French Loveliness....

[Darren65]

Keeping the French theme going here's my summer ride.....

....acquired back in 2012 for a couple of hundred quid to be used for parts, I later learned that it was a very desirable drummer Charleston and one of only 7 RHD cars in Burgandy and Black back in 1981.....no doubt it had to be saved so I applied for a V5.....



...and turned it into something entirely different.....



....ok, not quite a real car but with a warmed over supercharged engine with big bore 652cc barrels and pistons, race cam (yes they do exist for a 2CV!), ported heads and a modified re-jetted carb it should be good for 45HP

Finished in Porsche Light Ivory 131 to make it go faster still, the plan is to keep the hood and interior quite neutral for some plain and simple open air summer fun!

more pics to follow soon...

[Ashley James]

Wonderful cars well worth saving.

[KS]

Cool!

[KS]

My friend Ben (Evil Ben) Lewis's Dyane - also with hot motor and full air-ride suspension. He also has a couple of original Douche vans. You're all mad!

[yoda]

I've seen Darren's 2CV and it is lovely. Will be great to see it on tour in the Alps!

[Darren65]

I've seen Darren's 2CV and it is lovely. Will be great to see it on tour in the Alps!

....that's the plan!

[Sam]

Is there going to be a DDK not-too-fast-French-car Alpine tour?

I could get onboard with that.

[Kneeslider]

Really were there only 7 red and black W reg Charlestons? My dad and I cut up a Y plate one in the early 90s to build a Lomax out of. I can't find any pictures of it now, but I think that the plate was WAO 898Y or somesuch. I tried a few combinations of the number, but I can find no record of it on the DVLA or MOT sites, so I guess it must have been written off or exported. I like to think that we made a decent enough job of building it that it lasted for a while.

[Darren65]

Really were there only 7 red and black W reg Charlestons? ......

....so I was told for 1981 although my source may not be the most accurate!

I've often thought of building a Lomax or Méhari although a Barbot build is next on my wish list!

Cheers,

[Darren65]

Is there going to be a DDK not-too-fast-French-car Alpine tour?......

....now there's an idea! ......I'm currently trying to convince my wife that this would be the ideal way for her to tour the Alps although the resistance is strong!

A DDK tour might be a better bet, we could drive absolutely flat out everywhere and still not get held up by anyone!

[rhd racer]

Really were there only 7 red and black W reg Charlestons? ......

....so I was told for 1981 although my source may not be the most accurate!

I've often thought of building a Lomax or Méhari although a Barbot build is next on my wish list!

Cheers,

Another great project Darren.

I remember them being fairly common-place unless I happened to live in the epicentre of Charlestons! I have mentioned before that I really want a Mehari but they have gone totally mad price wise, and my wife is not convinced (in fact I cannot yet get her over the line with any ‘fun’ 3rd project car, what is she like?

I was not aware of a Barbot but have just Googled and they look fantastic, so am totally with you on that.

An ex girlfriends ex boyfriend (if you can follow that) used to race a 2cv with a 1.6 litre Citroen Visa GTI (remember those?) engine it. The thing was on the floor and very fast apparently, would imagine a Samba Rallye engine would work nicely too, but they are too nice to break......

I find it odd how I am so drawn to french fancies in later life when as a young VW owner I used to totally frown upon them!

[911hillclimber]

Recently tried to tempt the wife to give a permission for a R4..
No chance, full stop.
She toured France in one in the early 70's and hated everything about them.
So, that's a NO.

[Nine One One]

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/1817/lege ... n-pictures

[911hillclimber]

That has GOT to be electric?
Really like the take on the original design.

[anglophone1]

Agreed- Looks great!