2CVGB NEWS
Published monthly since 1978, 2CVGB News is the official magazine of the Deux Chevaux Club of Great Britain, Sarona, Beacon Road West, Crowborough, E Sussex TN6 1QL © The Deux Chevaux Club of Great Britain Ltd
MAGAZINE TEAM
Editor: James Duffell editor@2cvgb.com Design: Yellow Dog Design Advertising: small.ads@2cvgb.com
Membership of 2CVGB is by annual subscription: UK £34, Europe £80 (£34 with Emagazine), Worldwide £100 (£34 with E-magazine). You can join or renew online at www.2cvgb.co.uk where you can also download the membership application form. If you do not have access to the internet please forward membership enquiries to the membership secretary (contact details on p60).
BONJOURÀTOUS
Welcome to another 2CVGB News. We’ve reports of camps gone by and ones to come, plus a mystery of how the story of an overland adventure in a Bijou ended up in a bin in Spain. Next month is the 40th anniversary of Citroën starting to manufacture and import RHD 2CVs (again). Dyanes had been available in RHD form from main dealers since 1968, but without the subsequent popularity of the 2CV (and the oil crisis!) it’s unlikely 2CVGB would have come into existence. I was too young to be anything but a passenger in my parents’ Dyane in 1974, but if you were driving one of the first modern RHD 2CVs, I’d love to hear from you. Or even if you were also too young, but now drive one of those first imports. Next month’s 2CVGB News could be dedicated to them. But only if enough material is forthcoming. See you in a field somewhere.
THE DEADLINE FOR THE OCTOBER ISSUE IS THE 10TH SEPTEMBER
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this magazine, the reader should read and understand the following:
members and authors of such articles, accept any liability whatsoever for such advice. The Club makes no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that the content in this magazine is accurate, complete or up to date. The content in this magazine is provided for general information purposes only. It is not intended to be advice on which you should rely. You must either satisfy yourself as to the accuracy and completeness of the content and/or obtain specialist technical advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the
content in this magazine. You are responsible for checking any applicable manufacturers’ instructions, safety manuals or any other relevant instructions before undertaking any alterations to your vehicle. In particular, the Club does not give any warranty, representation or undertaking: • as to the efficacy, usefulness, safety or commercial or technical viability of the technical information (“Technical Information”) and/or any products made or processes carried out using the Technical Information; • as to the volumes or quality of the products which may be manufactured through the use of the Technical Information;
• that any of the Technical Information is or will be valid;
• that the Technical Information can be freely exploited in all or any parts of the world;
mike good’s cartoon
When Citroen closed the Paris 2CV production line the site was transformed into the `Parc Andre Citroen’. The factory buildings were torn down but a budget shortfall meant that many tons of 2CV parts could not be transported away. Instead, they were simply covered in topsoil.
By day the gardens are a peaceful oasis in the bustling metropolis, but when darkness falls activity returns to the former industrial site. The sounds of nocturnal gardening can be heard. The
herbaceous borders are preferred for body panels.
SEPTEMBER
5-8TH LANCASTER BOMBERS SILLOTH CAMP (No beer festival). To book camping (tent/caravan/motorhome) go to cove.co.uk/Solway or phone 01697 331236 (no need to mention the 2cv camp). Mourn the end of the beer festival!
13-15TH SOUTH DOWNS ESCARGOTS HAT CAMP King Harry’s Field (almost opposite Oakendene Industrial Estate), east of Cowfold, West Sussex. For more information please refer to http://www.southdownsescargots.org.uk/diary. htm or contact Maurice on 07985 091633 or at mauricedilley@hotmail.com 20-22ND POMPEY PUDDLEDUCKS “CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY” CAMP. Wicks Farm Holiday Park, Redlands Lane, West Wittering, Chichester. PO20 8QE.
Full details can be found on our Facebook page. Booking highly recommended. Contact Sean at scullen.sc4@gmail.com or 07906 077139
29TH 2CVGB COMMITTEE MEETING online only from 10am. For further information please contact the Secretary.
OCTOBER
12TH 2CV RACING OULTON PARK (CHESHIRE). Rounds 8 and 9 of the 2024 2CVParts.com Championship. Two 15 minute sprint races. Other racing series will also be present over the weekend 25-28TH MANCHESTER DUCKS CONCRETE CAMPING at the Cairndale Hotel Dumfries over 2 or 3 nights. For full details please refer to the 2CVGB Official FB page. All bookings to be made directly with Fiona Martin at the hotel on 01387 240287 or at fionam@cairndalehotel.co.uk). Please quote Citroen Car Group for discount. For any further information contact Tony Kehoe on 07565 347048 or at tonykehoe@outlook.com
27TH HUDDERSFIELD TWIN POTS BI-MONTHLY BREAKFAST & BANTER at The Oil Can Café at The Carding Shed, Washpit Mills, Green Lane, Holmfirth HD9 2RD. See Facebook group for additional events. Contact Tim Jones on 07926 272437 (trwjones500@gmail.com)
NOVEMBER
3RD CHESHIRE DRAGONS LUNCH AT THE DRUID INN, Llanferres, North Wales
DECEMBER
7TH CHESHIRE DRAGONS BAR SKITTLES AND CHRISTMAS DINNER at the Bickerton Poacher, near Malpas, Cheshire. The skittles alley is booked for 5.30pm and the Carvery dinner for 7.15pm
12TH TROY CHRISTMAS PIE AND PEA SUPPER. The Plough Inn, Shearburn Terrace, Snaith, East Yorkshire DN14 9JJ from 19:30. A hearty pie and chips style meal for fifteen quid! Vegetarian and Vegan option available. Limited numbers. For full details please contact David Eden on 01405 813640 or davideden1951@gmail.com
PLEASE SEND ALL YOUR EVENTS INFO TO: events@2cvgb.com BEFORE the deadline of the 5th of the month
JANUARY 2025
3RD AIRE COOLED ALLEY CATS CURRY NIGHT TBA
APRIL 2025
18-21ST 2CVGB NATIONAL Martha's Down Campsite, Hindon, Wiltshire. Further information to follow
MAY 2025
22-27TH NORTH SOMERSET TIN SNAILS NSTS CAMP on a site near Wells
28-1ST FRENCH NATIONAL. For more information, please refer to their website - https://nationale2025.fr/
JULY 2025
29T-3RD 25TH WORLD MEETING OF 2CV FRIENDS, Slovenia. For more information, please refer to their websitehttps://2cv2025.si/
AUGUST 2025
29-1ST REGISTERS DAY Gloucestershire. More details to follow.
Thursday12th December
Aheartypieandchipsstylemealforfifteenquid! VegetarianandVeganoptionavailable
AtthePloughInn,ShearburnTerrace,Snaith, EastYorkshireDN149JJfrom19h30
Limitednumbers–bookingessentialbefore5th Dec
FulldetailsfromDavidEdenon01405813640 ordavideden1951@gmail.com
Hello all, a short report this month as I’m just back from the DET2024 aka the German National and am off to Denmark tomorrow so it’s unpack and repack time.
The DET was held in Gedern, Hessen, Germany and it was the second time it has been there. The first DET was there and so it was fitting that the 10th one was there as well.
It was a truly fantastic meeting, held on the shore of Lake Gedern where they even had a 2cv on board a raft. The weather was hot, the sun shone and every day there was something to do or drive to. I believe a lot of participants were going to the ICCCR in Torun so perhaps they were breaking the trip here?
Some statistics & quotes from the organisers:
• 728 vehicles in total with 1220
people, of which 559 were A-series Citroëns (unfortunately we didn't receive any figures broken down by 2CV & derivatives)
• 34 non-Citroëns and 1 bicycle
• 134 vehicles day visitors from a total of 17 nations (a record at the Germany meeting since 2004)
"I haven't seen some friends for six years," said a Dutch visitor while another added "I'm really happy that we're returning to the beautiful lake in Gedern.
In addition to the extensive programme, small reunion parties organised by the local 2CV clubs ensured a great atmosphere at the whole meeting.”
Saturday evening saw the dégustation which was great. German clubs as well as some other countries participated in providing food and drinks from their
regions. During the dégustation the heavens opened which made it impossible to go anywhere else without getting wet so unfortunately I had to do a second lap!
Representatives from Slovenia were also there providing info on next year’s world meeting and taking preinscriptions. I duly signed up and now have the new 2025 World Meeting long sticker on my 2cv.
My thanks to all the organisers for this great event and to Clare Howarth and Heiko Scharmacher for the photos
Next month I hope to dig out some autumnal meetings for you so don’t pack your camping gear away just yet.
That’s it for this month, Drive on the right
Specialist insurance for 2CVGB club members
2CVGB CLUB INSURANCE UPDATE
We were on a road to nowhere! By the time you read this, we will have had a fantastic weekend, no doubt, at the Fire Service College just outside Moreton-inMarsh. Whether you choose to camp or stay in one of the on-site rooms, I’m sure you will have had fun with all the attractions on offer – including the M96 mock-up motorway! I look forward to sharing my highlights with you in the next column, and I hope you managed to speak to the team throughout the weekend with any club insurance enquiries you might have.
These days, it’s quite nice to share the driving when attending such events, especially when travelling from far away. One of the many product benefits of your insurance cover through 2CVGB is very much focused on enabling camaraderie and friendship through the club, and it is proving quite popular. How on earth can insurance help with this? I hear you shout!
Well, one of the most popular features we see members taking advantage of is the member-to-member cover. This feature enables anyone in the club to drive each other’s vehicles with fully comprehensive cover, free of charge. Furthermore, you can hop in the driver’s seat on a whim and not have to inform us or fill out any forms. It may seem like a minor benefit to some, but for others, it contributes to building a club community through the ability to share in a passion. We know of
some in the wider classic car community who regularly share cars to events and take turns to take their own vehicle. It’s also handy if you find yourself diagnosing a fault with someone’s car and need a test drive to pinpoint the issue or see if it has been resolved. Moments like that are surely what car club life is all about... At events like our National weekend, the member-to-member cover helps take the fear out of jumping in and out of friends' cars and makes sharing community spirit in the club all the easier—like sharing a ride down to the Classic Motor Hub at Bibury as part of the weekend’s activities, for example.
Here is another quick reminder of the key benefits that 2CV GB club insurance offers you:
● Exclusive rates for 2CVGB club members
● Additional discount based on length of membership.
● Member-to-member cover – club members are insured to drive each other’s 2CVs with fully comprehensive cover at no additional charge.
● Optional reinstatement cover to increase the insured value to account for repair and parts costs.
● Cover for tools, spare parts, and accessories.
● Self-repair – the option to receive an equivalent cash settlement.
● Free salvage retention.
● UK & European breakdown cover included.
● Agreed value from the Club recognised.
● Multi-vehicle cover – insure all your cars on one policy.
We’d love to hear from you. To speak to a member of our friendly team and to request a quote, please call our club’s dedicated insurance lineon0121 506 6034 .
Many thanks for those of you who renew via Direct Debit, it saves a lot of time for me and some money for the club. Could I just ask when completing the DD form, that you complete the full details, ie, actual bank name, sort code and full address? I’ve had to use the sort checker app so many times over the years that it now wants to charge for this. So full details please would be wonderful.
Another little bit of Memsec housekeeping is if you ring me, can you please leave a message for me? If there is no message I won’t call back as so many scam calls are made these days. In your message please leave details of what you are ringing for so I can try to solve it for you before calling back.
I’ve recently (May) taken on another voluntary job, looking after rescue sheep, goats, ducks, a pig and more, which is so rewarding and also I’m not tempted to spirit any home with me. So if I am a little slower with my Memsec duties, apologies, it’s because I am shovelling the stuff they produce from their derrières and wow do they produce a lot of it! The photo is one of my favourite goats, George, who is a little sweetheart and such a poser.
That’s it for now, have fun and take care out there
CARBEURETTORS
CHARITY DONATION
Fun at club night as James Robbins, Jon Kassam and Richard Harrison present John Mellor with the charity donation from the Bath TubClub's Registers Day. £555, raised through the raffle, was given to Weldmar Hospice Care in memory of Carol Mellor.
CAR REGISTRATIONS IN SWITZERLAND
TREASURER
My other automotive love is Alfa Romeos. I left our Spider with our local Alfa guru and he pulled out these photos as he knew I’d love to see them. It’s a heavily modified 60s 2cv into which has been shoehorned an Alfa 3 litre with Alfa 75 running gear. It’s on Dutch number plates and seen at a Dutch Alfa day
A bonkers thing of splendour I think we can all agree.
Oh and maybe we can borrow a part of the Alfa drivers’ code“I’d rather push my Alfa than drive a BMW“
I took over the position of the 2CVGB club treasurer in mid-October 2023 from Bean (Mark Dunn). As such, the information set out below principally relates to the financial position, income, and expenditure over the nine months up to mid-June 2024. I also include notes on a handful of other areas, including financial process updates.
Overall Financial Position: The overall balance of 2CVGB club funds, from commencement of my role as treasurer to mid-June 2024, has remained roughly static. The balance the end of October 2023 was c. £172k; as at mid- June 2024 it was also at c. £172k. However, it should be noted that the current balance includes payments in advance for the forthcoming National event at Moretonin-Marsh, using the Fire Service College’s site, facilities, and services, to be held at the end of August. A significant element of these advance payments will need to be passed on to the Fire Service College, including the ‘concrete camping’ accommodation, daily admission, and site hire costs.
The accounts continue to be managed so that interest is generated on funds that are not immediately required to ensure the continued smooth running of the club’s affairs, while taking advantage of the best interest rates that the club’s bank currently offers.
Expenditure: Total expenditure over
ANNUAL COMMITTEE REPORTS
the last nine months is c. £89k. The majority of this expenditure at c. £54k covers the production, materials, distribution and postage relating to the monthly club magazine, or approximately £6k per month. Other significant expenditure items include website management, insurance, rental, storage, and utility costs associated with club assets.
Income: Total income over the last nine months is c. £88k. This is principally generated from membership fees. As these are paid annually when membership is due, rather than monthly, then monthly club income can fluctuate more than expenditure. Other significant sources of income include that from advertising, in the 2CVGB club magazine and on the club website, and 2CVGB Club Shop sales. Income is also generated from earning commission by including advertisements from companies that offer specialised insurance to owners of classic cars.
Financial / Insurance Updates: When starting the treasurer role last October, the club was in the process of changing the organisations that process club payments from Worldpay to Stripe. This changeover, initiated by my predecessor, is now complete, with our Worldpay account now closed. The Stripe company provides better value for money; its reports are clear and issued in a timely manner. It is also sufficiently adaptable to
be able to identify easily different income streams (for example, memberships vs advance event payments).
Other changes made include putting in place the contractual Solus agreement to use Peter James exclusively at events, in the monthly magazine and on the website, to advertise classic car insurance. Previously, the club agreement was with Footman James / Towergate, albeit not exclusively.
National event 2024: Regarding the National event in August, advance payments, made up to mid-June, total £14k. Of this amount, however, approximately £6k relates to concrete camping room costs that must be paid to the Fire Service College. Additionally, there is a daily attendance cost of £14 per person, currently totalling roughly £3k. Finally, the college requires payment of a fixed cost of £7.8k for site hire.
Registers’ Day 2024: The financial management of Registers was undertaken by the Bath Tub Club. Very few payments therefore were required to be made by the 2CVGB club on behalf of the Bath Tub Club as part of this event, these were all subsequently reimbursed. Finally, I would like to thank the rest of the committee, as well as Bean (Mark) the previous treasurer, for all their efforts to get me up to speed plus ongoing help and advice. In particular, I would like to put on record my thanks for all the hours (days even) of help that Ness (the Chair) and Calvin (the Secretary) provided, firstly to ensure the solus insurance arrangement with Peter James was put in place; and, secondly to reach agreement with Wrightsure regarding appropriate club insurance cover for 2024/5.
DVLADATING&EVALUATION
Following on from previous years the main driver for dating requests this year has been members wanting to prove to the DVLA that their car is 40 years old to qualify for the Historic VED classification and therefore ULEZ charge exemption. Whilst I appreciate the urgency of these requests, there is only one of me and I work in the order of which dating requests are received and I will action requests as soon as I can.
As mentioned in previous years please note that the DVLA insist on rubbings AND photographs of VIN plates being submitted with dating reports and we have experienced rejections of requests if these are not submitted along with the evidence supporting the date of manufacture. Rubbings of the VIN plate will be attached to the dating report that needs to be submitted to the DVLA so please ensure these are given as physical rubbings, not scans or photographs as these will not be accepted.
The charges for dating certificates has remained the same over this last year and details of these can be found at the front of the 2CVGB News magazine next to the contents. The first vehicle is £30 with any subsequent request within 12 months £60 each for 2CVGB members and this service is only available to 2CVGB members. To make things easier we are now moving to online payments for these and the treasurer will contact you with details once the certificate is ready, so no need to bother with cheques or postal orders (remember them?) any more.
With regards to valuations, these are very hard to make without a detailed inspection of the vehicle and during this past year have had to be made using photographic inspection with a detailed overview of any works that have been
carried out. We cannot provide a valuation without clear detailed photographs so please ensure you include these with your requests. Valuations are based upon market values or to ensure rarer models are correctly valued.
Please note that due to changing life priorities I will not be able to re stand in this role and will be standing down from the committee after serving on it for 15 years. I would like to wish my successor all the best and that the new committee continues to work hard to represent the club and its members going forward.
PUBLICRELATIONSOFFICER
I’ve thought long and hard about what to write in what will be my final report as a member of the committee and director of 2cvGB.
I am standing down due to a variety of reasons, firstly it’s difficult to balance the level of anxiety I have felt with the very distinct lack of recognition felt for the committee’s effort to run the club effectively whilst also trying to manage the increasingly complex expectations of the club membership.
During my time as chairman I began feeling anxious, this started at each of the limited number of events I was able to attend (due to Covid restrictions) I noted that most membership interactions were rarely positive and quite often I would dread being cornered by members who are very willing to express their views without wishing to take an active part in the running of the club. The social media commentary on non 2cvGB sites tended to follow a similar vain. I made it a personal mission to encourage the committee to choose a different route and to set up a 2cvGB specific page where positivity was to be encouraged and
negative comments avoided. I was pleased when this was finally set up and delighted to see the early interactions on the site were very encouraging.
Recently it has been sad to see certain members using the 2cvGB official Facebook page as a means to make negative comments, one in particular which made me decide my time on the committee is up. I genuinely believe that the committee adds value to your membership and without them the club wouldn’t exist. The committee isn’t there to hinder you or the club’s progress but to make informed decisions on your behalf, if you don’t like that process then I suggest the best way to influence it is to join the committee and make a difference yourself. For now I would like to enjoy the benefits of membership and the social interaction that comes with it but will continue to be grateful to all of the committee for their efforts.
EVENTSCO-ORDINATOR
I can’t believe it’s that time of year again, the days and weeks seem to fly by! I have seen a nice steady stream of events throughout the year, and I hope that it continues as changes are coming as explained in the paragraph below. For now, if you wish to see your event in the next month’s magazine, please can you send them to me no later than the 5th of the month so that I can prepare them and then send them to Dot by the deadline of the 10th.
On a more serious note, this is my last year as events co-ordinator as from October I am changing roles on the committee. This does not mean that the post is up for re-election, no it means that we are streamlining the service. We are currently in the process of drafting an
online form which will be available from October for you to complete and submit your event to us rather than sending it to the events mailbox. These forms will then be uploaded to the website straight away and then they will be forwarded for publication in the next magazine.
EQUIPMENT
As I write, there are still events to look forward to within the year that runs from the start of the committee year to its end, so there is a little bit of crystal ball gazing where the equipment officer role is concerned, but as usual I start off with something which usually marks the end of the classic car season, the Classic Motor Show at the NEC last November. The giant inflatable duck was a talking point, but I can’t claim responsibility for that! However, the regular stuff like flags, banners, tables, chairs and all the oddments that are needed were sorted out by myself. These are things that sometimes go unnoticed but are important to our club’s presence at such events. Winter is naturally a quiet time with little need for club equipment, but come March and a return to the NEC for the Restoration Show saw much the same stuff going back in the direction of Birmingham, but this time with the addition of ten new large traffic cones! These were acquired at the suggestion of Carl Baker who organised the stand, and they were most useful when allied to existing hazard tape from our inventory to cordon off the working area which was the focus of our stand.
The club’s own events started to approach rapidly. Registers Day weekend in May required a considerable amount of kit, being a relatively basic site with little infrastructure. All of the party tents were put to use, and were appreciated when the
heavens opened! On this occasion equipment was taken down to Wiltshire in advance by van (thank you Vanessa and Richard!) and more volunteers brought it to site to be prepared for the weekend. My contribution was to pick out equipment and help load the van at the Ruskington end, and help with set-up and break-down on the site, so I managed to avoid having to hire a van myself for the weekend this time! Although there were some items that I would have added to the list and some I wouldn’t have bothered with, in general I don’t think anything was greatly missed in the end.
At this point I must thank Sean Sowley for arranging to get the club’s electrical equipment PAT tested ready for the event season. I would also like to thank everyone else who has assisted with equipmentrelated matters over the past year.
Now I’m going to try and report on things yet to happen! 2CVGB flags and other display items will be going to the British Motor Show, which has become a regular fixture on the calendar as a joint effort between the main UK Citroën clubs.
I’m expecting a flag to be present at the Snetterton 24 hour 2CV race, as requested by a club member so that fellow 2CVGB members may find a meeting point; it will be interesting to see the results of this.
Then the year’s second big club event, the National. With the site having most of the infrastructure in place, I expect equipment requirements to be less than usual, but no doubt there will be certain items required.
Now that we no longer have a physical AGM, there are no equipment requirements for that. I have decided that I will stand for the role again. I have been in this role for some time now and would like to continue for the foreseeable future.
Citroën Festival 2024
A pleasant Citroën car ride to the small village of Abbots Ripton near the town of Huntingdon and the Great Ouse river, normally associated with narrowboats slowly making their way down river to St Ives. While one mode of transport was unseen, another motorised age was active in pure tranquillity on a grass meadow surrounded by trees very reminiscent of 1950s. Just songbirds and the pop, pop of two cylinder power plants as they entered the gate.
Visitors from as far as Aberdeen and Duns braved the trip which made the meeting interesting and a fair spread
from around the counties. Cars as usual were in good fettle with a range from the ripple, plus those wonderful 1950s saloons to even current modern examples. All much admired, some older examples with bonnets up and comparisons being made by owners on layout to individual customisations. Perhaps also to ensure nothing had fallen off during the drive or perhaps adding to their own perceived knowledge of the delicate simplistic engine bay layout without a visible sensor or management system in situ.
Registers Disc-Brake Round Up for 2024
getting drunk with my mates and then being far too hungover on Sunday to put my car into the line-up. So when my dad said that, sadly, he was not going to be up for attending this year and did I want to step into the role, I was initially a little
Kid. I had no idea what being deputy disc-brake reg would entail, but I armed myself with a notebook and my iPhone in a bid to try and recreate the experience for my dad and those of you at home. Important to note here:
My personal favourite car in the discbrake line-up was the beautiful Soleil owned by Donna and Chris Maxfield. (far left) I'm not a paint colour nerd so can't tell you exactly the shade of yellow Soleil is, but I've been assured by the
friends in Belgium, (above & top left of following page) it's always a pleasure to have our continental cousins come over, especially if they bring such nice cars with them. The immaculate light minty green (as I said, not a paint
colour nerd, sorry!) was very popular in the voting, but alas didn't receive enough votes to get into our top 3.
In 3rd place with 10 votes was F599 OJO, (above centre) a very cheerful red Spécial with a yellow bonnet. Unfortunately, due to a complete oversight by me, I didn't think to harass anyone for details aside from our winners, so if this is your car, congratulations on making the podium and please register your car with the Old Goat!
Our runner-up with 11 votes, and another of my favourites was the very vivid green E788 GEO, (above far right) complete with matching green roof, duck on the bonnet and the jazziest seats I've ever seen. This is a
former Disc-Brake winner from 2022, owned by Ian Roche.
But, our runaway winner with 17 votes was B437 RLC, (right) a very distinctive green and yellow 2cv, fresh from a rebuild by The 2CV Shop, to the spec of the owners. Registers was the first outing for Yvon, owned by Dave and Dee Farmer from Shepshed in Leicestershire, and what a way to start your adventures with this lovely car. Congratulations Dave and Dee, I was so glad you were still around on site to receive your prize, and I hope you have many happy 2cving miles ahead of you.
So, there we have it. Register’s Day Disc-brake display rounded up. By a Dyane owner. Many thanks to Gary and
co for organising a fantastic event, a real old skool no-frills Register’s Weekend on a beautiful site in a beautiful part of the country. We were even, for the most part, lucky with the weather. Thank you too to the 51 owners who braved the drive out to Wiltshire despite the looming threat of a biblical storm. See you in a field soon?
Flower (twin) pots
When Citroen closed the Paris 2CV production line the site was transformed into the `Parc Andre Citroen’. The factory buildings were torn down but a budget shortfall meant that many tons of 2CV parts could not be transported away. Instead, they were simply covered in topsoil.
By day the gardens are a peaceful oasis in the bustling metropolis, but when darkness falls activity returns to the former industrial site. The sounds of nocturnal gardening can be heard. The clinking of trowel on crossbox as enthusiasts unearth a rich harvest.
The petunia beds are said to be a fruitful source of suspension parts, while the herbaceous borders are preferred for body panels.
In 2025 we will need to train volunteers to be First Aiders for our 2CVGB events. If you qualified at the 2022 course, you are most welcome to come back to get re-certified.
Our First Aid training will be provided once again by the brilliant Mark Osborne and team. Learning how to save lives and help others is something we should all be signing up for. If you are interested, please contact the committee at compliance
Mike Good
SOUWESCARGOTS SUMMER CAMP
Another camp over. We had a great turnout of A series vehicles. I turned up to a dry field on Thursday after leaving a rainy Plymouth which was a pleasant surprise. There were a few people that turned up on Thursday to make an extended weekend. On Friday a few people went off to Finches Foundry. In the evening some of us went to a nice meal in the Post Inn pub. Saturday we all went to Dingles fairground museum which was fascinating. There was a static museum with some old rides, caravans and trucks. There was also another hall with working rides, this was great fun and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. After Dingles we all returned to the site for the iconic water driving game where we have to drive around a field in Ant’s car trying to keep as much water in the container as possible. In the evening we had a BBQ, prize giving ,the raffle and a good catch up with friends.
NORTHERN
IRELAND
TIN SNAILS CAMP
We are all home from our four night camp in Ballycastle on the north coast. We had great weather and a lovely run to Bushmills to the Citroën garage where they laid on refreshments for us all. It was a great weekend enjoyed by all.
Greetings from sunny Cornwall and what lovely weather to treat those bubbles and blemishes on your gorgeous 2CV.
Of course with all this sunshine your mats will have been out so your floors are lovely and dry. So how about that very sensitive area around your bonnet hinge. Although excellent repair sections are available I’m going to run through some basic preservation tips that will stop any surface rust dead and keep that 2CV looking good.
Very often the sealant between the hinge strip and the upper bulkhead has dried out and shrunk, allowing moisture into the area of the spot welds. Rust starts and spreads allowing in more moisture causing bubbling of the paint and eventually, holes.
sealant (NOTsilicone) right across the hinge. Remove the tape and there you have a repair that will certainly give the rust fairy a slap round the face!
For those people without welders, these types of repairs are an effective way of bodywork preservation.
“that will certainly give the rust fairy a slap round the face”
Start by removing the bonnet and scrape any rust with an old knife, remove the old sealant and clean up with emery paper. If lots of surface rust is present, careful use of a power wire brush will remove it - the ‘zip’ wheel is fab for this.
Make sure the area is completely dry - use that old hairdryer if necessary - then brush on the Ku-rust.
When dry any surface pitting or small holes can be skimmed with on eof the new generation of ‘metal plastic’ fillers. These are non-porous and will not bubble if moisture gets behind the repair. Flat down with emery paper then use a good zinc primer. Flat again then paint.
Some of the aerosols now available are excellent and with the hairdryer in one hand and paint can in the other, an excellent result can be acheived.
Once dry it’s time to re-seal the gap between the hinge strip and the upper bulkhead. Apply two strips of parallel strips of masking tape with a gap of 3 - 5 mm over the open area, then with your finger apply seam
The bonnet itself rusts along the inside spot weld seam, resulting in eventual separation from its hinge. This too can be slowed down by Ku-rust treatment and then Waxoyl. Apply Waxoyl to the clasped hands hinge before replacing the bonnet. While you are at itsquirt some Waxoyl into the two hood attachment points above the windscreen. These are left over from when all 2CVs had external fastening roofs, and they eventually let water into the crossmember above the windscreen, causing rust behind the sunvisors which is very fiddly to repair. Now sit back and feel very pleased with yourself. You have just helped preserve your lovely 2CV - the world’s friendliest car.
Until next month.
Drekly,
Graham Wilson
Rain, rain go away
Don’t come back another day
Why d’you always rain on me
And rust away my 2CV
216201 Dyane stainless steel headlight adjustment ball pegs (pk. of 3)
216203 Dyane stainless steel headlight adjustment ball pegs (pk. Of 6) - BOTH Headlights £16.03
216202 Dyane/Acadiane/Mehari plastic h/light adjustment sockets - set of 3 ( 2 short + 1 long) £14.66
216204 Dyane/Acadiane/Mehari plastic h/light adjustment sockets
312010 Tool for Ami brake cylinder (Returnable deposit) £22.18
315001 Ami Lower bulkhead repair (2 pcs.)
315103 Ami quarter-light channel LEFT
£45.02
£50.11
315104 Ami quarter-light channel RIGHT£50.11
315105 Ami quarter-light channel RIGHT + LEFT - BOTH SIDES £92.54
315290 Ami bonnet grommet
£4.43
315506 Ami 8 rear bumper Valance £68.74
315508 Ami 8 rear over-rider £36.67
315510 Ami 8 rear over-rider - PAIR £54.91
316616 Ami 8 Stainless Steel rear small bracket set (exhaust hanger, wing straps etc) Set of 6 brackets
£49.44
405001 Van standard side rail section £33.93
405002 Van standard side rail section - PAIR
405003 Van side rail with extended flange
405004 Van side rail with extended flange - PAIR
405012 Van rear box cross member repair set (2 parts)
405015 Van rear drip channel above doors
£56.64
£33.93
£56.64
£36.67
£22.94
405102 Van repair for bottom of petrol tank/spare wheel cover - 2 parts £29.81
405103 Van repair for bottom of petrol tank/spare wheel cover2 parts x2 - BOTH SIDES £49.15
405301 Van rear door bottom seal holder repair strip £22.75
405302 Van rear door bottom seal holder repair strip X2 - BOTH DOORS £37.63
405303 Van rear door & wheel cover locating tabs (1LH + 2 RH)
£7.17
415095 Acadiane Mixte rubber channel length for long side sliding window £41.66
415096 Acadiane Mixte rubber channel length for long side sliding window - PAIR (both sides) £71.62
415501 Acadiane rear hoop clip c/w screw and washer £11.57
415506 Acadiane rear hoop clip c/w screw and washer X5 £34.66
507101 El Cid rhd fibre glass dash-board panel - special order £411.84
507102 Mehari rhd fibre glass dash-board panel - special orde £411.84
601301 Bijou clutch cable (with or without end collars) £47.39
605201 Bijou grille plate set c/w 4x screw/nut + 8 washers £22.18
800100 A series gearbox synchro Rings (3 small rings) - per set £31.63
800101 A series gearbox synchro Rings (2 small + 1 large ring) - per set £31.63
801001 Cross-box Hanging Studs + 4 thick washers, 2 nuts + 2 anti-shake washers - pair £9.17
801002 Heat Exchanger Repair Plates - Pack of 2 with bolts £7.80
801100 Oil breather mounting stud c/w 2 nuts + 2 serrated washers - pair £9.17
801101 Fuel pump studs c/w 2nuts + 2 serrated washers - pair
£11.66
801104 Kit: 801001 X-Box studs, 801002 H/Exch plates, 801100 Breather studs, 801101 F/Pump studs £27.26
801102 Oil filter adaptor + 2 nuts £21.30
802101 2CV4/2CV6/Dyane4/AZU van FRONT drum brake stainless steel eccentrics (set of 4) £33.50 802102 Dyane6/Ami/AK400/Mehari FRONT drum brake stainless steel eccentrics (set of 4)
802105 2CV/Dyane REAR brake stainless steel eccentrics (set of 4) £44.99 803009
805092 Replacement rubber bump stop cone (fits in cup 805006) - PAIR
806103 Serviced wiper motor early Dyane (black pepperpot) £84.10
806104 Serviced wiper motor Ami (silver no holes) £84.10
806105 Serviced wiper motor H van (larger silver pepperpot) £84.10
Lucy Cutler 59 Roundle Ave, Felpham, West Sussex PO22 8LJ 07787511877 49-60register@2cvgb.com
POSITION VACANT
Please contact registrarscoordinator @2cvgb.com for information
Will Waldron 31 Chequer Street, Fenstanton, Cambs PE28 9JQ drumbrake@2cvgb.com
Simon Mackett
19 Railway Road, Wisbech, Cambs PE13 2QA discbrake@2cvgb.com
Mark Dunmore
The Moorings, Cross Keys Lane, Coningsby, Lincs, LN4 4RT 01526 342246 dyane@2cvgb.com
Moss Foster 59 Haysman Close, Letchworth SG6 1UD 07914155917 ami@2cvgb.com
Mike Good
37 Rupert Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks HP12 3NG 07375 852546 vans@2cvgb.com
Paul Brice
Lower Barn, Rockfield, Monmouth NP25 5QD 01600 715810 and 07887 845810 mehari@2cvgb.com
Jon Kassam
35 High Mead, Swindon, Wiltshire SN4 8LP 01793 853587 modcon@2cvgb.com
Alan Lloyd
The Willows, Horsham Road, Dorking, Surrey RH5 5LF hvan@2cvgb.com
Garry Whelan
Killiney House, 108 Sandy Lane, Hucknall, Nottingham NG15 7GP 01159 536716 or 07814321556 bijou@2cvgb.com
Here and below:Philip Holt’s 1953 Type A
RIPPLE RAMBLINGS
Hi Gang! Yet another month goes by, and I’ve received very little input from ripple owners. I’m more and more convinced that social media is playing its part in this. It’s so much easier to ask a question on Facebook than to actually contact a Registrar in person. I recently saw a classic example of this where someone posted a question asking what the price of a specific job, undertaken by a particular engineer would be. Would it not have been much more sensible to have
contacted the engineer directly and ask him? Not an exact parallel perhaps, but I’m sure you get the picture. Some of you must have been out and about in your ripples or been working on them, so please tell me about it!
The one update which I did receive was from Philip Holt, who continues to plug away at the restoration of his 1953 type A and has shared some more of his pictures with us. As you can see, the car is all but finished. The hood and
upholstery/trim etc have all been entrusted to Matt’s Soft Tops, so Philip can be sure of an excellent job there. A few difficult to find parts still continue to elude Philip, and in particular, he is looking for two early Cibié headlight
Here, above and below: Can you help Philip with any of these parts?
Philip Holt’s 1953 Type A
glasses with the semi-circular tab at the bottom (with reflectors if possible); a pair of the mild steel window frames for the rear doors; and a wheel (400 diameter, 4 slots and with the flat, hollow edge).
Philip also needs a right hand front wing with the angular profile inner skin. In terms of rarity, these early wings are on a par with unicorns, so for the time being, a later type wing has been fitted. If any of you can help with these parts, please get in touch with me and I will pass the news on to Philip.
Ripple safety now. I’m sure most of you have been out and about in your ripples and at some point, you see looming in your tiny rear view mirror, a vehicle being driven by a very impatient driver, far too close to your back bumper. With your underpowered little car’s 6 volt electrics, with its inadequate
and poorly located indicators and brake lights, you just pray that the driver behind sees them ok. We’ve all been there, haven’t we? Well, the good news is that help is at hand. I recently invested in an LED light bar for the rear window. This little electronic marvel contains a rear light, a brake light and at each end of the bar, indicator lights. Fixing is simplicity itself by two rubber suckers to hold the lightweight bar to the inside of the rear window. The unit comes with a short lead and neat little multi-pin plug. A three metre lead, with matching multipin socket is supplied which you hard wire to your rear lights and indicators. Plug the light bar in and that’s it. Job done! Additional leads can be purchased so that if you have more than one car you can easily transfer the light bar to whichever one you want to use without needing to change the wiring each time. The slightly bad news is that Laser Car, the company who make the unit, is in France. Therefore, postage etc is fairly high, but the main reason for choosing this company was that they are the only manufacturer that I’ve so far found, that makes an LED light bar in 6 volts (they can also be used on 12 volts by the way). I bought the light bar primarily to use with Myrtle the ’52, but it will be equally useful on Françoise the ’61 AZLP as well. I put the bar on test using a 6 volt battery. The photos show the bar mounted on an old rear widow, one with the stop light on and one of the left hand indicator light. The intensity of the LEDs are considerably better than the pictures actually show. Home news now. As previously
reported, the recommissioning of the AU van is completely finished, and I’ve been taking it out and about to make sure that everything is working as it should, ready for the Filles de Levallois September meeting. I can hardly believe that the van has been laid up for the last six years, what with our house move, the covid years, and then Myrtle coming out to play after her restoration. Amazingly, the brake cylinders hadn’t seized. I was fully expecting to have to sort them out, but after fresh brake fluid and a brakebleeding session, everything is working nicely as it should. All systems go as they say!
That’s it for now guys. See you next month, and send me some news please!
All three pictures: Led light bar on test
DISC-USSIONS
Early August and we have actually had something resembling summer, despite the truly dreadful start. I even had Delilah’s roof open a few times. I was beginning to think the thermal hood liner was going to be a permanent fixture until it started getting hot in July. If anything, too hot, the weather is never just right, is it? Unfortunately, almost nothing came in on the registration front and I left it to the last moment to put this month’s witterings together, in the hope of something arriving before I started writing. May I remind you that the 5th of the month is my deadline for inclusion of anything in the following month’s magazine. I tend to leave the emails to build up, unlooked at, after each article is finished and sent off to edit. So, anything that is sent just after the 10th of the month, which is my deadline for submitting copy to James, will not get answered immediately. Sorry, but otherwise I will be stuck to the club email program for every waking moment, and I don’t have time for that.
NEWREGISTRATIONS
Sadly, not many. Let’s start with Dean Hawes and his story of how he came to own “Betty” his rather lovely black 1987 Special, E35 FVH, three times so far:
“For some time I had fancied owning a classic car againand in July 2019 I purchased a black 2cv from a school teacher in Buckinghamshire and after much haggling we agreed on a price. “Betty” was in poor condition; she had been renovated many years ago by the
now defunct 2CV Cityand I was her tenth owner. Within a few short weeks I felt that I had bitten off more than I could chew. I advertised her for sale, warning potential buyers that she required welding. I sold her to a fella that lived on the south coast and immediately regretted doing so. After a few short weeks he too felt he had taken on too much... So, I bought her back.
“Summer turned to autumn and with the changing of the leaves came the dreaded MoT. She failed miserably. I was informed if it was not for the galvanised chassis, good engine and gearbox, her only use would be as a donor car. Two new floor panels, two new sills, a great deal of fabricating, welding and making good, she passed the MoT. Although now she was structurally sound, my wife pointed out that she was still a tatty looking car. This was all about to change.
.. On 6thOctober 2021 a young man crashed into my 2cv, writingher off.
Although not a member of 2cvGB, I was a regular attendee of The Berkshire Royals meeting at Cookham Cricket Club. Ray Webb of Forge Garage in Cookham is a member of 2cvGB and The Berkshire Royals. He suggested that I buy my car back from the insurance company and that should at any time I have a change of heart, he would cover my costs and buy her back from me. So, for the third time I bought the car and used the insurance payout to make good all the damage. Forge Garage have done an excellent job and from the front and back, Betty looked great, howeverthe sides were still tired. In 2022 Forge
Garage renovated and painted the two passenger side doors and in 2023 they renovated and painted the two drivers side doors. There is still work to be done on the slopes and on the bodywork around the windscreen. I am going to address these problems myself. In short, she is an attractive 2cv in pretty good condition and I plan on keeping her that way. (above)
“If you want a 2cv and like me you are unable to renovate one yourself, I would offer these words of advice:Pop along to your nearest 2cvGB local group and ask about local reputable 2cv dealers. You may well have to pay more buying from a specialist; however, it will be cheaper in the long run.”
A view I totally agree with. Thanks for that Dean! This is the third time Betty has appeared here, She was first added in 2005 by Dom Cooper in Morley, Leeds,
who said she was originally blue and fully restored, it is unclear whether he bought her in 2002 or from whoever had her rebuilt by 2CV City. The second time she was added was in 2020 by Paul Abraham in Ramsgate, the chap Dean sold her to and then bought her back from a few weeks later. His photos disguised just how rough she was getting, she ‘presented well’ as the trade say. Fooled me too! Twelve previous keepers and Condition C.
The other new registration is for D896 OGH, a proper useable 1986 white Spécial, owned by Paul Jobling since late 2023. I remember seeing photos of this car, now named “Chris” in January when Paul first wrote to me about his new car, so I sent him a registration form and a mere eight months later he has filled it in! Paul bought Chris from an elderly chap in north London who was fed up with paying the ULEZ charge every time he went to the shops. (below) He had
owned the car for a long time, and although pleasantly careworn it had been maintained, in the last few years, it had had new barrels, pistons and pushrods, came with plenty of history and was on a replacement chassis. Paul liked the used look and had no intention of doing anything to the paintwork. His intention was to use and enjoy it and sort out a few issues, like the hood, door seals, seat bases and covers. In his latest email I learnt that he had investigated a poor starting issue and when replacing the battery didn’t help much, Paul dug deeper and found someone had modified the points box and fitted what looked like VW Beetle contact breakers (!) and the ignition was massively advanced. It does make me wonder why, it’s not as if the proper service parts are not readily available… Anyhow, after finding and fitting a second-hand box with the correct points, Chris now starts properly. The car has also visited Will Waldron at Cambridge 2cv, who discovered the leak into the footwell was this: (below) Yep, that would cause it. Will added new
metal and made good, (above) also replaced the leaking exhaust manifold, fitted a better pair of used front wings and got rid of the awful dim/dip and got it through an MoT. The service there was, as usual, described as excellent. Paul says he is in two minds about whether to leave the front wings black or give than a quick rattlecan paint job to blend in with the well-worn look. (right) Thanks for registering her Paul, and for all the pictures and a decent write-up of what you and Chris have been up to.
UPDATES
Robert Green got in touch and said he has finally got his red and white Dolly, G632 NGK, back from restoration. When he first wrote in early September he was hoping to get her back by
October. Now structurally sound and complete with a galvanised chassis, lots of new panels and previously bodged repairs fixed, she is looking a lot better compared with what she looked like when she last appeared here in the November 2023 mag. (right) This car, with a mere 55,000 miles on her, is barely run-in and hopefully Robert will get some serious use out of her before the summer is over.
I also got another update from Martyn Evans who has been plugging away at restoring his red and white Dolly, C928 YDD, for quite a while - I think he started it in 2021. When I last heard from him in April 2023 (May ‘23 mag) he had just delivered his bodyshell to Will
at Cambridge 2cv to have it repaired and painted. It is hard to believe that sixteen months have passed. Anyway, over the winter he says he’s got all the parts he is going to reuse, cleaned, refurbished and repainted, the body is back on the new SLC chassis, with the beautifully refurbished engine and running gear and he says he has nearly got all the glass back in, although not in this photo: (next page) It’s looking very good Martyn, and I am still suffering from severe workshop envy!
Although not an update as such, I did get an enquiry about a car that featured here with the other nine new entries that month about six years ago. The chap was thinking about buying said car and wanted to know what I had written about it. So he asked Dave Crane, our Web Manager,
rather than asking me, obviously not in a great hurry for the information. For the life of me I couldn’t see what relevance a paragraph I had written that long ago could tell anyone, that their own eyes couldn’t, when viewing it for themselves in the metal. Remember, all I had was whatever its new owner chose to tell me when it was registered and a photograph, and as I discovered again, with Dean Hawes’ black 2cv, photographs are notoriously difficult to assess the real condition of a car, as just about anyone daft enough to buy, sight unseen, has discovered when the car is delivered to them and it turns out to be disappointing. I obliged, I didn’t copy and paste the bit that appeared in the magazine, but I dug out every picture we have of the car, all three old registration forms from the old paper files, did what I could to piece its history together and added my thoughts, considering where it had come from into a reasonably coherent email and did I get any thanks or even an acknowledgement? Did I heck as like. Don’t waste my time, you know who you are, especially when I can find no record of you ever registering your own cars. That needed saying…
OTHERSTUFF
Both our cars are still doing what 95% or the world’s cars do and are spending 95% of their lives parked, unused. Neither have needed anything doing to them, luckily, because I really haven’t felt like doing much. When you think about it, it
is a shocking statistic, we have so much money and resources tied up in these complex machines and the manufacturing of more of them, and most don’t get used. High time there was a major rethink on personal transport, like so much of what we do, this is an unsustainable level of waste.
The more I think of the insanity of keeping a car each, insured, taxed and maintained when one of them barely turns a wheel from one month to the next - Mrs Goat is working from home currently - and the other one, Delilah, goes off to Lidl and Tesco every Friday morning to enable me to get the weekly shop. Actually, both are spending more than 95% of the time parked outside. Utter madness! I think I might go for a drive, just for the hell of it, once this is finished and try and up my average a bit.
Please don’t forget to register your cars, just two this month is a pretty poor show. Colette, our Membership Secretary, publishes a list of new members every month, I’ll take a bet that a lot more than two of them own a 1980’s 2cv6. I’d also really like to hear why those who don’t are not keen to. At the very least, please tell me about your car and send me pictures of what you are getting up to as another summer draws to a close. I need something relevant to write about! And until next month, that is me done, now where did I leave my car keys?
FOURGONNE CONCLUSIONS
Hello and welcome to September, a lovely month but the one that means summer is ending. However that doesn’t mean the end of 2CVing. Don’t put your 2CV into hibernation, some of the best times for driving with the roof open is when the air is cold and clear, much more fun than blazing sunshine that just makes you hot and uncomfortable. Obviously it’s tricky to open the roof on a van but just saying. I’m actually writing this on a very hot and uncomfortable night in July so roll on the autumn.
Not a single email from anyone this month, presumably everybody is too busy enjoying their vans to spend time writing about them. It was good to read in the last magazine that Charlie Brazier, age 7, his dad and friends enjoyed Registers Weekend. We know they did because Charlie took the trouble to write an interesting account of their experience. Well done Charlie! If a 7 year old can do it please take that as
inspiration for all you over sevens in the club. Don’t be shy, just send some pictures at least. Nobody will judge your writing ability or photographic expertise, it would just be great to see you enjoying your vans.
Fortunately by now the National will have taken place and we’ll all have had a great, and slightly different, time and taken lots of pictures of vans for next month’s column. So what do we have this time? Well there are reports of overpriced 2nd hand parts and a unique van from Citroën, also mention of oven gloves and lion taming. Let’s crack on.
HOMENEWS
No stories from you so I’ll have to share a couple of my recent experiences. If you drive an older van you’ll be used to starting it by pulling on the knob marked ‘D’ for ‘Demarreur’. I did this and instead of the engine bursting into life what happened was that the cable burst into the cabin. Obviously it had come adrift from the lever that makes the electrical connection to the starter solenoid. It had broken and become too short to reconnect but it’s easy to open the bonnet and move the lever by hand so starting is not a problem. Being at the local tip meant there was already an audience watching. One onlooker was telling another that this was how old
2CVs were started. Not an unreasonable assumption, my neighbour’s old car is started using a permanently attached starting handle. Things were different in the past.
This method of starting vans was changed in the 1970s but luckily replacement cables are still readily available. I bodged a temporary connection and within a couple of days a new cable arrived from ECAS. Total cost was £33.14. I’ve since found it’s £19.59 from Burton but I’d rather support our locals and their service is always so fast and reliable. It still compares very favourably with eBay. A quick search brought up 2nd hand cables at £88, which included £30 postage! Actually the bodge worked just as well as the pukka cable so I could have spent nothing but as Pete Sparrow’s team took so much trouble to make the under bonnet area look its best it seemed proper to keep it that way. Here’s the AZU with new cable fitted, you can’t see it, but it’s there. (top of previous page)
EXCLUSIVEVANAND SOMESPORTSNEWS
Oddly the sun has been shining a lot lately so the 2CV saloon has been getting used more than the van. Driving on the hottest day of the year it suddenly got hotter. With the roof open you get all the interesting smells from wherever you’re passing so I wasn’t alarmed by a burning smell. Then I noticed my knees were enveloped in a small cloud of smoke. This was caused by the key ring which was glowing red and melting! The molten metal then fell onto the carpet and caused more smoke. Turning off the ignition restored
order but that wasn’t easy because the key was so hot. So what happened? It was actually a consequence of having keys for too many cars on one ring. There were key rings hanging from key rings and somehow the bottom group had swung behind the switch panel and shorted the electrics. No fuse was blown so everything continued working. There was nothing obviously exposed behind the panel but I’ve added some extra insulation. A further precaution might be to carry an emergency oven glove. Here’s the 2CV safe and smokeless. (above) It’s not blackened by fire, it’s always that colour. This got me thinking about safety, in addition to fire and heat an open roof means anything might fall on you. Risk assessment done, I’ve come up with the basic kit that no 2CV driver should leave home without. (right) The problem with lots of keys is that separating them into smaller bunches
raises the possibility of finding yourself out with a bunch containing no keys to get back in the house. Keys are a nuisance. Like many modern cars my Jeep doesn’t have any, you walk up to it and it opens and starts providing you have the small transmitter in your pocket. The old cars need deep pockets, the 2CV has two keys, the AZU has three, The 2CV/Kubelwagen has four and it doesn’t even have door locks! These are all trumped by the VW campervan which somehow has eight, seven of which look almost identical. Try sorting through that lot with a baby in one arm.
As this is a wafer thin month for van news here’s a special edition Acadiane (left) that I’ve been saving as a filler. The ‘Acadiane Bivouac’ was produced in small numbers in 1983. ‘Small numbers’ meaning they made just one and as it looks awful I’ve not shown it until now. The paint scheme just seems inappropriate. It’s a typical 80’s look and at odds with everything that’s attractive about 2CV vans, although if you squint at it and use your imagination it almost appears to have an inverted Ami type back end. The inside is described as being very well designed for two people to sleep in but as there are no pictures or details I can’t write about it so instead I’ll use the space to ask a question that’s been keeping most 2CVGB members awake. There’s currently much in the news about the Olympics and dressage in particular. What‘s got everyone in a turmoil is the question of whether dressage is really a sport. It obviously takes skill and training plus a special hat and a horse, and a big whip apparently, but a sport? To the untrained eye it seems to have more in common with sheep dog trials and lion taming than proper sports such as jumping into a sand pit or chucking javelins about. The sadly neglected egg and spoon race is arguably sportier. Anyway this is not something there’ll be room to discuss next time as the van column will be stuffed with actual van stuff and here is some van stuff
(above) showing what can happen if you don’t properly tighten all those chassis bolts.
GUESSTHEGUEST
There’s no guest this time because it would make the column even less about vans. Instead here are some jolly van pictures from an old brochure. (both below) Another shows a Frenchie about to fit an ancient model exhaust system (facing page, top left). Finally, exhaust fitted, he’s
taking his pets for an outing. (far right) Meanwhile if you’re fed up fiddling around scraping moss from Acadiane window channels, well why not do as this cheerful chap has done and just embrace it? (right) Less cheerfully, some months back it was reported that the main character in the TV programme ‘Whitstable Pearl’ was driving around in an AKS400. I’ve now seen a bit of an episode and sadly it’s not an AK at all. It’s actually a Villevan replica, still better looking than most TV detective’s cars. In the few minutes I watched it was being used in a stake out, because obviously nobody would notice a 2CV van.
WHEELS
If it’s autumn then it must be almost time for our Berkshire Royals annual gathering at the Wheels Vintage Vehicles event. (right) This is run by 2CVGB member Ray Webb and the team at The Forge Motor Co. and is staged at our regular group meeting venue so there’s always a good turnout of 2CVs. If you’re in the area drop by and join us. It’s in October so you won’t need to worry about it being too hot and uncomfortable.
MODCON
Hello All, thanks for the many good luck messages for becoming the Modcon registrar. I was sent a wonderful letter (yes pen and paper style) from a 2CVGB member who built his Lomax in the mid 80s in his garden and then went on to drive it all over Europe including trips (20plus) to the Arctic Circle and Corsica. I recently attended the SouWescargots Dartmoor 2CV camp. It was a great weekend on a campsite with brilliant views, sunny weather (organisers Ant and Justin have good contacts), events including a convoy-drive visit to Dingles Fairground Museum which is sadly closing in October and the option for local drives through Dartmoor.
Amongst the many 2CVs a Blackjack, three Lomax 223s and a 2CV pickup turned up. Although the Lomax 223s were the same model being built by different enthusiasts each Lomax showed different build solutions, for example just look at the windscreens.
There was also a Méhari at the camp that if you looked underneath it had a chassis designed for 4-wheel drive, looking forward to seeing that completion. Well that’s all for now, but maybe I’ll meet some more Modcons at the August NSTS camp or on the road.
Happy motoring.
HY THERE!
Had I written this piece two days ago, I would have once again started by moaning that nobody had contacted me, but joy oh joy, long time H van owner Peter Mitchell has emailed me and told me about his lovely van. Perhaps this will spur others in to action? Peter writes;
"Good morning Alan, sorry you aren’t getting much back from owners and I have to admit I keep meaning to write but never quite get round to it in time. It has happened again this month but I am determined to get the history of mine as I know it to you in the next few weeks.
“I bought my van in 1994, three weeks after it had been officially scrapped in France and the log book annotated as such. It is still on 6 volts (because it works!) and I suspect had a replacement engine in the early 60s after an accident, also a replacement wing, otherwise much as it started out.
“Meanwhile I have attached a few photos as listed below:-
1957 HZ and 1977 2cv. Some 40 year
old garages across the alleyway behind our house were knocked down a couple of years ago and rebuilt and the new owner kindly raised the planned height so I could fit the van in.
Not our van but the farm in Normandie where it came from (via the scrapyard). This photo was in 1999 and we visited the place several times after.
Same farm and I believe this to be a SWB ‘Zone Bleu’ pickup with the bonnet tapered and the bumpers set in so that it would fit in a Zone Bleu parking space.
Somewhere in Normandie, probably in the St. Lô area.
I assume these are local residents but I didn’t take the photo.
“The van in the air is near St. Cornier des Landes (Tinchbray) at Andre Auvray’s farm. He died a couple of years ago but was a big landowner in the region. He also had a large collection of, mostly American, army vehicles which were left after the war.
“I don’t know if you ever came across Mike Wheals who used to live at
Whitchurch and moved to Normandy after his divorce. He was friendly with Andre and he found a small ‘hut’ for Mike to live in. He died some years ago as well. I knew that he was converting H vans to campers so went to see him and this one was in the back of the barn, having just arrived on a trailer with another one. It was ‘scrapped’ on 5/01/94 under the scrappage scheme and I bought it on the 27th. Mike MOT’d it (only had to fit a windscreen washer) and I drove it home. No wing mirrors and no rear view mirror, that was fun. Luckily there is a window in the side door so that helped at junctions.
“The wooden floor was in it and lifts out in one. We only have loose furniture
so it can be back to a van in 10 minutes.
I put in a head lining but removed it when we resprayed it over 20 years ago and didn’t put it back.
“We slept in it originally but then bought a folding caravan and used a gazebo between the two.
“We live in Lee-on-the-Solent, hence it has to be garaged as we get salt in the air when it is windy. I hope you get some more contributions soon but it is
interesting reading your own."
Many thanks Peter, and I look forward to hearing more about this van in due course - it certainly looks to be largely in excellent condition. The HZ model was exactly the same size as the H and HY but could carry less payload as it had softer springs - actually much more comfortable to drive if you don't drive around fully laden all the time! The pick up in the picture certainly is a Zone Bleu
example and very rare if it still exists. During the life of my company, H Van World, we had only three Zone Bleu examples, all vans, and none had the special thin bonnet presumably because French parking involved hitting the cars at either end of your own, so bonnets didn't tend to last long!
I am selling an extra long H van for one of my old customers (pictures six and seven) - we imported it and restored it in 2016 and it was fitted out inside by Tudor Trailers who we always found to carry out the best conversions. It was an ex Fire Department van and still has only covered 17,700 kilometers! Sadly the owner did not have a garage so it now needs some exterior panels, but it still drives incredibly well and has a very
sound chassis. Most of the interior fittings (fridge, cooker, basin, lavatory) have never been used. The van is available (at the time of writing) for just £15,500, not huge money for such a big H van that cost £45,000 to build!
Panels for H vans are, fortunately, easily available either in the UK from Citroën Classics or from HY Mooi (hysmooi.nl) in the Netherlands who make every panel that you can think of and also restore vans for customers.
Sadly, since Brexit, obtaining parts from Europe is a bit more costly, but we must all be incredibly grateful that these companies are there to help us when we need them. Jeff
Winterman also has some panels still available in France (hyspares.com).
This coming weekend I shall be taking my H van to Brooklands French Day and then on to the Cranleigh Classic Car show; the following weekend it is time for our own local Capel Classic Car show where I will be with at least one H, two early 2cvs and my Light 15, though it is not easy getting four vehicles to a show!
BIJOUITIS
Hey up, the EVEN FURTHER adventures of Adrian Hoad and his amazing Bijou.
Hopefully, therefore, I will have plenty to report next month, but just in case, please write to me about your van as Peter has kindly done - many thanks.
Regular readers of Bijouitis will be well fed up with hearing about Adrian Hoad’s overland trip to Australia in 1969 but here we have another chapter.
It is extremely rare that I get any correspondence but out of the blue I had a lovely surprise the other day when I had a message from Nancy White who lives on the Costa Del Sol, to say that a package would be with me soon.
Shortly afterwards, a recorded delivery
parcel arrived, and it contained a collection of press cuttings, 35mm slides, and two Australian books, all concerning Adrian’s overland adventure to Australia in his Bijou.
Nancy had communicated with me in 2020, she said.
“In autumn 2020 I was taking some domestic rubbish to the bins on the street where I live. I saw a pile of items on the ground by the bin and the black photo negative album of the 35 mm negatives caught my eye. I could see a couple of
softback books with the negatives all on the floor in a pile. My husband volunteers for a local charity and I hate seeing books going to the bin. I scooped up everything and rescued it all to give to him for the charity shop.
After that, I realised what an intriguing life story I had just found. After a bit of online research I eventually connected it with you. I am delighted to return these to you as they don’t go to the waste.”
So the mystery is, how did Adrian’s belongings come to be on the Costa Del Sol?
The items are with the Bijou Register for safe keeping and l look forward to hearing from anyone who can provide any further information.
Classic Citroën Specialists
September is always a time of new beginnings if you live in the northern hemisphere, since it is the start of our academic year. This means if you didn’t get things right in January, you get to have another go. I recall fond memories of my second chances at the start of the first school term. During August, I had an opportunity to reflect on my school report and prepare for an even better time ahead which included, but was not limited to, choosing a shiny new pencil tin (I had a penchant for tins over cases), filling it with trendy pens and pencils, selecting a diary, which for many years was a Winnie the
What’s Cooking?
Pooh version and, most importantly, getting new shoes! They hurt my feet, but my pride kept me in comfort, because I knew I looked fantastic.
I am writing this at a time during August when we are still finalising the National and are also anticipating changes on the committee, so perhaps it is time to check progress so far on the report card.
BUNFIGHT
When I took up the role of Chair, some of you may remember my game of ‘WTF?’, choosing three ‘F’ words to describe the club. I chose Fairness, Friendship and Fruitfulness. Over the last two years, we have
made some major steps forward in addressing fairness in our club by updating the Articles of Association so everyone can vote, by negotiating an insurance deal to benefit our younger drivers and by exploring new ways of running national gatherings so that folks can try out different types of accommodation at the same event. We have also become more fruitful, as Colette (memsec) has been reporting a steady rise in membership figures. Sadly, however, the friendship aspect of the club seems to have faltered, with committee members leaving their posts citing the negativity directed at them online, and members reporting acerbic responses by return. For a club where I have benefitted from many good friendships over the years, I am concerned at this phase we seem to be going through.
STORMINATEACUP
And I really hope it is a phase. Professor Steven Peters, author of The Chimp Paradox, explains through his groundbreaking work that we will not get along with 5% of people, in life in general, and not just at 2CVGB. However, we have a large enough club that if for some reason you don’t see eye to eye with others, you can avoid them. We believe in free speech and having a
healthy debate, but when it turns into a bun fight with name calling, we are right back at school again wondering why the adults in charge have left the playground. Please can I appeal to all of us to remain respectful in our dealings with each other, both online and in person. This isn’t the first time we have needed to be reminded of this in our history, when relationships started to sour, for I recall the words of the late, great Vic Moran (Chair from 2007-2010) who was equally disappointed by this behaviour and stated in his column at the time, and I quote ‘as a club I thought we used to rub along quite nicely, […] let’s get back to that’.
(NOTTHEBOSTON)TEAPARTY
One way to invest in our friendships is to spend time together socialising, which is something 2CVGB is particularly good at. Our event diary continues to sport a number of activities up and down the country each month, as well as abroad. I have been impressed by those running local group events for the huge effort they have put into completing their risk assessments in a timely manner since our insurance renewal in July. Big thanks go to the Cheshire Dragons, the Aire Cooled Alley Cats, the Northern Ireland Tin Snails, the Souwestcargots and the North Somerset Tin Snails for completing the necessary compliance forms to help us maintain our club insurance. For those of you who may have missed this latest turn of events, our insurance policy now requires us to conduct risk assessments for local group endeavours, including completing an online training course on how to do it, so please get in touch if you have any questions about this and I will happily bring you up to speed (but not too fast in case you have an accident!).
Page torn from an old Winnie the Pooh diary circa 1995
Newly acquired WTF earrings on a work trip to Tallinn, Estonia
DININGALONE
Of course, if you do meet your 5%, there is nothing wrong with dining alone. In fact, I do dine alone quite often, since I am habitually globetrotting on my tod. From time to time, I embrace being a Billy No Mates (or Nessie No Friends), even in a restaurant, quite happy to indulge myself and enjoy my own company. On a recent visit to the Emerald Isle for work, I was delighted that the famed restaurant, The Winding Stair, on the banks of the River Liffey in Dublin, was still a going concern, with the front of house staff telling me they were grateful not to have met their end with the Covid pandemic. This restaurant is situated above a bookshop of the same name, which celebrates Ireland’s rich literary heritage. Before and after dining, browsing the
bookshelves is a delightful way to while away some time. I had a wonderful two hours tucking into a smoked haddock followed by yet another rhubarb dessert (topped with orange crisps) all paired with the wines suggested on their menu. On paying my bill, Richard received a notification from our Wise account for silly Euros, flashing up on his phone, which he concluded meant I had invited someone out for lunch. I had to admit later that the high bill was spent on food and drink just for me! He wasn’t entirely surprised, for he knows I am a glutton at heart. I don’t mind admitting that I had over indulged and had to find a suitable location to have a snooze after my meal. Oink! IAATF!
We need to update you about some changes which affect local group events.
In our recent negotiations with our insurers to renew our policy for public liability and event cover, we were told that we needed to extend our risk assessment practice from a national level to a local group level. From now on, we are also required to run training to educate local groups on how this should be done. The training course is less than 15 minutes of your time but will ensure that we remain compliant to our insurers mandate. We have also created a template form for you to complete for any risk assessment. How this should be completed is explained in the training course. Following the renewal of our policy, two groups successfully prepared risk assessments for their events, following the advice given in the training. I have emailed the contacts for upcoming events in August and will do the same for the September events. Ultimately, we hope to make the training available via the members’ area of our website.
If you have any questions about any of this change, please email me at the usual address given on the committee page.
National 2025 – please save the date!
The Bath Tub Club is pleased to announce that it will be hosting the National in April 2025. Please put the dates in your diary straight away!
We have secured Martha’s Down campsite for a second time from 18th to 21st April in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside; a campsite which the farmer is prepared to give us exclusively for the whole Easter weekend, including a spacious barn on the site for use as an entertainment area.
The Bath Tub Club will provide the usual bar and entertainment that we have come to enjoy at our events.
Watch this space…details to follow!
The Martha’s Down site, below left: relaxed camping, below right: Martha