AMILCARS in Australia

[hawk]

Hi there,
I am interested to hear from any Amilcar owners or prospective owners on this site. Amilcars have a wonderful history and I am hoping to get some feedback from local owners. I have a plan to buy a restoration project one day. So any leads for cars or parts would be welcome.

My background is Citroens and there is an early association between Amilcar and Citroen. I have recently purchased a 1925 Amilcar - G series Sport so I am hoping to make this thread a focus for other owners to create some common interest and help one another. You can PM me any leads or requests.

Hawk
( Ted Cross in Melbourne )

 

[JohnW]

It would be great to have a lively Amilcar group here. Thanks and good luck with it.

 

[Benoit]

I've got a Le Zebre which is the connection between Amilcar and Citroen.

There are quite a few Amilcars in the Vintage Sports Car Club. There were at least 10 at the Tour de Fleurieu a month or so back.

 

[JohnW]

A few weeks ago I asked someone about this business of Amilcars being, to my mind, surprisingly common in SA, which I recall from my teen years and Collingrove Hillclimb!

I was told that back in the 1920s shearers bought them to drive between jobs, or from jobs to home, as they were faster and cheaper than some alternative or other. Who knows, and maybe I'll even remember who told me! It's an interesting angle on things.

I've always wondered.

Cheers

 

[hawk]

Yes I believe there are more Amilcars in S.A. than any other state.
On the weekend I pulled the carbi apart and replaced the 33gm petrol float ( exactly the same as a 1926 B 12 Citroen ) and now it starts but runs too quickly. Today I found out why from another Amilcar owner ( my good friend Geoff ) in Trentham Vic. So I will make some more adjustments. It has Teclamite grease connections - so I now need to find a grease gun to match - and then the keyed switch for the Magneto is seized. It is a steep learning curve. Loving it though. Ted

 

[hawk]

I am now trying to sort out the tyres. It is apparent that I have Beaded edge tyres/rims currently. The current tyre size is 730 x 130 and this makes a new set a very expensive proposition. I am exploring the idea of changing to well based rims but would prefer another set of hubs so that I could return to original if I need to do so. Any body able to give me advice on hunting down a supplier - I think there is a place in NZ who can supply reproduction hubs and rims. Ted

 

[panhard]

The May issue of the Veteran Car Club of WA magazine "Early Auto" has an interesting article on the recent travels of two club members in their 1924 Amilcar. You can go into the club website at Veteran Car Club of W.A and select the May issue of the magazine.

 

[Wildebeest]

Hawk,
I have seen the Tecalamite grease connections [nipples] on Leyland trucks. Early Fiat, up to 1950's and on the Simca 8 that I once owned.
I'm sure you will be able to get the grease gun connections from lubrication specialists.

 

[robmac]

Hawk,
I have seen the Tecalamite grease connections [nipples] on Leyland trucks. Early Fiat, up to 1950's and on the Simca 8 that I once owned.
I'm sure you will be able to get the grease gun connections from lubrication specialists.

Which reminds of the comment made by the local lube guy, at the family servo after servicing my Dad's 404 wagon
in the late 1960s.

" Your vehicle has more nipples than a nursing mother's health centre"

 

[DaveB]

My neighbors Amilcar

He wont come online, but doesn't mind me putting up these pics.
As found:

Now driving:

 

[AMILCAR CGS]

Yes, quite a few Amilcars in South Australia - Tour de Fleurieu a few months ago was well attended and great fun. Mostly local cars but also some from Vic, NSW and WA.

 

[hawk]

DaveB thanks for listing these photos. This is what I love to see. Restorations and Amilcars being used.

Thanks als AmilcarCGS also for posting. What about a future run to say Penola for a longweekend type event with the SA and Vic/NSW/Qld cars all joining in. ( and our friend in WA ). We did this last year with the Citroen clubs and had a great time ina lovely part of the country. Hawk

 

[AMILCAR CGS]

I'm sure if you want to organize something in the South East, that people would come. In the late 50s/mid 60s there were regular Vintage rallies shared by the VSCCSA and VSCC, Vic. based in Mount Gambier, because it was roughly half way between Adelaide & Melbourne.

We try to run a southern rally in SA, based in the Fleurieu Peninsula, at least every couple of years. There might also be a rally next year based in the Clare Valley wine region.
There is only one Amilcar owner in Queensland that I am aware of and although he has quite a few Amilcars, he tends not to travel too far south!
How do we get a national AMILCAR-specific chat-line set up on Aussie-Frogs?

 

[Sloughsloth]

Congratulations Ted for starting this thread. I have spent the best part of my adult life campaigning a 1934 MG PA as well as old 2cv's. In the 1960's I always admired small fast Amilcars that always appeared to be driven by the Duffle Coat set in particular, musicians, architects and the like?
As I approached retirement age I developed a desire to own something ravishingly small and French so an Amilcar was sought. Although a bit thin on the ground I eventually found a very seductive 1922 CC Petit Sport. Bill Boldiston of Leura in the Blue Mountains had restored two in the early 1990's. Only weighing 350kgs the speed and handling are amazing.
Often referred to as the poor man's Bugatti, we like to say the Bugatti is the rich man's Amilcar??
Bill Boldiston wrote a very good book on the History of Amilcars in NSW so fellow Amilcar enthusiast Lloyd Foster of Bendigo and myself are chasing down every known Amilcar in Victoria and intend to produce a similar local version. Lloyd has just about finished a long term resto on his 1921 CC Sport.
We now have list of about 25 known Amilcars and their owners, we believe there about 50 Amilcars in Victoria, about 30 in NSW and as many as 70 in South Australia.
We would appreciate any leads of further Amilcars you may know of to complete our list, please PM me with any cars you may know of.
Some of our other Amilcar owners include; Len Jenkins (CGS, CGSs, E, and a Compound), Ted Cross (G Series), John Crawford (C4), Bob McGrath (G Series), Craig Little (CS, C4) Bert Howard (G Series), Peter Mifsud (G series), Phil Whittington (C4, G), and Mike Farrell (CC).
Other than my CC I have recently acquired a restored 1925 G series Roaster and have an unrestored C4 Kit.
I will download a few photos in a following thread.
Best wishes
Geoff Scott

 

[hawk]

Geoff's amilcar added

Geoff's Amilcars added. Hawk