Light at the end of the tunnel.......

Anybody ever had any experience of 6v cars that have been converted to 12v without the addition of fuses or other safety features like insulation etc? Neither had I until this weekend!
So, where to start? Simple, I started by ripping out the entire origimal front half of the loom. Okay, so I've got a replacement loom from a late right hand drive 2cv saloon, but this is an old left hand drive van, it can't be dificult can it?
Wrong! It was a pig of a job, how many wires did Citroen cram into that loom? Certainly too many! After about 8 hours of multi-meter and wiring diagram action, we have lights and wipers etc.
In the meantime this weekend, the engine has gone in, so has the windscreen and the front light bar.
It's coming together quite quickly now but still seemingly not as quick as Scally Rally is coming around. Less than 8 weeks left now.................

Oops, I forgot my manners!

So, I decided to tell you all a bit more about what we're doing and why and who for.
Right, are you sitting comfortably? Than I'll begin.
On Thursday September 13th, Rachael and I will get into Claude (our lovely van)
and set off from home We head off then to Dover to get our ferry to Boulogne We head off to Calais then to meet everyone else at Cite Europe, our starting point Leaving Cite Europe on the Friday morning, our destination for that day is Basel . Day 2 sees us winding our way up and down some pretty immense hills to Como
Day 3, and we're off to Cortina on our penultimate days driving
Finally, the last days driving takes us from Cortina to Rimini for a well earned party followed by a very good nights sleep I hope!
The following day will see us start to head back towards home which we'll probably take a little more leisurely!

So, why are wqe doing this? Simple really, it's because we're mad as a box of frogs! That and the fact that we want to raise loads of money for our chosen charities which are the RNLI and Swanage lifeboat and MacMillan cancer relief

Please watch this space for details of how to sponsor us and look out for us at local classic car meetings and most big 2CV GB and Citroen Car Club events between now and September.

Hope you're still awake.................

Putting the brakes on things.....

well, fitting the brakes on the van. That's what I've been up to today, but to do that on a 2CV, first you have to fit the gearbox as they have inboard front brakes.
Consequently, it's been a fairly prosperous day for the little van (AKA Claude). The shell is bolted down, the gearbox is in along with master cylinder, all new brake pipes and a shorter steering column and slightly less bus-like steering wheel to help in the Alps!
Tomorrow should see an engine slotted in, fingers crossed!

Two days sun equals.................

One van on its chassis. Yes, at last, the back brakes are done, the kingpins are fitted and the shell's finally been reunited with the chassis. Just the small matter of bolting it down, fitting an engine and gearbox, master cylinder, shock absorbers etc etc.

More pieces arrive!

Today has been another prosperous day for "The HillBillies". Thanks to Tony Shields at 2CV City ( www.2cvcity.co.uk ), we have all the bits to finish assembling the chassis. Wahey! Hopefully I'll get the chassis built up this weekend and get the shell back on soon.
At this point, I really should "big-up" Tony for the help he's given us (he sponsored me last year too!). Todays "haul" includes; kingpins, rear wheel cylinders (and rear hub nuts and covers), wiper blades, exhaust parts, couple of sets of HT leads and a new experimental "super" coil.
The van isn't only thing to benefit either, as Tony has donated a pair of nice new fleecy jackets for Rachael and I!
Without the help of 2CV City, the whole van project probably would've been a no go and we'd have either ended up doing it in a boring Euro-box or not doing it at all, meaning we wouldn't be able to raise loadsa money for our charities.

The pieces start to fall into place.

Here's a few more pictures of the jigsaw. I'll be doing some more work on her this week so will have more news soon. Watch this space......................

The "HillBillies" have car trouble!

Well, it's been while since there was any activity on here but that's all gonna change now cos I've remembered my password!
So, what's been going on you may (but probably won't) ask? Let me see, I suppose the main thing is probably the change of car plan. First (after the BX) was a 1975 2CV, complete shed and, so I found out, completely unsuitable for the task. Next came a fantastic Citroen ZX. What a great car. Whoops, I traded it against a Discovery.
Hmm, frustrated Rachael is!
I'm not one to rest on my laurels as it were so, undaunted, I set about looking for something "interesting" for us to use, cue Linda Harrison. Long term friend and fellow 2CVer Linda had an unfinished project of a 2CV van sitting (getting in the way) in a garage so after a little bit of arm twisting (I.E. "Linda, can I have that old van of yours please?") the van was winging its merrily way to mine.
Easy, we've got wheels. Wrong. What we have is; a nice shiny new galvanised chassis, some shiny painted suspension components, loads of body panels, a shell with most of the welding finished and and an engine and 'box sitting in the garage. What we don't have though is usable road wheels. Or brake cylinders and shoes, or kingpins, or fuel pipe etc etc.
This is one helluva jigsaw puzzle but at least I've got a picture on the box to go by!
More soon. Honest.