Simca 1100 (1967 – 1982) Review

Simca 1100 (1967 – 1982) At A Glance

4/5

+Practical five-door hatchback was ahead of the game when launched

-Rust, rattles, general apathy

When it arrived in 1967, the Simca 1100 was a remarkably advanced family car. It was the template for the modern family car, with five-doors, a roomy hatchback and front-wheel drive were all the ingredients for a successful mid-sized car. And in France, the Simca 1100 certainly did the business, becoming a best-seller with two million sold.

Torsion bar suspension tuned for comfort and eager power units marked out the 1100 as pleasant to drive. The Ti was possibly the first hot hatchback available in Europe. In the UK, its tendency towards tappet rattle and rusty bodywork marked it out unfairly as a banger before its time. Few survive as a result, and those that do are worth buttons.

Ask Honest John

How can I protect my Nissan Pathfinder's underslung spare wheel from theft?

"Recently the spare wheel was stolen from under my Nissan Pathfinder. I was surprised to discover from Nissan Customer Care that it is a) easy to steal and b) not protected by the car alarm. Given the emphasis placed on the security of their products by motor manufacturers, I suggested to Nissan Customer Care that the theft occurred because of shortcomings in their design and invited them to contribute to the cost of replacement and repair, which is over £600. They rejected any responsibility whatever, claiming never to have heard of such a case: this I find hard to believe, as similar thefts from Pathfinders and other cars soon came to light - unless they don't want to know and aren't looking. Two questions arise; firstly the wisdom of placing a brand new alloy wheel and tyre outside a vehicle without security, and secondly, could you give any advice please to help us protect our spare wheels from thieves? If I replace it, it will be immediately at risk again and it takes up a lot of room in the boot."
Underslung spares have always been vulnerable. We failed to fit a security device to our pick-up and the spare of that got stolen. But there are various aftermarket devices available, and have been since the first underslung spares on cars like the 1971 Simca 1100. SG Petch does a spare wheel lock for Navaras, which are basically the same vehicle, on offer reduced from £34.28 to £29.14. (http://nissan-navara.sgpetch.co.uk/pages/accessories)
Answered by Honest John
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