Simca 6 fourgonette (1950)

We found the Simca 6 fourgonette in the photos at an internationally operating dealer in classic motorcycles. A nice 'by-catch' that came along with another trade.

Once, in 1926, the management of FIAT - then with capital letters as in “Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino” - sent Henri Theodore Pigozzi to Paris to set up the FIAT importership for France. Three years later, the enterprising Italian managed this so well that he started assembling FIATS in Paris.

Business was going well

With that he earned so much money that he could take over the Donnet brand in 1934. That was also the time to really become your own boss. That is why the Société Industrielle Mécanique et Carrosserie was established. And let that be the first letters of Simca. First the logo was a Swallow, in the end the playful 'SimCat' was invented. So with a cartoon cat

It was not until 1936 that the first Simca's went on sale

Those two years were actually used to tweak FIATs a bit. For example, the Simca 5 was actually a FIAT Topolino. After the war, Simca continued to play on loan at FIAT. Our fashion model, a Simca 6 fourgonette, was well on its way to becoming something of its own. The French had given the FIAT an 'American' nose. He got some of the looks of the Peugeot 203 and the R4, the 'bowler hat'. The rear overhang had also increased and in the Simca 6 fourgonette, the 'van version' the payload was 250 kilos or 150 baguetttes.

The almost 600 cc overhead valve engine delivered in the Simca 6 fourgonette no less than 16,5 hp at 4000 rpm. In addition, the small worker ran a proud 1 in 20. The top was about 90 kilometers, but that was already unheard of speed in the French countryside. The top two gears were synchronized in the four-speed gearbox. More than 1947 Simca 1950s were made between 16.000 and 6. With that, the six was not immediately a suczes.

The first very own Simca only appeared in 1953, the Simca Aronde. Since marketing was not yet invented at the time, the factory was very surprised at the good sales of their firstfruits. Until the end of production in 1961, more than a million were sold. In the meantime, Simca had taken over the French Ford factory in 1954. As a result, the Ford Vedette also turned into a Simca. The Ariane and the Chambord were later ex-Ford-derived Simcas.

Later it went better

In 1961 Simca presented the extremely successful Simca 1000, the first Simca with the engine in the back. The stylish elegantly lined 1300 and 1500 cc models followed in 1964. The 1100 - with its advertising campaign, which was quite typical at the time - was also very successful after its introduction in 1968.

Thinking out of the box

It is fantastic fun to browse the classic market with an open mind. With private individuals you will find the most unexpected things. But you can also be amazed in regular trade. This is usually due to 'by-catch'. Things that had to be included in a transaction and all that. We found the Simca 6 fourgonette in the photos with Dutch Lion Motorcycles, an internationally operating dealer of classic motorcycles.

Also interesting to read:
- Simca 1100 Ti restoration
- The Simca 1000 Rallye, a bomb
- Simca Océane and Plein Ciel
- Tuning, now and then…
- Chrysler Windsor de luxe (1953), a comfortable classic