In the Lhuissier family, there is the father, Thierry, the mother, Nadine, and the three sons, Florian (31 years old), Jonathan (29 years old) and Baptiste (23 years old). And they are all five passionate about old cars and especially Simca. A passion that they now wish to share by opening a museum in Bonnétable (Sarthe).
Sixty cars
The Simca car was “the second national manufacturer“in the early 60s. It was the middle class car,”vehicles that everyone has had for the most part“, according to Florian Lhuissier.
The five of them have an impressive collection of around sixty cars: “not just Simca, but a lot anyway“, specifies the eldest son, Florian. “It doesn’t hurt, yes. Afterwards, be careful, not all of them are restored. It will also make it possible to make a rotation of the vehicles. I think that, at some point, if we always leave the same ones, it will be a little boring.“
In the collection, many Simca, from all eras: the oldest, the Simca 8, to the Talbot Horizon, passing through the Simca 1000, 1300 and 1301 or the Simca Rancho and Samba. But not only: other car brands also have their place there, such as the Peugeot 309, which competed with the last Simca, the Talbot Arizona in the 80s.
– Agatha Legrand
The brand of car from the 60s/70s therefore remains the main object of their future museum. To achieve this, the family bought a large building, an old warehouse, of more than 1000 square meters. Large enough to display different car models, and stage the interior of a garage with all the vintage tools and a retro campsite.
“It was missing in our department, a somewhat atypical place where we talk a little about things experienced, popular things, vehicles I would say that everyone has had for the most part“, analyzes Florian Lhuissier. If the family does not lack ideas for this museum, it is however far from being finished.
Opening in 2023
“Whether it’s for the overhaul of the cars or for the work of the museum, we do everything on our own, in our free time.“, explains the eldest son, who is commercial. His two little brothers, Jonathan and Baptiste, work respectively as a truck driver and in the construction industry. “There are still a lot of things to be done: the toilets and the reception for the public“, Florian advances, going around the building.
The Lhuissier family therefore hopes to be able to open in “April 2023“if all goes well, but she remains cautious:”if however, in carrying out the work, we are not on schedule, we will make an opening at the level of the heritage days, in September. We will see according to the progress. Otherwise it will be an opening in 2024.“In the meantime, the progress of the work can be found on their Facebook page.