'72 SIMCA 1000GLS

and..

Been into SIMCA 1000s since the mid '80s. This area is a prize rust spot on them because of the layers of thin metal crudely spot welded together allowing the moisture to creep in. Back in the '80s I saw one in a scrapyard where the pillar came away with the rear door when it was opened.!! I've repaired a number of the SIMCA 1000s I've had. Once I got everything line up this should be an easier job to weld up as I'm basically 'transplanting' a rust free pillar.

Should have realised when I came to welding the new door pillar to the top edge of the sill and burned through that the sill was more rotten than I'd first thought. Work on a number of SIMCAs (and before that some even more rotten Fords) should have taught me to replace the sill anyway. Rotten sill cut off now and, after a bit of work to bottom of a post that was then revealed, now ready for new sill which luckily I have a stock of. At least there's a decent inner sill section to weld to.. not always the case with SIMCA 1000s we've done in the past

Great work on the restoration.
The only brand new car my dad ever bought was a 1973 Simca 1000 GLS in that lovey metallic bronze with tan interior, from Parkers in Nuneaton. He was going to buy a new Imp but my mum wanted rear doors so the Simca was bought instead. It was only a few days old when mum and dad went shopping in Leamington Spa and parked it up in one of the very wide streets with period properties and lots of parking spaces for shoppers to use. When they came back to it some low life had keyed it from the passenger side headlight to the rear lamp , it's not like it was an expensive flash car so never understood why they picked on a humble Simca.

When I was clearing out his shed I found what looks like the middle section of a bumper, were the bumpers 3 piece and joined behind the over riders ?

OK thanks for the info. As it was nearly 4 years ago since I relocated the bumper to the back of my shed, curiosity got the better of me yesterday and I dug it out as my daily exercise, I think it was the join that confused me as I have only ever seen solid bumpers before.
It is a 2 piece 1000 bumper but with no joint cover or overriders fitted to it. After sitting around for over 40 years it needs a good clean and polish but I can't see any damage on it or any witness marks from overriders being fitted to it. I have no idea why he had a spare bumper but it could be NOS from the 70's. Not sure if it's a front but the overrider holes are 36 1/8 inches apart and the overall outside length is 70 inches long.

Nearside rear pillar and sill finished plus repairs to wing mounting area. Looking at some old photos, have had a slight change of plan. The green car in the photos was one I sold some years ago and regretted soon after. I'd put it back on standard wheels and wings. The big arched fibreglass wings I kept from it were in the loft. One is now on this project. I have some 7x13 Revolution 4 spokes to fill these arches. Have had some 'stick' on SIMCA facebook groups from 'originality freaks'... but it's my car and this is my vision for it!! The end result will probably still be blue though.

Time to Turn it round and cut rusty mess that used to be rear pillar and sill off offside ready for 'transplant'. This side doesn't look quite as bad... but we'll see how long it takes to get back to decent metal.

Nice work there,
Totally agree with you on the wings,
Your car, your decision,
Nigel

Yes the semi trailing arm rear suspension works really well, especially in the post '68 1000 saloons and post '67 coupes when they added an extra UJ to the driveshaft at the outer end transforming the earlier swing axle set up. With suitable wheels and rubber the rear end just sits down to more negative camber. Here's one of my other SIMCAS with different arches.