La Vie en Bleu French marques including a rare Panhard flock to Prescott
Gallic treasures are joined by Italian invaders – and one poignantly relevant Brit
The incorporation of La Vita Rosso (for Italian cars) seemingly had the effect of concentrating the French-car faithful at La Vie En Bleu, as well as showcasing some unusual recent restorations.
Renault 5 Turbos
The appearance of two mint examples of these turbocharged Renaults at La Vie En Bleu prompted a public debate between members of the Renault Owners Club which lasted all weekend – is the Renault 5 GT Turbo faster than the Renault 5 Gordini Turbo? Both cars seemed evenly matched on the hill circuit and period road test figures had them both as the fastest-accelerating cars in their engine-size class when new.
With both iconic hot hatches parked side by side, Gordini owner Rob Slater introduced his 1983 model. ‘My friend’s father bought it for himself as a retirement present. By two decades later, the steering was too heavy for him so the car was laid up. After he passed away, I was honoured to be offered the car.’
Since then, Rob has covered around 3000 miles a year. ‘I’ve has decided to leave the patina because I like to use it as much as possible.’
That’s in contrast to Simon Byatt’s immaculate GT Turbo, which leads a cosseted life. ‘It’s had some paint but that’s about it. It’s definitely a cherished car but I do like to put my foot down now and then. Get the turbo blowing and it just flies!’
Panhard 24C
This rare Panhard was making its first public appearance after dedicated enthusiast and schoolteacher Alan Courtenay spent the last seven years rebuilding the rare right-hand-drive 24C underneath his car port.
‘I’d wanted one since the age of 14 and finally, in 2011, I got the opportunity,’ said Alan, who completed the restoration last year. ‘It was left partially dismantled by the previous owner who had given up on it.’ Alan had the paint stripped from the body, which received a new floor and anti-corrosion treatment.
Wife Rosemary rolled her eyes and laughed as he explained how their spare room and attic were full of Panhard parts. He continued, Few spares are available in the UK so I go to Rétromobile every year with a list. I’ve become used to the twitching eyebrows at Eurostar security as I pass through with bagfuls of parts!’
Peugeot 304 Cabrio
This rare early Peugeot 304 Cabriolet was also making its La Vie En Bleu debut. ‘It’s one of around 200 right-hand-drive first-series models, complete with early-type strip speedo,’ explained owner Nick Broomhall. ‘I spotted it online three years ago on my lunchbreak’.
By dinner time, it was his. ‘I went to pick it up immediately from Kent. The 115-mile journey home to Northampton took me via London and the M25. It was only when I got home that I realised it had only done 700 miles in the previous ten years.’
It needed more recommissioning work than he expected, with the biggest job being an entire brake rebuild. He has since driven the car to France and Belgium and is off to the Le Mans Classic this year. ‘They love the car in France and only recently have these models become ultra-desirable. If mine was left-hand drive it’d be worth a lot more!’
1956 Lotus Mk6
Tim Spencer brought his Lotus Mk6 from Porthcawl; his father gave it to him shortly before passing away in March. ‘He bought it in 1978 and we spent many hours together restoring the car back in the late Eighties. It’s chassis number 61, so the aim was to keep as much of the original bodywork as possible.’ Tim and his father were Prescott regulars in the early Eighties when they’d campaign their 1964 Austin Healey Sprite Mk3.
‘Driving the Lotus can be tricky in the wet, and it’s quite slippery today,’ says Tim. ‘The scenery is brilliant – but it can be distracting!’
Citroën DS Decap’
Martin Jones’ elegant Citroën DS Décapotable is a genuine 1963 Chapron car with a 1974 DS23 chassis. Says Jones, ‘I spotted it in a scrapyard in 1982 and paid £300 for it. The chassis was so rotten that it was banana-shaped.’ Using underpinnings from the later DS saloon, it was carefully rebuilt over the course of a ten-year period.