Citroen 2CV

[one_iota]

I came across this whilst looking for a photo of a 2CV being parked in Paris...bump style.

YouTube - 2cv History part 1

There are 6 parts...a remarkable vehicle and an interesting story

If I didn't own a Land Rover I'd own one of these.

And Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy fans will recognise the narrator.

[VladTepes]

I'll stick with our C5 thanks !

[Grover-98]

My old man has a 2CV... very interesting car to drive! they are great fun :)

[JDNSW]

When my brother lived in Denmark in the seventies he owned a Dyane, an up market restyled 2CV, and I spent a holiday driving round Europe and the UK with him in it. More powerful than the 2CV (but heavier), the engine produced 30BHP at 7,000 rpm from 600cc and 11.5:1 C/R (from memory), not a lot of power for a five seater.

Very comfortable seats, excellent ride, and quite good handling, although the body roll tended to frighten other drivers on roundabouts! And a noise resembling in both character and level that of a small light aircraft.

John

[Grover-98]

I too can comment on the ride comfort of the 2CV... they are fantastic! we have 1.5K of dirt track to our house and the 2CV irons out every bump!

Also... as for Body roll.. it is a good idea to keep your elbows in the windows :p We have lifted the front inside tire around roundbouts many a time :o

Another fun thing... The windows flap as you drive along if not locked in place...

[JDNSW]

Yes - worth noting that Citroen demonstrated the advantages of long travel suspension twenty-two years before Rover did!

John

[wagoo]

There was a 4x4 twin engine 2cv model named the Sahara IIRC.and I believe the British special forces used the 2wd version before the advent of the strippable downable landrover lightweight.
Wagoo.

[one_iota]

That Sahara was an interesting vehicle: An engine in the rear for the rear wheels and the usual one in the front for the front wheels.

YouTube - Citroën 2cv SAHARA

[one_iota]

Yes - worth noting that Citroen demonstrated the advantages of long travel suspension twenty-two years before Rover did!

John

I wonder how a 4wd 2CV would go against a Defender:

YouTube - 2cv 4x4 vs land rover defender (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=TfcQ-7hIuOQ)

[wagoo]

I wonder how a 4wd 2CV would go against a Defender:

YouTube - 2cv 4x4 vs land rover defender (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=TfcQ-7hIuOQ)

Even with interconnected throttles,without a driveshaft connection between the front and rear power units they would be less effective than a single engine vehicle with a high/low range,and like the twin engined Mini Mokes that were prototyped, be not much good at climbing steep offroad gradients. In this scenario,due to weight transfer the rear power unit does most of the work and stalls, whilst the lightly loaded front unit just revs up and spins the wheels uselessly.
Wagoo.

[JDNSW]

The major advantage of the 2CV over a Landrover is the very light weight, and I would not be surprised if the minimum ground clearance was a bit better. How much of an advantage these are would depend on conditions, but as suggested, in some conditions the Landrover's low range and four wheel drive will make it better, although it should be noted that the unloaded 2CV has very little weight on the rear (non-driving) wheels, and is pretty low geared anyway.

[vnx205]

I am not at all surprised at how comfortable and capable the 2CV is across rough ground. Light weight and a good bit of suspension travel can do wonders for offroad travel.

I have twice had access to spotlighting vehicles made by stripping the body off an Austin A40. With just a chassis, engine, transmission, suspension and wheels, it sat up on the suspension so that a lot of travel was available. It was certainly a lot more comfortable than a LR Series I LWB driving over rabbit warrens at speed.

In certain conditions, it seemed as capable as the Land Rover. However unlike the 2CV, the weight of the engine was not over the driving wheels, so traction could be a problem. Over a period of time, two solutions were tried on one of the A40s. The first was to replace the 520 x 16 tyres with tyres from the Land Rover, probably 700 x 16. An even more effective solution was two rims welded together so that it had dual wheels on the back.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

I had a Town and Country with duals on the back,,
and no doors,,

was my introduction to oil bath filters,,
and mud,
and opposite lock,
and handbrake turns,
:angel:

[wagoo]

The major advantage of the 2CV over a Landrover is the very light weight, and I would not be surprised if the minimum ground clearance was a bit better. How much of an advantage these are would depend on conditions, but as suggested, in some conditions the Landrover's low range and four wheel drive will make it better, although it should be noted that the unloaded 2CV has very little weight on the rear (non-driving) wheels, and is pretty low geared anyway.
All very well except that the maximum gradeability given for even the Sahara was a lowly 30 percent (around 15 degrees).Compare that with over 100% fully loaded for a series two 2 1/4 litre SWB Landy for some perspective.
Wagoo.

[JDNSW]

All very well except that the maximum gradeability given for even the Sahara was a lowly 30 percent (around 15 degrees).Compare that with over 100% fully loaded for a series two 2 1/4 litre SWB Landy for some perspective.
Wagoo.

Yes - I suspect the 2CV just runs out of power! The low gears are because there is not much power available. But most offroad work does not involve steep climbs, although I suspect this depends on where you are.

John

[one_iota]

Whilst backing out of my drive today I gave way to one of these and exactly this colour:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/973.jpg (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Citro%C3%ABn_M%C3%A9hari_a_Formentera.JPG)


Citroën Méhari - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Mehari_1977.JPG" class="image"><img alt="Mehari 1977.JPG" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Mehari_1977.JPG/220px-Mehari_1977.JPG"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/thumb/3/31/Mehari_1977.JPG/220px-Mehari_1977.JPG

Left hand drive with temporary plates attached. Would love to have pinned the driver down but I was on a mission.

I had a Moke flash back :D

[scanfor]

Last September, whilst having a beer out the front of the Innamincka Pub, a 2CV rattled in - the bloke got out, took a photo and off he went. It was a funny sight in amongst the pretty-Prados and camper-trailers.

[fev]

My first car was a red and white 2cv dolly, absolutely loved it! Would have another if I could get my hands onone. Took th back seats out an the roof rolled down an got 12 people in it!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jerryd]

Some good ones here :)

The fantastic Citroen 2cv pages (http://www.citrobe.org/truckettes.htm)

You could buy a kit in the uk to make a 2cv roadster

[DoubleChevron]

Some good ones here :)

The fantastic Citroen 2cv pages (http://www.citrobe.org/truckettes.htm)

You could buy a kit in the uk to make a 2cv roadster

I just stumbled across this thread (ok, ok ... I admit it, I accidently typed 2cv in the search box here rather than another french car forum I'm always on)... That hoffman I'm pretty sure is in perth now. the nutters driving these cars have probably gone to as many places as land rovers .... they do "raids" all the time across all different continents

Expect (http://www.raidaustralia.com/2008/raidexpect.html)

The 4wd'ers always tell them GO BACK YOU WON"T MAKE IT.... of course there so light they travel over the stuff that'll bog a 3ton 4wd.

The 2CV Pick-ups supplied to the Royal Navy (http://www.citroenet.org.uk/foreign/slough/rn-pickup/pick-up.html)

pretty sure they could parachute them down without damage due to the soft suspension too.

My mother has a 2cv... I doubt it'll ever be for sale.

Surely you guys would be more interested in the kegresse either way .... they went pretty much anywhere worth going in the world in the 1930's.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/10/1210.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/10/1211.jpg

seeya,
Shane L.