Citroen Specials Club - the club for all lightweight cyclecars

Showing my ignorance here, but............

Looking very favourably at Lomax 223's at the moment as I have just been medically retired from Network Rail, and want something to keep me interested, and fancy something reasonably priced and "different! Have never been a speed merchant so they look like they would be very suitable and lots of fun.
Plus I'm a bit of a Francophile.

Do 2CV engines need any modification to use unleaded petrol? I have been driving diesels for the last 15 years and am a bit out of touch.

Who do people insure with? I'm a member of the CSMA and insure my current car with their "partner" but suspect that something "different" will not be cheap with them.

Hi,
2CV cylinder heads are made of ali with steel valve inserts, so can cope with unleaded fuel admirably.

However, you may wish to revisit the carb jetting as modern unleaded fuel benefits from slightly increased primary jet sizes.

I was also a CSMA member in the distant past, and found insurance far cheaper with specialist providers - Footman James/MSM/Adrian Flux etc.
The Club currently has an 'arrangement' with FootmanJames to provide discounted motor insurance for CSC members.

Rgrds
Callum

I am also a member of the CSMA and in my experience their insurance is not cheap. They use the LV insurance company and you are supposed to get a discount as a member, which I think is something a con as I could get insurance much cheaper elsewhere with both my tin-top daily transport, and the Lomax..... and you have to pay £20 to be a member.
Kevin

Kevin,
For my everyday car (Skoda Yeti) LV have proved to be very competitive, but as I said I doubt they will be for a Lomax.

Checked with FJ and it looks to be about £125 for 5k miles a year. Might reduce that mileage but I am hoping to do a bit with CSMA Classic Car group, especially as I am Deputy Leader of the Motoring Committee! Biggest problem is that I have an 80 mile journey before we get to anywhere with anything going on.

To reopen this thread;

Picked up a pile of spare parts today, which included a Haynes manual, and that states that pre-86 models should NOT use unleaded petrol.
Is this another Haynes mistake?
(Mine's a 82 model)

UNLEADED & BIO FUEL IN 2CVS.
First the good news.
A) All 2cv4, 2cv6 (Dolly, Charleston etc.), Dyane4, Dyane6, Méhari, AK, AZU, Ami8
and Acadianes produced since 1970 have M28, M28/1 or A79/1 engines. All will run
correctly on unleaded fuel, with just a few provisos.

Full text here...
http://www.ecas2cvparts.co.uk/info_page ... 235ec385c8

The only comments I would add are that I've never used additives, however any engine I've worked on will have had its carburettor re-jetted to compensate for the 'leaning' effect of ethanol and also had spark plugs with a colder heat range fitted.

llanigraham wrote:To reopen this thread;
Picked up a pile of spare parts today, which included a Haynes manual, and that states that pre-86 models should NOT use unleaded petrol.
Is this another Haynes mistake?
(Mine's a 82 model)

Thanks Ken, so it is another Haynes booper!!

What plugs do you use?

NGK B7HS for a car that's used for shopping or carting the grandchildren around, B8HS for those which work harder...

llanigraham wrote:Thanks Ken, so it is another Haynes booper!!
What plugs do you use?

Ken Hanna wrote:NGK B7HS for a car that's used for shopping or carting the grandchildren around, B8HS for those which work harder...

Thanks, think it will be the latter then!!