Lightweight SIMCA 1000

[scmick]

Have now decided to fit a supercharged SIMCA engine in this when the bodywork is completed. It will be an uprated version of the setup in the car in thread '76 SIMCA 1000SR supercharged' on here. That has gone to a new owner put back to 1294cc standard N/A spec and he's restoring it. I kept the modified head an supercharger, manifolds etc. Plan is to use a 1442 Talbot Alpine block (longer stroke version of the 1294) and make a manifold for a 45DCOE weber carb I have in place of the big SU. Back in the days French tuners running supercharged SIMCAs used DCOEs. With the SU on the supercharger the old car used to run like a 2 litre but drink fuel like a 4 litre..!! but was worth it for the fun factor.


supercharger in original car..

[scmick]

Exit for hot air from rad in fibreglass bonnet. ...

[greavsy]

Morning. WOW ! That's an epic thread... I passed my test in a Simca 1000 and after going through a few "starter cars" I bought a 1000 can't remember a lot about it ( this is back in the 70's !) other than it was quite rusty and fairly quick... 1118cc and some fancy Carb (Weber)?? I know I enjoyed ragging it about though !!

[scmick]

greavsy I originally bought this from a lad who'd had it for his first car. He'd run it for a while then it spent years in his parents' front garden when he went on to more modern stuff. I built it up for a spare shell for my circuit racer but sold it on when I got the orange 'youngtimer' racer. Now back with me, I'm determined to get it mobile again. My other SIMCA project in the garage (see thread on here ''72 SIMCA 1000GLS') sounds like a similar spec to yours.... 1118cc and I'm fitting a 40DCOE Weber carb. It's a car we rescued from sitting under a pile of junk in a garage after the owners death in 1984. 12 years on the road had seen it get pretty rusty but it's only done 19,000 miles..!! Have completed the welding and fitted the big arched wings and 7x13 Revolutions from a past racer. Engine runs spot on with the DCOE and 4 branch exhaust. Currently in the garage to work on when the weather keeps me off the 'lightweight' outside.






Starting on reskinning other front door in fibreglass...

[scmick]

Now has 4 doors in fibreglass, fronts just with skins, rears complete doors bolted in place. Panels came from France back in the '80s for one of our first SIMCA racers.

[scmick]

Saving weight with lexan windows. Needed an opening bit on driver's door so used upright bit from quarterlight to make slider for rear section.


Just need to bolt rear doors in place, make a cover for access hatch in rear bulkhead and can get on with mechanical jobs.... adapting Original SIMCA pedal box to a more normal setup and possibly rigging up a cable clutch release in place of the seriously 'dodgy' SIMCA setup.

[scmick]

Have got another pair of 8x13 5 spoke Compomotives to match the rears. Couldn't resist trying them on it. Will mess about with rides height at a later date... mainly involves juggling about with transverse leaf spring leaves at front and half a coil or so off rear springs, or may fit coilovers back there for some adjustment.

[scmick]

Top of scuttle panels... almost designed to form a rust trap but have survived quite well on this SIMCA 1000, just needed welding on each end. Have fibreglass replica of cover panel to fit. Does not have slots in for air intake to heater but does not apply on this car as some careful ducting of hot air from front rad should take care of any heating/demisting issues. Also fibreglass panel is for LHD car so wiper housing area needs moving.

[scmick]

Just after taking the last couple of photos I managed to fall off the wall down into the garden below, next to where this SIMCA is parked. Now OK thanks to paramedics and brother & sister in law Kev & Lesley... if a little battered. Need to take a few days off this project... surely I can't be getting 'past it' for these jobs? Also reminds me I must do a bit of gardening.... the brambles down there don't make for a comfortable landing!!!

[hairdoo]

Dear mick. I wish you a speedy recovery. I've loitered your threads for a while but never commented. Take some time to get back to yourself an then hit the French cars head on with a strong back and a stout heart. Good luck

[bstardchild]

Mar 3, 2021 21:58:25 GMT scmick said:

Just after taking the last couple of photos I managed to fall off the wall down into the garden below, next to where this SIMCA is parked. Now OK thanks to paramedics and brother & sister in law Kev & Lesley... if a little battered. Need to take a few days off this project... surely I can't be getting 'past it' for these jobs? Also reminds me I must do a bit of gardening.... the brambles down there don't make for a comfortable landing!!!

Now that was a silly thing to do - get well soon and whilst brambles aren't comfortable they do provide some cushioning - thank them before you rip them out

[scmick]

Since I retired I've had the time I never had when working to play about with my old cars. I probably make things harder for myself having three projects on the go at the same time. There again variety helps when one or the other gets frustrating. ... must also look into checking the SIMCA race car over for when trackdays are up and running again.

[biturbo228]

Man now that's a fleet!

And don't worry, we all do stupid things every now and again. I recently had to learn an (in hindsight very obvious) lesson not to use a chisel as a screwdriver. And I've put a Fiat through a hedge. And set light to a bootful of petrol in my Jag while I was sitting in it. I'm sure there'll be more when I start thinking!

Also, I absolutely love your little Simca mini-truck. There's just something about it. Perfect mix of unassuming utilitarian and actually quite a pretty design.

Oh, and how much do you think your lightweight 1000 will weigh by the end of it?

[scmick]

biturbo228 My orange ex 'Youngtimer Trophy' SIMCA racecar is supposed to weigh around 700kg using mostly steel panels, glass windows and a really substantial rollcage so I'm hoping this one saves a fair bit more with the all the fibreglass and lighter windows etc.
The SIMCA Pickup has its own thread on here... '84 Simca/Talbot 1100 pickup detailing the massive 'weldathon' needed to get it back on the road in 2014. ... I've uprated it from the original 1118cc engine to a 1442 originally from a MATRA Bagheera.

[scmick]

Got round to finally fitting radiator in properly. On the SIMCA Rallye 2 & 3 saloons the hot air behind the rad exits under the car. On the 1200s coupe it exits via a grille in the front lid. I'm using both ways on this. Hope to make the cooling system self bleeding by 't' ing a hose from the header tank into the bottom hose into the electric water pump as used on the 'Youngtimer' racer and my 'FIMCA'. Header tank comes from my scrapped Renault Espace.

[scmick]

Some photos from '95 of a SIMCA racecar I had which no longer exists but supplied some of the fibreglass panels I'm now using for this project.

[scmick]

Next job is some repair work on the rear o/s wing. The rear wings were bought new from France by a previous owner and look OK in these photos but since then I'd managed to crack one when manoeuvring the trailer past it.

[scmick]

Battery can't sit on top of chassis leg as not enough space between wheelarch and headlamp bowl so made a raised base for it. Managed to recover battered fibreglass lid and have treated it to a 'SIMCA Racing Team' dragon.... the logo for the massive factory supported one make race/rally series through the '70s.

[scmick]

A bit of fine weather gave me chance to tidy up the outside. Decided to do it in the same colours as my old racer but in a different arrangement.

[scmick]

Paintwork just about done. Just have to finish assembling engine and brake pipes/cooling pipes.