Car Spotting

[Gerard C]

'55: https://lautomobileancienne.com/velam-isetta-1955-1958/

[fieldodreams79]

Bu

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Geez is there any tyre on those round things, I’m hesitant ant to call them wheels

[Gerard C]

If you don't go for bespoke tires (is it only possible?) you won't find anything above 24". Those ones looking bigger than 24", I guess its possible to some to find adequate tires. Dishes apart, this car looks great imo. I guess its on pneumatic suspensions too.

[broadrun96]

Y'all aren't looking in the right spots then, you can get rubber bands to go around your 24s and up at multiple tire places. Ok, they ain't cheap and gotta order but have known more than a few of those idiots. My ex manager at Ye Olde Shitty Kitty used to have a 4WD Chevy with 24s and rubber bands, yeah he paid extra for 4wd and then dropped it and 24s. He was a DJ too so not the brightest kid.

Been playing the fun spot interesting things I don't get to see and had a few very nice 2CVs today and May's favorite the Dacia Sandero. Also an Elise and Jeep Gladiator at Omaha Beach. Weirdly I keep seeing Jeep Renegades, aren't those just fancy body kits on a 500X? Seems like you took the Euro car made it for Americans who want a baby SUV with a Jeep sticker and then took it back over with a Brooklyn sticker on the front. Jeeps don't live in Brooklyn, that used to be hoopties (see blue above but worser) but now more likely AMG and Range Rivers.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

If you don't go for bespoke tires (is it only possible?) you won't find anything above 24". Those ones looking bigger than 24", I guess its possible to some to find adequate tires. Dishes apart, this car looks great imo. I guess its on pneumatic suspensions too.

26" - https://www.autodoc.co.uk/tyres/rada...507763-dsc0138

[Gerard C]

Spot on, Malcolm, thanks.

broadrun96 you made my day, in fact my eve, reminds me those wonderful accents and country. Moons ago, I was the french importer for Harman K and JBL louds. Was lucky to visit both NY area and LA. I don't regret any second spent with those people. One of my best souvenir is when the JBL boss picked me up at Marina del Rey (from memory) driving his black convertible 944. And may be the Tom Sayer story at Broadway. Tank ya!

[broadrun96]

Last stop for a few days before outside of CdG and heading home Friday. We got to Auray, nice parking lot thankfully, walk around the corner and parked on the curb was
Ok, I've seen a few trucks single digits and multiple Ranger/Anorak/Hilux but a Raptor?? Seems a bit excessive but good on a guy getting that imported and registered, guessing any gas guzzler tax is a bit steep cause it's high in the US on her

Sitting eating a nice lunch, somehow Brooklyn brewery seems to be a big hit in France so nice IPA as well as I'm not a wine guy, and I see Auray also likes a little train

And just for the van crowd, yup that's a classic for ya joeb.

And finally, not sure what he is but I think I would like one

[Mike Harte]

I believe that it may well be a Citroën Méhari: the French equivalent of the Mini Moke. I'm sure that Gérard will be along soon to correct me!

[Gerard C]

No need to correct you, Dear Mike, you're spot on. The Méhari first purpose was to replace the army Jeep in which of course Citroën failed. Instead of this our French Army went for the Peugeot P4, a strange mix of Merc platform (Steyr trans) and a very much aesmatic Pug naturally aspired diesel. The gov' requirement was that the "car" could be bought from a dealer. I owned both but I really enjoyed several Méhari's…
No substitute for the Moke!
Not really interesting reading here:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_M%C3%A9hari

[Gerard C]

Todays old Méhari are a good "target" for EV retrofit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmuCwEgWJq0 Best specialist in France: https://rfitvintage.com/

[broadrun96]

Nice, yet another 2CV version. Make something once and keep tweaking it, worked for GM trucks for years. And definitely a cool EV swap idea, room for it and you aren't really using that as the daily

Did see a very original 2CV 2dr panel van this afternoon. Told the wife she needed that to drive to the markets each weekend since she's a pastry (galettes, cookies, croissant, entremet) chef. She said it looked like it was built from a kit and spray painted corrugated cardboard. Close, but they run forever and prob 3 tools and completely apart. Sadly she has an ogre for a husband and I'm bigger than any 2CV.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Did see a very original 2CV 2dr panel van this afternoon./ She said it looked like it was built from a kit and spray painted corrugated cardboard.

Exact! Same way as the "tube" was made aka TUB or TUC. Clever engineering, very practical (allowing people to stand inside, low decking…). Only Chenard and Walker did the same type of FWD ute (became a Peugeot invention later on). Better than the VW IMO.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Last stop for a few days before outside of CdG and heading home Friday. We got to Auray, nice parking lot thankfully, walk around the corner and parked on the curb was
Ok, I've seen a few trucks single digits and multiple Ranger/Anorak/Hilux but a Raptor?? Seems a bit excessive but good on a guy getting that imported and registered, guessing any gas guzzler tax is a bit steep cause it's high in the US on her

Sitting eating a nice lunch, somehow Brooklyn brewery seems to be a big hit in France so nice IPA as well as I'm not a wine guy, and I see Auray also likes a little train

And just for the van crowd, yup that's a classic for ya joeb.

And finally, not sure what he is but I think I would like one

I love that you went to France to take pictures of American cars!

[Adam43]

Great pictures. Another road train thing! Everyone will get the impression this is standard transport in Europe!

There are still quite a few 2CVs kicking around in France in daily useage, I think. More than say an old Mini in UK. But I am sad at the lack of Renault 5s. Haven’t seen one for years.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Adam43

.... But I am sad at the lack of Renault 5s. Haven’t seen one for years.

Hehehe I saw one earlier in my trip. In fact I almost ended on its bonnet. I was still in RHD mode and crossing a road in town I did the look right first and then left before crossing. Fine in Aus but not so healthy in Spain and something I do once every trip. No screeching of brakes or diving for cover on my part so not a life threatening moment but it was was a Renault 5 and it did spark a 'dont see a lot of them' moment.

I remember whilst living in Africa as a kid Dad having his Land Rover replaced by a Renault 5. Dad, a Civil Engineer doing remote site visits was not impressed. It lasted about a month before it got classified as 'unfit for purpose' and the Company gave him another Land Rover.

Memory recollection was that I was also very happy. The Landy had three seats in the front which meant I sat in the middle and would get to be the gear lever operator. (Dad would dip the clutch and I would shift the gears) Memory tells me I would have been c 5yo when I became the team gear shifter.



Edit: Forget all of what I said above .... Guilty of a Senior Moment!
All of the above relates to a Renault 4 back in the very early sixties, not a Renault 5. It was also a '4' that I tried to walk in front of the other day, not a '5'. The 5's were much later in the piece. Mum had a couple of 5's over the years when we moved back to England

[Mike Harte]

I'm sure that you're forgiven, Chris; unfortunately, too many of us here suffer from the very same ailment!

[Adam43]

Only one out I nearly said I think you see more older 4s than 5s some some reason.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by E.B

Hehehe I saw one earlier in my trip. In fact I almost ended on its bonnet. I was still in RHD mode and crossing a road in town I did the look right first and then left before crossing. Fine in Aus but not so healthy in Spain and something I do once every trip. No screeching of brakes or diving for cover on my part so not a life threatening moment but it was was a Renault 5 and it did spark a 'dont see a lot of them' moment....

Directly after returning from Le Mans in 1982 I flew out to Belfast for work and was nearly run over by a taxi outside the airport! Thinking that as I was again in a foreign country I looked the wrong way when crossing the road so didn't see him coming...

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by joeb

I love that you went to France to take pictures of American cars!

Sorry, it's more the WTF picture of you're not supposed to be here. There are plenty of interesting things, did not think I would like the Pugs of various sizes but the 308 wagon in the darker green is quite nice looking. Can definitely see their design idea carried over to the 9x8 in the lights. Can't say how it drives but looks wise not bad. The height though, not so much, but then little here is sized for an ogre as previous mentioned

Also noticed well done on vehicle preservation, some good older pizza cutter wheeled hatches out there running. And the love of Harleys is impressive, few Ducati, few Triumph but plenty of Harleys.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Can definitely see their design idea carried over to the 9x8 in the lights. Can't say how it drives but looks wise not bad.

There's a good reason to this, the three lights design is supposed to be a tribute to the rather nice pre-facelift 504 Coupé. https://www.automobile-magazine.fr/t...n-petite-serie

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by E.B

Guilty of a Senior Moment!

I dunno how and why you had your memory refreshed, mon Ami Chris, but as a "gentle reminder" I can tell you that if you've been the gearshift operator of a R4 or R5 of the very first series, at least your personal arrangement must have been somewhat disturbed because it was umbrella shaft style!

Anyway, you've been lucky to spot a real R5, meaning hatch style, because in Spain they've always been attracted by the trunk ones, called there Renault Siete. https://www.planeterenault.com/forum...us-t25324.html Ugly red. Pouah!

[Gerard C]

What I find to be very refreshing and moving is having an American in France and a Brit expat in Aus visiting Spain taking and posting pics of cars. If this is not nice and an absolute petrol head thing, tell me what it is! Thanks you both, be safe, have fun.

[Adam43]

Common car. Less common color.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

What I find to be very refreshing and moving is having an American in France and a Brit expat in Aus visiting Spain taking and posting pics of cars. If this is not nice and an absolute petrol head thing, tell me what it is! Thanks you both, be safe, have fun.

Cars are all interesting and usually a sign of the current attitude and amount of space. More than a few cars I've passed that I'm not sure I could sit in at all but still interesting, and tires to make driving exciting. As James May described the little Toybaru, good power, tiny Prius tires make grip your limit and fun.

And for joeb, saw a Camaro walking down to dinner in Auray this evening, sorry no picture. And an old TJ with the 4L in her, looked a little used and abused, but plenty of stickers on the fun on her.