Amilcar found under a van !

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With the prices of the Amilcar cars growing and growing, the enthusiasts of this French marque who haven´t managed to buy one yet have a difficult task: to find  one at an affordable price. Your correspondent was one of these. After years under the cyclecar fever but with the modest savings of a 27 years old youngster, the Amilcar dream was far away until I found a strange advert in Spain, offering a "1946 Amilcar for sale". At a reasonable amount.  

Spain suffered under severe import restrictions in the post war years, so many pre war machines were heavily modified, rebodied, and re-registered, including many Amilcar.  After a short call to the seller, who was convinced that his car was a "very original 1946 car", he sent me some pictures. One of the photos showed the front end. After a careful look I managed to discover the old front axle of an early 1920s Amilcar, with  semi-elliptic leaf springs and without front brakes. Bingo! Soon after I arranged a visit to the car. Yes, the front axle and the documents were of an early Amilcar, but from under this exotic 'woody' coachwork could appear any sort of engine. Maybe Fiat or a Ford, both quite common in Spain.  

After some days of nervous waiting I was eye in eye with the little machine. The owner opened the bonnet... and yes! : an untouched Amilcar CC/CS/C4 engine. Still with the original magneto and carburettor fitted and even the rounded fuel tank still in place. In the interior, the original pedals and levers, and even the characteristic Amilcar steering wheel. Underneath, the original and simple chassis. Unfortunately the engine and body numbers are lost. The car already has a differential, and another clue could be the simple and plain engine sump. The old documents describe the car as originally fitted with a "two seats torpedo body". For the moment I will start looking for correct wire wheels or radiator cover, as I´ve been able to buy the car. But do you have any idea about the exact model and year?

(text & photos: Francisco Carríon)          

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