Project 1980 Citroën Acadiane | 1967 Citroen Ami 6 | 2005 Audi a2 colour storm | 1996 Lotus Elan

[meshking]

Was it actually October I last touched this? Wow. Not much has changed, hoping to get some time on it over the Christmas holidays.

[meshking]

Made this about all of my cars, rather than separate threads as nothing really happens to all of them at the same time.

I managed to secure a couple of hours today to work on my Ami. I’ve been trying to fix this area

 

but having made what feels like 15 panels each of which didn’t fit

I decided to increase motivation by doing something a bit easier. 
This bit is at the front of the garage so at least when I walk past it I’ll not just see rusty metal. 

chop chop

then make up a panel

roll some beads and do some welding

happy with that, the beads don’t *quite* line up, but given I’m not on commission for pebble beach I reckon it’ll do.

 

in other news, over Christmas I popped up to Glasgow and drove home this little fella:

seemed ideal as our Leaf is being returned on Monday and until I can buy another modern electric conveyance it’ll do. After that purchase it’ll be pushed into station car duties and potentially learner car for my eldest (although she goes in it begrudgingly so I doubt she’ll want to drive it!).

The next bit to do is here - will be trickier but I’ve repaired the other side already so I have previous.

[320touring]

Great effort! Ami work looks smashing and good to see the A2 has been given a wash. Not a bad wee car that.

Though those number plates seem to give people (cough @Kiltox cough) PTSD

[meshking]

Yeah - I should have mentioned A+++ seller @320touring ! Will be attempting to resolve the lacquer over the summer - it really only needed a scrub down after all the road grime picked up heading home. @Kiltoxkindly provided replacement plates but I've not had the chance to fit them just yet.

[Marshall2810]

Congrats on the A2, my old one and hope it provides you with reliable transport. Amazing to think these were capable of 65/70+mpg and that's from 20+ years ago. The prius/hybrid lot still cant come close tells me we really havn't advanced that far.

Also couldn't stand the plates 😂

Enjoy 

[meshking]

Grabbed an hour or so away from daily duties today to prep for the next bit of welding. 

the area for work

angle grinder makes short work of that. I need to remember to weld that lip that the cleco is holding before I put in the repair panel. I made a panel, rolled the bead and voila:

luckily the bump stop panel is reusable on this side - I had to remake it from scratch on the other side

might have some time to weld this in towards the end of this weekend, but more likely it’ll be a few weeks before I can get the time. Edging ever closer to finishing… but there’s still a few complex sections to finish off first.

[meshking]

Also discovered the abs fault on my a2 could be related to the yaw sensor. Managed to find it, not sure who this cd belongs to though!

trying to find a sensible priced replacement sensor- looks like it might be shared with the Audi tt of the same era.

 

[Marshall2810]

5 hours ago, meshking said:

not sure who this cd belongs to though!

Not guilty.....

is that yours @Jim Bell?

[loserone]

On 26/01/2025 at 16:50, Marshall2810 said:

Congrats on the A2, my old one and hope it provides you with reliable transport. Amazing to think these were capable of 65/70+mpg and that's from 20+ years ago. The prius/hybrid lot still cant come close tells me we really havn't advanced that far.

Also couldn't stand the plates 😂

Enjoy 

This one can get even more cause it racks up many more miles per mile with the tiny tyres 😂

[Jim Bell]

45 minutes ago, Marshall2810 said:

Not guilty.....

is that yours @Jim Bell?

 

Definitely not me. I think I only ever had Left Lane Cruiser CDs in little Audi. 

[meshking]

Managed to get a little more sparkly action the other week - slowly coming together

[meshking]

Grabbed a couple of hours this morning - bit more chopping out 

then cut a simple patch (I decided to put my joddler to work and put a lip to make the welding slightly easier).  Buzzed it in, and finished the puddle welds to the upper boot floor

 

this finishes the boot floor area

yay! I keep writing “just need to …” lists in my head but it’s not a short list at all.

[meshking]

I’m lucky* enough to live just inside of the m25, which this weekend is closed between j10-11. Not only this, I’m even more lucky that my house is just off the diversion route - and so the roads are completely gridlocked. The benefit is that I’ve managed to spend some time in the garage. First off, a bit of seam sealing and stone chip:

next off I thought I’d fit the inner toeboard- which seem to slide in easily. Can only do the drivers side welding at the mo:

I then fitted the floor on the near side to bring the inside nearly to completion 

 

I had also, earlier in the week, repaired rhe rear corner, which will need more care with the grinder and perhaps a skim of filler before I pronounce it done.

[meshking]

managed to find a couple of hours last night after discussing with some very knowledgeable chaps during the day.

This was bothering me, should I just spot in the holes or do it properly?

I was persuaded that I should do it properly, so out came the grinder

yeah, that’s a lot of branflakes, and I suspect* that the tail lights won’t work anymore

chop and bend

and a bit of welding leaves me needing a skim of filler

getting closer now (that’s what I’m telling myself at least).

[shedenvy]

I'm sure there are some perfectionists looking at that questionably, I would suggest they give welding rusty Citroen biscuit tin thick steel a go.  I tried filling in some pin holes in a 2cv roof using a copper back stop and still got lots of blowing through, cutting it out and starting with solid metal looks like the right choice.  Really interesting how much more intracate the 2cv variation box sections are compared to the 2cv's simplistic tubular frame.  Anyway excellent progress!

[meshking]

Thanks - you’re right that it’s not easy. The sections are far more complex than the 2cv and much less availability of repair panels.

 

[meshking]

turned my ami around today so I can begin the last bits of welding (famous last words)

Looking more like a car now!

In other news, Audi A2 is up fo roffle over in the for sale section...

 

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, meshking said:

turned my ami around today so I can begin the last bits of welding (famous last words)

Looking more like a car now!

In other news, Audi A2 is up fo roffle over in the for sale section...

 

When you've done, you might want to revisit the front, like the Forth Bridge 🥰

[meshking]

You’re not that far from the truth, I can see bits that I either missed or need to do better now!

[meshking]

With the Audi moved onto pastures new, and a back that was pummelled into submission by an osteopath, it was back to upsetting the perfectionists. 

welded the support bar into the rear seat box and finalised the rear end

this left me here 

welding done*.

I then decided that I should prepare the fuel tank - usually the sender will be broken or the pick up clagged. 

Didn’t look too bad, if you ignore the filter that has become detached. I’ve got a new one ready I be fitted once I’ve used some sealer on the tank (metal tank on this one).

 

 

* may not quite be done

[Skizzer]

Congratulations on finishing* the welding!

I love this car/project.  Slightly in awe of your ability just get bloody on with it instead of spending ages looking at it and overthinking.

[meshking]

Easter holiday tinkering today. Started by removing the filthy felt based sound proofing  and sorting through the parcel shelf finds:

a broken peg and strapless gshock … “simply lovely” as a certain Dutchman might say. 

bulkhead wasn’t too bad behind, got some new stuff to go in but need to find some appropriate vinyl to replace the patterned stuff. 
Whilst the lamb was roasting I whipped the carb off (gasket set is in the post hopefully)

the accelerator pump is missing the four screws that hold it in. Not sure where I’ll get those at the moment, but fingers crossed someone has some. In any case, off to the cleaner 

and couple of hours later it’s drying waiting for the gasket set to arrive.