Smelly 2CVs!

Srdl

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As we were having lunch at the Gîte today, something like 50 or more 2CVs, or derivatives, came along the road in small groups. It seems they are part of a local club going over the top of Ventoux today (so I’m glad I went yesterday!). I was amazed at how smelly the exhaust fumes were and it just shows how efficient modern emissions controls are. Any cyclists going up the mountain this afternoon are going to get a lungful. :shock:
79B953F7-5582-408F-A79E-736EDD14AA6F.jpeg 581A0819-6ED3-4E6D-81CB-A187DE92BDC6.jpeg
 

LostKiwi

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The irony is that the 2CV was the darling of the environmentalists yet it was withdrawn as it couldn't meet emissions regulations!

I quite fancy a Mehari I have to admit...
 
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Srdl

Srdl

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The irony is that the 2CV was the darling of the environmentalists yet it was withdrawn as it couldn't meet emissions regulations!

I quite fancy a Mehari I have to admit...
There were a couple of those in the convoy yesterday as well.
 

LostKiwi

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There were a couple of those in the convoy yesterday as well.
They did a 4x4 version (of both Mehari and 2CV ) with 2 engines. That would be a lot of fun....
 

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They did a 4x4 version (of both Mehari and 2CV ) with 2 engines. That would be a lot of fun....
Saw a Dakar twin engined version at Goodwood. My plumber races one with a BMW R1200 engine in :D
 

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One of our local anti-fracking eco warriors as the weather cools will be be filling his neighbours lungs with carcinogens via his woodburning stove.

He campaigns against cars you know those things with computer controlled emissions systems.

His blackened "exhaust" chucks who knows what out.

He did of course have a 2CV before he became a full on transport vegan.

His campaigning which often involves sitting by the muck spewing chimney at the side of the road outside the fracking site is of course state funded.

That isn't him in this photo
 

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umblecumbuz

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Years ago I drove to Warsaw through what was then East Germany, and across Poland. Empty roads for miles, except for giant ugly Russian lorries and Trabants.
You really could smell a Trabant a mile or two before you overtook it!
 

davidsl500

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2CV's are great if you need to transport a bowlful of eggs across a ploughed field. Not something I do every day...
 

keefysher

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2CV's are great if you need to transport a bowlful of eggs across a ploughed field. Not something I do every day...

or going to the beach. the deckchairs and windbreak (seats and roof) come off easily enough :geek::rolleyes::D:cool:
 

LostKiwi

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The irony is they were made for pre war french roads where driving across ploughed field was the smoother option. These days French roads are so smooth the 2CV levels of suspension travel aren't needed!
In the UK however there could be a point to them.....
 

A.J.

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One of our local anti-fracking eco warriors as the weather cools will be be filling his neighbours lungs with carcinogens via his woodburning stove.

He campaigns against cars you know those things with computer controlled emissions systems.

His blackened "exhaust" chucks who knows what out.

He did of course have a 2CV before he became a full on transport vegan.

His campaigning which often involves sitting by the muck spewing chimney at the side of the road outside the fracking site is of course state funded.

That isn't him in this photo

Looks like a fly tip !! :eek:
 

Frontstep

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Looks like a fly tip !! :eek:


If you or I did that what would happen ?

The councils want to fine us for not bringing in the empty wheelie bin (that they foisted on us) the same day.

The grand hypocrisy is they are supposedly there to protect the environment.

All were missing is a pink boat to cause traffic pollution.
 

Rappey69

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One of our local anti-fracking eco warriors as the weather cools will be be filling his neighbours lungs with carcinogens via his woodburning stove.

Look at all the plastic on his roadside camp :eek:
 

grober

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The irony is that the 2CV was the darling of the environmentalists yet it was withdrawn as it couldn't meet emissions regulations!

Simply not true- the entire 2CV vehicle design was outdated [ partcularly wrt crash safety]and the powerplant was not developed further. The flat twin cylinder air cooled 4 stroke lost spark engine was an object lesson in minimalist design - something which some of today's increasingly complex car engine designers could well learn from- probably the closest thing to a minimum maintenance IC powerplant you could get in its day . With the addition of a megasquirt injection system, LAMBDA sensor, electronic ignition and an exhaust catalyst its likely that the 2 cylinder power plant could still meet most modern emission standards. So it was an economic decision not a technical one.
https://translate.google.co.uk/tran...org/wiki/Moteur_boxer_bicylindre_Citro%C3%ABn
Equating such an engine to 2 stroke trabant engine for example is not helpfull in this context
 

LostKiwi

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Equating such an engine to 2 stroke trabant engine for example is not helpfull in this context
I don't see where I equated it to a Trabant?

Any engine can be made to comply with emissions if you throw enough money at it. Therefore my statement should have been "it was uneconomic to make it pass emissions laws".
 

grober

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Sorry I wasn't getting at you, it was more a comment on the whole derogatory tone of the thread. Its funny how attitudes change depending on context. The translated article I referenced implied the French CV engine designers had been inspired by the BMW M12 flat twin motorcycle engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_R12#Engine-- indicating the 2CV was in essence a motorbike engine adapted for 4 wheel vehicle use. Indeed it may have even been based on the later legendary BMW Flat twin that's powered generations of BMW Touring bikes. A layout revered by many bikers it turns into an object of scorn in a different context. :(
 

d215yq

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They might be inefficient emissions wise but they were so small, simple and light they were capable of an easy 70mpg on a run. It's like my W124 diesel which may well produce a bit of mist when cold or accelerating high but it still gets a genuine 50mpg if you avoid towns, so although the smoke is showing the power train isn't efficent, because it has no catalysts, turbos and airbags it actually more than compensates.

I think this emissions angle is a little bit of a red herring. I, like 98% of scientists, believe in climate change and it being a potentially huge problem for the worlsd as we know it so actually mpg and not buying new stuff is important. Whereas emissions supposedly cause human health problems in cities - of which the studies tend to suggest that most people will die earlier but something like 2 days earlier for breathing it in a life time. The hugely cleaner air already being breathed in cities from catalysts etc also hasn't made much impact too which you would think would have happened if these emissions from 80s cars were so dangerous?...but it seems governments *suddenly* disagree with me after pushing low CO2 cars for ages...
 
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