Hello everyone I'm Robin, please allow me to introduce myself. A 2CV owner from the eighties and early nineties, been in MX5 MK1's ever since until now..

I've been looking for a 2CV for a few months, as you'll know there's not many good ones left at anything like sensible money! One of my partner's patients spoke to her on Monday about a car he had for sale, she immediately texted me and within hours the car was mine.

How it came about was during his consultation she asked him how he got his sunburn, he answered 'a 2CV weekender event', further chat revealed he was 75, had owned 2CV's for 30 years, a regular 2CVGB attender and was having to give up his wife's car to keep his show-piece, a mint German '81 left hooker.

I knew I was going to buy the car before I even got there, ever had that? It was a mix of nostalgia, excitement and the fact that these 'funny little cars' are fetching proper money these days and becoming harder and harder to find.

I've had so many 2CV's I can't remember them all, nobody had a digital camera in the 80's my first car in 1984 was a Dyane, SDX110R. I've had at least as many 2CV's as I've had MX5's (14?), although that was 20+ years ago when they were very 'throw away' I've found the few cars left these days (about 3000) are pretty much all in need of some proper restoration.

Smell is such an emotive sense. One whiff inside the car and I was transported back to my college days and all the shenanigans I got up to in my car back then, that smell is a mix of air-cooled oily engine, hot exhaust on cardboard(!) and 'old car', wonderful.

The car is a standard 602cc 1985, previously restored and body-off painted the owner's favourite 2CV colour, AC334 Indian copper. Orange basically. The chassis is a replacement galvanised one in great condition and apart from some bizarre additions (a car horn which plays loads of animal noises?) it's pretty much all there and as it should be. Small stuff required for MOT (lights, brakes, tyre) basically a long weekend's work, ideal, especially for the price which was fair all round.

I take delivery on Monday and I can't wait, it's been a long time without a 2CV and I've always loved them and can't wait to get the tools out. This is a car which possesses a purity and attention to detail in design which makes me feel contented in a way no other object has ever made me feel, before or since. The fact they are so much fun to drive and own is the icing on the cake.

I might well be asking some technical stuff soon..

Vivre la 2CV!

Welcome

Thank you.

Looking at your avatar pic reminded me I tried to ford a river in my 2CV once in Burton, didn't get far.. I remember my cassette tape boxes from under the seat floating away when I opened to door

I have a picture of that somewhere, me with hair! I'm going to have a go at posting some pics as I'm sure you'd all like to see them. I've been on the MX5 boards for years so I'll just have to get used to the differences of this one.

Let me try.. This is the car in the owners car port, literally just as I found it.

Me with hair! taken about 25 years ago..

Welcome! Its lovely, love the orange and the roof.

I know what you mean about the smell, took me a few years of owning mine before I realised that whoosh of memory getting into it on a hot day - was cos I used to play in a dumped one when I was little

Welcome. That's Barry's old car isn't it? Does that mean you're also somewhere in the South Derbyshire area?

Yes it's Barry's old car, he still has 'Toy' the left hooker, my car says 'Toy II' on the bonnet. Downsizing back to one 2CV and his wife now has a red Citroen C2 (or something?) I'm In Ashby de la Zouch, very north Leicestershire.

He does love the colour, I have to say it's rather growing on me too.

Any info you have on the car would be grateful, I know it's gone to a load of meets, usually towing a tiny caravan trailer.

I don't really know the car, although I've seen it around a lot at camps. I think it was red originally.

It was. I like the colour now so it'll stay.

There's quite a list of things I need, might get some at the 2CVGB registers day on Sunday?

Sun visors x2 complete with brackets
New hood, black. Securing strap studs on the top (missing), new straps.
Wheel trims
Heater tubes
Disks and pads and perhaps recon calipers if they are seized up at all. Brakes feel 'wooden' but she's stood for a few months.
123 ignition + new coil + new leads and plugs
All service items, every fluid.
The rubber holders for the rear doors and pins
A nicer steering wheel or leather cover
Old style wipers

Taking off everything non stock such as the inaccurate oil pressure and temp gauges, two volt meters (will keep one), non working clock etc. etc. Need it to be not such a 'rats nest' and look (at least look) like it's going to be reliable electrically. I am an Electrician so hopefully that will help..

A radio would be nice!

There'll be a lot more no doubt, this is just to be going on with.

Any help gratefully received

See you on Sunday! ECAS aren't able to make it for the first time ever, but a friend of mine is taking a trailer of s/h parts to sell, including some of the bits you're after (though he may well have already sold them by then as he'll be there all weekend).