Ok this is not a how bendy/stiff/rubbish/great/creaky/groany/cracky is your chassis thread!

I'd like to know the difference between the original citroen chassis' fitted to different cars.

I thought that the Mehari had a strengthened PO (export) chassis with shorter rear kick ups (Aidrian did I get that from you?) am I right?

Do the vans have a different chassis and is the aks400/Acadiane chassis longer?

How did Citroen Chassis change and develop over the production period?

Part of my wonderings is because my dad and I had a heated debate over this t'other day. I'd just washed D*lly and an ex-2cver was admiring her and asked about the Mehari. I said it was on a strengthened dyane chassis and my dad went off on one about how all 2cv/dyane chassis/engines (!!!!) are the same..... it's all because he put a dyane chassis on his 54 ripple, like, eons ago.

So, therapy aside, please tell me I'm at least sort of right?

Dyanes and Meharis have the same basic chassis. This is the PO chassis, which was also fitted to some export market 2cvs (and is the replacement chassis that Citroen sold through the 1990s). It's the same as a standard late 2cv chassis, but it has reinforcement plates welded onto the side rails at certain points (eg. just in front of the spring cans). The most obvious difference is that the undertray under the engine is welded on a standard 2cv chassis, but is a different shape and bolted onto a PO/Dyane/Mehari one).

Mehari and AU/AZU van chassis have slightly shorter rear legs. I can't remember the measurement for sure, but 22cm is ringing a bell.

Acadiane chassis are the only ones that are longer.

I *think* there are spring-can mounting differences on 2cv van chassis etc, compared to saloon ones, as vans had larger diameter spring cans.

Thanks, thats cleared things up. I wasn't really quite sure. You probably find this too Jono but when you're out in a Mehari people ask me loads about it and i feel a bit of a dunce if I can't answer their questions!

Just fib, if somebody in the street asks you about it, just tell 'em it has a V10 500bhp engine in it...They wouldn't know, one way or the other

Seriously though, just keep with the basics, most Common People wouldn't know the difference between a Dyane and a 2cv, just tell them it's a factory option 2cv jeep type thingy and very rare. Should suffice.

Not just larger diameter, but longer and with different body mounts on the spring can mounts. I'll get some pics of the 400 chassis in the garden - wish I'd taken a couple of it on Ken's chassis trailer, because that REALLY showed the differences between van and 2cv up.

Then there's the subtle differences in handbrake mount area for disk & drum brakers, the outriggers for older chassis (pre mid-60s?) and other differences. 2cv and Dyane chassis are pretty much interchangable, I _think_ Ami differs slightly at the front, for the bumper/front panel mounts.

Ken'll be the expert.

Don't forget about supers!

I wasn't even going to go there...

Dare I ask about an Ami super chassis?

Compared to the Ami 8, the Super chassis's got a lot more reinforcement inside it, and everything in front of the front axle is a different shape. The G engine mounts are at the back of the engine, and the exhausts go under the crossmember they sit on.

Fitting a 2CV body on to my Ami 8 break chassis has been an interesting project. Nearing completion too.