1984 Citroen Acadiane

Whist Britannia Ruled the Waves after WW2 and turned her industrial might into once again manufacturing motor vehicles of the sound but ordinary type of Austin, Morris etc., France Waived the Rules and built some strange devices. This could be because there was little in the way of raw materials, perhaps oddments from pre-war parts bins and a fair bit of farmyard detritus. Add to this the fact that her roads were potholed and poorly maintained at the time (a bit like ours are now) and there was the need for cheap transport that could reliably cover large distances over dubious terrain.

Hence the arrival of the Deux Chevaux or 2CV, a flimsy looking creation of corrugated metal with accommodation for 4 persons or a number of animals, or some of each. Power was from a 425cc horizontal air cooled twin cylinder engine driving through a manual 4 speed gearbox, the lever of which protruded from the dashboard and caused much disconcertion to the operator.

The Dyane was a much improved version of the 2CV and had a more powerful 602cc engine and the Acadiane was the commercial version. And so throughout rural France you will still find these vehicles weighed down by all manner of cargo, carrying out their duties, probably with minimum maintenance and with a frugal thirst.

The British classic motor enthusiast totally loved the 2 CV and its derivatives. They were often rebuilt with new chassis and seldom maltreated again. Our Acadiane on offer here has clearly been refreshed and had its steering wheel moved to a more appropriate location for British roads. The vendor advises us that it is generally in good condition with brakes renewed in 2017, good wheels and decent tyres. Presented in beige with blue trim and boasting an MOT certificate to 30^th January 2020, this is ready to insure, tax and use. It comes with a current V5C registration certificate and said MOT test certificate.