Training: A heart for classic cars
WELSCH PIONEER Samantha Loup is the only woman to have completed the first French-language "Vehicle restorer with a federal certificate" course. The 29-year-old would like to work exclusively on classic cars one day.
The aim of restoring a classic car is not only to make it functional, but also to return it to its original condition and preserve its authenticity. This is why Samantha Loup sees herself as a preserver of the past. "The patina of the car is important and must be preserved," she explains.
A car for every hobby
Samantha only drives her Peugeot 404 in the summer. As she occasionally takes part in slalom races, she also owns a Peugeot 206 RC. "For me, it's not the monetary value that counts, but the fun and the story you tell with it," she says. 2012 was the first time she worked on a classic car, a Peugeot 304 Coupé S. Later, during her apprenticeship as a car mechanic at Garage Bandieri in Bassins, she had the opportunity to work on classic cars. "I waited six years for the training course to become a "vehicle restorer with a federal certificate" to be offered," she says.
No silly sayings
This time was not only inspiring, but also exhausting. "I often spent weekends working for school," says Samantha, who was able to work 90 percent during her training. For her final project, she worked on a 1958 Renault 4CV that a customer had given her. Her fellow students were between 19 and 55 years old. Samantha was the only woman. During this time, however, she never had to fight prejudice based on her gender. This was only the case during her apprenticeship.
Preferably the oldest
Samantha Loup works at Risoud Automobiles Sàrl in Le Brassus, a Nissan and Subaru dealership, where she has often dealt with veteran vehicles since starting her training. "I hope that one day I will only work with classic cars," she says.
With such a passion for the past, it's hardly surprising that Samantha Loup doesn't rave about electric cars. As a passionate car driver, she would miss the emotions that a combustion engine triggers. "Besides, I don't see the future of the car being all-electric," she says. "I think it's more environmentally friendly at the moment to maintain an existing vehicle rather than build a new one."
