Well I thought it was about time I put fingers to the keyboard, and introduced you to my Dyane Caban. I have known this car for 25 years; she was originally owned by a friend of mine, Alison, and was muched admired by me for a long time. In the late 90's i was lucky enought to be able to buy her, and she spent several years as my weekend car. She underwent a restoration in this time,a chassis change, and was well loved. Had to make a heart breaking decision 5 years ago to sell her....was working in the USA a lot at the time, and she was simply not being used. Dave Shove, of Bijou fame, bought her and she went to live in France with him. I always regretted selling her deeply, so was thrilled when Dave gave me first refusal on her back in Sept 09, and I bought her back!! Yesterday I took her down to HRW Citroen in Paddock Wood, where my friend Huw will be restoring her over the next few months. Huw has always looked after my (many) A series over the years...including the Caban when I owned her first time round. There is not that much to be done really....her full resto I did in the 90's saw most of the major stuff being done, but she does need some fettling. She will also be having a full respray, so should look good again in time for the Spring. The picture is of her in Sept 09, when I bought her back..

Great story!

Brings back memories - I spent a slightly damp week in cornwall camped next to Dave when he owned that car

I think the Caban's boot felt the damp that weekend ... its one of the areas that needs some work !

'damp' was a mere speck on the distant horizon!! My bonnet hinge and flap suffered after that week i swear.

Perfect A series weather in Kent today, could have been bombing around the lanes with the roof back; shame the Dyane is away being fettled with ! The mechanical refurb is coming along well, and should be complete in the next few weeks.....then its the re spray....just waiting on a price at the mo. Been saving for a while now and hopefully it will be a sensible figure! I will have to get a new set of Caban graphics sorted, but will return to Jeff & Chris for that. Shame in a way cos the one on her bonnet is the original from 1977, but its too far gone now. Also need to get a new white roof.....not as easy as you might think, and a bugger to keep looking decent.

Things have slowed down a lot and I aint gonna get to the French meet or London to Brighton. She needed a lot more mechanical work than first thought, everything from steering, track rods, kingpins etc. to electrics and fuel pump. That combined with the fact that me Dad has just been diagnosed with stage 3 cancer means i have a lot less time and ££ about at the momment. Not giving up, but it will just be a much slower process than I had hoped for, and Huw will do it over a longer period of time. Missing me A series though !! I've not posted a lot on here, but have been an avid watcher of posts..and enjoyed them all....keep firing on two, and maybe see you in a field sometime

Off to the garage to pay for the mechanical side of the restoration; and then the strip down starts for the cosmetics and re spray. I have been far, far less involved than I had wanted, but situation with my Dad is getting more serious and he is now terminal. If I had known about Dad I would have left Doris 'as is' until next year, but life has a funny old way of working ! Fingers crossed she will be back with me late summer, too late for most of the meets, but there is always next year. Huw has promised a full set of photos, which I'll post when I get them.

Sorry to hear about your dad That is way more important, than any a model. Nice to know, that you did not give up.

Thanks matey