PHILLIP ISLAND CLASSIC

[Gerard C]

I'll like to add " ça m'en bush un coin!"

[johnh875]

Some more Simcas for you Gerard. Wagon was on the 50th anniversary re-run of the 1953 Redex Trial, the Chambord was at Winton in 2017 also.

[Gerard C]

Wahoo john nice gift thanks a lot looks wonderful. I'm not able to make the difference between the variants built on the same base like Beaulieu, Chambord or Versailles. I see a 203 too. Seems the Chambord spike wheels are real ones not fake as it could be here with accessories like Robergel???
Did you have the Aronde P60 in two doors version with no B pillar? Could be called Grand Large or Monaco.
How are considered Simca owners in your area?

[Mike Bell]

The wagon is cool. I need a classic wagon / break / estate in my life!

[Gerard C]

Dont expect any towing ability from a 1300 cc Aronde in 3 or 5 main bearings form. The Marly break is better with its V8 but three speed gearbox only. The most desirable of the Simca Vedette range could be the Présidence (with continental kit). Dont believe those who will tell you they were black color only, the very last batch was white. Treat yourself like a king!

[275 GTB-4]

Originally Posted by E.B

Perhaps originally the car pictured was from the near decade or so of Australian local Aronde manufacture?
1956-9 was CKD kits, albeit with plenty of local components, and 59-64 was full local manufacture in Adelaide at the Chrysler factory.
(Gérard, I think a while ago I sent you pics of the unique to Australia locally made P60 Aronde 5 door Station Wagon?)

Unique is such an overused word these days...

[johnh875]

You are welcome Gerard. I don't know much about the different Vedette-descendants, but I'd be sure that one has aftermarket wheels or adapted from something else - a friend of mine has done that, he put Sunbeam Alpine hubs and knock-on wires on a Hillman. I haven't seen a 2-door Simca that I can recall; even from the mid-50s 2-door cars were less popular here. How Simcas are regarded probably depends on the observer, either 'rare but interesting' much in the same way as any defunct old brand or 'some weird old car' if they are a classic car heathen.

On another note, here is a gallery of shots from the weekend:
https://www.speedcafe.com/2019/03/11...and-classic-3/

[S griffin]

I think we all enjoyed the photos. Difference in cars doesn’t matter so much in historics, although cars will always have their own strengths and weaknesses

[E.B]

Originally Posted by 275 GTB-4

Unique is such an overused word these days...

I only see 3 doors on those cars pictured. The 5 door, made in Australia at the Chrysler plant, was as I said, based on the P60 sedan, featured an extended roof-line and a tail-gate fitted with a wind-down window, and was unique to Australia.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

The most desirable of the Simca Vedette range could be the Présidence (with continental kit). Dont believe those who will tell you they were black color only, the very last batch was white. Treat yourself like a king!

Never seen a (presumably very rare) white one, only black..... with the venetian blind in the rear window! Quite an imposing car with the rear fins.

I have seen pictures I am sure of a Présidence Cabrio? Maybe an after market conversion?

[Gerard C]

Thanks for the pics and infos really enjoyable. GTB's pic shows how much Simca tried to play mix and match with parts. It must be a P60 Ranch I guess but its a P60 -then new model- front the front to the back of the from doors. All the rest is from the Aronde, including rear lights.
Présidence cabrio or découvrante we had at least one showing 4 PR 75 on its plate. One off for de Gaulle! Général de Gaulle.

[Gerard C]

I know a bit about distances in Australia which is more a continent than an island. That said, did you ever meet each other you three?

John please, what are the two blue coupés? Is there some Iso Rivalta inspiration at least for the front wings? Great quality pics, congrats!
The Beetle / Porsche dealer is just a-ma-zing!

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Présidence cabrio or découvrante we had at least one showing 4 PR 75 on its plate. One off for de Gaulle! Général de Gaulle.

I have already emailed you pics and details of that very car at auction before I saw your post!

[Gerard C]

Simca Présidence is the french equivalent to Lincoln Continental… well roughly. Wanna look how our politicians go? De Gaulle, grand homme et tall guy, had to use a convertible. Several decades later, Nicolas S could stand on his Vel Satis rear seat and keep his brushing clean!
OK may be this one is "slightly' OT.
So did GTB, John Lemm and E.B ever met or will meet?

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

So did GTB, John Lemm and E.B ever met or will meet?

Iain (Delta) introduced me to Johnh875 at PI recently. First time we have met. I also met up with David Towe (met him previously at Sandown and PI well) who runs a Group A M3 (very successfully), although he admitted he has not been as regular here at tenths of late as he used to be. I have not (knowingly) met GTB before.

[Gerard C]

I see Sydney is really far away from Melbourne while Victoria seems close to. What about a great tenths meeting next year to welcome the FJ's? Dare?

Do you know what is the blue coupé on John's pics? Front wings Ã* la Rivolta, rear end Corvette style… With a bit of Marcos!

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

I see Sydney is really far away from Melbourne while Victoria seems close to. What about a great tenths meeting next year to welcome the FJ's? Dare?

To help you understand Aus Geography, Victoria is a state of Australia, and Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria. Sydney is in New South Wales, and capital city of NSW. Adelaide is capital of South Australia, Brisbane is capital city of Queensland etc.etc.



Melbourne to Sydney is about 9 hours driving non stop. Melbourne to Adelaide a few klms less. Perth in Western Australia to Sydney is about 4000 klms! Melbourne to Darwin in the Northern Territory is about 3800 klms! To put Darwin and Perth into perspective, Paris is closer to Ankara in Turkey than that!

Many competitors at Phillip Island drove their trucks with cars from Perth to Melbourne for the weekend.

[bludvl_x19]

Totally relevant to this discussion (something I never thought I would be able to say) is that the Race Director for Supercars, former Ferrari sportscar driver Tim Schenken started his competitive career at the wheel of his mother's Simca. And she wasn't aware the car had gone.....

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by bludvl_x19

Totally relevant to this discussion

Il ne faut jamais dire "jamais"… Great story about T Schenken.
Merci pour la leçon de géographie, prof'!

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Do you know what is the blue coupé on John's pics? Front wings Ã* la Rivolta, rear end Corvette style… With a bit of Marcos!

This one?

That would be a Bolwell. Specifically a Bolwell Nagari. Bolwell was a low volume Aussie Sports Car producer from the early sixties to c1980. A bit like the Marcos in UK. Lightweight, low cost option to build it yourself cars. Many were used by their owners in racing. The Nagari I beieve came with a Ford V8 power 302cu in unit as standard.. 351 an option!

There was a large number of Bolwells at PI to celebrate I guess an anniversary. They had a demo run each day on the track.

I think the name was relaunched recently, but not the same company.

More on Bolwell here: http://www.bolwell.com/our-heritage/

Also here: https://www.carsales.com.au/editoria...nagari-105539/

[Mike Bell]

Nice! And not a Simca......

[HRSTR5]

Originally Posted by E.B

This one?

That would be a Bolwell. Specifically a Bolwell Nagari. Bolwell was a low volume Aussie Sports Car producer from the early sixties to c1980. A bit like the Marcos in UK. Lightweight, low cost option to build it yourself cars. Many were used by their owners in racing. The Nagari I beieve came with a Ford V8 power 302cu in unit as standard.. 351 an option!

There was a large number of Bolwells at PI to celebrate I guess an anniversary. They had a demo run each day on the track.

I think the name was relaunched recently, but not the same company.

More on Bolwell here: http://www.bolwell.com/our-heritage/

Also here: https://www.carsales.com.au/editoria...nagari-105539/

An expat Aussie here in UK is close to putting a Bolwell on track in Historic Roadsports after a multi-year prep ... precisely which model I'm not yet sure. He previously a Milano. At PI a few years back I was surprised to see how many different Bolwell models there were in the Club area. I look forward to seeing the Bolwell in HRS!

[E.B]

A video on the Bolwell Nagari production and history

https://youtu.be/cVo6FJT5nus?t=6

(Hi James! How is the Triumph? Chris)

[E.B]

A 'Shannons Club' video with more of a focus on the Nogari racing successes plus the open top car. Actually more informative than the previous vid I posted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTz3HfY2Luk&t=8s.

[Gerard C]

Mike did you know about this Bolwell Nagari? I guess yes. The front end looks like a Marcos and even better imo, windows like a Miura.

Because Mike asks about Simcas… E.B my brain almost exploded during the three hours walk with my Yorkies. May be you're right the Présidence was never built in other color than black. BUT, there is a but here, wanting to get rid of the old stock may be they sent the last batch to the atelier de peinture to have them in white the target being some "democracies" in Africa… Terre de contrastes!