Here I am again, but this time I'll tell You about one of my other hobbies. I'm quite fascinated by the Citroên 2CV!. I simply think that car is geniously Constructed. It's capable of doing everything, I ever have and will be needing and it will not be emptying Your purse with unnecessary expenses or monthly rates!....... The economy concerning the 2CV can easily be put up against the economy needed for normal transport eg. buses, trains, taxies etc..... And especially if you are in need of transport for a whole family!....Even so, many people do not find it suitable or presentable enough. Those who already have got one do not always understand what a precious creation they are owning, and let it rust and slowly go to pieces...... and then it is (like other cars in this situation) no joy to drive or have...?! But remember, most people only have to blame themselves!?

Why drive a "Wreck"?- When you by doing a little can drive quite nicely and well?? - My many years driving my faithful companion have taught me, that the joy about the 2CV can be raised very much by making a very small effort. - fx look here:  

  1)  Is anything making strange noises? - FIND it and remove the reason!
  2)  Is anything not working? (ex. door locks? - contacts?) Find the reason and get it fixed,a little handiness will make wonders. In the library you can borrow auto books, showing how you dismantle every detail. Of course you do not have to deal with the motor if you don't like to! :-))
  3)  Has the car stuffed itself with dust and dirty dry mud? Vacuum clean it! - It then also smells much nicer of clean car! :-))
  4)  Has the seat uppholstery been bleached by the sun? Gone to pieces on the back of the backseat because of the sun shining through the rear window?? You could buy a new seat look? I have had fine experiences buying the cheap ones from the car stores for about 20£ (special offer) or a fragment more- when they are not on a special offer and everything this way refreshens your car.. believe me! §:-)).
  5)  Do you really fancy your car?? - then give it about a 100£ every second year, and let it be treated with anti rust spraying in the mainframe etc...! - But you will yourself be left with spraying the bottom of the doors because the very thin metal which hold the rubber tightening do NOT get anything by the professionals! -
  6)  Give the bottom inside the car a proper wash on a hot day and let it dry (do not use excessive water!). - Then paint it with anti rust protection ( Tectyl or Pava?) (the thin type) with a paint brush or spray... put baking paper on top of it?! and replace the cleaned rubber mats.. (Did you see rust?) Then make it clean evt. with a Drilling machine with a metal brush (Take out the seats first!). Remember to degrease (White spirit will take evt. anti rust protection too)!! Then paint with a anti rust paint in more layers, or still better if you are seeing the blank metal!? Cold galvanizing (a rather expensive paint ex.GalvaFroid! --Not every store has it, but try to find it! Often only to find in big stores!). Remember to finish with a layer of normal paint preferably shortly after!! The anti rust paint is namely NOT watertight!! - The color is not that important?! :-)) (White Spirit paint! Not water based!) And Then ; the thin anti rust protection spraying or paint brushing...Tectyl/Pava?....
  7)  If you have rubber mats in your car, use the ones having high surroundings!, so water/snow, small stones, dry mud etc stay in the rubber mats!! They are to find as special offers too sometimes.
  8)  Have a look at your guards- or wings edges. Paint/spray them with the thin anti rust protect too ( Tectyl/Pava?). Do you see any rust? Give them the same treatment as the inside bottom. Remember to finish with a normal painting... The colour can be bought on sprays for your car in a car store or at your car dealers in a colour that fits quite nicely;... At the Citroên-dealers in a colour that fits! (Somewhat more expensive but nice!) (You will find the Paint code for YOUR car inside under the motor bonnet on the torpedo mostly written in black ink at the left side) ... Ex: (like this) EVPdS (That is COMMORANT Grey) And then finish off with the thin anti rust protection (Tectyl/Pava)!
  9)  Normally the Bumpers are NOT protected from rust on the inner side! Especially the front bumper therefore rust! Give them some!
10)  Are the Bumpers damaged? Make them right again! It makes your car look much more valuable!
11)  Any bulbs not shining? Get them fixed. Often it is only trifles that raises the value using the car :-))
12)  Clean the inner coating - inner doors, windows, glue loosened inner felt with a contact glue, paint scratches and so on....
13)  See to that your mud flaps are ok, and are sitting right, or you will get a hole in the cabin where the mud, salt and water is blowing up from the front tyres! phew!

14)  The tyre rims are often stained by rust... :-{ Give them with the drilling machine and metal brush too;...( remember to degrease!) and paint again with an anti rust paint Corrostabil/Galvafroid(the last one is a cold galvanizing paint type) more times. Do paint them in light grey, almost as the original (just about.! :-)) That IS the nicest look. Be sure to understand that there IS a reason why Citroên just chose this solution rather than aluminiumgrey, black or something like that.... :-)) Now You will FEEL that your car is something nice looking!!! (together with the clean black tyres :))
15)  Often the Battery is having a hard time until it just says stop.... is at a carefree type..... then ok. But has it plugs? Then check for destillated/demineralized water (You can get it for free at the garage most often!?!)... Mostly you will find, that there is a small water border, which marks how filled the battery ought to be. But if not, be sure to find the lead plates covered at the least! The Plates must under NO circumstances be dry! If the water filling is ok, you must have a ruined generator, if you do not get sufficiently power! Do you often have trouble with the battery, is it seldom you can fix it with a loader, then it is better to get hold on a newer battery! And then; remember to check, if the wedge belt for the generator is in a proper condition and is set to the right tension......?! It should be able to bend about one Centimetre in the middle! ( If you cannot decide yourself, get the garage/car dealer to see to it for you?!) Still having trouble loading under drive?? Check out the small black box situated just next to or on the battery- that is the loading relay. Change it/evt. mend it? Often you by dismantling it can clean up the contact points and then just refit it
16)  Check the tyre pressure (AND the tread, is it good enough? 2mm at the least?? :-} ) 1.4 Bar in the front wheels, 1.8 Bar in the rear wheels. It diminishes the slanting wear and raises the driving security!
17)  The Sprinkler is topped up, that too has to do with the driving security! (Wash your front screen when visiting the garage for tanking up... The wipers do not clean all of the front screen and you get dead angles!"... :-))
18)  Use a transparent parking meter in the front screen, evt. cut it so it can be put very low in the corner (as low as possible!) At least cut off any advertizing. This will give you the maximum ability to look out! (Again, NO dead angles!).
19)  Is the starter giving you trouble? You do not have to go for a new/change one, find a deliverer for electric equipment for cars (That's the hard one!) and buy the two coals for your starter. Exchange these. And you are flying again! Believe me, it's quite easy to do! The coals for a starter is about 4£ here in Denmark. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now it's already quite another pleasant feeling driving a 2CV! - No strange sounds. No visual Rust anywhere... But even if there IS, let's say there are holes (even small ones) in the metal... so estimate first. Is it a not important place for the bearing ability of the car body?? If not, you can mend it with Plastic Padding, glass fibre mending kits and so on... It is NOT the best way to deal with these problems, but can make you going if you have no other way. On the other hand, IS it an important place you find the (rust)damage? Then you'll have to find an enthusiast, blacksmith or mechanic friend to close it by welding it for you. It ought not be many monkey money for that!?! Guards/Wings and doors are not (yet) that hard to get in the right colour as an exchange for damaged ditto's...
Here in Denmark I would contact fx Skovgård Olsen & Schmidt/Skovgård, Salbyvej 22, 4600 Køge, tlf: +45 5366 3535, Here on Sealand (Sjælland) or 2CV Experten/Steensgård, Vroldvej 166, 8660 Skanderborg, tlf: +45 8652 4101 (Jutland that is)...

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Have a look at Wings, Dents and LAQUERdamages too!   Click here: Wings, Dents and LAQUERdamages

By now you should be able to reestablish damaged effects on the car :-)) - but many times it can be done by straightening and mending for a small amount of money... Are you not able to do that yourself? Find one that is prepared to help you doing as suggested here? :-))

When the BODY is without strange sounds and quite intact (mended), and everything is working fine... THEN there is the MOTOR!.... :-))

Too many 2CV-owners accept, that "it is a noisy and slow motor.....", "So there is not much you can do" ......! You could NOT be more wrong!!!! It is a Lively and Eager motor! And does it not perform as such? Then it is not in normal trim!!! - Obviously it cannot put up with the fastest cars, but in everyday driving it should easily be able to follow the traffic speed! And furthermore It LIKES that you kick to it!! But ONLY if it is in trim!! (Or else Do Not do it!!!) If it is Quite Noisy, it is NOT in trim. It should be "Spinning!" Or HUMMing?! :-)) NOT "Cluttering!...." Because it is a motor with a huge Flying wheel (Fewer cylinders ask for BIG flywheels!) You HAVE to allow the Flywheel to get with you :-)) (so to speak :-)) ..... But THEN it will also go! First then!... Do you Not remember this FlyWheel, and try to let it go (even hard pulling at a high gear rate?) up to speed.. THEN it is a sloooow affair! You are right!.. Always be in the right gear at the right time. Small motors must be driven!! Big motors just drive! You are yourself to blame, if You don't think of what kind of construction You are dealing with!! Remember: Be in the right gear at the right time, even when speeding down! Follow the speed with your gears. Does YOUR motor fit to the "slow and noisy description?" Then it is by time you find your mechanic skills! OR do consult a person, who CAN trim a 2CV! Not EVERY mechanic is able to DO IT properly!, and You cannot just TRUST the Authorized garages!! Talk to other 2CV owners! Especially those Who have one spinning like hell! :-)) But on the contrary, HAVE you ONCE felt a trimmed "elderly 2CV's" power... you are not in doubt..... even motors having done 125.000km or more is not hindering this! Believe me!! It CAN kick! (Here on Sealand ( Sjælland), I have good experiences at "BM Auto" v/Mogens! Rødbylundvej4 v/Tureby, 4681 Herfølge (HT området!= All of Northern Sealand)tlf: +45 56283377, it is TOP work for a decent amount of money!)(I have also been recommended but not been trying myself?!, The "2CV "klinikken" v/Ulrich Hillebrandt, Ll.Skeensved på Naurbjergvej?!).. Again here on Sealand.

This site is maintained with the greatest joy by sthjaNOSPAM@hotmail.com  Last updated 16th of April 2001