Sahara or Bust. 1973 2CV* content.

[Jim Bell]

Sorry if its a repost. I thought it was an interesting tale.

 

(stolen from jalopnik)

 

 

 

 

A 600 cc, two-cylinder 2CV kitted out with sheet steel panels bolted together and called the Baby-Brousse is less ridiculous than it sounds.

 

Leaving behind their humble origins as French peasant cars, these little Citroëns rode in 1973 from Paris to Abidjan, on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, to shame all future Paris–Dakar wannabes.

 

 

 

These mysterious, photos show a fleet of Baby-Brousses in 1973 on a road trip between Paris and Abidjan called the Safari Soleil. There are camels. There are French men with mustaches wearing very short shorts and not much else. There are exotic butterflies dead on the grilles. There is much sand.

That’s about all there is to the Safari Soleil. If you habitually drive for groceries in a 4×4 SUV and would like to feel totally ashamed.

 

 

 

 

It takes a wild imagination to see the Citroën 2CV as a vehicle fit to cross the most inhospitible terrain on earth, but it’s not like the Sahara is alien to vehicular innovation.

 

The impossibly named Baby Brousse is a benevolent spinoff to France’s former colonies. It was made in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and also under other names in various former French colonies: the Dalat, the Mehari, the Yagán and the Pony are also Baby-Brousses. 31,000 were built in Abidjan between 1963 and 1987.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many more amazing photos here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/115937390773181389552/BabyBrousseSAFARISOLEIL

 

 

 

From the Baby Brousse Wiki:

 

The Baby-Brousse is a Citroen 2CV based Buggy. The car is like a metal-bodied Citroen Mehari and is similar in concept to the French Citroen FAF. The vehicle was a success with more than 31,000 being built from 1963 to 1987. The entire body was made of folded sheet steel with the other parts being bolted together,with no welding.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby-Brousse

[dollywobbler]

Staggers me what people get up to with 2CVs and its derivatives. Some friends have just got back from Morocco. Others have driven to Mali. Citroen used to sponsor people to go on mad adventures like that, realising it was good PR!

 

Mind you, some people do get carried away...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDeh80LAVVc

[Jim Bell]

^ Well thats the furthest Ive ever seen a 2CV jump.

[jbz2079]

Ever had that arse twitching "I think I might have overdone this!" feeling?

[chaseracer]

I doubt his arse worked too well after that landing...