Au revoir 2CV6 - here endeth my shite adventure...

[michiel]

Well, that went rather quickly all of a sudden... I had the Florian for two years and in that time I spent way too much on it, didn't connect with it (too big for me) and I was quite scared all the time that something would go wrong and I would have to spend even more on it - to find parts, a knowledgeable garage etc. would be a nightmare. It is an interesting car and I like obscure stuff, but for someone like me (living in a city with no garage and almost no clue mechanically), well, it was madness. I had given a swap with Torstens Maxi a lot of thought, but finding parts and a specialist for that wouldn't be that much easier... so in a bid to find a more 'rational' second car I contacted a man with a couple of 2CVs (and a few other cars) to see if he was interested in a swap. Yesterday I drove 50 km with white knuckles (busy highway, bad brakes, not sure if I had working brake lights) and swapped a rusty car with faded paint for... a rusty car with faded paint. Here it is, just a few bad pics:

 

 

 

Test till december, tax free (1985), 45 euros insurance a year, CX seats up front, some nice holes in the floor and plenty of other points that will need work in the future - but at least there are plenty of specialists, forums, and all the parts you need to build a whole new car are available. Drive home was a lot more fun, it pulls pretty well, brakes are good, shifting gear is fun.

 

I just hope I don't get voted off the Autoshite island for getting rid of the Isuzu and owning such a mainstream classic...

[Rocket88]

I think that the tow bar is the work of an incurable optimist...........GR2 for A framing.............

[michiel]

GR8 for protecting the rear bum... oh, too late.

[scooters]

Nice one but I can't help wondering why you didn't buy Huub's finest?

 

WOT NO DAF 55 MARATHON COUPE?

[michiel]

Ah yes - I do like them, but I also like changing gear myself. And the opening roof on a 2CV, great for those long Dutch summers.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

the opening roof on a 2CV, great for those long Dutch summers.

 

By the time you've opened the roof, summer's already over!

[carlo]

Liked to have seen a picture of the departing Isuzu! Did you ever post pics of it up and running?

[michiel]

I did post a few, see http://www.autoshite.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4883&hilit=florian&start=105 or the set on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/michielverburgh/sets/72157617221685663/. Can't say the last exterior shots are very different from the ones on page 1, except for the snow...

[maximalist]

Mmmm, sell it to me when you get tired of it.

[michiel]

I hope I won't get tired of it!

[Angrydicky]

2CV's are GR8! Does it have a galvanised chassis? Sadly they rot like a bastard from under the skin, so I hope yours isn't too bad. Fantastic fun though, it took me a few days to master the gearchange on mine. But roll back the roof on a summer's day, foot to the floor, cruise along listening to the engine note and you're a winner! I really quite fancy another 2CV, but it'll have to wait until funds allow.

[dollywobbler]

Excellent. Choice. I do like a scruffy 2CV - which is convenient, as I own one...

 

I wouldn't bother getting the floors patched up. You can get galvanised floors (or quarter floors if it's just the front floor area) which are a far better bet. You've bought it just in time for the French World Meeting of 2CV Friends! http://www.2cvfrance2011.fr

 

We've got a couple of big meetings in the British club, one of which is in the East. Handy for Holland?

[michiel]

Chassis is original (I think, I hope I can contact a former owner for some info soon - where it was imported from for instance) but looks quite healthy - it'll need an MOT in december, I think that might cost me a bit with welding here and there and replacing of floorboards, but we'll see. I'd like to keep it for a while, so I'll try to save up for some galvanised investment in its future.

 

As for meetings, I'm not much of a camper and a bit of a loner... but that WM is in a very nice region!

[dollywobbler]

I'm still very tempted to handpaint mine. It needs a terrifying amount of welding and I'm not sure I can afford to pay for a proper paint job - especially as it's only five years since the last one...

[michiel]

If I ever have to paint it (I guess I will, it's a 2CV...) it'll be by hand - already thinking about colour schemes and/or arty themes.

[michiel]

F*ck. Scrubbed the seats yesterday, cleaned the interior a bit, drove to the car wash (it started immediately and ran well) to hose it off - wanted to drive 5 meters to the vacuum, wouldn't start... push then, it's light as a feather anyway. Vacuming over, it started after a while, but I still don't know whether to pump the throttle or floor it when it's warm...

Oh, almost forgot, one of the front tyres is flat. Merde. Put some air in, some more, drove to the next pump to check again (some more air in), tried to start again, drained the battery... Le Cocq! Pushed it 100 meters and left it there, even though I wanted to drive it to a birthday later that day. I guess I'll need a new battery and a couple of tyres soon...

[dollywobbler]

When engine is hot, start with throttle right down. If it doesn't like starting when hot, you need a new coil. Many owners carry a spare. Had trouble in mine yesterday - after a four-hour drive, it was very reluctant to restart! Could just have been damp on the HT leads though?

 

If you've got slow punctures, while it could be the tyre itself, it could also be the rim. Pull the wheel off and have a look at the seam on the back. This can rot and bulge out (hits the kingpins when its really bad) but you can secretly lose air here too. Mabor or Toyo 135s are my recommendation of tyre. Just bought some Toyos for £39 each compared to £99.95 for Michelin 125s!

[michiel]

Merci beaucoup - I was mucking around with the throttle, couldn't remember what I had read on the 'net... and then I ran out of power. I'll see how it behaves tomorrow.

 

Thanks for the tyre tips too, Michelins go for around 125 euro here, Mabors/Toyos are 55-65 - more my price than Michelins.

[dollywobbler]

Oh and don't forget you can start it on the starting handle if you get stuck... (they're light enough for one-man bump starts too!).

[michiel]

Found the handle yesterday under the rear seat (which seems to be borked by the way, I sat down and immediately sank to the floor with a thud...), put it in the boot and then forgot about it.

[VWPowered]

wow wasnt expecting that, 2cv looks tidy enough..

[scooters]

Found the handle yesterday under the rear seat (which seems to be borked by the way, I sat down and immediately sank to the floor with a thud...), put it in the boot and then forgot about it.

 

 

I had to use the handle on the moggy every time I started it for months due to a fecked battery that I was too lazy to change

 

remember to keep your thumbs with your fingers and not around the handle - broken thumb when it kicks in! - but of course, being a shitter you'll know all that already!

[michiel]

Looks fairly tidy from a distance, more tired up close... there's plenty to keep me/garages busy in the future; not thinking of a full restoration though, just enough to keep it safe and legal.

 

Cheers scooters, I'll keep it in mind!

[michiel]

Yesterday I went out for fresh rubbers and a battery. Started with an impromptu car show:

 

 

Combination of jump leads & handle got it running -after 30 minutes. Sweat, blisters & aching muscles! Proud that I started it on the handle though.

 

Taming two horses takes two men. They checked the timing, old battery etc while I looked around outside:

 

 

 

 

 

Honey, who shrunk the Méhari?

 

 

Tomorrow I'll see if I can open the roof for a nice drive, the rust and faded paint can wait!

[dollywobbler]

Nice one Michiel. There's something very satisfying about starting a car on the handle! (bit harder with an H van, but very rewarding!). Thanks for the photos of some lurverly old Citroens. That ratty Ami 6 is delicious.

 

Quick roof tip - go the whole rog and roll it all the way back. I roll it with the inside out, like a tin of sardines, so I can thread the straps through one of the roof bars in case they come undone. The halfway position tends to send a lot of air straight down onto your head and the rear section can flap around noisily.

[michiel]

Merci mr Wobbler, I took your advice and had a blast, even if the route I chose as I went along was a bit shite... round Schiphol airport... some quick pics:

 

 

 

 

In the background of the last shot are two guys taking photos of an Axel and a Visa Découvrable, shame I didn't notice them until I drove past....

[dollywobbler]

Lovely. Those CX seats must be super-comfy. My old Acadiane had CX seats in it. Bit of a pain as it was one of those that also had a rear seat! Passengers had to clamber over the back seat to be able to sit down...

[michiel]

I was afraid mine were fixed, leaving no legroom for passengers... but they slide back and forth thankfully. Shame the rear bench is knackered, I hit the floor when I sat on it!

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Just looked at your pics of the florian. Have you got any better ones of it? What a cool car!

[michiel]

All the pics I have can be found here.