Description
- The story of this intriguing Roadster begins at the dawn of the 1950s, at 109 rue Judaique in Bordeaux, housing in the local dealer’s garage a certain Jacques Calès… This racing enthusiast was at the time preparing his own racing barquette, based on Simca 8 parts, to take part in the few Grand Prix in the area. Notably at the Grand Prix of Bressuire 1953, where we find him entered in the sport category on a Simca Sport Spéciale 1 090 cm3.
During 1953, he designs a racing coupé, aluminium-bodied, tubular chassis, still on the running gear of Simca, equipped with a prepared Peugeot 203 engine. LA 203 CALES is born and registered as a standalone in 04/ 54. He enters the Coupé at the Bordeaux Grand Prix in 1954…
- We find our racing coupé in barquette form in 1964 at Firmin Dura, coachbuilder for the Peugeot dealership in Dax. The Calès barquette had just finished its competition adventures, and was then in need of a new body. Firmin Dura therefore completed this work, already begun by Henri Rignault.
- Our elegant Roadster leaves this workshop in red with a black stripe. Its lines are directly inspired by Italian masterworks; notably there is a strong resemblance to Frua’s designs, giving rise to a legend that it was the Italian master who drew this car for Henri Rignault… It is attributed the title of the Ferrari of Peugeot 203.
- Today, the car presents itself to us with a sumptuous patina. Its mechanics still bear the marks of the 1950s preparations: cylinder head with large valves and Constantin intake pipe, Solex two-barrel carburettor, Darl’Mat exhaust, block rebored to 1500 cm3, Malhé pistons… Once running, the four-cylinder’s sound is enchanting. When engaging first gear (bottom right, the gearbox is still the original 203, with the gear lever on the floor and reversed operation), the car starts off and spins up with vigour. It is a true sports car, fun to drive with a ultra-light and playful rear axle.
- This Roadster is ultimately midway between the three most beautiful worlds: the showpiece of a talented coachbuilder, the racing barquette born from the genius of a 1950s sorcerer, and the Roadster ideal for enjoying summer as it should be. It is eligible for historic vehicle races.
