Here’s a reason to keep your 2CV in pristine shape… At the RM Sothebys’ auction on January 28-29 in Scottsdale Arizona this 1974 Citroën 2CV6 sold for a whopping $49,500 US. And this isn’t a socked away “zero mileage original”, but rather a restored 2CV. Granted the restoration was done to a very high standard by Axel Kaliske of 2CVs R Us in Seattle, Washington, and it was to the rarest of Charleston color schemes, Yellow on black, but even so – $50K? That’s a pretty hefty premium considering one can put a 2CV on the road today restored to “brand new” condition with the rolling chassis that Burton offers, new body shell and completely new interior for under $35K. Ah! – but buyers at auctions like RM Sothebys are not plugged into the 2CV world. They see a cute little 2CV and their wallets open.
The vehicle’s marketing for the auction no doubt helped. Offered from the Craig McCaw Collection, the listing touted the owner’s dedication to quality; and that only best example available was acceptable. And then 24 nicely photographed images were included. The listing eluded to the odometer showing only 406 kilometers at the time of cataloguing. But being that the car was restored, it was not the original mileage!
One other reason for the high price it commanded may have the addendum disclosure that some of the proceeds from the sale of the Craig McCaw Collection would benefit Stanford, the Revs Program at the University, and other charities including The Nature Conservancy. We suspect these were factors in creating record breaking price.
In any event, for the rest of us 2CV owners, even if nice 2CVs are really worth just haft that, it helps to know that our efforts to keep them on the road is money well spent in preserving their value.
RM Sothebys’ photo listing of 1974 2CV6, Chassis no. AZA9103167, Engine no. 1GW02016660:
The auction listing stated the following:
33 hp (SAE), 602 cc horizontally opposed twin-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, leading arm/trailing arm front-rear-linked suspension, and four-wheel drum brakes. Wheelbase: 94.5 in.
The Citroën 2CV was born of a project that began before the Second World War to develop a truly new automobile. Prototypes were squirreled away during the war, in fear of the Axis powers discovering the groundbreaking design, and survived the conflict safely. The car was eventually introduced to the world in production form in 1948, and, as a testament to the tremendous success of its design, it remained in production, virtually unchanged, for a remarkable 52 years.
The car was designed as an affordable automobile that could easily cross rough country roads; the standard for its suspension, for instance, was that it could be driven across a freshly plowed field without breaking a basket of eggs carried within. The suspension itself is mounted horizontally underneath the car, resulting in amazing softness and flexibility over bumps and ruts. The wheels, in typical Citroën fashion, are tucked under the body but moved out to the far corners, further improving both ride and handling. Most amazing was the power that could be wrung out of the air-cooled flat twin-cylinder engine, which allowed the car to keep up with traffic via a four-speed transmission.
This particular model, offered from the Craig McCaw Collection, represents its owner’s dedication to quality; even when selecting a relatively affordable model such as this, only the best example available was acceptable. It was found in this car, a 2CV6 with the larger and more powerful 602–cubic centimeter engine, which had been fully and beautifully restored by the foremost American marque specialists, 2CVsRus of Seattle, Washington.
Showing 406 kilometers at the time of cataloguing, the car presents as virtually brand new, in sparkling two-tone yellow and black with sparingly applied extruded aluminum and chromed plastic exterior trim. Minimalist and charming yet remarkably avant-garde, it is arguably one of the best 2CVs available for sale anywhere and would be a highlight of any discerning collection looking for an example of this landmark automotive design.
? would be far more cheaper to build one from all the new parts still available, few that have been done this way are on the road, if you are looking to just have a 2CV, registered as a Type 101 kit car configuration, this is all within the law.
In fact this is how all the kit cars start off , latter they become a part of the real deal. Look at the 2CVs that were brand new back in the 1990, but sold as an earlier model for the eye of the law.