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Light Overland Vehicle Tech Tech issues, tips and hints, prepping for travel
Under 3500kg vehicles, e.g. Land Cruiser, Land Rover, Subaru etc.
Photo by Alessio Corradini, on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, of two locals

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Alessio Corradini,
on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia,
of two locals



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  • 1 Post By Tim Stiles

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  #1  
Old 11 May 2009
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: France
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2WD 2CV preparation for pistes

The 2cv is especially good for desert travel, being air cooled, simple, practical and amazingly strong for its size. It often rides over the sand but as power of the 602cc engine is low, you need to think like a biker when packing the car. The ACADIANE vans are the best, bigger wheel bearings, longer travel shocks at the rear and biggest strongest springs ,best of the engines/boxes and disc brakes. If the floor is at all rusty, weld in a new one.

They MUST have strengthening of the chassis by welding strips of plate along the chassis rails, the ride height is easily raised to increase ground clearance, by simply adjusting the tie rods going to the springs.
With the seats forward, theres room for a 1M wide full length bed inside, and its easy to hinge the side panels to make extra storage space. They have a perfect space already for a 2nd fuel tank (about 8 hrs driving) but the tanks must be protected underneath from stones.
A sumpguard or skid plate in 4mm alloy is easily bolted to the front of the chassis, to go back as far as behind the cross silencer, fit an extra support on the tailpipe of the exhaust.
We fitted a rev counter (frightening really often at 7000 rpm!) use 20/50 oil, and 2 power sockets for GPS and charger.
Cover the exposed brake pipes with rubber split tube, and tape round the rear arm to protect the pipes.
We fitted a safe under the passengers seat for valuables/money.
Make sure the cooling fan is protected with a fine gauze as stones entering will smash the plastic fan.
We completed 7500 kms in 16 days in the Sahara and High Atlas (8000 feet!) without any real problems, 1st gear for over an hour.
Tim Stiles
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  #2  
Old 11 May 2009
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 67
2cv simple is bedt

Yep I can second that Tim. 20,000 k roundtrip hollland to turkey via Ukraine.

You can further improve suspension by fitting koni shocks, big difference.

Front wheel arms to be strengthened with half moon shaped 8mm steel (standard 2cv mod in holland for 2cv 'motor cross')

I carried 2 spare wheels mounted on outside of car where normally the small triangular windows are. Replace with ply and simply bolt them on with 1 long bolt. This of course doesn't apply to van.

Only problems during 20,000 k were left hand drive shaft replacement, alternator replacement, exhaust welding and 'most' of that in Germany.

10 punctures in Ukraine. 6 tyres no luxury...
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  #3  
Old 18 May 2009
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: France
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2cv bits

Brilliant, I took 2 tyres and 2 extra tubes and didnt get a flat tyre...but if I hadnt taken them I would surely have suffered!
Ref the Koni, I used to sell them from my VW tuning shop in UK but they are no longer available for 2cvs as I tried unsucessfully to source them! Maybe still available in Holland as they are made there......
I doubled up the exhaust mounts, added an extra one on the side mounted tailpipe and added extra supports to the "cross box" of the centre silencer ...it worked as nothing fell off! Tim...keep Deuching...
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Old 18 May 2009
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2CV's, now this sounds like my kind of fun. Any website links I should look at?
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