The Simca Surva, built and driven by Parisian garagiste Henri Otterbein was a traditional monoposto. Initially it was powered by a 500cc Simca 5 engine – the same as the Fiat Topolino – supercharged! As a matter of  fact Otterbein mounted superchargers produced by the Surva firm on customer cars in his garage, rue de la Tour, 17th district, at the Trocadero so the car was intended to advertise his business.

The chassis was also from a Simca 5 originally, but the side members were boxed. The s/c engine was said to develop between 30 and 35 bhp. The car appeared for the first time at Montlhery for the Coupe de l’ AGACI on October 27th 1947. Miraculously the SIMCA-Surva complied with the regulations of the new F2 category, with its 500cc s/c engine, and was seen again at Montlhery and at the international races at Brussels and Aix-les-Bains during 1949.

At Brussels it finished in 7th position, 27 laps behind Villoresi’s winning Ferrari! By 1950 Otterbein decided to try his hand at the new F3 class. The supercharger had to be dismounted and was substituted by a new two ohc head (above), while the rest of the car was left untouched. It is presumable that the new engine did not develop more than 30 bhp. The transformed car appeared for the first time at the aborted “international F3 race’ at Montlhery on March 26th, 1950, when only three cars showed up and they did a few exhibition laps only (below). Subsequently, Otterbein entered his car in several races, seeing the chequered flag at Montlhery and Monaco (heat) during 1950 and at Orléans during 1951. He reappeared in April 1955 at Montlhery, and then faded into oblivion together with his car.
Words and pictures courtesy Alessandro Silva

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