1950 Simca Estager Barquette (coachwork by Carrozzeria Motto)
- Engine
- 1.1L (bored to 1.22L) inline-four OHV, twin Solex carburettors on Abarth manifold
A one-off aluminium barchetta built on a Simca Eight chassis for Jean Estager, a French racing driver and acquaintance of Louis Rosier, with coachwork hand-fabricated by Carrozzeria Motto of Turin in 1950. The car passed French registration inspection in October 1950 and was entered — though it did not start — at the 1951 Le Mans 24 Hours before competing at Montlhéry in 1953. Rediscovered decades later in barn-find condition, it subsequently underwent a comprehensive professional restoration costing approximately €100,000.
Ownership
- 2021-04-23Auction saleSold €145,000 (≈ $160K)
- 1950-10-18 → 1951Factory deliveryJean Estagerfull documentation
Builder of the car; registered in his name on 18 October 1950 under French plate 581 G 63 following official vehicle inspection approval.
- 1951 →Private saleMax Deblonpartial documentation
Acquired the Simca from Estager and entered it at Le Mans that same year; the car later competed at Montlhéry in 1953 during this ownership period.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownChristophe Pundpartial documentation
Rediscovered the car in unrestored barn-find condition during the 2000s; the body and special chassis were intact though the car was incomplete at that point.
- Date unknownPrivate saleFrench collector and current vendorpartial documentation
Prominent collector of French automobiles who commissioned a full professional restoration costing approximately €100,000; the engine was rebuilt and enlarged to 1,220cc for competition use, with the restoration finished roughly three years before the sale.
Competition
- 19511951 Le Mans 24 HoursDriver: Max DeblonDNS
Car was entered under competition number 74 for Deblon and co-driver Daguet but failed to reach the starting grid.
- 1953Montlhéry
The car took part in racing at the Montlhéry circuit; described as the most notable of several events entered during this period.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Engine rebuild
The original 1,089cc unit was rebuilt and modified for competition use, bored out to 1,220cc and fitted with twin Solex 32 PBIC carburettors on an Abarth manifold; original Deho aluminium sump and oil filler were retained.
Carried out as part of the broader restoration commissioned by the current vendor.
- —Restoration
Comprehensive professional restoration of the complete vehicle following its rediscovery in barn-find condition; the interior face of the driver's door was deliberately left unrestored as documentation of the pre-restoration state.
Completed roughly three years before the catalogue date at a total cost of approximately €100,000.
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