James gets sensible for a while, until a Saab turns up…
The 2CV has taken up all my energy in the past few months, so I’ve had to sit down for a word with myself. Yet, as ever, there’s always something to disrupt plans. This one was silver and Swedish. I spent a morning doing sums and reminding myself to prepare for any effects of this cost of living crisis that, if it hasn’t already in your household, will really bite soon.
A few essential jobs for the existing fleet were required first and to successfully achieve that, my two blue Berlingos would need to depart the driveway. ‘Rupert’ (PC, Feb 2023) is now in the hands of fellow Citroën Car Club member Guido Guidice, while the other blue Multispace I recently bought (PC, Jan 2023) has also gone to a new home (to a chap whose other car is a Sixties Citroën H Van). The ‘keeper’ – known as Mr Cropley – is now on daily duties, as was the 2CV until recently.
You’ll have read last month how the 2CV bounced off stage and romped straight up to the Lake District without so much as cough. It was mostly finished, with only a few detail issues to resolve. But then, having been so touched by the story of the car, Steve from HB Body offered to reward it with what it has never had in 38 years: a respray. It might sound odd to be stripping the car down again so soon after being rebuilt at the NEC, but it really is just a day’s work to pull a 2CV apart. And what an opportunity – of the kind I’ve never had before. The car deserves it – and will look resplendent at the Practical
Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show in March. First to go over to Steve will be the shell, followed soon after by all of the twelve bolt-on panels. The quality of his work is amazing and, as such, I'll be sharing some of his secrets soon.
So, with the Puma and Smart undercover until Spring, that left the Berlingo, which required a few tweaks before I headed back into Wales to see friends, and then to Devon for Christmas. Most notably, new springs and dampers, as well as brake discs and pads. While it was up the workshop, I managed to rid myself of the rusty looking dealer fit tow bar mount, while swapping the bumpers over for slightly more rugged black plastic ones – all cost neutral after the sale of the other Berlingos. I also fitted a set of Falken Eurowinter HS01 tyres onto some used
