Citroen C15 ( Retro Oddity )

[Quasimoto]

Decided after much thought and what materials i had surplus to fabricate the mark two version of a retro style sun visor but without the scene tax such items seem to attract.
Using a piece of fibreglass left over from a truckman top i carefully cut out with jig saw the required contour from what was in essence a piece of scrap fibreglass.
Using the same chequer plate end caps slightly reworked and the original two cb aerial gutter mounts as used on mark one version i sanded it down and applied copius smoothrite to withstand the oncoming winter.
Some careful measuring beforehand made final assembly quite easy. With the right amount of spacing the sun visor just sits proud of the windscreen but still quite a snug fit overall.The end result will do what i want keeping low winter sun off and total cost was 15.00 which covered tin of black smoothrite and five pounds for Wilko brushes which were not bad value for that standard of finish. The centre upright section is primarily to add strength in the middle section and might deflect some air up n over as a bonus but either way it makes it a unique one off sun visor for pocket money prices !!!!!!!!!!! Again with no rules / no scene interference imagination is the order of the day.

[Quasimoto]

Having took out rear silencer saving tons of weight and replacing with 2 inch exhaust tube i noticed on accelleration an high pitch raspy sound and decided to fix it.Acquired a diesel sport cat which was more dummy than real but will allow Mr Mot man thoughts an original equipment cat is in the system. Might not suit young Greta Thumperenberg and her clean air policy but i now have a tad less noisy exhaust / still louder than stock but without that raspy boy hooligan / racer sound.
Cost wise following pocket money engineering practice twenty pounds for cat including postage, five pounds for U clamps oh and two pounds in Sainsbury s for chocolate eclairs for mate who cut off the old section of exhaust pipe. Again without those interfering scene rules, tweed jacket rivet obsessed boys or any value to be added or deducted a good afternoons work completed. Bit louder on tick over but probably induction cone but otherwise a better road experience sound wise.

[Quasimoto]

Front on view of the reworked sun visor. Based loosely on the 50 s retro sun visors now commanding high fleabay prices and out of reach of the modest retro van owner.
Despite the visor appearing lop sided i have measured from several points and perfectly equal so must be the angle of the driveway. Just done some motorway driving and no shakes / rattles and keeps low winter sun off so all in job done.
The whole ethos of being able to create from materials left from other projects allows freedom many other retro scenes wont allow. How the retro scene fell into the must be right / must have right manufacturer label and must conform to others opinion is lost on me as the whole point of being an individual is to stand out from the crowd not always with the most shiny and expensive accessory. Or am i missing something ?

[Quasimoto]

Motorway run revealed very small buzz as wind moved sun visor against the glass at around 55 / 60 mph. Simple solution was to raise sun visor by 4 mm which was 2 x 2 mm washers either side and jobs done. Plan all eventualities but an head wind presents its own challenges but an easy solution was found. The real joy of just creating things yourself with only imagination and the thought by using up surplus materials you save money ( which i never had anyway ) and the rules are your own so no pressure and no weird beards in fields with clip boards telling you that it aint like it left the factory. In fact the whole point of this project is so it don't look like it did when it left the factory !!!!!!!!!! Oh and the extension CB Radio speaker now fitted.

[Quasimoto]

Still just a tad movement at around 50 mph so required a weight to push down on the aerofoil part / nothing technical / nothing special but came up with perfect solution by cutting up one of those boy racer towing rings. Lightweight alloy and bought at Brands Hatch cos was 80% discounted probably as no one uses them. Bolted with small nuts n bolts it actually does what i wanted.
Very unorthodox / even eccentric to the passing individual but for no actual outlay in money the result is part Mad As A Box Of Frogs and part useful.
Again demonstrates without being part of any scene the fear of being different is eliminated.

[Quasimoto]

Today was the day for 200 mile shake down run and see how my add ons and bits performed on the motorway. Reckon the cat convertor albeit fairly straight through helps long distance as any droning was minimal. One and a half gallons of Shell V Power for 95 odd miles must be nigh on 55 plus mpg albeit at a tad under 60 mph. This aint no flying machine but sure is a fun machine. No vibration from sun visor and the route was coastal and windy so no better test. The cold air intake a somewhat dubious conversion actually worked as i could hear the air whistling through the pipe so thats all good free cold air going into the air filter.
As i always reiterate whatever the mods and mine are at best unorthodox and at least cheap n cheerful the end result is fun factor without upsetting the purists who don't have an interest in Citroen C15 Oddities i would assume but if they did scratch their beads or tug on their woollen jumper the fun part is not expensive and the feel good factor cant be ordered online and arrive in a shiny box. It all comes from imagination. !!!!!!!

[Quasimoto]

After trials and tribulations of fitting sun visor the age old vibration against windscreen occuring at certain speed / wind conditions sealed its fate so working out its usefulness against continued vibration the spanners won and it as been removed and dismantled never to return. You got to try these things good or bad. Again because no scene to pander to nor expense incurred so easy to move on to next phase. Try it its so liberating not having to please any other like minded scene enthusiast or have to explain the nitty gritty of it all.

[Quasimoto]

Day to just enjoy the old Citroen C15 out n about on London To Brighton Veteran Car Run. Very wet / inching through flood water just under front of bonnet but the old girl coped with that and more.

[Quasimoto]

Decided to fit colour coded sport steering wheel, made easy by horn push on side stem so no fiddling with new horn button. Managed to source the last Ektor wheel boss kit on sale via a tip off from a Citroen Visa owner.Even though the production run spanned two decades the original Visa steering column was used by all accounts. The original steering wheel was well tight well twenty years never being undone tight !!!!!!! Once coaxed it came off easily though. Reverse fitting procedure maintaining wheels were in straight ahead position. Now going down an inch in diameter on a steering wheel with no power steering option did make me wonder but initial test drive it appears to actually handle and feel better than standard steering wheel so on that score all good so far.

[grizz]

Nice touch the steering wheel.

Looks chunky enough

[Quasimoto]

Impulse buy off fleabay of one billet alloy spot lamp ( like you do ).
Decided to recycle into a retro peep mirror with a difference.
Gutted out the internals and nut and bolt to cover cable hole.
Filled empty shell packed tight with foam then fitted new mirror glass 100 mm ordered for the job.
Touch of araldite to hold mirror glass but idea was foam once settled would push on back of glass anyway.
Experimented with gutter fitting but realised being old diesel some vibration was inevitable.
Shorter the fitting seemed to do the trick using a cb aerial gutter mount modified and cut down to size.
Probably bit of fine adjustment otherwise a peep mirror with a difference.

[Quasimoto]

With angle as photos above the rear view is excellent although from photo would suggest otherwise / camera angle i suppose.
All in cost probably under thirty pounds and yes could buy generic peep mirror for £ 19.99 off fleabay but why be like everyone else?
A dash of imagination and just a few pounds more and i have a unique retro item.
Different doesnt have to break the bank.

[Quasimoto]

Sorted slight vibration issue with rubber ring on main fixing then piece of rubber between gutter bracket and body work to take up any slight movement. Overall a free fix and job done.

[Quasimoto]

Finally found a tail pipe design that looks different for the Citroen C15.
From a VW Caddy in a former life cheap addition acquired on fleabay.
Through bolted for added security so at best it don't part company on the M25 or fall foul hopefully to night time light fingered whatsits !!!!!!!
Different by design on a budget with a reasonable result for little money. Result i thinks !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Quasimoto]

Finally back in action after two week lay off when split second taking eye off the ball allowed part dismantled work bench to crush my arm. Ouch that flunking well hurt. Fast forward two weeks and finally finished the cold air feed from front grille to air filter. Choosing the coldest day of the year so far is true RR spirit of outdoor working.
Fitted the 60 mm 45 degree alloy pipe to the end of Ram Air tubing already in place two weeks ago. Alloy pipe is to finally direct nice free cold air right to the edge of air filter intake. Will it be beneficial ? Maybe as cold air once travelling up the pipe from front grille should exit in time to be sucked in and onwards with the diesel cycle. No one to please on this as its an idea taken and scaled down to suit the Citroen C15 engine capacity.

[Quasimoto]

50 mile mostly motorway run with some town running and it seems just a tad more responsive on the throttle / could be down to artic type weather though but for pocket money cost to build worthwhile either way.

[Quasimoto]

Artic sort of weather and a 20 year old Citroen C15 non tech diesel causes few starting issues till i put together a non non standard Citroen accessory consisting hot water bottle and foil baking tin over top to direct heat downwards on to diesel pump. Actually worked surprise surprise the old old girl lives to fight another day

[lightyearman]

I had a C15 about 5 years ago it had a couple of months mot and was cheaper than hiring two skips! I think the Sales advert might stil be on here.

Anyway.

It was great. Seriously, it was repugnant in so many ways but ultimately it was useful and had character. What more can you ask for?

Brakes felt like it didn’t have a servo but did work with a meaty leg (which I don’t have.)

Steering was heavy but genuinely direct and had the feeling of infinite grip as a by product of infinite lean angles through 16 feet of suspension travel.

It ended it’s life as a divorcees temporary accommodation. Truth is often stranger than foction. A woman had her soon-to-be-ex husband sleeping on her sofa and was sick of the sight of him but also felt a slight moral obligation to provide alternative accomadation.
So she bought my crusty old C15, stuck it on her drive,put battery powered fairly lights and a futon mattress in the back and exiled her ex to live in it.

[Quasimoto]

Sad but useful way for a C15 to end its days. More a survivor van nowadays with i think i read 35 left on the road but twice that sorn. Suits me as pocket money project with character and not bad on fuel. Now good weather here starting really on the button. Been out of action with arm injury but felt mojo return just painting the inside of an air intake pipe for detailing purposes so easy does it and back at the C15 project as arm improves.

[Rich]

There’s over 1000 still registered on the road I believe.