Thanks Joe It did used to have the headlamp protectors back in the Olden Days

With RHD square lamp reflectors getting more and more rare and hard to find maybe I should reinstate them!

I think it would look good with Four Great Big Enormous Tyres

Just shut the roof properly before you drive off. The middle fixing strap is still hanging out!!

Nice tyres by the way...

I like your car Chris. I don't know what it is exactly, but every time I see it I think to myself 'I like that'. Maybe it's because it looks a little butch (in a good way!) and purposeful, I actually prefer that sort of car to the factory standard look.

I love it too, Chris, especially when you reach 50 mph in second gear. Why do you always bother about your radio? Someone must tell you this, Chris, so I do it tonight : there's no need for a radio in that car. You can't hear it!
Anyway, the headlamp protectors are great, especially when you meet herds of buffalo between Oxford and Abbingdon, as you often do after a night at the pub.
Put them back on, before it's too late...

Thanks Mr Nail, I always think they look good kind of agricultural / purposeful / (scruffy) - as they were a workhorse in initial conception weren't they. By the way did you notice the grey-white fade on the triangle panels in that early shot? Thats a nice touch eh Can't claim credit for that though, they were already like that when I got it in 1992 from my cousin.


@ Joe and Stef, not sure about the headlamp guards, those old ones rattled themselves to pieces and got thrown away, so I'd have to make something up from new:



I'm not sure - that looks kind of sinister to me... what do y'all think?
But with the Thames valley buffalo autumn migration due to start any day now do I dare risk driving without them?

i wouldnt say sinister, it looks like a little car trying to be one of the big boys. kind of endearing. I need to go and grab a can of man up before i turn into a massive pussy on legs.

We had some rather pathetic - though pretty enough snowfall at the start of December when a trip to the MOT man got me a new ticket and a couple of nice enough snaps on the way back.





Then finally we got some proper snow about a week ago but I've only just got around to getting the pictures transferred. Left both ordinary cars on the driveway covered in snow and hiked over to the lockup to break out the big guns



Makes perfect family transportation for adverse conditions. Mr SF4x4 had very kindly loaned me a pair of his snow tyres with spikes. All I can say is wow.



Picture above just back from taking a couple of kids to see a panto, came back through the back lanes and snowdrifts - great fun.



I've driven 2cv quite a lot in the snow, always on ordinary tyres and we know how incredibly capable the car is, but adding these monster tyres is like another dimension.



I don't know how much of the traction is accounted for by the tyres themselves and how much from the spikes, but the front end just stayed glued to the road. Which makes for some interesting tail out possibilities when turning in (if you want to) because the front stays glued while the back is only on regular tyres.

The other thing, I always follow the advice that in snow and ice you should drive as though you don't have any brakes, because you don't, but you can even brake with these babys on. I really want four of these tyres now, thanks SF!



All the very cold (-15C at least) temperatures and no problems starting, first turn every time. Not wanting to start a debate, but 123 + harley coil have worked for me and transformed the car from its pre-engine rebuild state.



Hmm, slight build up of ice in the front wheelarch there.



All too soon the snow is gone from most roads, people start to (stupidly) pick up speed again making accidents more likely, and not wanting to push my luck with the street parking / vandalism when I'd already been hit with snowballs locally, back to the garage.

Oh and a jetwash on top and underneath to come as soon as the weather improves!

Back in the 60's and 70's you would see many a normal car like the Morris Minors and the like with what they used to call 'Town and country' tyres, which were fitted to the driven wheels. They werejust tyres with chunky treads similar to those on a Landrover. I've often wondered if I could get a couple for a 2cv from anywhere.

Mr Old Nail I think the main option for the 2cv is the Michelin XM&S89 135 now as an alternate to something standard. I ran a couple of these last time in the snow for a bit and was similarly impressed, although the snow wasn't as thick as this time, nor as drifty outside of town.



The ones I had on the front of the car last week, borrowed from Mr 4x4 SF were these ones, Vredestein, Snow + 155/80. Plus metal studs fitted for the arctic.



Come to think of it I may have a pair of those Michelin 135 M&S for sale sometime in the future if anyone's interested

What's M + S mean?