Lot Ended
Description
In daily use; 'rat rod' paint hides solid car; Burton Power Tube; get
yourself noticed in the Tin Snail...
Launched in
1948, the 2CV was designed to fulfil the brief for a car that would carry two
persons and a 50kg sack of potatoes across rough ground at a speed of 60kmh
(37mph) with a fuel consumption of no more than 3 litres per 100km (94mpg) –
not, as is often said, to carry a basket of eggs across a ploughed field,
although this it could achieve with ease.
A
masterpiece of minimalist design, the finished ‘umbrella on wheels’ was made
from mostly flat stamped panels, cheap and easy to repair, and was held together
with just 16 bolts. The roof and (initially) the boot lid were made of canvas.
Although the original 375cc air-cooled flat-twin engine eventually grew to
602cc, the 2CV's performance remained modest at around 70mph flat-out, not that
that concerned the majority of its devotees for whom the roomy interior,
full-length sunroof and frugal fuel consumption were of far greater
importance.
Thanks to its soft, long-travel
suspension and high ground clearance, the 2CV possessed remarkable off-road
abilities together with a very smooth ride. Less than half the price of a VW
Beetle, it was a massive success, transforming the lives of the rural poor and
selling over 3.8 million examples before production finally came to an end in
1990.
First registered in Brighton in December
1985, this 2CV6 Special may look a bit battered but don’t let that fool you –
the ‘rat rod’ patina is deliberate and the ‘rust’ is only painted on. Plastic
film was used to black out the rear windows so that could easily be removed too.
Affectionately known as the Tin Snail, this 2CV
was acquired by our vendor (the 5th owner) as a runabout last summer
to save him nipping into town in his Bentley Continental GT – a bigger contrast
one cannot possibly imagine! In almost daily use since, we are told that it is a
good little runner and it was driven some 30 miles to the
sale.
Fitted with a Burton Power Tube which
supposedly adds a couple of horsepower, it has no history whatsoever but it does
have an MOT until April 2025 with just a few minor advisories. We are
told that it was fitted with a new front exhaust downpipe to address one of
these advisories and it will be MOT-exempt and free to tax come December.
Starting promptly and running nicely as we have
moved it around on site, this Tin Snail looks like a fun runabout for someone
and will draw far more (positive) attention than any Bentley GT…
Consigned
by James Dennison – 07970 309907 –
[email protected]