1979 Citroen Dyane..MOT and ebay prep.

[ben711200]

With me and Bec buying a house, one of us would have to commute to work, and since we both drive old cars, the one that could potentially fix the car on the roadside was designated commuter. My Volvo is a fine mile muncher, but is expensive to tax, insure and maintain (fuel is less of an issue but my new car works out cheaper on that front too).

With the above in mind, I started looking at cheap to run early-mid nineties hatches.. 106s, AX Diesels, 306 Diesels, sub litre japanese stuff.. But they just don't interest me. Clearly the answer is something that fits my costing criteria and is old/a classic/retro.

I stumbled across this in the for sales of this very forum and found Andrew an absolute pleasure to deal with. After a lift to Yeovil Junction, a train to London Waterloo, and then another to Tunbridge Wells, I was met by Andrew to go and see the car I'd agreed to buy on the strength of a few photos (I'm sensible like that).

He very kindly took me out for a drive in it first so I could get the hang of the gears, gave me a lovely pile of spares and I set off on a very uneventful (if a little slow) drive 165 miles home.

It's the weirdest handling, oddest driving positioned, daftest gear sticked, ugliest car I've ever owned. I love it. My first tank of fuel gave me 46 to the gallon, which is in line with my expectations of 50+ once I get the hang of it.

I'll be figuring out what I want and need to do to it over the coming weeks. Budget is non-existent (see house buying above ) so it's cheap or free mods only. I notice that I can lower it for free, though I assume I can only go a couple inches before I destroy the handling (if it can be described as handling..)

[Steve]

And in time honored tradition you yet again have a car with a patchwork paint job ;D

Awesome choice sir, bag loads of potencial........love it!

May i suggest some banded goodness to be on the wish list

Steve

[Siert]

Nice!

[dollywobbler]

Nice buy! Stick with it - they do handle, just in a very different way!


You can drop them a bit for free, but to do it properly does require some expenditure. Height is good though - no need to slow down for speed humps!

Cheapest way to drop it? A couple of friends in the back will do the trick!

[swollen]

crumbs didn't see that coming... was half expecting that old taxi!

can't wait to see some bengineering going into that. ;D

[hairnet]

nahhhhh

just leave it like that

more fun in the corners ;D

[Colonelk]

I vote going upwards for extra off road fun. Then some aero mods

Love it, didnt see it coming either!

[rmad]

Wind it down!

[remmoc]

Yah Ben , thats a cracker , You MUST pop round in it so i can have a good look , always fancied one myself , need a ride around the block in it , free tea and biccys ( if ive got some )

[Brian Damaged]

Epic purchase, sir, here's my old one, now owned by Tri from this very parish.:


That was dropped about 4" with no real ill effects on the handling apart from making the steering a bit heavier. 50mpg is pretty easily attainable, if it's still got its original final drive it's slightly higher-geared than a 2CV, I think 52 was the best I ever managed. Having said that 45 was more the norm as I grew horns whenever I got behind the wheel and drove it flat out everywhere.

Don't forget to join 2CVGB. Invaluable as a source of spares, and cameraderie. The benefits of being part of it far outweigh the costs of joining (and from me that's saying something....clubs are normally complete anathema to me).



You've just bought yourself a whole new lifestyle. ;D

[Deleted]

So much potential! Get yourself some black paint and do the other front wing to match, the bodywork beneath the trim and in front of the rear wing and the two inserts on the bonnet and it'll look pretty awesome. I'm too lazy to Photoshop it right now, burnt myself out chopping up Rascals. Everything on the Dyane seems designed to fit on the car except for the front indicators, it's like they forgot they were needed until the night before the release and they just chucked whatever was handy on.

Far from being ugly I've always thought these cars had massive potential aesthetically, especially with some faded panels and coach striping work.

Okay, so maybe I'm not completely lazy, here's a quick Photoshop, you could do the rear wings and the sill black too I guess... or none of it... I dunno. Can't help meddling...

[ben711200]

Cheers guys ;D

Steve.. It's growing on me, too. Banded steels are out though because it's all about cheapness and EMPEEGEES ;D

Dollywobbler.. I'm starting to see what you mean. Is it bad that I've been throwing it hard into roundabouts just for the crazy roll?

I do love that Taxi, Phil. But I had to be sensible, and buy something, err, French.

Colonelk, I'll be speaking to you about this hypermile business..

Rmad and BD.. Since you put it like that, I may have to wind it down just a wee bit... I'll check out 2CVGB in a bit as well.

Dave. Yeah, I really must drop by.. I'll drop you a PM in a bit...

Volksangyl.. Meddling is highly encouraged. Why else would I post pics up on a public forum ;D But for now I think the paintwork will stay as is. I don't want to sound all RatLook, but it has developed a nice patina.

[10mpg]

I seriously considered this as well, always love these, the styling looks purposeful where the 2cv is to 'cute' for me..

I **will** have to have one of these soon though, perfect antidote to my usual large V8 type cars..

great car have fun

[stealthstylz]

The lower it is, the better the aerodynamics will be, therefore you'll get more mpg's. Therefore I expect to see it on the floor within the next 2 weeks.

Matt

[HARDCORE]

What a beautifully ugly beast ;D GR8 4 MPGz...

Edit: Meant to say: Get it down!

[dollywobbler]

Ben - it's not wrong to hurl it into roundabouts at all. All part of the fun! Besides, you don't want to slow down for stuff too much - takes to long to build speed up again! (That's my excuse anyway...)

As has been said, 2CVGB is a great resource. www.2cvgb.co.uk and from next month, someone other than me is looking after the website, so it should be better!

[Keefy]

awesome, I'm really developing a soft spot for these

[craig1010cc]

I like

Now, can you get the LGP kit off the volvo and on to this for stupidly cheap motoring

[ben711200]

It would appear general consensus is to lower. Who am I to argue? ;D

10mpg, it would appear we were having similar thought processes when I bought this one.. I find the 2cv a bit too 'cute' as well.

Craig, that idea would be a goer if it weren't for the weight and space taken by the gas stuff.. It would be cost equivelant of about 90mpg. But performance would be so poor it's dangerous ;D

[tofufi]

ACE!

I LOVE these! Can't wait to see it