What have I done!
Discussion
I've been toying with the idea of going back to a classic as a daily for a little while.
I currently run a '15 Aygo which does 35k a year and the miles are starting to take their toll on it, especially with the state of the roads in our part of Norfolk meaning the car has already been through a subframe and something falls off the underside every other month.
I needed something with better ground clearance to cope and something with a little more character than the Aygo. I started looking at 2CVs but they have always cost more than I've been willing to spend on one. I could use it daily and switch back to the Jag/Aygo if I got fed up of the inability to leave the inside lane.
About a month ago, I first saw the listing for this with a £499 start price and £1,250 buy it now. The auction ended at £600 without meeting the reserve. It was relisted a couple of weeks ago, without a reserve, with a £600 start price. I was in Switzerland a couple of weeks ago and bought an exact model of that 2CV at a petrol station on the way home. With a lack of interest in the auction, I thought I'd throw a cheeky bid in and see where it got me.
It now resides in my mother's garage while I decide what the hell to do with it.
A couple of pictures, all I have thus far. It failed an MOT when it was 9 on a few holes in the chassis and has been in a garage ever since. Comes complete with Greenpeace stickers and original Worthing Motors dealer plates & tax disc holder, the latter of which got me far more excited than they should.
Runs incredibly well and is remarkably solid for a 34 year old 2CV. One patch of filler in the N/S sill is the full extent of bodges which was a pleasant surprise.
Needs a windscreen panel, a couple of sections of floor pan, the N/S sill fixing properly and a chassis as far as corrosion goes.
Now the big question? Restore and drive daily or sell it before I waste any money on it?
I currently run a '15 Aygo which does 35k a year and the miles are starting to take their toll on it, especially with the state of the roads in our part of Norfolk meaning the car has already been through a subframe and something falls off the underside every other month.
I needed something with better ground clearance to cope and something with a little more character than the Aygo. I started looking at 2CVs but they have always cost more than I've been willing to spend on one. I could use it daily and switch back to the Jag/Aygo if I got fed up of the inability to leave the inside lane.
About a month ago, I first saw the listing for this with a £499 start price and £1,250 buy it now. The auction ended at £600 without meeting the reserve. It was relisted a couple of weeks ago, without a reserve, with a £600 start price. I was in Switzerland a couple of weeks ago and bought an exact model of that 2CV at a petrol station on the way home. With a lack of interest in the auction, I thought I'd throw a cheeky bid in and see where it got me.
It now resides in my mother's garage while I decide what the hell to do with it.
A couple of pictures, all I have thus far. It failed an MOT when it was 9 on a few holes in the chassis and has been in a garage ever since. Comes complete with Greenpeace stickers and original Worthing Motors dealer plates & tax disc holder, the latter of which got me far more excited than they should.
Runs incredibly well and is remarkably solid for a 34 year old 2CV. One patch of filler in the N/S sill is the full extent of bodges which was a pleasant surprise.
Needs a windscreen panel, a couple of sections of floor pan, the N/S sill fixing properly and a chassis as far as corrosion goes.
Now the big question? Restore and drive daily or sell it before I waste any money on it?
kamilb1998 said:
About a month ago, I first saw the listing for this with a £499 start price and £1,250 buy it now. The auction ended at £600 without meeting the reserve. It was relisted a couple of weeks ago, without a reserve, with a £600 start price. I was in Switzerland a couple of weeks ago and bought an exact model of that 2CV at a petrol station on the way home. With a lack of interest in the auction, I thought I'd throw a cheeky bid in and see where it got me.
It now resides in my mother's garage while I decide what the hell to do with it.
Good man!It now resides in my mother's garage while I decide what the hell to do with it.
For that money, I expected a photo of binbags. If I'd seen that auction, I think I'd have bought it now.
kamilb1998 said:
A couple of pictures, all I have thus far. It failed an MOT when it was 9 on a few holes in the chassis and has been in a garage ever since.
Un-pissed-around-with! EXCELLENT!kamilb1998 said:
Runs incredibly well and is remarkably solid for a 34 year old 2CV. One patch of filler in the N/S sill is the full extent of bodges which was a pleasant surprise.
Needs a windscreen panel, a couple of sections of floor pan, the N/S sill fixing properly and a chassis as far as corrosion goes.
Great starting point.Needs a windscreen panel, a couple of sections of floor pan, the N/S sill fixing properly and a chassis as far as corrosion goes.
kamilb1998 said:
Now the big question? Restore and drive daily or sell it before I waste any money on it?
Do the work. Nothing terribly major there.Put it on one of Ken Hanna's SLC chassis - no-brainer. Not one of the cheaper ones.
It's probably worth just chucking a pair of floors and sills in - they're not much harder than patching, and a much better solution. I bet it'll turn out to need a toeboard, too.
https://www.ecas2cvparts.co.uk/bulkhead-board-repa...
https://www.ecas2cvparts.co.uk/pair-sills-520041-5...
https://www.ecas2cvparts.co.uk/pair-floor-2cv6-dya...
Looks like the screen surround's good, just needs a bonnet hinge.
https://www.ecas2cvparts.co.uk/repair-panel-bonnet...
https://www.ecas2cvparts.co.uk/vent-flap-shutter-u...
With that done, and a bloody good service and MOT, I'd say you've got an easy £3-4k of car there.
Edited by TooMany2cvs on Friday 22 September 10:38
This wouldn't be a replacement for each and every one of those 35k miles. I'm at uni, my commute is about 60 miles a week. Part time work brings that up to 200 ish. We travel a lot and usually take the car with us and we're in the sticks so it's miles away from anywhere else. I'd probably keep the Aygo and still have the Jag to use as and when.
Regardless, I don't mind working on old cars but can't be bothered with a modern and am too tight to hand it over to a garage unless I have to.
Yes, it does seem a bit of a gem, especially for £599. I imported a '73 Fiat 500L from Italy earlier in the year and having seen the amount of bodges possible on a car. I wanted something that hadn't been messed with.
The market seems dead in general for 2CVs and none of them seem to be fetching much lately. This one disappointed the owner as he turned down a higher offer in the hope of it fetching more at auction. I bought it from Simon at Driving Spirit, a 2CV specialist for those who don't know. He used to run The Tin Snail Company in the 80s/90s. That's where he first came across this car and he was the one who failed it back in '92. I have the original failure sheet.
There were no interior pictures in the auction and, to my surprise, it had seat covers from new preserving the original seats apart from the back seat that has suffered from sun damage along the top.
ETA: There is a little bit of rot by the roof latches. That's why I'd consider replacing the whole panel as it may be easier than patching? Bonnet hinge is perfect as well, just the panel on the body shell that has suffered.
I have heard of the SLC chassis and that was recommended by the seller. Some research also suggested that is the most trusted chassis for these. I need to start drawing up a list of what it needs really and get stuck in over winter.
Regardless, I don't mind working on old cars but can't be bothered with a modern and am too tight to hand it over to a garage unless I have to.
Yes, it does seem a bit of a gem, especially for £599. I imported a '73 Fiat 500L from Italy earlier in the year and having seen the amount of bodges possible on a car. I wanted something that hadn't been messed with.
The market seems dead in general for 2CVs and none of them seem to be fetching much lately. This one disappointed the owner as he turned down a higher offer in the hope of it fetching more at auction. I bought it from Simon at Driving Spirit, a 2CV specialist for those who don't know. He used to run The Tin Snail Company in the 80s/90s. That's where he first came across this car and he was the one who failed it back in '92. I have the original failure sheet.
There were no interior pictures in the auction and, to my surprise, it had seat covers from new preserving the original seats apart from the back seat that has suffered from sun damage along the top.
ETA: There is a little bit of rot by the roof latches. That's why I'd consider replacing the whole panel as it may be easier than patching? Bonnet hinge is perfect as well, just the panel on the body shell that has suffered.
I have heard of the SLC chassis and that was recommended by the seller. Some research also suggested that is the most trusted chassis for these. I need to start drawing up a list of what it needs really and get stuck in over winter.
Edited by kamilb1998 on Friday 22 September 11:25
I think this is a reasonable purchase, if you spend wisely you wont be chucking the money away.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Citroen-2CV6-Special-/27...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Citroen-2CV6-Special-/27...
kamilb1998 said:
This wouldn't be a replacement for each and every one of those 35k miles. I'm at uni, my commute is about 60 miles a week. Part time work brings that up to 200 ish. We travel a lot and usually take the car with us and we're in the sticks so it's miles away from anywhere else. I'd probably keep the Aygo and still have the Jag to use as and when.
Regardless, I don't mind working on old cars but can't be bothered with a modern and am too tight to hand it over to a garage unless I have to.
Yes, it does seem a bit of a gem, especially for £599. I imported a '73 Fiat 500L from Italy earlier in the year and having seen the amount of bodges possible on a car. I wanted something that hadn't been messed with.
The market seems dead in general for 2CVs and none of them seem to be fetching much lately. This one disappointed the owner as he turned down a higher offer in the hope of it fetching more at auction. I bought it from Simon at Driving Spirit, a 2CV specialist for those who don't know. He used to run The Tin Snail Company in the 80s/90s. That's where he first came across this car and he was the one who failed it back in '92. I have the original failure sheet.
There were no interior pictures in the auction and, to my surprise, it had seat covers from new preserving the original seats apart from the back seat that has suffered from sun damage along the top.
ETA: There is a little bit of rot by the roof latches. That's why I'd consider replacing the whole panel as it may be easier than patching? Bonnet hinge is perfect as well, just the panel on the body shell that has suffered.
I have heard of the SLC chassis and that was recommended by the seller. Some research also suggested that is the most trusted chassis for these. I need to start drawing up a list of what it needs really and get stuck in over winter.
If the market seems dead for 2cvs as you say, then that is perfectly understandable.Regardless, I don't mind working on old cars but can't be bothered with a modern and am too tight to hand it over to a garage unless I have to.
Yes, it does seem a bit of a gem, especially for £599. I imported a '73 Fiat 500L from Italy earlier in the year and having seen the amount of bodges possible on a car. I wanted something that hadn't been messed with.
The market seems dead in general for 2CVs and none of them seem to be fetching much lately. This one disappointed the owner as he turned down a higher offer in the hope of it fetching more at auction. I bought it from Simon at Driving Spirit, a 2CV specialist for those who don't know. He used to run The Tin Snail Company in the 80s/90s. That's where he first came across this car and he was the one who failed it back in '92. I have the original failure sheet.
There were no interior pictures in the auction and, to my surprise, it had seat covers from new preserving the original seats apart from the back seat that has suffered from sun damage along the top.
ETA: There is a little bit of rot by the roof latches. That's why I'd consider replacing the whole panel as it may be easier than patching? Bonnet hinge is perfect as well, just the panel on the body shell that has suffered.
I have heard of the SLC chassis and that was recommended by the seller. Some research also suggested that is the most trusted chassis for these. I need to start drawing up a list of what it needs really and get stuck in over winter.
Edited by kamilb1998 on Friday 22 September 11:25
Have you ever driven one?
TooMany2cvs said:
I've just noticed it's still on an external-fastening roof... Haven't seen one of those for decades! You'll want the bracket and frame to use the internal-fastening type - as it sits, anybody walking by can just open the roof and get in.
Why on earth would any one want to get in it?TooMany2cvs said:
Ours is just two years younger than that.Shame it's still in bits!!
austin said:
People that hate 2CVs = those who haven't driven them.
<nods>They wouldn't understand even if they did - their minds are too closed to appreciate just how much fun they're missing.
2cvs spoilt me for fast cars. You simply cannot have that much fun in a fast car and keep your licence/out of jail/alive.
TooMany2cvs said:
<nods>
They wouldn't understand even if they did - their minds are too closed to appreciate just how much fun they're missing.
2cvs spoilt me for fast cars. You simply cannot have that much fun in a fast car and keep your licence/out of jail/alive.
No other car has given me such satisfaction for achieving an overtake.They wouldn't understand even if they did - their minds are too closed to appreciate just how much fun they're missing.
2cvs spoilt me for fast cars. You simply cannot have that much fun in a fast car and keep your licence/out of jail/alive.
mooseracer said:
TooMany2cvs said:
<nods>
They wouldn't understand even if they did - their minds are too closed to appreciate just how much fun they're missing.
2cvs spoilt me for fast cars. You simply cannot have that much fun in a fast car and keep your licence/out of jail/alive.
No other car has given me such satisfaction for achieving an overtake.They wouldn't understand even if they did - their minds are too closed to appreciate just how much fun they're missing.
2cvs spoilt me for fast cars. You simply cannot have that much fun in a fast car and keep your licence/out of jail/alive.
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