The slightly sad story of Helena

[twosmoke300]

This is my dads Lna that he’s owned for at least  20 years . It spent very little time on the road in those years but I can remember myself using it as a daily for a few months but it’s mainly been kept in dry storage while dad tinkers with it with varying degrees of success .

Fast forward until a month or two ago when it was dragged out of storage and transported to my brothers field . Who then lost the keys .

After removing the steering lock ( carefully as I’m not exactly tripping over new ones for lnas 😂) I then found the service book with the bloody key numbers on . A local locksmith cut me a new ign and boot key for £15 . Legend ! 
 

A quick look over on the ramp reveals it’s still bloody solid and I don’t think it’s had or going to need any welding . The paint is well worn and it has surface rust on it but an ideal candidate for an oily rag resto I reckon . 
 

Well blow me down - a quick suck through of fuel from the tank , hook up a fresh battery and she fires straight up . I do remember dad fitting and NOS carb to it a few years back .

The original idea was my wife was going ti use this as her daily when the lease E Up goes back but I can’t see her liking the experience after a modern electric car but time will tell .

Why a sad tale ?

About 7 years ago dad was diagnosed with dementia and is going downhill quite rapidly now . But he still asks about the LNA ( and the Mk1 BX ) 

So I’m looking forward to taking him out , maybe to a few car shows , in it when it’s on the road .

Must stop looking at the subframe design and thinking it would make a bloody good trials car tho 😂

I’ll get some more pics today ! 

[Sham]

It's a sad story, but only because it hasn't been enjoyed by your Dad.

Try to make sure he gets to do so, even from the passenger seat.

Cars are important to people.

[Matty]

11 minutes ago, twosmoke300 said:

This is my dads Lna that he’s owned for at least  20 years . It spent very little time on the road in those years but I can remember myself using it as a daily for a few months but it’s mainly been kept in dry storage while dad tinkers with it with varying degrees of success .

Fast forward until a month or two ago when it was dragged out of storage and transported to my brothers field . Who then lost the keys .

After removing the steering lock ( carefully as I’m not exactly tripping over new ones for lnas 😂) I then found the service book with the bloody key numbers on . A local locksmith cut me a new ign and boot key for £15 . Legend ! 
 

A quick look over on the ramp reveals it’s still bloody solid and I don’t think it’s had or going to need any welding . The paint is well worn and it has surface rust on it but an ideal candidate for an oily rag resto I reckon . 
 

Well blow me down - a quick suck through of fuel from the tank , hook up a fresh battery and she fires straight up . I do remember dad fitting and NOS carb to it a few years back .

The original idea was my wife was going ti use this as her daily when the lease E Up goes back but I can’t see her liking the experience after a modern electric car but time will tell .

Why a sad tale ?

About 7 years ago dad was diagnosed with dementia and is going downhill quite rapidly now . But he still asks about the LNA ( and the Mk1 BX ) 

So I’m looking forward to taking him out , maybe to a few car shows , in it when it’s on the road .

Must stop looking at the subframe design and thinking it would make a bloody good trials car tho 😂

I’ll get some more pics today ! 

Sounds like a trite thing to say in the circumstances, but it occurred to me a few years ago to do as much as I can now with my dad and uncle. You never know how long you have with your family. Sorry for your troubles pal.

[mk2_craig]

LNA! That would've been a rare sight even 20 years ago. And C-reg must be a really late one, when did production stop? 

 

Good to see the car surviving and being given some love, thanks for sharing the story. I'm sure getting it back in the game will be beneficial to dad's quality of life.

[Dobloseven]

I'm guessing its a four cylinder water cooled one by the plastic bottles under the bonnet. My dads last but one car was an A reg Visa. Again four cylinder. Replaced by one of the first Peugeot 309s which he kept for 16 years and "saw him out". 

[twosmoke300]

Trying to work out when he bought it . Last v5 change was 05 but I was sure I was driving about before then .

Found this in the window 

It’s like a time capsule 😂

[JJ0063]

11 minutes ago, twosmoke300 said:

Trying to work out when he bought it .

26 years ago yesterday!

30/10/1997 😊

[twosmoke300]

How did you work that out ? 

[twosmoke300]

Some arty pics from @fatharris a few years ago . Bonus BX Mk1 glimpse too 

[JJ0063]

23 minutes ago, twosmoke300 said:

How did you work that out ? 

 

[Dobloseven]

So it'd done well to have survived until he bought it at 11 or 12 years old. Guessing there's not many left. 

[dozeydustman]

If you can get this roadworthy and take your dad out for drives in it while he remembers the car, hopefully he’ll find it a happy time even just to be driven around in it.

Driving my grandad around in his XM after he started to be quite bad with his dementia helped always made him happy.

Hopefully it’ll be an easy-ish recommissioning as it looks pretty good.

 

[Timewaster]

They were a rare sight when they were new.

I always pondered the difference between a Samba, an LNA and a 104.

Apart from some 2 cyl Citroen engine options I suspect it was very little. 

[wuvvum]

I loved mine.  Amazingly capable for a tiny (effectively) '70s car with a 1.1 engine and four-speed 'box.

[Dobloseven]

57 minutes ago, Timewaster said:

They were a rare sight when they were new.

I always pondered the difference between a Samba, an LNA and a 104.

Apart from some 2 cyl Citroen engine options I suspect it was very little. 

The 3 door 104s and the LNA had the shortest wheelbase. The Samba was longer and the 5 door 104, the longest. Did we get 3 door 104s in the UK? I can't recall seeing any. 

[dozeydustman]

32 minutes ago, Timewaster said:

I always pondered the difference between a Samba, an LNA and a 104.

IIRC the LN(A) used the 104 short (Z) chassis, the visa used the 104 long chassis (G) and the Samba was somewhere betwixt the 2 in chassis length. The Visa being the only variant I haven’t driven, but the

[Timewaster]

6 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

The 3 door 104s and the LNA had the shortest wheelbase. The Samba was longer and the 5 door 104, the longest. Did we get 3 door 104s in the UK? I can't recall seeing any. 

Yes. I told the tale in the motor trade thread of the customer who came in for rear brake shoes for a 3dr 104ZS. 

When I asked what system it had, Ate/Bendix/Girling etc? he said "I don't know, I'll be back"

He returned an hour later and handed me a pair of brake shoes to match up, I turned to go into the store room and spotted the 104 parked outside..WTF?!

"It's okay" he said "I cable tied the wheel cylinder!"

He was apprentice mechanic at the local Peugeot dealer.

 

[dozeydustman]

9 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

Did we get 3 door 104s in the UK? I can't recall seeing any. 

According to howmanyleft there are 6 ZLs, 1 ZR and 5 ZSs either taxed or SORN.

[wuvvum]

1 hour ago, Timewaster said:

Yes. I told the tale in the motor trade thread of the customer who came in for rear brake shoes for a 3dr 104ZS. 

When I asked what system it had, Ate/Bendix/Girling etc? he said "I don't know, I'll be back"

He returned an hour later and handed me a pair of brake shoes to match up, I turned to go into the store room and spotted the 104 parked outside..WTF?!

"It's okay" he said "I cable tied the wheel cylinder!"

He was apprentice mechanic at the local Peugeot dealer.

 

Cable ties FFS.  Everyone knows you need to use a Jubilee clip if you're going to clamp a wheel cylinder.

[Six-cylinder]

In 2018 at the Visa's 40th Birthday party some photography was organised by CCC including a Samba, 104 shortcut and my LNA group shot.

[adw1977]

4 hours ago, Dobloseven said:

Did we get 3 door 104s in the UK? I can't recall seeing any. 

We did.  Peugeot even did separate UK brochures for the 3 door and 5 door.

Flickr link to 3 door brochure

[dollywobbler]

Hope you get to enjoy some travels together. Such a rare, almost utterly unloved car these days. Which makes it prime for this place.

Did see one advertised in Belgium with a BMW flat twin crammed into it... Fast and rare!

[Rustybullethole]

Can only echo whats above really. Would be great to get it sorted and get the old man out in it. Petite and French. A winning combo. 

[Stinkwheel]

On 31/10/2023 at 17:01, dozeydustman said:

IIRC the LN(A) used the 104 short (Z) chassis, the visa used the 104 long chassis (G) and the Samba was somewhere betwixt the 2 in chassis length. The Visa being the only variant I haven’t driven, but the

If you ever want to drive one it can be arranged

 

[artdjones]

There was a fair bit of hate for LNs from Citroenistes back when they were new but time has made people recognise their virtues.

I've never driven one but I'm quite nostalgic about my Visa.

[twosmoke300]

I’m hoping to get this up and running and shaken out all the storage niggles in time for shitefest next year . Plans are for me to take the LNA and my brother to take the Mk1 BX .

Sourced an exhaust for it now but typically work has got busy / snaggy again so it stuck on the back ramp .

[yes oui si]

Really honourable thing to do for your dad. Looking forward to seeing updates

[twosmoke300]

Dad did attend a SF in wales in the BX . That car has one breakdown per shitefest it seems 😂

[fatharris]

Ahhhh, that's why you asked for the pictures

Was it a local car before your dad had it?

[twosmoke300]

Some progress ! Got a new old stock carb from Italy . They are different from 104s and sambas which is a pain in the ass . 
Just given the engine a good jet wash off and ran it back up to dry it out .

Ive booked a few days on it in March to undo dad’s bodges and hopefully get it mot ready .