I was about to go down the bonding/adhesive road where possible to minimise welding, especially for replacement panels. Partly as an experiment. But mostly because I don't have any welding gear, cannot weld, and have seen horrible 2cv welding messes made by people with more skills and experience than me. I know from the product tech sheets (Wurth, etc) there is a huge amount of surface preparation needed for bonding, but I guessed that was something I could do.

Is bonding a bad idea for a 2cv rebuild/restoration (not just repair)? Are there some areas it might be good for and others to avoid at all costs?

In my opinion it's to be avoided at all costs, Citroen spot welded it together (mostly) and it works perfectly like that, the way it was designed. I'm sure, however that certain parts could be bonded, for example the bootlid skin, possibly the bootfloor, maybe the rear wings (if nuts and bolts aren't your thing) but if I came to buy that car in the future and you tell me you can't weld (?), can't be bothered to learn, can't be bothered to pay somebody else to do it so you glued your floors/rear light panel/lower bulkhead etc in then I'm going to walk away and buy a different car.

Welding is neither difficult, expensive or a mysterious black art, but it IS the way they made 2cvs.

I agree with Russel, I think that good glueing/bounding is harder to achieve than a good weld...

Don't forget bounding is done on sheetmetal which comes strait out of the factory and is applied in a special environment with special etching, priming and glueing materials and procedures. You almost can't achieve this on a 30 years old 2cv in the backyard (or even your garage).

I do bounding for a living ((supervising) bounding glassing/aloy panels to plastic windows) which is almost the same recepy as steel bounding, so I know what I'm talking about (at least a little)...


Another thing is that over here in the Netherlands (and Germany too) no bounding is accepted when going for an MOT, how is this in GB??? I think it will be the same over there...

I should point out that I'm not against trying new things and I accept technology moves forward BUT I would be highly suspicious of a vehicle that has had its structure and the means of attaching major structural components together altered by somebody looking for an 'easy way out'. I see this idea as similar to a cabinet maker who only understands wood replacing large parts of his car with plywood and PVA. Maybe it looks fine and feels strong in the workshop when it's finished, but how does it fare ten years down the line after being subjected to stresses and enviroments that were unimaginable (or simply unimagined) when carrying out repairs.

Maybe ask Jono?

Welding to a 2cv fixing level, if you aren't fussed about getting an immaculate finish, can be learnt in a few evenings.

I'd not be put off by bonding parts together, but I've never looked into it as I just strike up an arc and worship the rust gods by the light of the mig welder every year for the MOT.

Given how little weld remains often after just a few years holding components together but fighting the onslaught of the tinworm I struggle to see bonding being any less safe if adequately inspected and maintained each year, or every few years. The rust traps in my car end up being repatched every few years, so long as you can cut out the bonding I'm not sure it is necessarily any worse a solution.

so interesting but what happens when rust gets in the bonded joint?