Fear not - I am sufficiently paranoid about that now!
Foot brake back in order now, hand brake locks the wheel at 5 clicks ish, but will go to 6. (That took forever!!)
Spark plugs replaced (I'm keeping all the old stuff for emergency spares) but so far I haven't got into the points box etc as I can't find a socket to get the nut off! (Off the fan that is) Hopefully find one soon.
Tomorrow I'm probably going to get school stuff out of the way (:() and Tuesday I'm off to Bristol (Mobylette spares are called for, but thats another matter!) but hopefully wednesday, thursday and friday can be devoted to welding/anything else requiring electrical oomph. A post repair section can be fitted, and the conspicuous holes in the bulkhead sorted out. I will have to do something about the "Lower rear box crossmember" but I'm treating the rear end as a separate job at the moment.

The door I didn't weld fully because I wasn't sure how much effect distortion would have on that scale (And I thought I would just blow holes in it )...and managed to put primer underneath it, but that was hell to do! If theres some sort of un-rust spray thing it would solve a lot!
Fortunately that bent brake pipe was the corroded one I have replaced, but that was a fluke, I hadn't thought of that when bending it. Thanks!
Rear wheels in the tester?! You didn't have to pay for another MOT did you?
We've been using the same garage for years now, so if a car fails just because something is not adjusted right they'll do that for us!
Last thing for now, are knife edges something to do with where the suspension arm meets the chassis area, and if so how and where do I go about lubricating them?

Thank you again! Some significant pictures and progress to report by Friday I hope!

P.S. A post repair section as far as I can tell is essentially cutting the old bit out, cutting/filing the new bit to shape and welding in, do I need to put a temporary support or anything in to avoid the body getting out of line, or is there sufficient material to hold it all together?

To get the fan off, you need a long 14 mm sockett.
Loosen the bolt all the way, and give the sockett a sharp blow with a hammer sideways, that will loosen the fan.

Remember to remove the sound deadning material inside the car before welding the bulkhead, to avoid any fire.

Don't paint the inside of the repair on the door, just give it plenty of waxoil with a spray.

No, I did not have to pay for an ekstra MOT,I asked to see the manager instead, that helped, and he accepted his mistake, f.....g idiot!

The knife edges are the triangular pieces of steel at the end of the bar coming out of the springbox, just where it is connected to the arms that holds the front and rear wheels.
If you lift the car so the wheels don't touch the ground, you can remove the clip and take the knife edges out, and lubricate them.
Please be certain that you replace the clip correctly, if any of this falls of while driving, you will loose the suspension on the wheel, and you will find yourself in a fatal accident!!
I'ts also a good idea to lubricate the box where the springs are inside with a mix of 50/50 parafin and gearoil, get a lot of the stuff inside, and when both front and rear wheels at the same side are lifted of the ground, you should be able to turn the entire box half a turn.
That will prevent any squiking noises from the suspension.
(god, I'm giving you all the secrets of the trade)!

A post repair section?
If you mean the triangular piece of steel between the front door and front wing (fender in amarican) there is no need for any support, it is strong enough to hold the shape.

This was my second 2cv.
I worked as a mechanic at Saab, and had a Volvo!

I bought this 2cv 1972, and my boss at Saab gave me a set of keys to the workshop, so I could use it to get the car ready in my spare time.
It was a mix of 2 cars, a 72 and a 74, it got a respray, started life as a 2cv4, the small engine, but later it was changed to a 2cv6.

My third 2cv, saw an ad in the newspaper, it was on sale for 200 Dollars!

When I got to the adress, the owner was not at home, and 3 other people waited for him!
They got distracted by a car parking, while I spotted the owner at the door.
I paid him, got the papers on the car before the others found out it was to late.
All I had to do was to put a new brake pipe on it, and I could register it in my name.
Great car, no rust!

This was my fourth 2cv.

Bought when it was 5 years old, and had only done 65000 km.
No work needed doing, all I had to do was enjoy it, and I did!

This car brought home my youngest daughter from hospital when she was born, and my third 2cv brought home my eldest daughter.
So I think I have done what i could to get both a good start in life!

This one took most of my spare time through the winter.
A lot of new parts and a lot of welding.
The car was completely taken apart, new sills and floor welded in.
The frame was allso welded, and it got 4 new fenders, 2 new doors, and a new roof.
The car was paintet inside out by a proffesionel painter before any of the parts had been put together, so, when finished it looked like a new car.

It brought me safely home once in a snow blizzard.
Busses and trains stopped because of it.
The roads was nearly blocked, cars scattered everywhere, so the 20 km home took 1.5 hours!
When I got home the front bonnet was frosen solid to the rest of the car!

They're all beautiful! All of them!

How well do they handle in icy conditions? (Bit of a competition between me with deux chevaux and neighbour with a land rover defender or something )



Well done!
The previous owners of my one had already refused several people who just wanted to break it and sell the parts, so I was lucky there!

No rust?!? I just can't picture these cars as ever being new...


Definitely! I was brought home in a hillman husky - which was written off the next day!

Now, progress to report!


In the second picture the new piece doesn't make a good fit, but I added a small angled bit before welding. in the last picture the panel looks slightly bent, but it's not!! I spent 2 days just adding filler and sanding it off again to get that level!

Have I done that right? (If not it's too late now!)
I just need to stick the mount for the lower door hinge on, is it welded to just the sill, or the sill and the pillar?
Oh and the paint is just there to stop rust, I'll do it properly later.

Thats the end of my time with access to power for now, so back up the the garage to sort out the suspension as you said (I don't mind you giving me the secrets of the trade! )

I would talk at great length about it, but I've got to walk the dog now.
Lots of thank you!!

George

Well, I miss all of them!

A 2cv acts very well in ice and snow, it has not eneogh power to get you in trouble, and the skinny wheels cuts through snow to make contact.
Only problem is, that it is to light at the back, so the rear wheels get caught in the tracks left by other cars in deep snow, making the rear end of the car go from side to side.
Put some weight at the back, or go slow.

It's fun to see all the Mercedes and BMW that leaves you behind in the summer, goes very slow in winter with their fat tyres, and the 2cv overtaking them all! (it's the truth)!
And if you can get a pair of Michelin winter tyres, it's unbeatable!

I have great respect of Land and Range Rovers, in my mind the best offroads ever made, I think the 2cv could put up a fight, but not win.

I had a colleque once, who bragged constantly about his Range Rover.
He wanted me to go with him in my 2cv to a gravel pit (is it called that?), then he would show me what his car could do!
Told him the only reason he wanted me there, was, that he could be shure of getting towed back to safe ground by my 2cv!

But I've seen a video on youtube, where a 2cv and a Land Rover drives through some mud, and the 2cv was faster!

Yes, no rust!
I was a Citroen mechanic from 1978 to 87, so I have done many 1000 km services on 2cv's when they were new.
There's a BIG difference of a totally new 2cv and an old heap.

The panel work you have done looks great!
Looks like you've got a talent for these things!
But I thought it was the triangular outer skin you would renew, not the piece you have replaced, I have never seen one rusting there before??
Have you done anything wrong?
No, I don't think so, it ought to be strong eneogh in that area to keep it's shape when you cut it, but you will find out when you put the door back on!
Cannot remember where the bottom door hinge was welded, can't you compare it to the other side of the car?
If not, I'll try to find out.

It brings back a memory of a guy I worked with at Citroen, he was a mechanic, but a hopeless one, but in his spare time, he restored and sold Morris Minors.
He could beat up a complete floor for a Minor, from a flat sheet of steal, and weld it in beutifully!
And it did not take him long to do it!
But doing mechanical things he was trained to, he was a mess.
Strange!
I bought a Traveller from him, great car!
We took it on holyday in Sweden, and it pulled a crowd everywhere we went, found out later, that there was only 3 Minor Traveller left in Sweden.

Hmm, walk the dog?
In Denmark we don't want any pollution in the city, so we say:

Put the shit back into the dog, put the dog in the car, and get the car out of town!

How could you say such a thing!
She's a terrible dog though...Have to lock her in dads office whenever I do any welding, otherwise she comes and sticks her head out the window (do dogs get arc eye?)



Awesome! Don't intend doing anything too serious with this (Think Dakar, Touareg trail etc )
But it would be great showing off to the BMW's

I think most of the offroady type ones are 4 wheel drive conversions?


I'm assuming I belong to the latter category?


The panel itself is fine, except where it meets the pillar. I could poke a finger through the pillar though so thought it was in need of some attention! The other side I may have to replace the panel though...

I'm not looking forward to getting the door back on! Apparently they take forever to adjust...
Other side bottom door hinge has been repaired at some point, with a piece connecting it to the pillar, not sure if thats how it's supposed to go but if it works there then...?

I've yet to try panel beating I suspect I wont be very good though!
I must admit I've never been as fond of the morris minors, but thats only because they're more popular I think! I like being different!

Only 3 in Sweden?! Seriously!?

I like dogs very much, so don't worry, and I think welding ruins any eye, no matter if it's human or animal.
Nice dog by the way, give her a pad and tell her I did not mean it!

You can show off to BMW's in winter with the normal Michelin tyre too, I have only had winter tyres on my last 2cv.
Don't know if you can get them anymore, I had difficulty in getting them some 10 years ago, everyone said it was impossible, but I knew a spare parts guy at Scania of all places, and he got them for me.

I think most offroad 2cv's are stock front wheel drive ones, they had great succes in the desert and mountains in the 50's 60's.
Hmm, if yours was an old heap it would need much more work than yours!
But a new 2cv has a special smell, and it goes like a rocket.

I like Minors, I'm not a big fan of English cars as such, but Minors, Jaguar and Land/Range Rovers are among my favorites.
Yes, there's only 3 Travellers in Sweden, I found an article in a Swedish classic car magazine, the last one was imported in -61!

I'll try to find out how the bottom hinge support sits.
It can be a bit of a pain to get the doors adjusted correctly, and you have to consider if the door have ever been blown up by the wind (and I'm sure it has) the hinge has been damaged.
It's easy to tell, if the door goes too close at the front edge it has been damaged at some point.

Take a look at this one: http://www.la-deuche-en-plastique.com/RTA_2cv_1971.pdf

Yes - dogs can get blinded by arc weld flash so it is best that she stays locked in the office while you are welding and fabricating.


Dogs are usually great help around mopeds and vehicles... she might be a bit of a pain now but you will miss her when she is gone

Now THATS what I call a dog!
Has the same color as a bear?
Don't think I've ever seen one like this before, what is it?

I had a Golden Retriever once, now I have 2 cats, and one of them is allways around when I fix things, looking as if she wants to learn.

Sadly my helper dog has passed on - she was a chocolate labrador.
I have a helper cat but she is more into Honda - she decided the Camino is hers and sleeps on the saddle all the time...