Occasionally, it’s hard to resist the allure of an oddball. While enthusiasts by and large prefer cars that have some level of utility and that are easy to find parts for, there’s always the temptation to throw caution to the wind and put something downright odd in your garage. I did it with a 1981 Toyota HiAce, a slow, underpowered van from South America that drew a crowd wherever it went. I don’t necessarily miss it, but the experience was hard to beat. This 1967 Citroen 2CV would likely deliver a similar experience, and despite being a non-runner, it looks like it was loved at one time and properly stored in the intervening years. Find it here on craigslist near Washington, D.C. for $5,000. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Pat L. for the find.
For a short time, I chased the possibility of owning a 2CV. It was a serious longshot, but the neighbors next to my grandmother’s house in Poughkeepsie, New York had a red one they brought out in the summers. It was so compact and light that they moved it into the basement for winter storage. I did get in touch with the family, but the conversation dried up quickly and I never did find out if they still had the little 2CV. This one is said to have not run in many years, but based on the condition and long list of spare parts, it would seem the owners wanted to own this French runabout for the long term. The interior looks to be in excellent condition, just like the body.
Now, if you own an oddball, you definitely need spare parts. And if you have the opportunity to do so, you should try and buy an entire vehicle if at all possible. The owners of this 2CV did just that, and you can see the remains of a Mehari above the 2CV on the upper shelf. This, to me, tells you that you are buying this car from the right people, as they clearly pulled out all the stops trying to restore this Citroen the right way. The running gear likely transfers over, and while it seems like a shame to part-out an even more obscure model like a Mehari, those beach-friendly rigs are often found in very rough condition and are only useful as a parts vehicle.
The seller mentions that the 2CV still turns over but they haven’t gotten it to run. Included in the sale are a variety of spares, including two extra engines, three transmissions, two new fenders, one entire chassis (!), and many boxes of parts. Wow – that is quite a haul, and it sounds like you’ll never be hard up for parts if you buy from these folks. Washington D.C. has lots of interesting classics scattered about owing to the international community that passes through there, and I’m guessing this 2CV has a fascinating history. If you’ve been looking for an oddball project, the condition in the pictures of this 2CV and the huge assortment of spares would convince me that this is the one to buy.
5K is a no brainer for this duck. The timing and location is not right for me but I would snatch this up. Unlike the Panhard PL17 parts for these are plentiful and although I have never driven one from everything I have read they are really fun little cars. This won’t last long.
Have to admit this one’s tempting. I’ve driven 2CVs and, like my Honda 600s, they can be driven flat-out virtually all the time without attracting much attention. Acclimatization, restricted mainly to the weird push/pull/twist shifter, takes minutes.
Better still, if you’re mechanically inclined and line up parts sources, they are dead simple to service and maintain. And they don’t take up much space.
I’d say everyone who loves cars should own one of these four-wheels-and-an-umbrella machines. I know I’d like to. It’s a bit too far away for me, but I’m betting the work needed to get it running well is pretty simple. Price is fair, too.
Aren’t these pretty much bulletproof? I can’t imagine it would take a whole lot to get this back rolling. Unless it was a rusty carcass for 5K ask if it was closer I’d jump it for sure
Okay, who can tell me why the 2CV (and most French cars that were used as police cars) why the tall roof? Howard in the back drawing car pictures? Um, it was so French police officers didn’t have to remove their tall hats? Pfft, that was a lucky guess, but I read it was true. 2CVs aren’t near as “spindly” as they look. 2CV races have become quite popular in Europe, where I can only imagine, they don’t have top fuel dragsters, but they are a hoot, and handle remarkably well. This is a great find and everyone after HS knew someone like Curt in American Graffiti, who drove one. I can’t find why Lucas wanted a 2CV, except he wanted the underdog, who was Curt, to drive something unusual. Well, Lucas is a genius, and the 2CV was perfect. I,,,was a “Curt”, never made it with the ladies, and drove a ’58 Volvo, so I recognized Curts character all too well. I’m still pretty wierd, driving an old pickup in a sea of modern vehicles, it’s actually fun and this would fit right in.
Tall roof so farmers could get their livestock to market! What did I win? :)
Tall roof was so wners did not have to take off their tall on the way to church. The removal rear seat was so that livestock could be transported. The tall roof has nothing to do with livestock.
The 2CV is simply one of the most brilliant pieces of engineering in the history of the automobile. Unfortunately in some countries the ignorance about French cars is great. They get a bad rap that they don’t deserve. These cars are incredibly durable. They are the VW Beetle of France.
Don’t forget about the comfort of passengers. Seems like I read about during the testing, the car had to be able to carry hens’ eggs across the pasture without breaking any eggs….
The small boxer engine has the reputation of being the most reliable engine ever … they go on and on ad nauseam.
Built to last.
These cars are so collectible you can get practically any part, even a chassis, new. In fact, if you’re doing a restoration, it’s recommended that you put a new chassis under it. That is probably the reason the seller has an extra chassis.
I like the 2cv’s.
I did not even know they existed until I saw the late Roger Moore as James Bond escape the bad guys in one. I wonder how many cars they used up in the movie?
(For your eyes only)
And it’s gone!
Every nut, bolt, screw and washer is available new at reasonable prices for these cars from companies such as Der Franzose in Germany. The most fun you can have in a car and very practical. I have carted 4metre lengths of steel in mine. Just roll the roof back.