I’d hoped that 2013 would be a year in which I calmed down on the fleet. I decided to sell the BX estate, leaving me with just the BX Turbo Diesel and 2CV. Then the 2CV started to demand urgent mechanical attention, so I bought a Mercedes-Benz W124. As far as I can work out, this still makes no sense.

That’s ok though. Three vehicles is very manageable and it always pays to have a couple of spare vehicles when, like me, you thrive on sub-grand motors. Then I got offered a free 2CV. And a complete rolling chassis for another. Now we have four and and half vehicles. How did that happen?

To be honest, the Mercedes is going to be up for sale before too long I suspect, and certainly before I start to restore the latest 2CV. I’ll need the funds as bodywork restoration isn’t cheap. Even though I’m hoping to learn how to weld, the panel budget alone is at least £400.

The garage is even more chaotic than usual. There’s half a 2CV in here, and at least five front wings.

The chassis will be heading to a new home in the Midlands hopefully. I’ve removed the engine as I want to keep that for the red and white 2CV. I also plan to pinch a suspension arm in the hope remedying a flappy kingpin issue. Incidentally, the chassis was an absolute pain in the backside to move. The gearbox had jammed in gear and the rear brakes had seized entirely. I had to remove the engine, swap wheels and bash the rear drums just to get it into the garage.

In the meantime, the new 2CV and the existing one are having to sit outside to await their respective renovations. In a change of plan, I’ve decided to focus on getting Elly the red and white Dolly up fighting fit first. She needs far less work doing, so I shall do what’s necessary for next month’s MOT and use her over the summer. I then hope to start reviving the new 2CV (which still needs a name, if only to avoid confusing with Elly) and in turn once that’s on the road, I can pull Elly into winter hibernation and give her a much-needed proper sort-out. That’s the plan anyway…

2CVs new and old.