Car O'Clock

I’ll have this one, thank you

This Abarth Simca 1300 wasn’t quite finished, as you can see. Even so, I can picture it fully restored quite clearly in my mind’s eye. One of the few cars I could see replacing my ’93 Carrera 2, even if it isn’t anything like as useable. Just to look at the Abarth every day would be a pleasure. Driving? No idea, but I’m sure it would be entertaining.

I didn’t have an opportunity to speak to the owner or anyone who knew about the car at the event so I will just have to guess how it will turn out. I imagine it might be painted bright red, yellow, or pale blue, and will sport those lovely Abarth alloy wheels and an Abarth twin-cam version of the Simca-based motor, with huge Weber ‘carbs’ and Scorpion exhaust hanging out the back. I’ve added a picture of what it might turn out like.

Maybe it will even be displayed at a future Motorclassica (or race meeting?) and I’ll be able to take some photographs of the finished machine if it stays in Australia.

Other cars that piqued my interest

Motorclassica always manages to find wonderful cars in pristine condition which leave me rather overwhelmed after my first or second tour of the exhibits. This year, Bentley, Alvis, Citroen, and Abarth were the featured marques, together with a great display of Japanese classics, mainly from the sixties and seventies.

Japanese cars

What often strikes me is how cars I have ignored for 30 years suddenly start to looking appealing, like the two original Toyota Celica’s at the show. Not an especially great car perhaps, but they now are classic examples of Japanese car design from the period and quite unlike anything coming out of Europe at the time. A cool thing to drive around in now.

There were some very rare coupes I hadn’t seen before too, including the 1968 Honda 1300, a quite conventional-looking car with an extraordinary air-cooled motor, complete with a dry-sump and reportedly happy to rev to 8000rpm! Then there was a very pretty little, champagne green 1966 Nissan Sylvia Coupe, looking almost Parisian chic and a delightful Isuzu 117 coupe, penned by the renowned Italian designer, Giugiaro, in 1968. Also on display was a pristine Mazda Cosmo rotary coupe, now much prized by collectors, and I think the first time I’ve seen one in the ‘metal.’

French cars

I’m a serial past Citroen owner and massive fan, so I loved the various DS variants, including glamorous, now mega-buck, cabriolets. Their current values make the standard saloons look incredibly good buying.

Same with the exotic SM coupe, why are they not worth more is a puzzle to me. Still, it means you don’t have to be a millionaire to own one. It seems crazy, but the value of a 2CV might soon overtake the SM – what a strange world we live in.

Of course, the Citroen I was most captivated by was the slightly scruffy, yet delightfully crazy-looking Ami 6, sitting in a dark corner. It just needs a bit of a makeover and, ideally, painted in a light pastel blue, green or yellow. So madly French and weird.

In complete contrast, there was an impressive Facel Vega HK500 sporting that crazy, hand-painted wood veneer effect fascia. I don’t think I have ever read why they didn’t just use real wood instead. I gather the Chrysler-Powered models went very well, even if the drum brakes must have been a bit scary on the autoroute. For that reason, the later disc-brake equipped, Facel II model would be my choice.

Italian cars

It was wonderful to see a good selection of Abarths from the sixties when Carlo Abarth was cooking-up his absurdly fast little sedans and exotic coupes. They won many hill climbs and races throughout Europe and the USA during that time.  As previously mentioned, I was excited to see an Abarth-Simca 1300 alongside a ‘double-bubble’ 750 GT, 850TC and one-off single-seater. What a shame Abarth was swallowed up by the Fiat empire in the early seventies. Having said that, the later Abarth-Fiat 131 and 124 Spider on display, while less exotic-looking than early Abarths, would be a bundle of fun to drive on a quiet mountain road.

I loved the pretty Guilietta Ti saloon too, in period-perfect, mid-blue. Maybe it’s just me, but all these pint-size Italian jewels seem so much more enticing than the usual look-at-me Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Having said that, there was a very nice, orange Alfa Romeo Montreal, Maserati Bora, and an early Countach, with that fantastic rear wheel arch shape. The later models never looked as good IMO, becoming more OTT with every update.

UK cars

I surprised myself by being drawn to an early Lotus Esprit, a car I’ve never wanted to own in the past. The very early example at the event was a real stunner though, in original orange with an amazing tartan interior – I loved it, even if I never cared for the slightly ordinary Wolfrace wheels they came with. That early cloth interior was so much more appealing than the tacky, ruched leather that came with the later models.

Alongside it was a very smart, original Elite, looking as desirable as ever – what a wonderful pair they would be to own. Nearby, a perfect, red AC Ace looked very desirable too, even if I’d like mine in an original, mid-metallic blue, thank you. Each to his (or her) own, of course. I can’t say I loved the Aston Martin DB2 Mk3 in primrose, even if the car was beautifully restored. It went on to become the Car of the Show, so obviously other people loved it, even in yellow.

Elsewhere, there was an amazing selection of Alvis and Bentley cars, both pre and post-war. Neither marque is quite my cup of tea, although I totally understand why so many people love them, the later cars especially are the personification of elegance. The early cars look the most fun to drive, although I’ve read many times that changing gear with a twenties Bentley can be ‘demanding.’ Perhaps I’ll have the chance to find out one day.

German Cars

There weren’t too many German cars this year, but a couple caught my eye, especially the stunning green Porsche 356A Convertible D and BMW 2002 Turbo.

In summary

As ever, Motorclassica featured more wonderful cars than I can recall or have space here to write about. After leaving the show I made a quick round-up of the cars I’d most want to own if price/value were not a consideration.

These would my picks:

Naturally, the (finished) Abarth-Simca 1300 would have to be one, with the Ami 6 restored to originality for shopping trips and the Lotus Esprit for sunny, weekend drives, as long as it came in that fantastic orange hue and matching tartan trim. I’d love that delightful blue Giulietta  Ti too. And, maybe find space for the little Nissan Sylvia Coupe for Mrs Car O’Clock because it was her surprise choice among the Japanese classics. Although, I might try to persuade her to consider that lovely Porsche Convertible D instead!