1958 Citroen 2CV Van info and parts needed

[zipdang]

Yes, we checked that - and a bunch of other stuff, too!

[sebastienbuick]

A ok, good luck for the search for the breakdown;).
Keep us informed as soon as you hear it start

[zipdang]

It runs! We flushed out the Sea Foam from the cylinders and took another compression check. This time it was showing great compression. After this, we towed it behind friend Dave's truck to get the engine spinning and it finally started. There was no power at all though. We stopped and did some checking to find it wasn't firing on one of the cylinders. Knowing that, it actually ran pretty good on just one cylinder! The culprit was the NEW coil I had just purchased. I refitted the old untested coil and it still worked and I was off and running. I've tried to attach a video of it running - without the front fenders (wings) - so I hope you can see it!

IMG_3177.m4v

Edited September 11, 2017 by zipdang (see edit history)

[sebastienbuick]

thanks for the video !
it's nice to see her ride and more in america!  
it was the reel that did not work, you handed the original one of the shot to roll?
in any case you live in a nice place, I find the streets and sign "main street" beautiful 
I wish you a good walk with the 2cv;)

[zipdang]

Glad you liked the video! I now have the fenders on and am ready to figure out why the generator (dynamo) is not charging the battery.

 

The town I live in (Radnor) is little more than a crossroads. The Main St. is a bit funny as it is less than a quarter mile long with six houses, a post office, a church, and a small barn! There is no commerce in Radnor. We do love the quiet here and we're only about 8 miles from the town of Delaware, Ohio which is much bigger.

[Bleach]

This van reminded me of a 2CV that Peter Sellers had trouble driving in one scene from The Return of The Pink Panther

 

[sebastienbuick]

ok, it must be nice and it's nice to be quiet too
good continuation  

[sebastienbuick]

 

 

if you do not know louis de funes, here is a movie excerpt or there is a 2cv

[sebastienbuick]

 

[zipdang]

These movie clips brought a smile to my face this morning! I'm unfamiliar with the crazy-driving nun, but love the Pink Panther! Thank you both!

[sebastienbuick]

 

 

 

yes movies of Louis defunes  are funny  

here is a video that I just found

[sebastienbuick]

there is also a person who installed a ferrari engine in a 2cv van .

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb011YYiXXo

 

 

[zipdang]

I'll bet that almost goes as fast as my van! Thank you for the link to that restoration. It's a real motivator.

[sebastienbuick]

thank you , will you leave the original reel as it works or change it?
good walk

[zipdang]

8 hours ago, sebastienbuick said:

thank you , will you leave the original reel as it works or change it?
good walk

Hi Sebastien,

I'm afraid I don't know what you mean by "reel." Lost in translation?

[sebastienbuick]

hello, sorry I use google translator and sometimes it does not translate correctly

[zipdang]

Can you describe what you mean in another way? Say it in French and I'll try to translate.

[sebastienbuick]

ok  

in french :

" avez vous laissez la bobine d'allumage d'origine vu qu'elle fonctionne ?

avez vous eu d'autre soucie après ? "

 

in English :

" have you left the original ignition coil as it works?
Have you had other worries afterwards? "

 

good continuation  

[C Carl]

Good guess : reel = coil ? Think about line coiled in a fishing reel. Or a coiled hose on a reel. And thanks for the memories - I bought one of these little vans , but with windows on the sides , in Denmark back in 1968. "Europe on $5 a day" times. Cold damp Winter. The guy who sold it to me ($100) didn't tell me it would stop running for no reason. First time it happened I thought I would be walking. After a while I gave it "one last try" before abandoning it. Started right up ! Then it ran until it did not. Same let it rest , and off for a while more. Etc. , etc. , etc. , and so on. All right. You are not in a hurry in one of these things anyway. Heading South , bound for the French Riviera , the first time I bought gasoline in Germany , I also checked the oil. WHAT THE .............. WHAT ...........? Water (!!) was dribbling down the air cooled engine !!!!  The attendant noticed my quizzical bewilderment and said : "Kondenswasser !". Of COURSE ! Why didn't this young pilot realize it sooner ! Typical carb ice symptoms ! I raised the engine temp with a cardboard baffle (I had noticed other 2cv cars were wearing Winter vinyl baffles) , and rigged a carb heat duct. From then on , it never failed. What fun it was bouncing along German and French scenic roads. Very sure footed in the snow. Triumphantly entering Paris on slick snowy icy streets. Stop wherever and whenever I wanted for whatever reason. Stay as long or short without having to worry about schedules. I LOVE driving. Very economical . Sleep in it . Get up and go. Or stay. Incredible gas mileage , especially while slipstreaming big trucks inches behind them. But the scenery was better when I bought my own gas. And speaking of scenery , just like back home , the young guys with cars do better with the young ladies. 

 

After a wonderful stay on The Riv' , I sold the little car , and continued South into Spain "on the thumb". I missed the 2cv , but the weather was much nicer than Northern Europe. Standing by the side of a foreign road in the warm sun is pleasant when you are young with no particular place to be. I also met some very fun people , and I was a bit of a curiousity. There were not hordes of tourists , nor kids with wads of money partying everywhere. By the time I got to the South Coast of Spain , there were many fortunate people from Northern Europe escaping their cold dark native lands. It was a bit more expensive , the rest of Spain was about $2 or $3 a day (on the cheap you could get by for $1!) , I suppose that would be $15 - $20 in today's money. I hope some of you other old folk got to travel in your carefree youth , in a very different world.

 

Sebastien' , thank you for your many interesting contributions. Sometimes I find myself taken back to those wonderful roads I enjoyed so much when I was young , strong , and without obligations and bills to pay. Whew ! I have been tapping away at this for over an hour. I better go tend to some of those bills.  - Carl

Edited September 8, 2017 by C Carl
Spelling. Excuse me please. (see edit history)

[zipdang]

5 hours ago, sebastienbuick said:

 

" avez vous laissez la bobine d'allumage d'origine vu qu'elle fonctionne ?

avez vous eu d'autre soucie après ? "

 

in English :

" have you left the original ignition coil as it works?
Have you had other worries afterwards? "

That makes sense! Yes! I reinstalled the original coil which is very beat up but does work. A replacement is being sent for the bad coil and I will test it, then store it for future use.

 

Even though you spell your name with a "C" (I'm a "K" Karl ),  I really enjoyed your remembrances C Carl. What a trip for an adventurous youth that you are still enjoying today. I will also store away the carb icing solution should that ever occur.

Edited September 7, 2017 by zipdang (see edit history)

[sebastienbuick]

hello, thank you carl and zipdang !  
if one day you want to visit the south of France I would gladly welcome you!
I know a lot of place near my home very nice to visit, I also know some places where there are cars abandon (citroen ds, simca aronde, peugeot j9, renault 4cv, ...)
and I know people who have vintage cars also :).
I wish you a good walk with the 2cv

[zipdang]

Thank you for the invitation and if we visit some day, we will certainly accept your hospitality. The mail today brought the replacement coil and a new starter cable. More fun!

[sebastienbuick]

hello, this is good news!
have you wing up ( front )  ?

[zipdang]

The front wings (or fenders as we call them!) are back on and we took it for a ride to a neighboring small town for an ice cream cone. That was about a 20 mile round trip and it ran great. The generator (dynamo) is currently not charging the battery so that will be the next thing to fix. I've attached three images below. One is just me with the 2CV wearing my usual Saturday attire. Another is a short video showing some fun with that soft suspension! And another is a picture of the voltage regulator (circled). Could you tell me what you would call that item in Europe? Thanks again!

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_1116.m4v

Edited September 10, 2017 by zipdang (see edit history)

[sebastienbuick]

hello, this piece is called a "charge regulator" or a  "voltage regulator " ( in french : " regulateur de charge "  ou  " regulateur de tension " )

normally with the reference of the piece you will be able to find it on Internet  

thanks for the video  !  the shock absorbers of the 2cv are well appreciated and the 2cv is well known for its   

I'm the same as you, in the week I have a run for work and the week end I have another one to work on my buick

good continuation  

[zipdang]

Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for the information. "Regulateur de tension" is the translation I found so I was just wondering if there was another name, too. Like dynamo vs. generator.

 

If the weather is good, I'm taking it friend Dave's shop to check to see if it is the voltage regulator or the generator, or both. We will also put it up on a lift to see where my oil leak is. I'm wondering if the oil leak is where it would interfer with the generator. I say if the weather is good because my speedometer doesn't work and therefor I have no windshield wipers!

 

What year and type of Buick do you have?

[sebastienbuick]

yes indeed it is also necessary to check the alternator (generator) because it is possible that it does not work.
for the counter and wiper I think it's piéces (if yours are broken) can found on the internet.
I own a buick electra 225 1969 for 5 years.
and I have been restoring it for 2 years.
I restore it as original, here is a link to the restoration (there is a little reading ^^).
have a good day

 

 

 

 

[zipdang]

Trés bien, Sebastien! Je vais essayer de me souvenir du français que j'ai appris au lycée. (Avec un peu d'aide de Google!) Votre voiture Américain est formidable. Je possédais un Buick LeSabre en 1970 au lycée. C'était en 1979.

 

Le regulateur de tension est morte. Je ne trouvez pas un regulateur originale (6V) de "Paris Rhone." J'ai besoin de brosses et de ressorts de générateur aussi. Je ne trouvé pas les ressorts.

 

How's my French?  Now I'll be lazy and go back to English here! The rear main seal on the engine is also leaking, but that will be for another day. The 1959 Fiat I am currently restoring will get some time now.

 

Your Buick work is FANTASTIC! Where did you learn all those skills? I'll be watching there, too.

[sebastienbuick]

Hello ,  thank you .ZIPTANG !  
I have a friend who restored a 1971 buick riviera gs and I have a friend who is a welder.
of the blow the two friend my help in the beginning in 2015 then I did everything else all alone since January 2016, has force to watch videos and forums I learned   a little how to do.
and it is me who cuts the piece of metal dead and who forms and welds the new metal .

the buick the saber is beautiful!
I like this model;)
did you have it yet?

your French is good ;),  you still have good knowledge of high school  

do you have pictures of the charge regulator? and pictures of the parts you need for the alternator?

[zipdang]

Bonjour! 

Je voudrais trouver le régulateur de tension 6v Paris Rhone pour regarder correctement. J'ai trouvé un régulateur qui fonctionnerait, mais ça ne semble pas bien!

Un magasin local avait des ressorts de brosse que j'ai modifiés pour fonctionner.

 

J'utilise google pour aider ma mémoire. J'espère pouvoir arrêter de l'utiliser à mesure que je vais mieux!

 

For my English friends, I'm trying to find a correct voltage regulator (as pictured) rather than just choosing one that will work. It's prominent on the firewall and I would like it to look correct. Found springs for the generator brushes (mine were missing/broken) that I was able to alter to work.

 

Voila les photos:

[sebastienbuick]

hello, yes with training you will speak French without needing google;)
it is good news for the generator, I will look on the internet to see if I find a charge regulator

[sebastienbuick]

hello, here is an answer that I was given on another forum:

it will be necessary to look at the refference on the body of the regulator, the Paris Rhone generally have two or three letters and engraved digits (Yxx ...)
with that you would be on to have the right amperage for your generator.

[sebastienbuick]

hello, a correspondent on another forum confirms me that it is necessary to find exactly the same regulator that of origin for several reason.

[zipdang]

"XT212 6V25A" écrit sur le régulateur de tension.  Je n'ai pas pu trouver un nouveau.

 

That's what's written on the voltage regulator. I haven't been able to find a new one. Any help would be great! I wonder why the exact regular would be required electrically because I've read that is required also.

[sebastienbuick]

good evening, a correspondent on the other forum has just sent me a picture of the same rugler but it is in 12v.
but on the picture one sees well where there is the refiffence of the regulator.
thank you for the refference, i will look on the internet to see if i can find what you need

[sebastienbuick]

hello, I have done research and I sent several message has 2cv parts seller.
I keep you informed of what I have news

[zipdang]

Merci beaucoup!

 

Mon frère et moi allons retirer le moteur le 2 octobre et remplacer les joints avant et arrière.

 

My brother will be in town the 2nd of October and we're going to change the oil seals on the engine. Hopefully, it won't be too hard.

[sebastienbuick]

hello, a seller that I contacted just answer me is he has what you look for.
this seller sells the regulator with postage included (in France) for 35 euros. ( 41.8 $ )
if the price of the seller suits you I can buy it and have it delivered to me, then when I receive the package I send it to you (if you want I can make the intermediary for the sending of the object )

[sebastienbuick]

hello, a person on a forum found this, if it can help you (there are adjustments, ... regulator and other parts), as well as another links where there are the characteristics of the engine ( beginning in 1963).
the site is in English

 

 

 

http://www.hulifer.net/paku/2CVMANUALS/ELECTRICAL_SYSTEM.pdf

 

 

http://www.hulifer.net/paku/2CVMANUALS/ENGINE.pdf

 

 

[zipdang]

3 hours ago, sebastienbuick said:

hello, a seller that I contacted just answer me is he has what you look for.
this seller sells the regulator with postage included (in France) for 35 euros. ( 41.8 $ )
if the price of the seller suits you I can buy it and have it delivered to me, then when I receive the package I send it to you (if you want I can make the intermediary for the sending of the object )

 

Vous êtes fantastique! If the regulator is exactly the same as mine and has never been used, it would be great if you did this for me. I will certainly pay all your expenses for getting this to me. Mercie pour l'information pour les ajustements aussie. Trés bien!