L.A.'s Coolest Car Show: The Best Of France & Italy

"Jonee" (Jonee) 11/07/2017 at 12:45 • Filed to: The Best of France and Italy, Fiat, Lancia, Maserati, Citroen, Peugeot, Alfa Romeo, Ferves, Abarth

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Every November, Woodley Park in Van Nuys looks like Olde Europe for one day. It’s my favorite local car show because I love French and Italian oddballs. And, this year didn’t disappoint! This is what I saw. I took a lot of pictures.

Fiat-Abarth Double Bubble. Incredible and this is just the first one.

Go home, Lancia badge maker. You’re drunk.

A fucking Ferves Ranger! This is a very rare (and adorable) 4-wheel drive vehicle based on the Fiat 500 that was built in Italy in the late 60's. Awesome.

Panhard Dyna Estate.

An unusual Hotchkiss pickup conversion.

A Biscuter. This is from Spain, but designed by Voisin, who was French. These microcars which are little more than a go-kart, were kind of Spain’s Beetle.

Nicely equipped Citroën Traction Avant.

This is the world’s first hatchback. And it’s front wheel drive. Citroën was always decades ahead of their time.

Pretend those wheels don’t exist.

Iso Grifo with a badass looking hood.

1965 Sunbeam Venezia. Coachbuilt by Superleggera with an alloy body and a tuned 1840 Holbay engine with dual Webers. Less than 200 were apparently built.

This is an interesting one. It’s an ASA 1000 GT. This car actually started out as a 4 cylinder Ferrari project when Enzo bandied the idea of an “affordable” Ferrari around. The 1 liter engine is like one third of a Ferrari V12 and makes 97 horsepower. From 1 liter, which is amazing for 1960. Bizzarrini designed the chassis and Giugiaro the body. When Ferrari abandoned the project, ASA licensed it and produced 50 cars, 32 of which were exported to America. The price was a then eye-watering $6000.

A badly in need of love Vespa 400 in the back of an Element.

Fiat 600 Jolly also seriously in need of attention.

Autobianchi Bianchina! Autobianchi somehow made a Fiat 500 even cuter.

More Abarth madness.

Forbidden fruit Clio.

1928 Bugatti Type 44

The sole representative from Simca.

Not a lot of Peugeots, either, disappointingly.

Jay Leno stopped by in his humungous pre-war FIAT that he brings every year.

The parking lot game was on point, too.

A freaking Toyota Century!

This Holdenized Chevy SS was rad.

Even a GAC Trumpchi!

SpeedSix > Jonee 11/07/2017 at 13:21

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As a clueless non-Californian, how on Earth did anyone register a Delta Integrale, R5 Turbo, or Clio V6 in California, or even a Century V12 (made after ‘97) in Vermont?

SpeedSix > Jonee 11/07/2017 at 13:23

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Well, damn, a Ferves Ranger! I had no idea there would be any outside of a museum.

I remember first coming across it from Torch’s old post about it.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Jonee 11/07/2017 at 13:24

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10/10 BEST CAR THERE

But in all seriousness that looks like a great show! They just need to include the Germans and call it the Axis show!

RT > CaptDale - is secretly British 11/07/2017 at 13:28

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The French were allies though.

Might as well add the Brits and ‘totally neutral even though we let the Nazis into Denmark’ Swedes and make it a Euro show.

CaptDale - is secretly British > RT 11/07/2017 at 13:31

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True, I mean they were mostly taken over by Germany though...

So fine i’ll concede, we need and Italian, Japanese , and German car show all in one. Fuck that will be a weird car show.

Jonee > SpeedSix 11/07/2017 at 13:33

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R5 Turbos were imported back in the day as a grey market car, so those could have been here since new. The Clio has dealer plates, so I imagine it’s not registered. Not sure about the Delta or the Century. I imagine Vermont has loose rules. I just imported an ‘81 Citroën LNA that I’m registering in Connecticut before bringing it to CA.

Jonee > SpeedSix 11/07/2017 at 13:34

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It’s the first one I’ve seen outside of a museum. So cool.

For Sweden > Jonee 11/07/2017 at 14:18

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So, the best of France, and we let the Italians join as well?

Where have all the lightweights gone? > RT 11/07/2017 at 15:00

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Just call it the Axis v Allies car show and get it over with!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Jonee 11/07/2017 at 15:25

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THIS IS AWESOME! So much I love!!! No FIAT 126s, sadly, but some of those Alfas...and those Zagato Abarth FIATs, epic!!!

Kiltedpadre > SpeedSix 11/07/2017 at 16:21

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Thanks for the link, that article predates my discovery of Jalopnik it looks like there’s one at the Lane so here’s hoping it makes an episode of Jason Drives at some point.

Jonee > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 11/07/2017 at 16:44

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It’s a mind boggling show. I always wonder where those cars go in between shows. There has been a 126 there in the past, it’s too bad it didn’t make it this year. I could have pent the whole day with the Abarths. They’re so damn cool.

RT > Where have all the lightweights gone? 11/07/2017 at 16:47

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Axis v Allies.

So basically every country, since it was a world war.

Jobjoris > Jonee 11/08/2017 at 03:34

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How. Many. Miles. Did. You. Have. To. Walk?

So much awesomeness, I don’t even know where to start. No Dino Coupé? No M530? At least you were out of Oxygen I can imagine...

pip bip - choose Corrour > Jonee 11/08/2017 at 04:48

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awesome!

GAC Trumpchi?

WTF was that doing there?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Jonee 11/08/2017 at 16:02

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I do love me some old Abarths....pretty sure the Fiat Abarth 750 Zagato Double-Bubble is my favorite, or one of my favorite classics...

Jonee > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 11/08/2017 at 20:58

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Yeah, they’re magnificent little machines. Talk about getting the most out of very little.

Jonee > pip bip - choose Corrour 11/08/2017 at 20:59

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I have no idea. Weird Michigan plates, so some kind of test, I guess.

Jonee > Jobjoris 11/08/2017 at 21:05

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I walked around for hours, I have no idea the distance I covered. I kept having to go back and look again at everything.

It was breathtaking as it always is. No Matras at all this year which is disappointing. And I’m surprised I didn’t see a Dino unless I missed it like the Simca. I did get my picture taken with a 308 after the owner insisted when I told him my mother had one.

That’s my new LNA shirt.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Jonee 11/08/2017 at 21:22

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For sure! :)

Jobjoris > Jonee 11/09/2017 at 03:43

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I can imagine. And GREAT shirt! And great angle for this specific 308 as it didn’t have it’s original... wheels?

Jonee > Jobjoris 11/09/2017 at 22:00

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Yeah, they appear to be some kind of terrible counterfeit wheel.

Ugh