Topic: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

So I'm going to look at a 1960 Simca Aronde this afternoon.  I'm thinking it should at least be in the running for IoE honors.  Just wondering if anyone has attempted a Simca build yet?

I'm thinking motorcycle engine swap and a definite brake upgrade (current owner says the car has some kind of combination mechanical/hydraulic brakes--this I have to see!)

Anyone else with Simca experience feel free to chime in with advice, insults, etc.

Enjoy every sandwich.

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

Nobody has ever raced a Simca in Lemons. In fact, we've never seen any Rootes Group product before. You bring an Aronde and you'll have a huge head start on the IOE, guaranteed.

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

Hmmm...I wonder if that Sunbeam Tiger is still sitting in the feild by that old gas station.

Team Sucker Punch: Winner Class B Doing Time at Joliet 2023 Autobahn ,Winner Org Choice award Were the Elite Meet to Cheat 2015
Chevy Camaro (Tiger striped #38)  (1989-2017 RIP old friend)
Chevy Corvette 1984......and still racing!

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

Tiptoe the rat wrote:

Hmmm...I wonder if that Sunbeam Tiger is still sitting in the feild by that old gas station.

You should check... big_smile

Sons of STIG
Judge Jonny, "So, what's the next formerly thought to be immune from winning that will steal the nickels?An MR2? A Fierro (ha ha ha)? A Datsun/Nissan Z? A Camaro?"

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

Well, after going to look at the Simca, I'm inclined to go for it.  If nothing else, it would be a lot of fun to see it on the track at the same time as the Prefect and the Wartburg--a trifecta of '50s/'60s European crapcans...

Enjoy every sandwich.

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

Any gomer with a welder, a $150 Alpine carcass, and a random V8/transmission can make a Lemons "Sunbeam Tiger" in a weekend! So why haven't we seen one in Lemons?

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

smackela wrote:

Well, after going to look at the Simca, I'm inclined to go for it.  If nothing else, it would be a lot of fun to see it on the track at the same time as the Prefect and the Wartburg--a trifecta of '50s/'60s European crapcans...

Please do! While all those RX-7 and Supra teams are sweating the wait for the acceptance email, you'll be secure in the knowledge that you're in for sure!

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

MurileeMartin wrote:

Any gomer with a welder, a $150 Alpine carcass, and a random V8/transmission can make a Lemons "Sunbeam Tiger" in a weekend! So why haven't we seen one in Lemons?

uhh... motivation?!

Sons of STIG
Judge Jonny, "So, what's the next formerly thought to be immune from winning that will steal the nickels?An MR2? A Fierro (ha ha ha)? A Datsun/Nissan Z? A Camaro?"

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

Riktor wrote:
Tiptoe the rat wrote:

Hmmm...I wonder if that Sunbeam Tiger is still sitting in the feild by that old gas station.

You should check... big_smile

Well its still there and the owner still won't part with it.  The car has a roof on it, thats right a hardtop Tiger, which makes it a very rare car indeed.  Its too far gone to do a restoration but a Lemons Tiger...oh yea that would be sweet.  I'll keep asking, worst that could happen is I'll get shot again I figure.

Team Sucker Punch: Winner Class B Doing Time at Joliet 2023 Autobahn ,Winner Org Choice award Were the Elite Meet to Cheat 2015
Chevy Camaro (Tiger striped #38)  (1989-2017 RIP old friend)
Chevy Corvette 1984......and still racing!

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

Alpines are cheap! V8s are cheap!

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

Tiptoe the rat wrote:
Riktor wrote:
Tiptoe the rat wrote:

Hmmm...I wonder if that Sunbeam Tiger is still sitting in the feild by that old gas station.

You should check... big_smile

Well its still there and the owner still won't part with it.  The car has a roof on it, thats right a hardtop Tiger, which makes it a very rare car indeed.  Its too far gone to do a restoration but a Lemons Tiger...oh yea that would be sweet.  I'll keep asking, worst that could happen is I'll get shot again I figure.

Please forward contact info... I would love to have it... I think three sunbeams can make one good tiger.

Sons of STIG
Judge Jonny, "So, what's the next formerly thought to be immune from winning that will steal the nickels?An MR2? A Fierro (ha ha ha)? A Datsun/Nissan Z? A Camaro?"

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

Speaking as someone who's had a lot of experience with preparing a French car for Lemons (we're the Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys team) to me the key thing in racing a French car is parts availability. The 505 is kind of unique in this area because Peugeot owners are absolutely maniacal about keeping their cars on the road (you should of heard the crap we got from some owners for "destroying" one) and that plus the fact that the 505 was in production in Africa until 2002 makes parts relatively easy to come by, especially here in Washington which must have been the hotbed of Peugeot sales back in the '90s from the number of cars still around.

However recently I found a killer deal on a Renault and considered buying it but parts seemed non-existant, not only here in the US but also on Ebay.fr. This made me decide that if we're going to field a second French car it will have to be another Peugeot, perhaps a 405 this time (the 405 is still in production, in fact PSA sells over 125,000 of them a year).

Good luck with the Simca, I'd love to see more French cars compete! However I'd start stockpiling parts now and figure on having to fabricate a lot yourself as it's not going to as simple as running down to NAPA for parts.

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

Solracer wrote:

Speaking as someone who's had a lot of experience with preparing a French car for Lemons (we're the Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys team) to me the key thing in racing a French car is parts availability. The 505 is kind of unique in this area because Peugeot owners are absolutely maniacal about keeping their cars on the road (you should of heard the crap we got from some owners for "destroying" one) and that plus the fact that the 505 was in production in Africa until 2002 makes parts relatively easy to come by, especially here in Washington which must have been the hotbed of Peugeot sales back in the '90s from the number of cars still around.

However recently I found a killer deal on a Renault and considered buying it but parts seemed non-existant, not only here in the US but also on Ebay.fr. This made me decide that if we're going to field a second French car it will have to be another Peugeot, perhaps a 405 this time (the 405 is still in production, in fact PSA sells over 125,000 of them a year).

Good luck with the Simca, I'd love to see more French cars compete! However I'd start stockpiling parts now and figure on having to fabricate a lot yourself as it's not going to as simple as running down to NAPA for parts.

Thanks for the feedback.  I've had some experience with French cars (my dad had a Renault when I was a kid, and I learned a lot about working on cars because of it), and in spite of that I still want to race one!

So I bought the Simca today, picking it up this weekend.  I'll post pics when I get it home.  The car was just too, erm, interesting to pass up.  First, it only has 35,000 miles on it and was a one-owner car until 2008.  All of the original paperwork (dealer invoice, proof of insurance, books, etc.--and even the original 1960 title!!) came with the car.  The engine was run low on oil in 1972 and "stopped running".  The original owner towed it up from Georgia with the intent of repairing it, but never got around to it and left it in his (apparently very dry) garage for nearly 40 years.  So it isn't rotted all to hell like most cars we find up here in Michigan.  All the glass is in very good shape, which will hopefully bring some decent money when I pull it out and sell it.

Not sure what I'll find when I get the engine apart, and I know that finding spares is going to be something akin to a pipe dream.  So I'm planning on either dropping in a motorcycle engine, or possibly a 1275 I've had sitting around for the past 6 years, still waiting to be installed in my MG.  I figure that either of those options will make spare parts less of a concern. Might help with the rather limited top speed of the stock setup, as well.

Anyway, glad to be a "pioneer" (maybe "guinea pig" or "glutton for punishment" would be more appropriate) in fielding the first Lemons Simca.  Too bad Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys is already taken.  I might just have to settle for Team Franco-American...

Enjoy every sandwich.

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

simca 1200!!!

arse-sweat-apalosa thunderhill 2011 : team killer zomBee!

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

Id go with La Résistance for a team name,  I want to do a Lemons Citroen so badly!!

Team Sucker Punch: Winner Class B Doing Time at Joliet 2023 Autobahn ,Winner Org Choice award Were the Elite Meet to Cheat 2015
Chevy Camaro (Tiger striped #38)  (1989-2017 RIP old friend)
Chevy Corvette 1984......and still racing!

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

Tiptoe the rat wrote:

Id go with La Résistance for a team name,  I want to do a Lemons Citroen so badly!!

I've gotta believe a $500 Citroen SM would constitute IoE critical mass.

Enjoy every sandwich.

Re: Anyone built/raced a Simca in Lemons?

Take two, they're small. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI … K:MEWAX:IT

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.