I'd always hankered after a 2CV even tho' I'd never even been inside one prior to me becoming an owner a couple of months ago. This is the story of how I then inadvertently came to own two of the beasties in the space of one month, and one of them is special - very special - and it just happens to also be a 'Special'.

We've always had slightly unusual 2nd cars in our home, and once I'd sold my Marlin kit car, it became clear I'd have to satisfy my life-long urge to own a 2CV.

I scoured eBay for a few weeks and finally focused on a solid-looking grey Charleston for sale in Hereford. This car had all the important bits done - new galv. chassis and floor pan, a youngish 51k mile engine added recently, and was generally in fairly solid condition despite having rust along the bottoms of a couple of doors. £1,070 later and it was mine...

A week after collecting Bugsy (it's going to be turned into a ladybug - a wifely condition on me being able to buy a 2CV in the first place...) I was working on my driveway gates with my recent purchase parked just inside. A Berlingo drove past, stopped, reversed and the driver popped out.

"I see you have a 2CV!"
"Yes," I replied "owned for just a week"
"I have one too - it's been sitting in my garage for the last 19 years. Really needs a new owner that'll take care of it. Eight thousand miles on the clock..."

Turns out the guy lives on the same road as me. Jeepers, I didn't need TWO 2CVs, but then I saw it...

It's a 1989 model which had been used for only 14 months before being bought by the guy on my street and kept for Sunday drives. However, it somehow didn't even get used on these days - it has literally been off the road for 19 years! The interior is virtually as new - even smells new. Chassis and underfloor is spanking. All the panels are completely solid. Jeepers again.

However, the poor quality paintwork especially on the front wings and bonnet had presumably allowed air moisture to permeate its surface because the car was peppered with brown rust specks. Ditto on the leading edge of the rear wings (micro stone chips?) which made it look a bit of a state outside, but NONE of this had come through from underneath. In fact, the car had been given a decent-looking under-sealing when new which probably helped here.

Could I resist? Nah...

So, I now have two of the beasties, one of which will be in virtually 'as new' condition in EVERY respect once I have the front reprayed. It will be just like a well-kept 1-year old car, complete with original carpet set and rear mudflaps. No 'restoration' as such required.

How rare is that?! Does anyone know of any other 'unused' cars like this? I know you can buy fully-restored vehicles (for silly money), but how bizarre to be able to find such a time-warp 2CV - and on my own road!

My ex-kit:




Bugsy:




Birdie:



(Can be clicked to enlarge.)

hi welcome to the forum and glad your enjoying being a 2cv owner and a lucky one
i know how you feel about finding such a gem like Birdie, as iv always wanted a 2cv from child (parents could understand why ) then one day me mum was on the bus and drives past a garage that had a odd looking beige car in the middle going cheap.
so me an me dad went and had a look turns out its a 1979 Dyane all original, no restoration, £500, FULL service history and the previous owner live in the same area

sorry i babbled on now on your thread
got any more pictures

Welcome to I2F! Great collection you have there!!

It's normally MUCH busier than this but most of them are away at the World Meeting in the Czech Republic.....

Enjoy your stay!!!!

Brian

Thanks gents.

Hey, this isn't my thread! I'd love to hear of other 'unrestored' examples, or unusual ways they were found - like yours, geo.

O wow

bugsy looks amazing, im not normally a fan of the grey charlies, but that one looks different! really really nice! and i've recently become fond of blue 2cv's

whats happening to me?

Hi Joe.

I have to say I like them both too!

Photos are a tad deceiving - the Charlie isn't quite as good in reality as it looks in the photos (rust along front door bottoms, etc), whereas the Special is actually better in the flesh - most of the paintwork has that fresh 'thick' look of new cars - it came up really well when washed.

Since it will be a 'patch-up' job on Bugsy - I'll be killing all the rust and fixing it up with fibreglass rather than welding - it doesn't really justify a 'restoration' job as such. Instead, it'll get black wings and a bright red body with large black spots and a stripe up its front. Bumpers coming off with small over-riders in its place, and very possibly a couple of spring-mounted 'antennae' coming from them...

Look, I have a 6 & 7-year old to cater for

Of course it's your thread - you created it, just as I and others have created seperate threads for ours.

Cheers, Bertie.

I'll keep it updated with developments, then - including the transformation of Bugsy into a ladybug...

Well, it is my thread after all...

(That'll teach ya.)

i know youv not owned them very long but are you planning on going to any events or meetings say.....National