So I had quite a shock when reading the 1976 Ward's Automotive Yearbook the other day. Looking at the table "World Motor Vehicle Production, 1973-74" (p.82), I discovered a strange and unlikely statistic: South Vietnam produced an estimated 700,000 passenger cars in 1974 and some 120,000 Trucks and busses. Very suspect since in 1973 the numbers were 1,200 and 300 respectively! So I started to poke around and discover that indeed vehicles were made in South Vietnam until its fall in 1975.
A brief background taken from a web page featuring the Citroen La Dalat:
A brief background taken from a web page featuring the Citroen La Dalat:
In 1936 Citroën set up a subsidiary in Indochine française, headquarter at today’s Rex Hotel. In 1970 the Société Automobile d’Extrême-Orient became the Société Industrielle et Commerciale «Xe Hoi Citroën Cong Ty» and specialized in the assembly of a version of the Baby Brousse called La Dalat. This is the first car ever assembled, branded and produced in large scale in Vietnam with the localized percentage up to 40%
Only important parts such as engine, steering wheel, brake, suspension were imported from France, the rest were all localized. There were 4 types of La Dalat with 4 seats or 2 seats with space to carry goods.
The model was a great success targeting the mid class clients: convenient, economy and easy to customize/personalize as most of the parts are made in Vietnam with great extend of flexibility.
The production continued until the fall of Saigon in 1975.
Now only few La Dalat can still be seen on Saigon street and some can be still found in Laos.
Below are a few photos of this vehicle now lost in the mists of time. Are there any readers out there who can fill in this story?
In 1970 when I arrived in Saigon a company named AMTRACO located on Thi Sac street had a fac9ility in Cho lon that was assembling International Harvester Pick up trucks from parts that had been there since the French were in control. They were 1950 and 60 model vehicles . My father was an employee of AMTRACO whos President was Justin Popa . He drove a 60s model truck . His office was located in the same building so I could see the operation. He was maintaining telephone Radios for the US Embassy and the national police.
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