1951 SIMCA 8 Sport Coupé
Screenshot taken from the Classic Car Auctions site.
Original photographer and date unknown.
Note the stylish interior with two-tone door cover.
Simca had its golden age in the 1950s and 1960s. Shortly after the war the idea of an own sports car appeared in the head office of Simca. In october 1947 head of the Simca company Henri Pigozzi (1898-1964) visited the Milan Car Show. There he was impressed by the Fiat 1100 Cabriolet Élaboré prototype designed by the young Giovanni Michelotti at Studio Pininfarina, which very much remembered him to the fluid silhouette of the Cisitalia 202 Berlinette. Pigozzi obtained the license to build such a sports car. The first prototype was shown at the Paris Salon de l'Automobile in October 1948.
During 1949, the Simca 8 sports car continued to be developed in collaboration with Facel-Métallon, who actually finished the design and built the car.
Finally in October 1949 production could start.
The Simca 8 Sport had an aluminium body and was available as a cabriolet and from April 1950 also as a coupé.
Both models had a two piece windscreen in the beginning. In Oct. 1950 the one-piece windscreen appeared only on the coupé.
For Oct. 1951 the five horizontal bars in the grille on the 8 Sport were replaced by three wider bars.
In April 1952 the 8 Sport was replaced by the Simca 9 Sport.
In 1958 Chrysler Corporation bought 15% of Simca shares to get an easy entrance to the European market. The benefit was both ways. In 1959 Simca entered the US market: Chrysler dealers began to sell French Simcas. Already in 1960 Simca had reached the 7th position in the top 10 of sold foreign imports (17,077 pieces).
It is very well possible that older luxury Simcas such as this Simca 8 Sport were sold on the US second hand market because Simca was known meanwhile.
This Simca 8 Sport Coupé was later imported back to the Netherlands.
Seen at the viewing days of the Palmen Barnfind Collection Auction initiated by Gallery Aaldering, Brummen and provided by Classic Car Auctions, location Dordrecht.
More info: www.gallery-aaldering.com/nl/the-palmen-barnfind-collecti...
More photos: www.classiccar-auctions.com/nl/lot-details/18260/Main%20c...
Most of the cars offered were in a relatively good shape. But some 15 cars were in a terrible condition, mostly caused by corrosion. I wonder what the value could be for the potential buyer. Spare parts? Garden object?
1221 cc L4 engine.
Ca. 920 kg.
Production Simca 8 Series: Nov. 1937-July 1951 (Berline).
Production Simca 8 Sport Coupé this version: April 1950-Oct. 1951.
Original first reg. number: June 30, 1951.
New US reg. number (import documents present).
For sale since May 24, 2023.
Halfweg, July 30, 2023.
© 2023 CCA/Sander Toonen Halfweg | All Rights Reserved
1951 SIMCA 8 Sport Coupé
Screenshot taken from the Classic Car Auctions site.
Original photographer and date unknown.
Note the stylish interior with two-tone door cover.
Simca had its golden age in the 1950s and 1960s. Shortly after the war the idea of an own sports car appeared in the head office of Simca. In october 1947 head of the Simca company Henri Pigozzi (1898-1964) visited the Milan Car Show. There he was impressed by the Fiat 1100 Cabriolet Élaboré prototype designed by the young Giovanni Michelotti at Studio Pininfarina, which very much remembered him to the fluid silhouette of the Cisitalia 202 Berlinette. Pigozzi obtained the license to build such a sports car. The first prototype was shown at the Paris Salon de l'Automobile in October 1948.
During 1949, the Simca 8 sports car continued to be developed in collaboration with Facel-Métallon, who actually finished the design and built the car.
Finally in October 1949 production could start.
The Simca 8 Sport had an aluminium body and was available as a cabriolet and from April 1950 also as a coupé.
Both models had a two piece windscreen in the beginning. In Oct. 1950 the one-piece windscreen appeared only on the coupé.
For Oct. 1951 the five horizontal bars in the grille on the 8 Sport were replaced by three wider bars.
In April 1952 the 8 Sport was replaced by the Simca 9 Sport.
In 1958 Chrysler Corporation bought 15% of Simca shares to get an easy entrance to the European market. The benefit was both ways. In 1959 Simca entered the US market: Chrysler dealers began to sell French Simcas. Already in 1960 Simca had reached the 7th position in the top 10 of sold foreign imports (17,077 pieces).
It is very well possible that older luxury Simcas such as this Simca 8 Sport were sold on the US second hand market because Simca was known meanwhile.
This Simca 8 Sport Coupé was later imported back to the Netherlands.
Seen at the viewing days of the Palmen Barnfind Collection Auction initiated by Gallery Aaldering, Brummen and provided by Classic Car Auctions, location Dordrecht.
More info: www.gallery-aaldering.com/nl/the-palmen-barnfind-collecti...
More photos: www.classiccar-auctions.com/nl/lot-details/18260/Main%20c...
Most of the cars offered were in a relatively good shape. But some 15 cars were in a terrible condition, mostly caused by corrosion. I wonder what the value could be for the potential buyer. Spare parts? Garden object?
1221 cc L4 engine.
Ca. 920 kg.
Production Simca 8 Series: Nov. 1937-July 1951 (Berline).
Production Simca 8 Sport Coupé this version: April 1950-Oct. 1951.
Original first reg. number: June 30, 1951.
New US reg. number (import documents present).
For sale since May 24, 2023.
Halfweg, July 30, 2023.
© 2023 CCA/Sander Toonen Halfweg | All Rights Reserved