The Simca Aronde was a big seller in its home country of France in the 50s and early 60s, but is very rarely seen here. This is not quite a microcar by conventional definitions, but it is a very small sedan and was designed to provide economical family transportation.
This is a non-running project car without a big parts supply around these parts. Hopefully, one can find parts with the right connections to France, but shipping might add up. Given all this, this car is something of a blank canvas. Worried that the 1.3L four cylinder won’t motivate this to your liking? Drop in something else!
Bad news is the seller has provided precisely zero interior shots and no related information, so condition is anyone’s guess.
From my perspective, this one is too strange to ignore and likely too much of a pain in the ass to take on as a project.
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Beaumont, CA
$1,600
Ad text:
French built car, sold thru Plymouth dealers to compete with the VW back in the day! Small car like a Hillman Manxs or a ford Anglia. 4cyl./stick on the column. 4dr. Sedan as most common imported. A very rare car to find in states! Only missing hubcaps/1 tail light ! Other than that all there and not in running order. Rat rod this or micro hotrod or simply restore to your liking! To many projects on my plate, my loss your gain as I will not ever find another. Great patina paint with 50’s style scallops! Cash only please and no scams. Call
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2 responses to “Common 50s French Sedan, Rarely Seen in the US”
These sold by the thousand in Australia in the 1950s. By US standards they may have been a microcar but in the rest of the world they were seen as a standard small car, with genuine 4 seat capacity, 5 at a pinch. About 1300cc 4 cyl engine, 5 main bearing, very large brakes & tough suspension. Double skinned luggage boot. Alloy head that had to be re torqued after a few hundred mile when new, US buyers didn't do this and head gaskets blew as a result. Overall mechanical quality let down by poor grade plastic interior trim and thin chrome. After the Simca brand was discontinued, all unsold parts were dumped, it is said. Only one believed to be still on the road in Australia but there is or was an active French club.
These sold by the thousand in Australia in the 1950s. By US standards they may have been a microcar but in the rest of the world they were seen as a standard small car, with genuine 4 seat capacity, 5 at a pinch. About 1300cc 4 cyl engine, 5 main bearing, very large brakes & tough suspension. Double skinned luggage boot. Alloy head that had to be re torqued after a few hundred mile when new, US buyers didn't do this and head gaskets blew as a result. Overall mechanical quality let down by poor grade plastic interior trim and thin chrome. After the Simca brand was discontinued, all unsold parts were dumped, it is said. Only one believed to be still on the road in Australia but there is or was an active French club.