Having once had Elly restored to ‘really very nice’ condition, there’s no way I’m doing it again. ‘Really very nice’ is too hard to maintain with a car I use so much, and for so many things. Like off-roading and rallying.

But, do I go the whole hog and ditch the red/white paint scheme that this car has had from new? I think I just might. In fact, given that I’m a bloody hippy, perhaps it’s about time I had a car that looked like a bloody hippy owned it. Psychedelic man!

After all, there was a time when LOTS of 2CVs looked just like this.

Cool man! Not enough 2CVs like this in modern times.

Just fabulous. And, should a panel get damaged, you haven’t got to worry about a paint match have you? As the Dyane has proved, there’s a lot to be said for clumsy brush painting too. Quite a lot of that car is in superb condition thanks to the protection of extra paint. Brilliant.

Would she attract a bigger crowd with ‘artwork’ paint?

The biggest problem is that I’m no artist. Well, I can do quite nice chunky writing, but I’m not really sure how to even get started on the blank canvas that is my 2CV. I don’t know which paint to use either – I welcome all suggestions.

I’ve also got decisions to make about bumpers. Elly has had that tubular front bumper fitted since 2006, but it’s quite rusty and powder coated, so a paint to sort out. Never powder coat anything. It’s bloody horrible stuff and doesn’t protect steel as well as you might hope.

I know some purists might not like my plans, but there really are enough ‘nice’ 2CVs out there. In fact, dare I say it, hand-painted 2CVs have become far too rare of late, and shows tend to have lines of immaculate 2CVs in near-original condition these days. There are some very notable exceptions, and a friend’s hand-painted Charleston has won its class (all disc-brake 2CVs so 1981-1990) so many times it’s now in the Masterclass with some very, very tidy cars.

A friend’s delicious hand-painted 2CV in a shiny line up.

Simon’s car very neatly demonstrates that hand painted doesn’t have to be shambolic. It looks ace. I especially like how he’s kept the Charleston theme of the car, and perhaps I can keep the Dolly theme of Elly. I’d certainly like to. What I definitely don’t want to do is cultivate a faux rat look. That’s far too common and, generally speaking, always a bit awful. It’s like immaculate beards. Just a bit wrong. I think I need to print out some 2CV outline drawings, dig out the crayons, and get creative. Perhaps I can ask my nephew and niece for help with this one!

All this thought is down to the fact that progress on Elly’s resurrection has stalled for now. The body has been assessed and we’re starting to get the panels together that will be needed for the overhaul to commence. I’ve no firm feel for timescales, but I doubt much will happen for at least a month or so. Plenty of time to get in touch with my inner hippy artist. Peace man.

Peace! Dyane has inspired me to come up with a hand-painted scheme for the 2CV.