1938 Simca 8 Gordini

823885racingFrance

Engine: 1.1L inline-four, modified with polished cylinder head

Chassis 823885 is a Simca 8 extensively modified by Amédée Gordini — with a stiffened frame, aluminium coachwork, and a tuned cylinder head — into a competitive racing machine. Gordini himself drove it to an outright victory at the 1938 Bol d'Or at Montlhéry, and the car subsequently ran at Le Mans in both 1938 and 1939, finishing second in the 1,100 cc class in the latter. A documented chain of French ownership followed, including privateer Jacques Lapaillerie and collector Christian Chassaing de Borredon, and the car has appeared at the Le Mans Heritage Club Concours in 2012 and 2018, taking the FIVA prize at the latter event.

Ownership

—Auction sale
Estimate €400,000 – €600,000
RM Sotheby's catalogue lot →
1947 →Acquisition unknown
Jacques Lapaillerie
partial documentation
A privateer racer who had the car converted to right-hand drive configuration and continued campaigning it through 1953.
→ 1993Inheritance
Widow of Christian Chassaing de Borredon
partial documentation
Inherited the car from her late husband and subsequently sold it in 1993.
2000 →Private sale
Paris-based consignor
partial documentation
Current owner who has exhibited the car at Le Mans Heritage Club concours events and had a history report compiled by specialist Christian Huet.
Date unknownFactory delivery
Amédée Gordini
partial documentation
Gordini personally built and modified the vehicle from an early production Simca 8, then raced it himself at its debut.
Date unknownAcquisition unknown
Christian Chassaing de Borredon
partial documentation
French collector who reportedly allowed Emerson Fittipaldi to drive the car around the time of a 1970 Formula 2 event at Rouen.

Competition

1938
1938 Bol d'Or
Driver: Amédée Gordini1st overall
Solo drive by Gordini over a 24-hour format at Montlhéry; this was the car's competitive debut.
1938
1938 Le Mans 24 Hours
Entered approximately two weeks after the Bol d'Or victory; no result stated in the source.
1939
1939 Le Mans 24 Hours
2nd in class (1,100 cc)
Car returned to La Sarthe the following year and achieved a class runner-up finish.
1970Formula 2
Rouen Formula 2 race
Driver: Emerson Fittipaldi
Fittipaldi reportedly drove the Simca-Gordini at Rouen, coinciding with his own separate Formula 2 race entry there.
2012
2012 Concours Le Mans Heritage Club
Car shown at the Heritage Club concours event; no award mentioned for this appearance.
2018
2018 Concours Le Mans Heritage Club
FIVA prize winner
Second appearance at this concours; the car received the FIVA award.

Maintenance & restoration

—
Modification
Gordini transformed a standard early Simca 8 by reinforcing the chassis, fitting a lightweight aluminium body, and polishing the cylinder head to create a purpose-built competition car.
Carried out by Amédée Gordini himself prior to the car's 1938 competition debut.
—
Modification
The car was converted from left-hand to right-hand drive during Jacques Lapaillerie's ownership, allowing it to continue competing.
Conversion carried out at some point from 1947 onward, prior to 1953.

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