Voitures Anciennes

[curtis]

Talking of different engines in Fiats; here is the engine in mine.

P1050486 by john curtis, sur Flickr

P1050497 by john curtis, sur Flickr

[curtis]

Abarth Rougnac 2022d by john curtis, sur Flickr

[DominicBest]

D98CAF26-734C-4544-B211-F8C39E6A4715.png

[RobertArthur]

In the German press (Bild) something about the early days of motoring, auction day again. The Mercedes-Simplex 60 HP could become the most expensive car built before 1930. It's hard to believe: this Mercedes was once the fastest production car in the world! Maximum speed about 130 km/h. But that was some time ago: the Mercedes-Simplex 60 PS "Roi des Belges" was built back in 1903. 121 years later, the original classic car is now going under the hammer at the Gooding & Company auction house. The licence plate reveals that this car was the 740th car ever registered in London. The former purchase price: 25,000 gold marks (that would be around 200,000 euros today). The super sports car was ordered by the British publisher and motorsport fan Alfred Harmsworth.

Where, when, what price?

[Wilbro]

I remember as a boy reading the Saint books by Leslie Charteris. "The mighty Hirondelle charged on 50, 60,70 mph"

[Hotrodder]

121 years in the same family. Yeah. I was saying to the mrs. a while ago, its only the rich that can afford to buy the best, and the very rich are able to keep it long enough for it to become valuable.

[RobertArthur]

Almost to fast for my camera: a Lamborghini Contach.

[DominicBest]

When I lived in Worthing in the early 1980s Dutton Cars was a thriving local business building cars based on the components of bigger manufacturers. The owner’s two sons both drove Lamborghini Countachs. The had very similar numberplates; one read TOO 510W and the other TOD 510W.

[RobertArthur]

Is the Citroën SM airworthy? In 1971 it was.

[Hotrodder]

That group shot of Citroens reminded me. One of the worst cars I have ever owned (and I have owned loads over the years) was the Citroen AX. Admittedly it was their entry level offering at the time but what a piece of **** in every respect. After putting right some of its worst faults and glueing back into place all the interior bits that were found under the seats I sold it on very quickly and replaced it with a Seat Marbella which turned out to be a much better prospect although quite spartan inside.