SIMCAs are a Ward family thing with brother Kev having several. Today we had both our SIMCA 1100 hatchbacks out at the Monday market car show that's now restarted after the lockdown. The twin carb versions of the SIMCA 1100 were always a rarity in the UK. as SIMCA only offered the Twin Weber DCNF carbed 1204 Special in '70 & '71. After that we never got the 1294cc 'Ti' the rest of Europe did, with SIMCA Spain going further with a 1442cc engine on twin 36 DCNFs.
My 1100 is a '77 GLX, originally with the basic 1118cc engine. It has received a 1442 engine with the twin DCNF's from a MATRA-SIMCA Bagheera but it's even livelier having been fitted with the race cam from my old oval racer, now a sort of spanish spec 'Ti' plus. Kev's 1100 was originally the rare 1204 Special, but it had suffered badly rust wise. During the rebuild he decided to give it a real power boost. It now runs a Honda 16 valve from a Rover 400 running on Twin 40 DCNF carbs. My 1100 runs on 6x14 wheels from a Lancia Dedra and Kev's runs on 6x14's, I forget the make that have been on various cars in the family including a horizon, Renault 19 and Toyota Corolla. The SIMCA 1204 engine is now in my garage as a spare for my Bertone coupe. It went Ok but the Honda engine gives it some real Go. Also the Honda gearbox supplies something the SIMCA 1100 never had.... a decent gearchange..!!
Photos below...
My 1100 is a '77 GLX, originally with the basic 1118cc engine. It has received a 1442 engine with the twin DCNF's from a MATRA-SIMCA Bagheera but it's even livelier having been fitted with the race cam from my old oval racer, now a sort of spanish spec 'Ti' plus. Kev's 1100 was originally the rare 1204 Special, but it had suffered badly rust wise. During the rebuild he decided to give it a real power boost. It now runs a Honda 16 valve from a Rover 400 running on Twin 40 DCNF carbs. My 1100 runs on 6x14 wheels from a Lancia Dedra and Kev's runs on 6x14's, I forget the make that have been on various cars in the family including a horizon, Renault 19 and Toyota Corolla. The SIMCA 1204 engine is now in my garage as a spare for my Bertone coupe. It went Ok but the Honda engine gives it some real Go. Also the Honda gearbox supplies something the SIMCA 1100 never had.... a decent gearchange..!!
Photos below...
