French car meet

French car meeting is an experience for everyone who loves French cars. My starting point is the areas around Perpignan in Roussillon, France.

Pictures from RVA66 no. 300

Posted 06/05/2024 by Terje Bjørnstad

People flock to old, rare and exceptional cars in Perpignan. Last Sunday, the 300th meeting took place. These cars are history and culture – and cars should be driven, not stand still.

Regular readers know the posts with photos from French car meets in Perpignan, France. We have a small house in France, and when we are there, I take the opportunity to pop in when the meetings are arranged - always the first Sunday of each month. The meetings are open to classics, youngtimers, rare and exceptional cars and are held at the Carré d'Or shopping center in the east of the city. There is no doubt that the meetings are very popular. Sunday's meeting was number 300 in a row.

I am not the only visitor who does not exhibit any car. There are many visitors - entire families looking at the beautiful cars. Fathers show cars that their grandparents drove around in. All work in RVA66 is done on a voluntary basis, and it's free for everyone to come and see. RVA66 stands for Rassemblement de Véhicules du 66 - collection of vehicles from 66 - department 66 is Pyrenees-Orientales.

Terje's cars has a separate page called Cars from A to Z. Here I enter pictures and descriptions of car models I have driven myself, or taken pictures of along the road or at meetings like this. Eventually, I can show different cars of the same model – different variants, year models and facelifts.

Here are the pictures from last Sunday. My wife and I took a Sunday trip here, walked for about an hour, went back and had Sunday lunch in a town square. The temperatures down here by the Mediterranean are currently lower than in Norway. A small consolation is that a glass of red wine costs NOK 32 and that the first cherries have gone on sale at stalls around the city.

German cars

Had it not been for the small cars Isetta and BMW 700, BMW would not exist today. They were on the verge of bankruptcy during the 1950s when they bet heavily on large luxury models that people could not afford. The BMW 700 succeeded the Isetta-based BMW 600. It was a more grown-up car, but still with engines from BMW's motorcycle range – a 700cc 2-cylinder boxer engine. Besides the cabriolet, like the car in the picture, the BMW 700 could be delivered as a Coupé with a fixed roof and as a 2-door sedan.

Early coupé versions of the BMW Neue Klasse had a front end reminiscent of a shark's jaw – hence the nickname "Sharknose". The fine coupé shape was continued in the BMW E9, but unfortunately without the tough front end. BMW E9

I was unsure if the Mercedes-Benz 190 "Ponton" was offered in the same red as the car in the picture, but after searching the color chart, I see that the color is probably called "Feuerrot". No doubt it must have been a bold color choice in the 1950s, but since Mercedes-Benz supplied cars that went into public service, this may have been a nice color for firemen and doctors making house calls. Mercedes-Benz W120

Perpignan has a local importer of cars from Brazil and lately several nice cars have appeared from there. I also think the red Volkswagen originates from Brazil, because of the windshield. At one point, European Volkswagens got larger windshields, something Brazilian cars probably didn't get.

English cars

An early version of the Jaguar XK120 Roadster

There is a lot of interest in English cars in this French area. The nicest car at the meeting was in our opinion this early Jaguar X120 Roadster that appeared in the late 1940s (top series of photos). A more modern X150 also participated in the meeting. Jaguar XK150

"Nice colour" , exclaimed my wife when she spotted the lemon yellow MGB Coupé. Early V8 cars were fitted with Rover's 3,5 litre. Also note the beautiful MG A in the photo below. MG MGB

Italian cars

I brought pictures of two Italian cars from the car meet at RVA66. The most special one is probably the red Vespa 400. It has a 2-cylinder air-cooled rear-mounted scooter engine that, according to the specifications, should produce 14 horses and reach a top speed of 80-90 km/h. It can be registered as a heavy 4-wheel motorcycle (L7e). I think that if a new Ferrari and an old Vespa 400 are lined up next to each other in a place where most people travel, it is the Vespa that gets the most attention. Autobianchi

French cars

One of the most boring cars at the meet (according to my wife) was this Renault 12. I took the picture to complement an earlier post about this model – Renault 12 . The Renault 12 is more conventional than other Renaults of the same time. The intention was to offer a lot of car for little money – a successful concept that Renault succeeded well with.

The Renault 5 is hotly anticipated as Renault's new electric car for the masses – a car that has been given a retro design similar to the original cars that saw the light of day in 1972. Now the first model is being brought to light again. Renault 5

This Renault Floride Coupé is pictured here on Terje's cars earlier. Floride is the first version of this model. The next version was called Caravelle. The reason the Floride name was dropped was that the car was to be launched in the USA and there it was thought that Floride (Florida) would not work as a model name. I have also included a picture of a Renault Dauphine – one with an "Export" badge on the back – probably a model from 1964 or later that was also – or was to be – exported to the USA. Renault Floride – Renault Dauphine

The organizer's website RVA66

French classics 7

Posted 07/04/2022 by Terje Bjørnstad

French classics are not just about cars made in France – they are also about cars that the French love. They often appear at car shows like the one I attended last Sunday. An eldorado for anyone who likes French cars.

French brand identity

Volvo or Saab? Ford or Chevy? French brands also have their fans. Renault, Peugeot or Citroen? If you like Renault, you also like the Alpine models that are now owned by the Renault group. In the past, the Peugeot dealer in my town sold Simcas. Simcas still come by for service. Citroen took over Panhard in the mid-60s. It's not every day you see a Panhard in good condition. The car meet this Sunday was visited by no less than two Panhard cars. The main picture is a Simca Ariane that I haven't seen before. A Matra Bagheera and Talbot VF2 van are still frequenting these meetups.

Dance son jus

The French term is used for cars that are authentic - lived a life without being refurbished or anything like that. In the southern, Catalan part of France, cars do not rust. This means that several cars still roll for their own machine on original plates. I caught my eye in a Van den Plas - the luxury version of the Austin/Morris 1300 in a condition that could be considered 'in its own right'. Usually it is French cars such as Citroen 2CV, Dyane and Méhari or Renault 4 - which arrive in such a condition. Many classics have of course been renovated according to all the rules of art. In this part of France, there are still mechanics who like to fix the old classics.

About the meeting

The meeting point is the area around the Chateau Roussillon shopping center outside Perpignan. The meeting is open to all enthusiasts of old, rare or special vehicles – not just French cars. You meet on the Sunday of each month – officially from 9:00 to 12:00. In practice, most people arrive around 10 and leave at exactly 11 in time to be back for lunch. Sunday lunch with the extended family is the highlight of the week for many – including us Norwegians who live here.

Link to the car meeting

To see the official photos on the association's website, you have to scroll far down the page – until you reach the photo of a gray Renault 10. Click on the photo and you will be taken to the association's Flickr page.

The French

The nice Simca 1100 VF2 van often stops by. The Renault 4 van in the background is native to my own French neighbourhood. Many vans are still used on a daily basis, even though they have long since become vintage vehicles. Citroen 2CV, Dyane-based Acadiane, Visa-based C150, Renault 5-based Express, - and most recently yesterday I saw two different Peugeot 404 pickups along the road.

Simca 1100
Simca Ariane/Vedette

Citroen, Panhard and Peugeot. The blue Citroen GS was an X1 – a sporty edition with round instruments. This car has an air-cooled boxer engine of 1015 ccm. The Panhard PL17 also has a small air-cooled engine. With 2 cylinders, the engine emits a special warm, muted "crunch" when it runs. A Panhard should not only be seen – it should also be heard. The Peugeot 404 had its life extended as a pickup/utilitaire. They are still in traffic, but it is rare to see a 404 sedan.

Citroen GS/GSA
Panhard
Peugeot 403
Peugeot 404

The Peugeot 205 is undoubtedly a classic - and there are quite a few of them - not only at car meets, but also on the road. They are actually quite common features in traffic. I like to take pictures of special cars and the 205 is, in my eyes, a special car. But I have to be discreet when taking pictures, as many of the owners do not consider their 205 to be either special or rare.

Peugeot 205

A Peugeot 205 GTI can pose everywhere where fine cars travel. As here, it cuts a good figure next to a Ferrari Mondial.

Ferrari Mondial

Cars for eccentrics

Burton sports car based on 2CV mechanics.

The main image is a Burton 2CV. There is a Dutch company that builds these cars by transforming existing 2CVs into likeable sports cars. The black Panther Kallista is one of several Panthers who visit the meet. It would seem that there is a good Panther environment in these parts of France. The white Excalibur got a lot of attention when it arrived with a humming V8 engine. The brand is a newer American copy of the 30s Mercedes-Benz 500K equipped with the Ford Mustang V8. Here it backs into place between the small French cars.

Panther

Other cars

The Honda S2000 is a roadster/sports car that is a gem for all Honda enthusiasts. As you know, Honda are good at engines. The 2-litre in the pictured car produces a whopping 241 HP. I took the photo of the Volkswagen 1500 (Type 3) because it was in exceptionally good condition. It looked like it was brand new. The old bestseller Ford F100 is no ordinary car in Europe. I don't know the history, but it looks like it has lived an unrestored life in a dry area like Arizona - or in the same local environment it is in now.

Volkswagen 1500

Renault Sport

Back to this with French brand affiliation. French cars like Citroen, Peugeot or Renault? For me, it is Renault that makes my heart beat faster. One of the reasons is the involvement in motorsport. Renault and Alpine are not known for putting big engines in small, light cars. They trim small engines, reduce the weight of the vehicle and create good driving characteristics - so that you can get quickly through tracks and rally tracks.

Which French car brand is closest to your heart?

Alpine A310
Renault 4CV
Alpine A110

See

French classics 6

Posted 05/10/2021 by Terje Bjørnstad

Through a series of articles, I have presented French classics that I have come across at various car shows in France. It is not only about cars that are produced in France – but also cars that the French love.

Reunion with a local car meet

For the first time since Covid, it has been possible to visit the local monthly car meet in my part of France. The concept is the same as Cars and Coffee – an event open to all vehicles that owners would like to show off to like-minded people. The difference from our own events is the selection of cars and the audience.

Great car interest

You rarely find Volvo or Saab here - nor as many Japanese cars as at home. Here by the Mediterranean, it is Latin cars that dominate with fresh touches of Americans. American muscle cars are the same across the board. What I particularly appreciate is everyone who comes by only as spectators. The car is part of our culture and history. That's why I think it's great to see people taking pictures of family members in front of beautiful cars, grandfathers telling their grandchildren about the cars of old, and car geeks discussing details with the owners. It is about a broad car culture.

Today's favourites

I recognized several of the cars from the time before Covid. If I were to single out a winner in my eyes, it would have to be the Renault Dauphine Cabriolet signed by Henri Chapron. If I could choose a car for my own garage, it would have to be the Simca Rallye 2. My brother-in-law particularly liked the two-stroke Chevy Corvette C3 from the 70s - for many the finest model. We also got to study two new Corvettes in the C7 series up close. You can say that GM has been faithful to the concept. The C7 is a worthy successor to classics like the C3. The all-new Corvette C8, on the other hand, has a mid-mounted engine. It is therefore not impossible that the C7 can get the status of "the last real Corvette"?
.

About the meeting

The meeting place is the area around the Chateau Roussillon shopping center outside Perpignan. The meeting is open to all enthusiasts of old, rare or special vehicles. They meet on Sunday of each month - officially from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. In practice, most people arrive around 10 and leave at exactly 11 to make it back for lunch. Sunday lunch with the extended family is the highlight for many French people.

Link to the car meeting

The images

The pictures here on Terje's cars will eventually be posted on the reviews of the respective car models in the Car Catalog . This also applies to some pictures that have not yet been published. The pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.