I'd love a spot of dry stone walling, when will you be here to pick me up?

The 2cv's been bumperless for some years now, I like the look generally and think it suits a lot of older cars. But on the 2cv the visible chassis just looks a bit untidy and it doesn't suit my style of 'nudge' parking.
When I bought the car it had a Dyane bumper on it, but it didn't follow the shape of the bonnet and isn't to my liking.
So I've made a bumper, quite simple, one piece of 2" diameter tube, one bend in the middle (27degrees) and some welded on brackets.
There was much head scratching over where to finish the ends, I cut them off last while it was fitted and if anyone thinks it should be longer/shorter they can keep their opinions to themselves.
I taken it off again now and plated over the holes in the ends, it just needs the welds grinding away and painting. It'll be red to match the body so it doesn't stand out too much.



While measuring it up to make sure I cut the same amount off each end I was annoyed to find that the middle of the bend doesn't quite line up with the middle of the bonnet. It's spot on symetrical with the chassis and therefore the headlamp bar and the wings, but the bonnet is 1/4" to one side (that bothers me ). the bonnet hinge is central so I can only assume that the body shell needs shifting slightly on the chassis.

While I'm mentioning things that bug me, why does the headlamp bar never sit in the middle of the cut out in the bonnet edge? The bonnet's always rested on the bar, are they all like that? I'm tempted to chop 1/4" out of the vertical section of the headlamp support, immediately above the upper wing nut, to try and sort it.



I'm thinking of incorporating some sort of locking bonnet catch, in a plate on the back of the pipe. It will also hide the back of the bend which is a bit untidy. I might see if I can use an old boot lock from the scrapyard or something, unless anyone's got any better ideas?

Ford Fiesta remote boot popper and gas struts?

Do you mean like cable operated from inside the car, or have the new festas got some clever remote blipper thing, so you can open the boot from a distance?(forgive me if I don't keep up to date with the gimmicks on new cars)
A cable operated job is probably a good plan, like 'normal' cars, it would save scrabbling around with a key under the bumper. A gas strut would be nice, but I can't see where I'd mount it without it showing on the outside. Might put one on the boot though, there's a strada one in the shed when I can find the time.

i want them black and silver wheels on my car!!!!!!!!!!

Joolz, mk3 Fiestas (in your local scrappy now!) had a button on the centre console which operated an electronic boot catch, i'm sure with some cunning fabrication you could make a bracked on the front of the chassis and strengthen the bonnet around the front. My Dyane sidewinder had a gas strut in the middle of the bonnet mounted on the bulkhead, it'd mean reinforcing the bonnet here and there, but it'd be cool when it was done.

Will check out the fiestas next time I'm there. I saw the Dyane when it belonged to spanners, the first time, and a gas strut would be cool. Maybe one could sikaflex a bracket to the underside of the bonnet, but to be honest, I can't be arsed.

Joe, you'll be needing some black paint, some silver paint, some masking tape, and four wheels then!

Top tip; paint the rims first, it's easier to mask of the rims when you paint the centers than the other way round. To be honest it took me quite a while to get around to doing all four, some of them got the rim brush painted and I had a bit of bother with paint reacting. Try not to have to paint over silver paint if you can help it.

Here you go, have an interior pic, shows the Hyundai coupe seats, and Renault 19 steering column, (as well as the non-standard floor)


I've also added another pic to the first post.

welcome to the sweet seats!

Joolz,
since it's helf 'n safety related, I feel the need to share this opinion...

I guess that you've never been bitten on the ankles by a Dyane stainless bumper, otherwise you'd not have put spear points on your low level 'roo bar?

Ken.