Lenny wrote:
Congrats for the smashing pic in Practical Classics.
Page 28 of the November issue.
Hay! I wondered if they'd use it. They were offering a prize of £500 for the winning pic, worth a go I thought.
No James they are safe and will be fitted soon. I already had 'ordinary' yellows in remember? it was one of those that got broken, which must mark a turning point in my luck. The irony of waking up this morning to a lovely sunny autumn day in stark contrast to the deluge I was fixing the car in yesterday isn't lost on me either.
I've been giving it some thought overnight and have reached a few conclusions.
Doing up this old 2cv has been a sort of journey for me in a way, and not only have I learned a few skills that I otherwise wouldn't have had, I have also learned a few things about myself. I have learned for example that thinking a thing to be too difficult will ensure that it always will be, a sort of self fulfilling prophesy.
I've also learned that while a good set of tools and equipment are very desirable, if you work conscientiously and use a little ingenuity, then even in less than ideal circumstances most obstacles can be overcome. For example I have a brother in law that has a superb digital SLR camera, hugely expensive it was, and he runs about snapping off shots like a pro, the trouble is they all - without exception, turn out rubbish!
What my brother in law has is
'all the gear and no idea', a surfiet of confidence combined with his corresponding lack of ability ensure that no matter what 'tool' he uses, the results will be the same. Most people however, tend the other way, we doubt our ability simply because we are not 'expert' in a given field, we shy away from attempting things fearing failure, but I now maintain that with less than ideal equipment, and less than expert knowledge, a good job can be done by anyone willing to listen to sound advice and give it a try.
When I first finished my car I was very pleased with the result, I had taken an MOT failure and made it into something nice again. The pleasure that comes from this is not only in the owning of the finished vehicle, but in the knowledge and experience gained, and also the confidence to be able do it again.
When this gearbox broke I was certainly deflated, it wasn't so much the job ahead that pained me as it was the fact that dismantling the car again would result in so many more scratches and chips in the once pristine finish. They did happen of course, but the other thing that I've thought about and come to accept is that I can either own a nice shiny car that people want to buy from me at a decent price, or I can use it as it was intended, which means marking it or possibly denting it, and as a consequence generally reduce its value.
Most 2cv owners have never owned our cars for their investment potential, we own them because they are fun to drive and practical to use, because we got bitten by the bug when the cars were still ten a penny, at a time when anyone driving them was met with ridicule and derision. Now I get people coming up to me in petrol stations or supermarket car parks telling me how lovely the car is!
So to the bottom line, my options are to sell the car now for a decent amount before it deteriorates further, or to drive it, use it, let it deteriorate as it undoubtedly will and lose a lot of money I can't afford. I've made a decision, and it is this;
I'm off to north Yorkshire in the 2cv next week to pick this easel up, I hope it stays dry as it will be sticking out of the roof with the back seat removed!
Conclusion: -
Get 'em used! It's what they're for. Monetary considerations are for dull 'sensible' people, whereas enjoyment is priceless!
