Conference terri::cars_uk

    Anyone out there knowledgeable with 2CV's ? If so could you check out
    my note in IOSG::AIR_COOLED 71.4
    
    Thanks
    
    Royston

    	NO, mine is just over 2 years old now.  That one only came out last
    year, can't remember the name of it, Xantia "something" I think.
    
    	Mine eats front tyres fast enough due to the computer controlled
    suspension - takes the shoulders off, especially the inside shoulders
    where you don't realise it has happened.  The Lord only knows what
    will happen if the tyres take ALL the cornering strain completely flat.
    
    	2CVs are very smooth engines, especially for a 2-cyl one.  Both
    cylinders fire together, instead of alternately to balance out the
    forces (perhaps force is an understatement).  Not a lot of people know
    that.  Sheila has one, her only problems are that the steering is
    incredibly heavy and the fuel consumption is only in the low 30's which
    several garages have said that is all one should expect - even on long
    runs!
    				Malcolm.

    >fuel consumption is only in the low 30's which several garages have
    >said that is all one should expect
    
    Nah! My other half's 2CV gets low 40's mpg and most other folk I know
    who have had them have got up to 50 mpg. 
    
    Low 30's mpg is very poor unless it spends all its time in heavy
    traffic.
    
    By the way all post '86 2CV's can run on unleaded without conversion (I
    run one tank of 4* to 3 of unleaded).
    
    May have to get rid of it this year though as the heater is too poor
    for these very cold mornings and I've been reliably informed that
    another winter will not pass with this form of transport in our
    possession.
    
    Royston

    It wouldn't be Xantia activa would it ?
    
    
    
    From what I remember I used to get 39 mpg out of my 602cc 2CV (day 2
    day) and I even had over 75mph out of it once or twice.
    
    
    ex-2CV owner tip no. 1: Get your floor renforced
    			 2: Do not drive in strong winds/rain, they both
    			    get in.
    			 3: Your Grannie will feel sea sick in it.
    
    
    
    Rory...

    >I even had over 75mph out of it once or twice.
    
    How did you know ? The speedo only goes up to 70 !
    
    Royston

    Mine was quite are rare model with square headlights and a different
    dash, if I can remember correctly the speado went up to 80mph.
    Ofcourse the next question is why did it go up to 80mph, incase of the
    odd v. steep hill.
    
    
    The manufacturers figure say that 71mph is the tops.
    
    
    
    
    Rory...
    

    
  >>  >I even had over 75mph out of it once or twice.
    
  >>  How did you know ? The speedo only goes up to 70 !
    
    ...perhaps he was following a juggernaut with 'restricted to 55mph'
    written on the back %^)
    
    Graham

    
    perhaps it was a cliff....  %*)
    
    - MARK -

    	Sheila tells me that it is amazing how many people get upset when:
    a. overtaken by a 2CV; or b. being beaten off the lights by a 2CV when
    they thought that they wouldn't have to try.  They especially don't
    like it if the 2CV is driven by a woman!
    
    				Malcolm.

    >being beaten off the lights by a 2CV
    
    You're winding us up Malcolm. My 2CV couldn't burn off a milk float
    at the lights let alone anything else.
    
    It is a red rag to a bull as people just have to over take it even if I'm
    up to a reasonable speed.
    
    Royston

>    It is a red rag to a bull as people just have to over take it even if I'm
>    up to a reasonable speed.
    
I remember when I was learning to drive, I was doing about 85mph on an A road, 
and some guy appeared behind and just *had* to overtake as the car had L 
plates on it.

Chris.

    >>>I remember when I was learning to drive, I was doing about 85mph
       			     ^^^^^^^^				  ^^^^^
    				Malcolm.

That's Chris Hedley for you.

Clive

    Our 2CV will maintain 75 heading up the A1 to Durham, the only problem
    is that after about half an hour 'things' start to melt under the
    bonnet (I never quite found out what, but I could smell it).
    
    I agree with the low 30's consumption, the 2 cyl. engine isn't very
    efficient around town and is either one of the dirtiest on the road 
    (measured by % nasties of total output) or one of the cleanest 
    (measured by actual amount of nasties output).
    
    Its also one of the few cars which can have its gear box internals 
    re-arranged without taking either engine or gearbox out of car! (60
    pounds inc. VAT, after it managed to get into two gears at once last
    week).
    
    Andy

    >'things' start to melt under the bonnet
    
    The main worry esp. in the summer, and I swear I'm not making this up,
    is the cardboard ventilation tubes which perish over time and can catch
    fire when the engine gets very hot on a long journey.
    
    Royston

And then I'd presume, with everything nice and hot under the bonnet, the 
inboard drum brakes would work very well....:-)

Dave

    <<< Note 393.27 by AIMTEC::STDBKR::Burden_d "Keep Cool with Coolidge"
    >>>
                                    -< getting hot >-
    
    And then I'd presume, with everything nice and hot under the bonnet, the
    inboard drum brakes would work very well....:-)
            ^^^^
    
    	They are (inboard) Disk brakes on later models.  I'm told ours are
    ('88).
    
    	Yes I can confirm that the "Cardboard" tubes for the car
    ventilation do sag with time and finish up after some (years) resting
    on the exhaust pipes - catching fire!
    
    	Did anyone see that programme on TV a year or three ago about the
    design and development of the 2CV before and during the war?  It was
    very interesting.
    				Malcolm

    >drum brakes
    
    The inboard brakes (certainly on later models like Malcolm's and mine)
    are disc brakes. Its very easy to keep a check on wear. The rear brakes
    are drums which hardly wear at all due to the lightness of the car.
    
    I would have loved to have seen the programme about the design of the
    2CV which was originally done in 1939 and is still fundamentally the
    same.
    
    Royston

    My wife used to have an X reg 2CV and one of its favourite tricks was
    to stall at traffic lights on hot days.... the fuel would evaporate
    before it got to the engine! It would then take AGES to restart,
    especially if you were at the front of the queue!!
    It also hated starting on damp mornings, we went through WD40 like it
    was going out of fashion!
    
    It was good in the snow though... with 125x15 wheels it would get
    through quite horrible stuff.
    
    The driver gets bruised right elbows a lot ......
    
    
    Dave
    

    Cardboard tubes - of course. At the end of the journey in question, one
    of these had disappeared, and the others looked a bit manky. The one
    that had gone was one of the ones to take hot air to the wheelarch, 
    when it wasn't required to heat the passengers, so I suppose all that 
    hot air was sitting around under the bonnet (not such a good idea in an
    air-cooled car :-)
    
    Andy

    Starting on damp mornings was THE big problem in the days of the 6V
    battery. Things greatly improved with the move to 12V.
    
    Front Drum brakes: most expensive & cumbersome operation I've had to do 
    in my whole career was to get new brakes. You don't want to know what I 
    think of Citroen engineers ... No wonder why people switched to Renault4