Author Topic: SAC#886 :prototype Simca Ariane 1958 (Read 2451 times)

SACO · « **on:** December 12, 2014, 03:36:48 AM »

What's this and when , for 1 point ?

datsone · « **Reply #1 on:** December 12, 2014, 04:19:39 PM »

There's Triumph Vitesse there . . . and yet, Studebaker Lark?

SACO · « **Reply #2 on:** December 13, 2014, 02:10:35 AM »

Not a Triumph Vitesse and not a Studebaker Lark !

iani · « **Reply #3 on:** December 14, 2014, 03:28:57 PM »

Prince?

SACO · « **Reply #4 on:** December 14, 2014, 04:28:40 PM »

Not a Prince !

SACO · « **Reply #5 on:** December 20, 2014, 11:27:52 AM »

Experts !

frederick59 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 20, 2014, 11:58:06 AM »

Fiat?

SACO · « **Reply #7 on:** December 20, 2014, 12:50:36 PM »

Not a Fiat !

kwgibbs · « **Reply #8 on:** December 20, 2014, 04:48:41 PM »

Vauxhall?

SACO · « **Reply #9 on:** December 21, 2014, 05:17:00 AM »

Not Vauxhall !

frederick59 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 21, 2014, 08:08:27 AM »

From Europe?

Majeko · « **Reply #11 on:** December 21, 2014, 01:31:14 PM »

Chrysler Valiant?

SACO · « **Reply #12 on:** December 29, 2014, 05:20:09 PM »

Not Chrysler Valiant !

exekiel · « **Reply #13 on:** December 31, 2014, 12:44:45 PM »

Asian?

fyreline · « **Reply #14 on:** December 31, 2014, 03:51:49 PM »

I think it's a Simca, but I can't find the bodybuilder . . . .

kwgibbs · « **Reply #15 on:** December 31, 2014, 06:09:04 PM »

was it built in the Netherlands at Nekaf plant?

SACO · « **Reply #16 on:** January 01, 2015, 04:12:44 AM »

Not Asian and not Netherlands ,but it's a Simca !
Locked for fyreline !

fyreline · « **Reply #17 on:** January 01, 2015, 12:48:19 PM »

All I can find so far is that it is a 1958 Simca Ariane (which seems to satisfy your original identifcation request), but it's obviously not a factory body. The same photograph is listed on the European eBay site, but with no further information as to the coachbuilder. It looks Italian to my eye, with both Michelotti & Vignale features. Do you know the coachbuilder? And if so, is it in fact Italian? I will keep looking, of course, but probably after New Year's Day . . . so feel free to unlock if the above information isn't sufficient.

SACO · « **Reply #18 on:** January 02, 2015, 11:34:42 AM »

Yes ! a prototype Simca Ariane 1958!
But I don't know the coach builder (perhaps a a factory body ? )
1 point for fyreline !

fyreline · « **Reply #19 on:** January 02, 2015, 11:54:31 AM »

I don't think it's a factory body . . . but who knows? Perhaps one of our more knowledgeable puzzlers with better access to period coachbuilder's references can assist here. Does anyone know who bodied this Simca?

autospeurder · « **Reply #20 on:** January 02, 2015, 12:30:17 PM »

It looks a lot like the Renault Presidentiel of Chapron (1962), so is it Chapron ?

fyreline · « **Reply #21 on:** January 02, 2015, 01:35:49 PM »

Wow, that is one ugly Rambler! No wonder Le Grande Charles disliked it. You're right, there are some front-end theme similarities . . . so I guess Chapron is a possibility as well.

pguillem · « **Reply #22 on:** January 02, 2015, 10:39:30 PM »

Do you have any information about it ? I couldn't find anything, except the photo at the eBay site, which doesn't describe it as a prototype for the Simca Ariane 1958. Looking nearer for the logo at the right upper side of the grille, it seems to be composed of approximately ten letters : the first could be an S, but the second letter is definitely not an "i", the "i" being the fifth letter. Maybe an "l", so the first letters of this model could be S_l_i_____

In fact, kwgibbs' answer appeared to me very interesting because the Nekaf plant was also assembling the Chrysler Valiant. The Renault Présidentielle suggested by autospeurder is also a very interesting answer.

I don't have the feeling that this puzzle is solved.

pguillem · « **Reply #23 on:** January 07, 2015, 02:37:16 PM »

I just contacted a club of Simca fans at Caradisiac.com. According to simca133, there is no information about the puzzle car in the Simca books. Could it be that this car is not a Simca at all ?

fyreline · « **Reply #24 on:** January 08, 2015, 09:36:51 AM »

I suspect you may be right . . . if a prominent Simca site has no knowledge of this car, that raises a red flag for sure. I also find the following facts somewhat suspicious: As you pointed out, it looks like a ten-letter nameplate possibly starting with the letter "S" on the grille. Such as, perhaps, "Studebaker"? Interesting that the car has Studebaker Lark styling similarities, mainly the grille. Also, Studebaker did business over the years with Frua / Italsuisse, and the puzzle car could easily be attributed to them.

In SACO's defense, the puzzle car's picture IS identified on the Euro eBay website as a 1958 Simca Ariane. I suppose that until we find definitive information to refute that, the information we do have stands. I would love to find out for certain. And so the search continues . . . and don't we all just love a mystery?

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Author Topic: SAC#886 :prototype Simca Ariane 1958 (Read 2451 times)