Great write up!

Question or two.

What's the reasoning behind removing the doors? Is this necessary on a 2CV? A fellow Trabant owner with a Dyane told me removing the front end off a 2CV is much easier than a Dyane.

So far I've yet to remove the wings to do any mechanical work. I was advised it would be easier to remove the wings before I fitted my front silencer but I just worked around them.

If I wanted to remove just the gearbox, does the engine and gearbox come out together or can the gearbox be removed by itself?

You have to take out both. You can't just remove the gearbox.

Reason, you can't reach wing screws without removing front doors on Dyane. And yes, 2cv is much easier than Dyane, on 2cv you have seven bolts to remove wing (4 on wing, 3 on triangle), with Dyane eight-nine screw on wing and also front light wires and adjusting cable...

Also mounting wing back is much more easier on 2cv, just put parts on they place and tighten screws. With Dyane you have oval shape holes on every screw at front, so if you haven't made some lining marking, you need to find nice places for every part again...

But still, I like Dyane more than 2cv. I can try to explain the reason for myself by better doors etc, but it could be more because I have driven with Dyane over 20 years but with 2cv only year or so..?

i nice trick for all of you. I did put a strap trough left an right towing hook. Then run the strap under the jack. In this way you can push the engine up without the chassis coming up to much too. Sometimes it's needed to put a foot on the jack to keep it on the floor. You then can pull the engine towards you without the need of lifting it over the front chassis member.

Brilliant idea with the strap! I always end up jacking up the gearbox then having to stand on the front bumper to get the chassis to sit down so I can mate up the engine.....

Excellent idea about the strap - trolley jacks only, though.

yes or you must put the jack on a plank. But i don't know if that is stable enough.