I didn't say "impossible"

This is a bit like fantasy football.

Because I've got a blank page I've written down what I would like, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's all readily available just now. For my ideal car I do want a four light suicide door shell, of that I'm sure.
On a recent trip to 2cv City I noticed a stock pile of NOS four light side pressings, entire sides they were. I fancied buying a pair for conversion as they were very well priced, but that would still have left me with the normal doors so I didn't bother.

If I compromise on this one, then it won't be the car I imagined or wanted. Having said that I don't mind doing another car in the meantime which might include some compromises, (assuming I still have the time and the room to do so) but to me it would only ever be 'another car', not the 'keeper' one that I would still want to build for myself at some point.

I'd have thought - but could very well be wrong - that reversing doors to 'suicide' them would be a relatively small piece of cake compared to fitting complete 4-light sides to your shell? What kind of hinges are fitted to front suicide doors - proper hinged ones, or like the rear's?

Or is the main problem the legal one?!

I hadn't really considered doing modifications to a modern shell until I saw those new four light sides at 2cv City. I've forgotten that idea now though, and besides I believe the metal is better on older cars judging from the many examples showing rusty patina (but no holes) that crop up on leboncoin.

I'm not sure about converting a modern to suicide doors either, I think that would come under the realms of 'more trouble than it's worth,' or simply be more expensive than finding a suitable period shell. 'Nothing's impossible' as they say, but my finding the money for it to be done might well be.

I've had time to think about this now and I reckon it'd probably be so much easier to buy myself an old ripple and 602 it, then just have the later 1960's type dash panel fitted into it to get rid of that wiper speedo' arrangement that I just don't like. The problem with that idea is that I don't want to dismember an original, complete, and surviving 1950's car, so while it would make life easier in one respect, I'd just end up regretting it conscience wise.

The way I see it if the car has managed to last over half a century then I don't want to be the one to come along and 'ruin' it, I'm sentimental about old cars (historic vehicles?) in that way.

You never know, a nice old already dismembered orphan shell might come along yet, then I won't feel so guilty.

Re:-Front suicide doors-They fit to the car with the same type hinge as the rear doors and bonnet, so they just slide up & off.

There is an issue regarding legality though, it's why Citroen were forced to fit front hinged doors from around 1964. We've had this debate on here before though, and some tend to think there isn't an issue

You can't just take rear door hinges, move them to the front and create suicide doors. They're handed incorrectly. It would be far easier to find an appropriate shell. Good suicide doors are starting to fetch real money.

Yes, depressing isn't it.

Once upon a time not very long ago I used to own and run several different 1950's saloons. They weren't Citroens btw, they were old Austin's, '50's Fords, big old Standard Vanguards and the like. They were proper old motors that had fallen out of fashion and so could be picked up for a song and just enjoyed as a hobby car.

It wasn't long before they started to rise in price again and all cheap old motors disappeared. Then, with the advent of ebay everything shot up in value, which was great for the Del Boys who made some quick money, but sad for the true enthusiasts. Then,around 1999/2000 I saw a way that I could still drive a 'classic' as my daily driver by buying a 2cv, and as with so many of us quite inadvertently an addiction was born.

I bore all the strange 'Has he lost the plot?' looks from close friends, shrugged off the sniggers of the neighbours who no doubt noted that I'd sold my brand new Audi A4 to drive a 2cv, (Ooow...He must have gone bankrupt ) and my teenage lad disowned me.

But me? I was happy like a pig in shit back then, driving a 2cv was like driving a 1950's car but it was only ten years old, and better still, you'd be approached by complete strangers who then tried to give you another one they had in the garden/garage whatever - for free!

So what's happening, or happened now with 2cv prices I've seen before, and rather than be pleased that my car is now worth £3000 instead of £150.00 I'm actually saddened, because 2cv's were only ever fun because they were what they were, which was cheap and plentiful.

When I look at the prices some folk are asking for them now, or even the price of old doors, bonnets and so on - especially on Leboncoin, I'm moved to thinking that I'll never own that bespoke car that I always wanted simply because the general public can now smell a profit on anything 2cv related. It's sad, but those folks who are prepared to pay big money to buy up old and flimsy bits of rusting metal are welcome to do so, just count me out.

I've said before that the 2cv has always reminded me of a ballpoint pen, a simple yet brilliant idea which was cheap, accessible to all, and to some extent disposable. I can accept that those days are now gone. What I find harder to accept is that any rebuilds are worth ploughing seven or eight thousand pounds into, in order to be able to drive in 2010, like an impoverished Frenchman did in 1948.

And that is probably why I'll never own that 2cv of my dreams.

You can, and very likely will.

I'm pretty certain.




'Cos we're all here waiting to read the account...

This is so true. The whole point of these cars for me was that they represented cheap, basic motoring. Well, they're still basic, but sadly, they ain't cheap any more. Witness the chap selling a rolling, very secondhand, chassis on ebay UK at the moment for £1 500. I suppose it was inevitable as they got older and became classic cars, but I for one am glad I was on the scene at the tail end of them being cheap runarounds fifteen or twenty years ago.

It's not all bad though, the cars have to have a bit of value in order to survive. Look at things like Austin A40 Farinas, basically a pretty nice little car, but they're so cheap that no one can realistically spend money on making the most basic of spares. Because of that no one runs or buys them and the slightest little thing effectively renders the car scrap.

I'm sure I'm not the only one on here who destroyed a few serviceable 2CVs back when you could get them for free or near free. If you couldn't find anyone who wanted the car and had run out of space to stash yet another shed all you could do was harvest the best bits.