Geo,
there will be a problem if an Ami chassis is fitted to an AK350 or AKS 400, using the van's rear arms, since I'd doubt that it's good practice to ignore a tie rod catching on the inside of a canister end-fitting tube.
I've seen one instance where an Ami chassis had been fitted to a van and the rods had been worn to the point where at least a third of their diameter had gone.

If you look at the picture below, you can see how Citroen determined the height of those tubes using the upper surface of the chassis as a datum.
It looks to me almost as though they drew a line between the height of the knife edges under each axle.
Although the drawing shows an Acadiane chassis, the vertical position of the tubes is the same for a 400/350 chassis.


Chassis details.IMG by slcchassis, on Flickr

Ken i was thinking the other wat round as asked here before.. Fitting a new aks400 chassis to an old Ami.... With at least Ami rear arms..

Geo,
just stop trying to confuse me, will ya?

To avoid any more stress on the old grey matter, reckon it's time to head off to t'pub...

Ken, is there a way around this (whilst still using an Ami 8 chassis on a van)?

Well, I have had Ami8 chassis on my Dyane, with original suspension arms and small spring pots, since 12/99. Without any problems. Impossible, said one Dutch Ami club member couple years after I installed that, couldn't believe, even when he see that with his own eyes...

Also he couldn't understand Ami Super chassis can be installed on any 2CV or Dyane, but still I have one Ami Super chassis what had been under 2CV and Dyane...




There is many things what I have been told, is impossible. 652 engine with GS gearbox and Visa bellhouse, can't be done. Bx19GTi Jetronic can't work on 602 engine. 180mm clutch don't fit to Visa or 2CV bellhouse etc. And still, I have made all of these...

Almost everything is possible, with some thinking, that's what I'm trying to tell with these...

Now you are talking....

Jono, as regards alignment of the tie rods if mating an Ami chassis with AK350/AKS400 axles, in order to avoid contact with the end-fitting tubes, you'd have to pack the rear axle off the chassis by some distance.
I'm not sure if the alloy spacers used on other A series models would be deep enough, though.
What about the handbrake? There's no provision on an Ami chassis for the drummer handbrake assembly or even a disc brake type.

As an aside, do you recall Jim and Liz Rogers having an AKS400 years ago, which they sold to Jim's dad, Arthur Rogers?
Arthur ordered a replacement chassis from me and when it arrived, he rang me to complain that it wasn't correct.
Turned out that some naughty folk in France had fitted a 2CV chassis and running gear under the van before it was imported to the UK ...

Ken. As I mentioned, I didn't notice a problem when I put an Ami Super chassis under an Acad. I used the Acad axles but, as it was about 10 years ago, I don't remember whether I used the alloy spacers. Do you think that having moved the rear axle mounting 160mm back to the Acad position, the tie rods may have just missed the tubes? I would like to believe that I would have noticed if they were rubbing!

Interesting discussions! But let me just agree that everything is possible. The impossible just takes more time and money.
That said, I was not really wondering what was possible with other chassis. I was wondering if one can buy a new AZAM or AMI chassis. With original specs.
And it seems that, surprisingly, you cant....

Regarding the spacers between the crossmember and the chassis on later 2CV's, if they are removed, the tie rods will foul the suspension pot mounting tubes during suspension travel with a laden car. I tried this. It's at the lower end of suspension travel though, so If only driven without load, it might not be a problem. Maybe it is possible to remove a bit of the tube at the bottom, to clear the tie rod when the car is heavy loaded.

With an AK chassis with AMI suspension, I can guess the tie rods will foul the tubes under suspension travel with an unladen car.

Theres another "problem" here.... My opinion is that old ami/azam chassis don't have the rust problem newer 2cv chassis have. Well at least I have never seen such a chassis which was well beyond repair..... + not as much ami have been restored as 2cv's So the demand of a nwe Ami/ak350 chasis is very low...... so no or less profit for resellers.....