Hey, Anyone know of any Ford Vedette kustoms that were built? Did they sell any of these outside France?
The Vedette was I think a French market only Ford. It was basically a scaled down '49 Merc. The came fitted with a V8-60 as standard. There is one that has been customised in France.
Well I know they were sold in Sweden, probably lots of other places too. Don't have any pics but some customs have been built. Found these sketches though, a little better proportions than irl...
Originally designed as a post-war "light car" for the U.S. market, Henry II stopped the development and the designs were sent to Ford France for production. Mutt
I've a factory manual in English so maybe some left France offically The motor I have is more like a 8BA than a prewar V8-60 and a mixture of Metric and SAE not fully Metric
Here's one for sale in OK. Looks like a dreamer price, though. eBay Motors: Ford : Ford (item 4590114306
I recall a Simca Vedette that ran a flathead V8. The model I remember had fins so looked like a late 50's car. Sorry, no pics.
I borrowed this picture from HAMB-member Makke's album. This sad Simca Vedette wreck could have been a nice kustom but it was never finished... Ford Vedette on the background. http://community.webshots.com/album/317356210aehJRp/0
As Blue said, they were called Simca Vedette here in New Zealand. I remember seeing them, but they were'nt common. I recall the speedway guys snapping up the wrecks to get the motors.
A friend of me is building a vedette with airbags and sb chevy. Pics soon. There was also some vedettes & simca kustom in France during the 80 & 90's and now. Here's some pics: enlarged vedette with 73 mopar frame & 440... 53 vedette chambord custom: versailles with top chop for more informations about french rods & kustoms & pics: http://www.rods-customs.com/ and french message board: http://youks.free.fr/forumBC/viewforum.php?f=2
Same here. Can't remember the last time I saw one though. Were once a common source of v8 60's for midgets. I know an old guy who used to race them and still has quite a collection of restored speedway cars, including a couple of midgets with the 60's, as well as engines on stands - all dressed in Edelbrock heads, multi carbs etc. Cool.
Those Simcas were sold in Pakistan and India too. I remember seeing a few in the mid '80s, I'm sure they're all gone by now. If I woulda had the sense I coulda bought a container load of rare cars. There's some really swell European Ford designs. I love my English Ford Consul Capri.
My father has a Comete with a late model flathead. He also has a 8n ford tractor with a v/8 60. He bought a Vedette in the late 70's, with the frt. end knocked off. Seems like it was wrecked in the early 60's and put in storage. He pulled the v/8 60 out and put it in the 8n. Fit under stock hood, looks like a completely stock 8n with a V/8 60. I'll try to post some photos.
The Simca Versailles had really pretty lines and nice proportions. I haven't seen a Simca on the road in the USA in ages. By coincedence, my wife brought home a French movie DVD this weekend: Monsieur Ibrahim with Omar Shariff. It is set mostly in Paris about 1964 or so. The film has many street scenes with great shots of Simcas, Peugeots, Renaults, and Panhards. One scene even has the title character buying a new car in a Simca showroom - pretty neat!
I boleave that late '71 was the last year Mopar tried ta sell Simcas in the US. With a bigger share of Mitsabishi and the Rootes Group under its belt, Mopar had no use for slow sellers in its showrooms. Some of the very early Simcas were just rebadged Fiat Toupolinos, and made great drag cars.
I'm building one now. Not as easy as one would think. Parts are hard to find especially living in Germany
The Jalopy Journal
