1986 Citroën 2CV

Which is a fully restored, Paris-built Citroen 2CV6 Special. With many new panels, a galvanised chassis, a rebuilt engine and finished in its original colour of Veluga Red with a blue and grey tartan-esque interior, it’s as close to a new 2CV as you’re going to find these days.

Freshly MOT’d and backed by a thick wad of paperwork from its restoration plus a photo album on a memory stick, this lockdown project comes to us to make space for the seller’s next project, an even earlier 2CV from 1955. (probably worth setting a reminder in your calendar for about three years, eh?)

But, if you can’t wait that long then we think this might be the best and nicest on offer in the UK today – and it comes with a guide price that’s as modest as its performance…

Every panel on the car bar the doors is new, including the bulkhead. Carefully fitted with new seals and windscreen, their alignment speaks of many long hours gently coaxing them into position. This means there are no dents, dinks or other damage of course but also a better-than-average panel fit that shows off the 2CV’s iconic curves to perfection.

As does the Veluga Red paint. The same colour it left the Citroen factory in Paris in, it’s vibrant and cheery and makes it impossible to look at the little Citroen without smiling.

Its beauty is more than skin-seep, though: The painted steel wheels (brand new) are, just like the rest of the Citroen, in a perfect condition and fitted with super-skinny 125R15 Michelin tyres (brand new), just like they left the factory. New wheelnuts too, obviously.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

A non-standard ‘radiator’ grille provides a subtle touch of bling, and the fold-up, roll-away fabric roof (brand new) looks terrific and does exactly what it says on the tin. It, like everything else on the 2CV, is beautifully simple and elegantly designed. This one, from 2CV specialist Matt’s Soft Tops, also fits very well indeed and is undoubtedly of a higher quality than the factory one.

The glass, light lens, and badges are all excellent thanks to many new parts and there are also lashings of new nuts, bolts and screws. A fortune has been spent here and not just on the big-ticket items.

Faults? Well, those of us with a hint of the obsessive about our nature will want to straighten the front bumper as it isn’t quite level. You could call it wabi-sabi, if that helps?

There isn’t much to the interior of a 2CV but what there is is fabulous. It starts with padded seats front and rear, all of which are comfortable and in great condition thanks to having been rebuilt from the bare frame up with new rubbers, foam, and covers.

Of course, the rear seat can be removed very easily and used as a picnic bench, and the front windows flip-up, giving you plenty of elbow room when the sun’s out. Simple and clever, you see?

New grey door cards and a rubber mat on the floor continue the minimalist vibe, and the dashboard contains just the one instrument and four new switches. That’s okay though because it still has everything you need and nothing that you don’t.

The gearknob is lightly patinated and operates the dog-leg gearbox. The handbrake is the ubiquitous ‘umbrella’ design but it works well and grips the front wheels tightly.

The underside of the hood is as good as the outside, and the painted frame is in a great condition.

The boot is just about the cleanest I can recall seeing, which is high praise indeed given how many wonderful cars we sell each year.

In short, there’s nothing here for the new owner to do. Which, if you’re a driver rather than a tinkerer, is good news.

The engine bay is an utter delight. Fresh and clean and beautifully detailed, it shows off the rebuilt 602cc, twin-cylinder, air-cooled engine to perfection. As well as benefitting from new pistons and barrels, the carburettor was rebuilt. The gearbox was checked and found to be fine.

Other work included new dampers, exhaust, arm bearings, brake wheel cylinders and much, much more. Please see the attached invoices for the full details.

There are even new heater tubes in there, which isn’t something every restorer replaces and bodes well for the quality of the work that was carried out.

Obviously, it starts, runs and drives as it should.

The underside is spotless. Painted rather than undersealed and sitting atop a galvanised chassis, the whole car is so clean that I reckon a couple of hours with a detailing cloth would see you walking away with a rosette at your local classic car show.

MOT’d until June 2023, the car comes with all the invoices and bills from its recent restoration plus a digital photo album of the work.

The Citroën 2CV is a perennial favourite. As classless as the original Range Rover (although considerably cheaper to run…) it can be taken anywhere without worry and parked with merry abandon as no thief would steal it.

(Pre-occupied with their lack of self-worth, your average car thief will only steal stuff that is likely to attract like-minded wastrels and idiots rather than anything that will appeal to discerning enthusiasts like us.)

The trouble is that the days of being able to buy a good ‘un for a few hundred pounds are long gone because the world and his wife have come to realise how good they are.

This means you’re going to have to dig deep to make this one yours.

How deep? Well, somewhere between £8,000 and £12,000 should do it, and if that sounds like a lot you can draw comfort from the fact that it’s a deposit rather than an expense because you’re almost certain to get it all back when the time comes to sell.

It’s also infinitely rebuildable so will last forever, which means your environmental conscience can rest assured that it has a far, far smaller carbon footprint than anything you can buy new, no matter what their marketing department might tell you.

And, it’s being offered with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid.

Really, what’s not to like?

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.