[Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the July 2014 issue of Classic Motorsports.]
Most American enthusiasts see French cars as exotics. As we crane our necks for an extra glimpse, we harbor a secret jealousy of any person who has the freedom and the finances to spend time with one.
The wayward awe surrounding French cars grows from a …
I will just add this YouTube channel here
Lots of vids from French Historic Ralleys. More Citroens, Renaults, Peugeots and Simcas than you have ever seen in one place. It is enough to make me have a saved CL search for a Renault Encore.
What about the lowly Simcas? I'll admit to owning a 69 1204 Wagon. Quirky. Maybe had some reliability issues. But 63hp out of 72ci. Direct lineage to the Omni/Horizon that helped save Chrysler.
"Why not add an underrated French classic to your stable?"
I may be French-Canadian but I'm not insane...
Up here in Canada, we got a lot more French cars than the US ever did. When I went racing in the US, everyone pronounced Renault as Reenolt instead of Runo - they just had no exposure to the cars.
Many French cars are idiosyncratically conceived and assembled. The closest I got to buying one was a Facel Vega HK500 which like my Jensens, used a Chrysler big block engine, but I came to my senses in time. The restoration almost drove the guy that did buy it crazy as there were many oddball things done by the manufacturer.
We even had a brand manufactured here in Canada, the Manic GT which was assembled in Quebec using Renault mechanicals:
I did lust after a Matra Murena just because of the oddball three abreast seating arrangement but again, came to my senses in time. And I avoided buying the handsome Citroen SM - a French limo with odd electro-hydraulic bits that were pretty much unobtainable even here.
Having said that, one local racer did quite well in class with a R8 Gordini
Back in around 1972, I nearly bought a '66 Caravelle with softtop/hardtop, but upon inspection, the underside was not okay due to rust. The car was only 6 years old, and this was in Vancouver, Canada, not back east in the rust belt. Of course, I have no idea if that was where it was from.
I really like the DS, and there is a local Citroen repair company nearbye. But I just don't know if I want to risk the usual high cost of a decent DS and the cost of keeping one running.
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