Description

1966 Simca 1000 Coupe

Pretty and rare Giugiaro-designed coupe; runs and drives; recent work to sills - requires paint and detailing

The Simca 1000 Coupe was a sporty two-door version of the long-running boxy four-door Simca saloon that was produced from 1961 to 1978. This pretty coupé’s bodywork and interior were designed by Italian coachbuilders Bertone, and more specifically a very young Giorgetto Giugiaro, who would go on to become the most prolific car designer of all time.

The Coupe was launched in 1962, just a year after the saloon, as a competitor to the Renault Floride and later, the Fiat 850 Coupe. Its mechanicals were near identical to the 1000 saloon’s, but the bodies were built, painted and trimmed by Bertone in Turin, before being shipped to Simca’s factory in Poissy for finishing. Giugiaro’s design was widely admired and the car soon became popular in France, although it was never marketed in the UK.

For that reason the Simca 1000 Coupe is a very rare sight in Britain, only a handful of cars known to reside here. It’s much more common among the French classic car world though and the excellent UK Simca Club provides good support for the car.

This particular example was imported from the Limousin region of France in 2017. The second UK owner of the car sold it at Brightwells last year and reported that the engine runs very sweetly, and that the gearbox, clutch and brakes function as they should. We are told that it has had a recent engine rebuild, although there is no documentation for this. It is now being re-offered for sale, simply because the last purchaser has decided he would prefer something from an earlier era.

Recent improvements include £690-worth of welding to the sills and part of the floor (bills in history file) and replacement of the webbing of the unusually-designed seatbelts.   The car was last submitted for an MOT in October 2021, principally to confirm that the sill repairs were to a good standard. They are, but the Simca failed on indistinct headlamp aim (it needs a pair of RHD lights), a worn N/S/F ball-joint (a new one is included), a broken boot latch and uneven handbrake performance.

It is UK registered but there is no V5C with the car so its new owner will need to apply for a replacement in the usual way. There are a few bills, correspondence from the Simca Owners Club, a Haynes manual and a handbook on file.

On offer simply because the owner has too many projects, this rare and very pretty Simca Coupe has been widely admired since arrival and would look great in your garage.

For more information email toby.service@brightwells.com