Imperia built Standard 10 rescued from flooded Belgium Museum

Phil Homer reports that it is now restored and on the road!

Yannick rescued this Imperia built 1957 Standard 10 from a barn in Belgium.

After an initial restoration, the car was displayed in the small Imperia Museum in Fraipoint, a neighbouring village to Nessonvaux, This is the town where Imperia Cars were built, up until the factory was closed in 1958. The car is photographed displayed next to a pair of Imperia built Vanguards.

In July 2021, the valley of the River Vesdre was catastrophically inundated by floodwater, that caused widespread damage in most of Western Europe. Both the Museum and the (closed) factory site itself were flooded, to the great extent you can see from the photograph. Yan’s car was prevented from floating away by a collision with a Jaguar in the Museum. 16 of the 17 cars in the Museum were rescued.

Unfortunately, the Imperia museum never reopened after the flood.

Yannick undertook a further restoration of the Standard to a very high standard and it is now once again displayed in a private collection, and used for Classic Car events in Belgium.

Yannick is to be congratulated on such a splendid restoration and for keeping the Imperia name alive!

Author’s note: Imperia built Standard 10’s can be identified by the chrome trim they have on the front wing and front door, only. Do you know of any more?

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Phil Homer

Historian

Standard Motor Club

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