RUMCars Forum

General Category => Unusual Microcar Discussion => Topic started by: Chris Thomas on February 17, 2017, 09:09:11 PM

Title: Mini Comtesse
Post by: Chris Thomas on February 17, 2017, 09:09:11 PM

Dear Rumcar Readers

During my research into the Mini Comtesse I discovered this great little piece of film.

In the opening shot the car on the left looks like an electric Cedre badge on the front. The soft top version is also one I have not seen before.

Finally it is dated July 1969. which predates most text book datings for this car.

Can anybody throw any light on the date?

https://youtu.be/RoaE023ccjY

Chris Thomas

Title: Re: Mini Comtesse
Post by: Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker) on February 17, 2017, 11:00:26 PM

Nothing substantive on the car, although it sounds like the prototype mentioned on our forum by Denis. Several French pages have the car being designed by Émile Boussereau "in the late 1960's" with production by Acoma in Laval beginning in 1970 before moving to Saint Barthélemy d'Anjou, near Angers in 1972

http://www.rumcars.org/forum/index.php?topic=4166.0 (http://www.rumcars.org/forum/index.php?topic=4166.0)

Title: Re: Mini Comtesse
Post by: Chris Thomas on February 18, 2017, 09:47:41 AM

Dear Malcolm

Thanks for that link. I had missed that previous discussion. I should have known better than to assume nobody had discussed this before.

Chris Thomas

Title: Re: Mini Comtesse
Post by: Barry on February 18, 2017, 11:43:43 AM

Thanks Chris for the cooperation on DropBox files.  A great help.

Here is the link to Denis and Acoma.  The early one door cars are very interesting.

http://www.microcarfan.com/index.php/marques/72-acoma

Title: Re: Mini Comtesse
Post by: steven mandell on February 18, 2017, 01:03:24 PM

Quote from: Chris Thomas on February 17, 2017, 09:09:11 PM

Dear Rumcar Readers

During my research into the Mini Comtesse I discovered this great little piece of film.h

https://youtu.be/RoaE023ccjY

Chris Thomas

Great little piece indeed.
Also allowed me to discover another USA Today video that streamed in automatically after it concluded. It is an interview from the Concourse De Lemons featuring an early 1973 Mini Comtesse that I had brought to their Monterrey California show, during the Pebble Beach weekend.
This one was from 2014 where out of 125 international entrants, it won the most highly coveted award of the Concourse- "Worst Car of Show".
I had never seen it until just now, so thanks for the connection.
Last summer was the Flipper's day in the sun.
This year I haven't decided for sure yet.  But if I can get enough help sourcing a front windshield, and a way to make a buck to mold lower body battery case panels, I may go for the Tielhol Citadiene.

Title: Re: Mini Comtesse
Post by: Big Al on February 19, 2017, 08:43:39 AM

Did you notice that the collection in Bangkok featured at least one Tielhol Citadiene. It might be that there has been a screen repair. They buyer/expert will be Arture Bohnart, known as Artura. Has not got great English, but he did have web presence.

Title: Re: Mini Comtesse
Post by: steven mandell on February 19, 2017, 11:16:55 AM

Only 28 Tielhol Citadienes were ever made.  So my unsubstantiated hope was that they may have used some other manufacturers' windshield to save costs.
How do I get a hold of Artura to discover their origins/ how I can go about finding or creating a replacement?