (yes, even Valiants)…
This is not to reflect badly on Roger’s efforts, it’s just an observation:)
* The obvious more glamorous Italian and German offerings excepted.
The Americans were luxury cars back then (yes, even Valiants)…
In the dark and dusty back end of my memory is US TV news footage of Golda Meir, when she was PM, emerging from the back seat of a Valiant.
Well that’s probably before she was PM – Valiants were for Generals and Ministers (or lawyers and CEOs of middle-sized companies). PMs had Polaras…
It is not even just a case of cars that are unfamiliar, just a matter of fast-forwarding 40-50 years when the same cars are virtually never seen. A couple of years ago my mother was visiting and went to a show with me, and when we saw a fully-restored 1964 Holden ute her reaction was “what’s that doing here?”. She simply didn’t think of it as a classic car.
Familiarity breeds contempt.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
If it helps, A Corvair also generated head scratching back then, and an Israeli-assembled Stubedaker Lark was for those who could not afford fully imported US cars (even Ramblers, yes). And many of those cars have been re-discovered by Israeli old car fans and are being restored.
“most of those cars* were, well, porridge.” .
Same thing in Boston or Cambridge, Ma. in the 1950’s and 1960’s ~ being College Towns they attracted many imports, gogomobiles, Isttas, and Pugs etc.
Between indifferent servicing and the tin worms many (? most?) of them were gone by the 1970’s sad to say .
-Nate
Great writeup (and cars) Roger. About the Peugeot 505 vs the 504: Less popularity, albeit equal or even better capacity, solidity and dependability, than the predecessor?? Then, it would be safe (no pun intended) to say that the 505 is the French Volvo 740/940 🙂
Valid comparison, I guess, but Volvos are quite low down on my list of preferred cars, below SAAB.
Well, I thought you liked the 480 Turbo 🙂
Well, I also like Saabs, but in general I regard the 900 as high as the 99…
As much as any, but I’d rather have a Renault 17TS! 🙂
Vive la Quirkiness et l’Avant-Garde
Don’t forget the Saab Gripen.
In that case,…. ANY Volvo would be below the Saab
*ba dum, tss*
Doesn’t the Gripen have Volvo engines?
Oh, you’re right 🙂
Its Volvo Flygmotor engines are licensed derivatives of the GE F404. Why reinvent the wheel?
Technically I think the Gripen has a license-built variant of an American engine (The 404 family used in the F18, if I recall correctly).
Very neat collection. Love the Peugeot 104. Such a clean, elegant shape. I also find the Renault R14 charming in an odd sort of way, even if the French nicknamed them “poire pourrie (rotten pear)”.
“Poire pourrie”, that is true, and that came from the unfortunate advertising campaign that compared the R14 to a pear (due to its unusual, rounded shape). “Poire” is also slang for “naive”, “gullible”, in a nutshell someone not so smart, which Renault’s PR guys completely overlooked for some mysterious reason. Not the best way to have buyers reach for their cheque books but a nice way to crack up kids on their way to school. I remember billboards saying “A pear is comfortable”, etc, ha-ha indeed, you get the picture. The R14 was never the sales success Renault expected it to be. It was not such a bad car (if truth be told it wasn’t a really good one either) but a factory-condoned nickname like this one was the last thing it needed.
Quickest and easiest visual indicator is the bonnet side cooling flaps on the prewar, which were replaced by punched louvres postwar.
There are many differences and varieties, in engines, lengths, body changes etc, of course.
Wow, you must have been bouncing around the show field like a pinball. What a selection!
Wow! What a spread. This was a treat, thank you
And to think we used to see the Renault 14 as weirdly-styled! It now looks decidedly conventional!
Great post, Roger!! I felt like I was there. Once I got past the Venetian blinds on the back of that Citroen DS, I remembered that I had a cherished die cast Peugeot 104 from childhood. It might have been a Corgi. Anyway, I don’t think I had seen that shape for quite a long time.
The other thing this post brought to mind was how clean- and smooth-looking the Renaults dating from the late-70’s forward were. The 14 you featured was a good example of that. And I don’t care what anyone else thinks – the Renault Fuego was a knockout.
“And I don’t care what anyone else thinks – the Renault Fuego was a knockout.”
I thought I was the only person who liked those! A friend of mine’s father collected broken Pugeots and Renaults (and I grew up next door to Kenosha so “Alliance/Encores” were everywhere-French cars didn’t seem nearly as odd to me as maybe everyone else in the Midwest) I nearly bought a Fuego, a couple times- the first time, in the late 80s for some reason my parents didn’t think my first car should be a turbo sports car, go figure… I had found a minty black/black Fuego for sale, but couldn’t afford it. Then 4-5 years later I found a nice (looking) red one, but it shot half the turbo out the down pipe during the test drive. (I was with the owner, and NOT driving like a teenager, I swear!) I really dug Fuegos, but I literally haven’t seen another one since my test drive in 1993. I still kinda wish I had bought it, but I didn’t have anywhere to keep a non-running car at the time.
Thank you for the chance to see the great display! It looks perfect, except for the 37 deg day.
And the reason there was no Fulvia Zagato Sport at the Castlemaine meet was that the local example driven most regularly also belongs to the event organiser.
Were you at Castlemaine Jim? There was a Fulvia Zagato Sport, happily because it is one of my favourite Lancias. This has been a good reminder for me to get onto the next installment from the show, which will feature the 1960’s Fulvias etc.
Roger, great analogy between the Simcas and Hillman/Sunbeams – and it is not surprising that the French cars have more elegant styling than the British. The Elf-liveried Renault 15 was a treat too!
Sadly I was not. I made it the year the Dutch author was a guest speaker, and had a charming inscription written in my copy of her book. On reading that you wouldn’t guess we’d never met prior to the signing.
I did get to follow the Zagato from Todd Rd to out past Colac on a run last July. I’m always amazed what 1300cc can achieve. Never driven the car but I have tried it on. It fits!
Fantastic article Roger – made for some very welcome lunchtime reading!
Great write up Roger some familiar and not so familiar cars in there I do like those original tin snails and saw one recently not at a show but in a workshop in Wellington a Citroen specialiist who wrecks and repairs cars right in the heart of the city He had DS ID Xsaras Xantias BX and a couple of Peugeots for good measure and plenty of wrecks for parts, I will be going back there.
Nice work, Roger. You can feel the 37 degree heat in those pics!
The real find here is that Renault Siete. I remember seeing my 1st one in the metal in Spain about 10 years ago. They’re really weird to me, but the chrome bumpers make them soooo attractive compared to the Renault 5’s plastic fantastic bumpers. And the extra two doors at the back — it took Renault FIVE YEARS to copy them onto the R5. What were they doing? Oh the R14, of course… Ah well…
Just a couple things with the text: that’s a 1956 Simca Aronde Grand Large coupe (in English: “high seas”); the D Spécial was the ID-19’s new moniker from 1970 on — there was also the twin-carb D Super (formerly the ID-20). The DS-21 itself just carried on being a DS. Both of the featured cars are 1970-71 models with the old-style door handles. And that absolutely gorgeous black Panhard is a 1954-55 Dyna Z, not the 24 (which is a 2-door).
So it is Grand Large. I assume you’re saying Large in this case translates as ‘high seas’, but Lago being Italian for ‘lake’ might suggest a French to Italian translated name.
“Le large” = the open ocean.
“Le grand large” = the high seas.
“Lago” is Italian for lake (“lac” in French), but in the context of cars, could be confused with Talbot-Lago, which is unrelated to that Simca…
Thank you
Very interesting show.
Would the red and white car in the background of the 1st pic. of the Dodge Dart be an Opel ? or maybe a Simca.
Simca Vedette I think
+1
Speaking of the devil…
Last Tuesday, I was traipsing aimlessly through the neighbourhood in Munich since the weather was so nice. I spotted this Traction Avant on the street: it was the first time I have ever seen one not at the museum or car meet. I took lot of photos for my Instagram ‘A Sunday Car Picture’ series.
A guy in late 20s or early 30s with very Berliner appearance was standing nearby and waited patiently for me to finish the photo shoot. He asked me if I would like to ride in his Traction Avant. I couldn’t believe my luck and could hardly contain my excitement like a little boy on Christmas Eve! I never thought I would ever get to ride in one after lusting after one for thirty-five years: it was a love at first sight when I was a teenager. Just spur of the moment thing!
What surprised me was how roomy the interior in spite of my 205 cm tall physique. Of course, I had to shoehorn myself through smaller front door opening. I looked behind to see the rear seat and could definitely see enormous legroom back there. Next time, I will ask him for another ride but this time as a ‘back seat driver’.
As he drove through the neighbourhood, I was awestruck at how low the car is and very poised. The six-cylinder motor provided more than adequate power and growled quite nicely during the quick acceleration.
I queried him what brought him to own the Traction Avant. He explained that his father is French food and wine connoisseur and has a specialty shop. Naturally, his father drives his own Traction Avant. Like father, like son.
Lucky you! And a six cylinder one at that; they are quite capable of keeping up with modern traffic, and make a perfectly usable daily driver. On my lust list.
That one’s a 4 cyl. (11B), Paul…
This certainly took me back in time and location. You showed many of my favorite French cars. It was particular satisfying to see three Renault 4 TL sneaking into your pictures.
I finally found the photos I took recently in Burbank, Ca of a nice old Pug , unrestored, maybe a Movie rental car ? .
-Nate
The interior :
-Nate
Good looking from _any_ angle ! .
-Nate
Great article!
Now I want me one of those four cylinder transmissions 😉
John, I am right with you.