To continue the previous story I will continue with the Simca 1000.

It was the first vacation I can remember we had when we had this car. There was nothing wrong with this car. It was the way my father used the car and just the way of how he drove it that is worth mentioning here.

As you might know a Simca 1000 has the engine in the rear. So what kind of space is left in the front? There's a spare tire and basically hardly enough space for a family who will go for a two weeks camping vacation. With a old fashion tent, read heavy and large, it was impossible to get everything in the car. Maybe when my parents would have left the children at home. A relative brought the camping equipment to the camping ground and had to drive 350 km's twice...total of 1400(?? who will do that these days with the current gas prices??). driving in the mountains is something you have to experience....my father had no experience at all. Going down hill with great speed he misjudged the 180 degree curve in the road and all he could do was driving straight out into the bushes. It was either that or into the ravine. Glad he made the right decision otherwise I wouldn't be here. After he had this dreadful experience of the first mountains and when he finished gasping for air he inspected us and the car. We were fine and amazingly the car as well. The vacation was perfect and also a lesson how to drive there in the future.

What is the weight a car roof can carry? Actually I mean may carry. In the good old days people must have thought more simple about safety. My parents thought that it was good to raise their children with some musical instruments in the house. A good idea but moving them is something else. Once my father saw an old organ. One with the pedals, so you produce your own air, and those are heavy. We just drove almost a 100 km's with just the triple weight the roof could carry according the books. That's what we found out later. Just a simple rope was enough to secure the organ.

The Simca 1000 was a nice car. We almost where killed in it twice and that is just enough to mention that during a family meeting and can laugh about it now.