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Thread: Sovam

  1. #1
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    Sovam

    Sovam was set up by Andre Marin and the acronym stands for Societe des Vehicules Andre Morin. Morin had a background as coach builder and he joined forces with Jacques Durand for the technical parts.

    The small sportcar was based on Renault 4 and 8 components, but contrary to its envisaged competitors, it had front wheel drive. The body was made of polyester, and put on a tubular chassis. The shape of the windshield was not purposely designed, but a Renault Caravelle window frame was put upside down, resulting in a very low roof line.

    The roof could be taken off and stored in the luggage compartment.
    There were two main versions, 850 and 1100 cc and production started in 1965. Of both version 70 units were made. A final 103 BHP 1300 version was hardly developed and only 5 were produced, before SOVAM closed its door for ever in 1968.

    Shown here are three examples, whereby unfortunately the engine configuration was not revealed. The cars were present at the 2006 LeMans Classic.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    "I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams

  2. #2
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    Looks like a Marcos Mantaray, but with front-wheel drive I doubt it is anywhere near as fast

  3. #3
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    Awesome Henk...I was meaning to bug you about posting some more pix of the Sovams from this year's LeMans Classic. Were all Sovams available with that targa(?) roof?

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by dracu777
    Awesome Henk...I was meaning to bug you about posting some more pix of the Sovams from this year's LeMans Classic. Were all Sovams available with that targa(?) roof?
    Yes the roof was a standard feature. They did some racing with the car too, so it could well have been that for those cars they tightened up the roof a little to gain some more structural strength.
    "I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams

  5. #5
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    I came across a red Sovam Sports Coupe parked in Funchal, Madeira last week. I had never heard of them at the time and didn't have my camera with me. Now I know I have seen a very rare car.

  6. #6
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    Two more photos:
    Attached Images Attached Images

  7. #7
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    Sovam made some beautiful cars. I suppose the 850 cc or the 1100 cc would be exciting to drive.
    "Take my swimming trunks, I won't need them." - Frank Costanza. "What does he want with your swimming trunks." - Estelle Costanza. "Why should they go to waste." - Frank Costanza - Seinfeld

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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by phil frog View Post
    Paris-Calcutta-Paris with a Sovam in 1966:
    That must have been quite a venture...were you in any way involved in it?

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by henk4 View Post
    That must have been quite a venture...were you in any way involved in it?
    No, I was a kid in 1966!

    Two women drove the car from Paris to Calcutta and return, a 25000 kilometers drive!

    The car still exists, you can see a picture with one of the drivers here:

    '+'

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by phil frog View Post
    No, I was a kid in 1966!

    Two women drove the car from Paris to Calcutta and return, a 25000 kilometers drive!

    The car still exists, you can see a picture with one of the drivers here:

    '+'
    nice to see that next to Amicales BNC, another french brand very few people know anything about....

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by henk4 View Post
    nice to see that next to Amicales BNC, another french brand very few people know anything about....
    You can get information about BNC cars here:

    modeles

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by phil frog View Post
    You can get information about BNC cars here:

    modeles
    yes, I have shots of a few, which appeared during Le Mans Classic in 2006, still need to work on them to make a thread. Thanks for the link.

  14. #14
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    I quite dig it, in some ways.

    It's got just enough classic sportscar styling DNA to say "Don't mess with me," but those headlight covers are French enough to say "You can mess with me a little bit."

    It's a good design; it's well thought-out.

    And I'd be proud to open my garage door and see one, even if it is FWD.
    I'm erudite ;-)

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