It all started with a phone call from my friend Jonathan Burnette who is the “keeper of all things French”, at least those to do with French cars. Any parts you need, any esoteric information you need, any service work you need done, any custom high performance tuning or modifications you want to do Jonathan is the “go to guy”. He lives in Austin, Texas and regularly travels the country (usually in a Renault Fuego Turbo sometimes towing another French car behind it), purveying French car parts and service. He can be reached at 512 454-0963. Sorry for the digression, but any one interested in Renaults, Peugeots or Citroens needs to know about Jonathan.
In August of 2002 Jonathan called and said “Do you want to go to a car show? My snappy response was “where?” He said “California.” I replied it is hard enough to get me to go to Denver for a car show much less California! Jonathan said “but it’s the under 3 liter French & Italian Car show.”
Now my interest was piqued. I own a 1978 Alfa Romeo Turbo Spider that I purchased in 1984 and a 1983 Matra Murena that I have had since 1993. At the time, two guys who worked for me said “go, there is plenty to do there and you will have a great time.”
So after cogitating on this idea for several days I called Jonathan back and said “how do you propose we arrange this trip?” He said “I will drive up to your house (a 700 + mile trip from Austin) in my Matra (a 1963 Matra D-Jet) and then we will caravan with your Matra (the 1983 Murena) to California.
I asked my daughter Liann, who was 13 at the time, if she wanted to go. She was undecided until the night we were leaving. Jonathan was already at our house. She decided to go. We all had a great time together.
Our trip started off auspiciously as Raton Pass was closed until 5:00 PM due to snow and winter driving conditions not exactly prime fodder for a pair of 40 year old and 20 year old fiberglass French cars.
We made it to the summit of Raton Pass where we stopped to reassemble the throttle linkage that came apart on the Solex carburettor (that has since been replaced with a Weber carburettor) on my Matra which jammed the throttle wide open! At the same time Jonathan cleaned off his windshield so he could see out. He had been peering out a 1’ x 6” oval at the base of his windshield (the only area his defroster would clear). Considering our trip was over 3000 miles it was wonderful that those were the only car related problems we had.
We arrived at the French and Italian Car Show and I was like a kid in a candy store. Cars I have read about but never seen were on display-amazingly most were driven there!
Jonathan and my Matras were 2 of 3 Matras at the show.
My (Left) 1983 Matra Murena, (Center) 1976 Lancia Scorpion and (Right) 1963 Matra D-Jet |
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Numerous Citroens, Peugeots, Renaults, Fiats, Alfas, Lancias and other esoterica to be seen. Jerry and Sylvia from SM (not a misprint) World were there with their twin turbocharged SM that Sylvia drove on the Salt Flats at over 200 MPH! It was on a trailer that Jerry exquisitely fabricated and was equipped with Citroen hydraulics which enabled the trailer to lift and lower and be self leveling! If that wasn’t enough the tow vehicle was a Citroen SM modified to have a pick up bed!
A 1973 Alfa-Romeo Montreal. One of 350 ever made! |
Montreal Engine Bay. A 2.5 liter mechanically injected V8! |
Liann at the French and Italian Car Show next to a Simca Abarth 1300. |
A Renault Turbo 2 |
Pegaso |
The SM World Tow Car, Trailer and Bonneville Speed Record Car
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Sylvia in the SM World Bonneville Salt Flats Car |
The SM Worlds most compex and unusual trailer. |
Liann with the twin turbo backcharged land speed record car |
A Pair of 360 Ferraris |
Jonathan demonstrating how to fit all of our stuff into the Matra. |
My (Left) 1983 Matra Murena, (Center) 1976 Lancia Scorpion and (Right) 1963 Matra D-Jet |
A 1976 Lancia Scorpion Turbo |
A 1976 Lancia Scorpion. |
4-Barrel Weber carburetors. A rarity. |
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We had a great trip. I jumped in the ocean (with my wetsuit on, it was November). I find the ocean and the mountains an incredible attraction. The enormity of scale seems to put us “wee” humans and our problems into perspective.
We spent a day at Universal studios and several days in Santa Barbara (what a gorgeous place, often called the “Riviera” of the United States).
Liann and I stopped at the Grand Canyon on the way home. We woke up to see the sunrise over the Canyon; a sight that everyone should see in their lifetime. Not surprising it is a wonder of our world. I rafted down the Canyon in 1990-a story for another time.
In closing and as you can see by the 2 reviews of this show It is a most unusual and enjoyable one. My son Brett and I went to the show in 2007 (a byproduct of picking up a “new” car for my wife Barbara, a 1995.5 Audi S6 Avant and again we had a great time. Brett got to see cars he had only read about, what a treat!
We did very different thing this trip as Brett was 20 at the time.
If you are ever in California during the 1st week in November be sure to give it a look.
Respectfully submitted,
Mark
