800 antique cars at Ferte Vidame
 

I went on a nine-day vacation to attend the 80th anniversary of the Citroen Traction Avant launch in 1934. Held at Ferte Vidame, on the chateau grounds of one of King Louis XIV's ministers. castle is in the background

Convoy of 400 cars from city of Chartres 60 miles away to the grounds. I was in car # 352.

871 cars showed up, all roadworthy! Dating from 1934-1957.

Some specialty cars too. Huge swap meet, fireworks, dinner for 1000! I had chicken.

The photo of the kids is significant: They pushed for the county school system to create auto shop courses so they could restore the car of a Resistance fighter killed by the Nazis - Jean Moulin, a former state governor (equiv) who was the head of the French Resistance until just before D-Day when he was caught and tortured to death.

Enjoy the photos.

I have three cars like this. One is complete and running, the others are on the project list

more photos. The one marked "8 "is the prototype of the famous 22CV prototype luxury car supposed to rival Cadillac. It did 140 mph and had 4-wheel hydraulic aircraft brakes before Cadillac had hydraulics.

I missed your posts until this morning. Great photos. Thanks for sharing. My family had DS in east Africa and I grew to like the 2CV when I lived in Berkeley (the seem somewhat common there). But I am relatively unfamiliar with the older models. Thanks again for posting those photos.

<My pleasure!

I may be buying some more cars soon.

Jerry Seinfeld needs to do a coffee with comedians episodes in one of those ,the french do some of the best roasted flavered coffees, its put in baby bottles I was told .

What brand of carbs are those , easy to bench build?

Yes. Selected Solex, Weber and Zenith

Is that a Ford v8? Caddy?

The Traction avante roadsters are lovely!

I did some searching and found pictures of a 22 which appears to have a Ford v8. I suspect it might be one of those little flathead 60s that were offered in Simcas in the fifties, possibly sixties as well. they have one in the ford flathead museum up in Auburn Indiana. It has aluminum heads, bell housing and transmission case IIRC.

strelnik thank you for this starter post .The pictures are great, and also the story.

My pleasure.


I go back there each year but don't report, because I am tired of stupid French jokes.


After all we are the king of the road with our GM cars, right?