Simca Green??

I wonder if this was the Chrysler influence at Simca?

In America, Chrysler was huge with military equipment. They sold off their tank building division in the early seventies for two reasons:

1. They were sinking, going down fast, nigh on bankrupt.

2. It was the most profitable part of the corporation, so sold well.

There's also their history with these things, that marvellous 30-cylinder side valve engine they came up with for tanks during the war.

Anyway, I've asked the seller for some details. I suspect this thing was built with a Kew engine.
 
Well, they can't have the original engine in them then!

Says Ford V8... 4.2 litres... Simca's Ford V8 was 2350 or something. 4.2 is the 260 smallblock, which didn't come out until about 1964.

And would Chrysler let them continue using a Ford two or three years after buying out Simca? A Ford engine they didn't make themselves, that is... when there were plenty of Chrysler engines readily available.
 
Simca Green.

These vehicles, I believe, were to be seen in New Caledonia in service with the French Military.
What info I have is that they did use the larger side valve Ford. I suspect that with a military contract Simca gave them whatever engine they specified.

"Pong ahh" will be along shortly with the full story.
PCCWA "Modelmeister" Peter Olsen has built examples of these in 1/43 scale. :)
 
By that time the Ford sidevalve V8 was out of production, though... unless Simca got the patterns and were making them themselves.

In which case... probably better for a Special than a 1948 clunker that's been around the world.
 
Ray Bell said:
By that time the Ford sidevalve V8 was out of production, though... unless Simca got the patterns and were making them themselves.

In which case... probably better for a Special than a 1948 clunker that's been around the world.
Click to expand...

Simca did have rights to manufacture Ford motors. It was the only time in Ford history that they sold a plant and allowed continuance of manufacture.
One time they had plant taken and manufacture also continued-but that was organised by Stalin.
 
Wildebeest said:
These vehicles, I believe, were to be seen in New Caledonia in service with the French Military.
What info I have is that they did use the larger side valve Ford. I suspect that with a military contract Simca gave them whatever engine they specified.

"Pong ahh" will be along shortly with the full story.
PCCWA "Modelmeister" Peter Olsen has built examples of these in 1/43 scale. :)
Click to expand...
Hi Master, this is "Pong Ahh" here to meet the needs of your captive audience.

The SIMCA - UNIC MARMON was built by Simca from the late '50's to 1973 for the French Army and used mainly to carry men and cargo. With a 1.5t payload this 4x4 is a real techno-mix , a LHD Gallic Unimong featuring coil springing, air brakes, a pnenmatic rear diff lock and a side valve V8 that also powered the English Ford Pilot. Specification are ..........

Engine: 4.2 ltr. Ford side valve V8 of 100hp.
Transmission: Four speed synchro, two speed transfer.
Drive: 2WD/4WD.
Payload: 1500kg.
Towing Limit: 2000kg
Springing: Coils
Axles: Portal
Brakes: Air over Oil
Electrics: 24Volts
Ground Clearance: 330mm
Climbing Ability: 60% gradient
Top Speed: 65mph

The 4.2 ltr flathead Ford was built under licence by Simca and produced 100hp at 3200rpm, a 6.5:1 low compression and twin spark ignition means it can run on almost anything. As well as France they were and possibly still are doing service in New Caledonia, from all accounts they were a poor handling vehicle on the road.

Come to think of it Master, you knew all about this in the first place!
 
Simca Unic Marmon

Ray Bell said:
Not quite...

The 4.2-litre V8 wasn't used in the Pilot. It had the V8/60 that was the prototype of the Vedette engine. 2.3 litres. 60hp. Etc.
Click to expand...
Hi Ray,

So true .......... I stand corrected on this one and there will be not Chocolate Frog from the Master for me.
 
I now learn that the larger Ford sidevalve V8s were built into the eighties in Canada for industrial applications...

One company was buying them to instal in remakes of the '34 Ford.

You did say that the engines were made in France, didn't you? I wonder if they had any alterations to them?
 
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