New cars are getting harder and harder to work on by shade tree mechanics so aftermarket equipment aimed at the average driver often consists of floor mats and car covers. However, a look at 60-year old magazines reveals that aftermarket companies offered a wide range of equipment that enabled owners to almost rebuild their car … Continue reading »
The city of Velaux, France, held its second annual car show last weekend. It was one of the first car local shows of the year which is risky because in April the weather can change for the worse with very little notice. However, the sun stayed out and the organizers’ gamble seemingly paid off: The … Continue reading »
Introduced at the 1967 Paris Motor Show, the Simca 1100 was one of the precursors to the 21st century family car. It had a hatchback (often referred to as a fifth door), a folding rear bench seat and a transversally-mounted engine that spun the front wheels. Unlike other front-wheel drive cars such as the Mini, … Continue reading »
About three years ago, we spotted a Simca VF2 overrun by wild brush in a vacant lot that borders the freeway. We made a mental note of it but we didn’t stop to get a closer look – tracking down every single abandoned car we catch a glimpse of would be nearly impossible for a … Continue reading »
The 34th annual Epoqu’Auto vintage car show took place last weekend outside of Lyon in the Rhône department of France. There are many smaller car shows and gatherings in the area but Epoqu’Auto is said to be the largest event of its kind by a long shot so, rain and wind be damned, we drove … Continue reading »
A little over six years ago we spotted a 1975 Simca 1301 station wagon behind a local Fiat, Alfa and Lancia dealership. We vaguely knew the owner of the place so we were able to wander in the back lot and take a closer look. Original down to the 1975-issue license plates, the wagon was … Continue reading »
The 10th annual Avignon Motor Festival took place last weekend in the beautiful Vaucluse department of France. There are many other vintage car events in the region, but the Motor Festival is by far the biggest one. Continue reading »
The Automobile Club of Monaco has been organizing the Historic Monte-Carlo Rally for the last fifteen years. The 2012 edition of it started on January 28th, 2012, and will end tomorrow in Monaco. This year, over 300 cars signed up for the event left from six European cities: Barcelona (Spain), Glasgow (Scotland), Oslo (Norway), Reims … Continue reading »
In the early 1970s Simca badly needed to replace their aging 1301 and 1501 sedans. On paper they weren’t that old, they came out in 1967. In reality they were based on the 1300 and the 1500 respectively and both of those went back to 1963. To develop the replacement two options were considered: the first … Continue reading »
Every year the little town of Barcelonnette in France welcomes visitors from all over the world as they stop by to ski, hike, sight-see or simply spend a relaxing weekend in the mountains. In late July the city attracts a very different kind of crowd: the streets around it get transformed into a racing paddock as drivers … Continue reading »
