I've obviously trodden on some people's toes here, so sorry to those who feel I've been critical of their taste. It certainly wasn't intentional - I was simply curious why someone would want to drive their car like this, I now know. Perhaps being a newbie hasn't helped, either?

No-one more than meself loves to see the great diversity in A-series, whether it's the cars or their owners and drivers. It's just that the dragster-look was a mystery.

Neil supposed "oolong, i take it from the smiley next to the Beetle picture that you think it's 'cool'?" on p2. As I mentioned at the beginning of this thread, I had been prompted from a topic in the flea market (here) and the smiley was meant to be taken as tongue-in-cheek, not as my approval. I was thinking, 'if you're going to radically change the way a car goes with respect to handling and suspension, why not start with one which isn't great in the first place?'

Ken, while appearing to side with the nay-sayers and stating many true facts, you haven't actually disagreed with what I have said... To answer your query - Owlong, oolong? - well the engine went perfectly for 12,000 miles in my ownership, which was just a year - I then bought my first Citroen, a 1979 Dyane. The engine alone had won me over. With larger tyres, 95mph wasn't quite as many revs as that... but not far from.

The Dyane I mentioned at 100mph+ is indeed a GSA-engined beastie, which, now sorted in the suspension and braking depts, is frighteningly quick in the real world. Spanners tells me the engine has covered over 280,000 miles, testimony to the fine design and production quality of Citroën engines. I don't know if it has had new rings/barrels. My mate (who has a 602 Dyane in the same colour in which he covers 30,000 miles a year) can't get over the transformation - he was a little disappointed at first, once the cheap thrills of having a fast-accelerating Dyane were (rapidly) exhausted. He soon realised that 90mph on the speedo wasn't anything like - it proved to be about 81 - but 145 Firestones have now replaced the 125 Uniroyals. The stiff sidewall is softened by having to fit the 4" rims and the speedometer now reads quite accurately.

So, you guys with better aerodynamics, please accept my 'umblest if I upset you - it really wasn't my intention. I just have an inquisitive mind which is how I discovered 2CVs and their ilk in the first place. Hence my thread - 'Why?'

I think the above is a prerequisite to owning a 2CV. However you change them, whatever colour scheme you choose (from original rust through to psychadelic) they never complain. They are like a good dog - you can abuse them and neglect them but they still sit there with a stupid grin waiting for more of the same. I once had a person tell me that he wouldn't be seen dead in one. I agreed. Of all the things that people have done to 2CVs, I'vs never heard of one being turned into a hearse.

Daffy duck

<sticks hand up>
We used our Acad as the hearse for Graeme Standage's funeral a couple of years ago.

"Conversion" merely consisted of black ribbon from bumper overriders to doors, an orange beacon, a ratchet strap to hold the coffin (complete with boot handles down the sides and a UDAC sticker) down, and a bungy cord for the rear doors. Oh, and washing the van.

The cortege consisted of one Daimler DS420 limo and five or six 2cvs. His friends from the workshop attended in overalls with gaffer tape armbands.

i feel a Dyane usually looks the best lowered and once iv driving me Dyane for a while "high", im really tempted in the future to lower my Dyane

or should i feel ashamed

Do What you want to do, not everybody else wants you to do. just try it low, it's not realy hard to change if you don't like it

I've got the opposite problem, It's way higher than it should be which makes it fun tearing around but both mum and my girlfriend complain that it's awkward getting in and out of. I'd like to lower it but I like ignoring speed bumps

luckily my girlfriends of the same opinion.

i tend to agree, although vans pull it well too imo.

it''s the individuality that makes 2cv's what they are. Somebody earlier mentioned a field of hillman imps... it would be a tradgedy if all a series looked the same.

I enjoyed raising/lowering mine, its a nice job for a quiet sunday

Mine lowers itself automatically when I fill it with mates - many a rear fog lamp lost

Ably demonstrated here:

That fog light was only fitted a couple of days before!