SNAIL

Panthershaun · Dropped Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 247 Location: Kent, UK

Righto guys.
I have purchased a 2 CV rolling chassis (galvanized) for my project. It comes with no body but I have been offered a Van body with chassis for a good price .
How low can I go with a van body? as I really fancy a LOW car, channeling etc is no problem. I was going to make a modified style 2 CV saloon but the van body keeps on popping back into my mind Embarassed

I will have a spare galvanized chassis for sale if I buy the body so what can I expect to get for it?
I do need help as my pennies are very limited but I want to build a really cool snail!!! Rolling Eyes

Cheers
Shaun
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In-the-Shed Speed Shop.

JoZeF · Grave Digger Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 1734

Hi

Well, you've seen pics of my Van. the chassis is about 7cm off the ground at the front. and no Channeling.

Stefan's daily driver can be seen in the Your Rides section.

his chassis is 4 cm off the ground (with uprated springs and shocks)

Channeling a 2cv has been (and must be) done if you want a really low car. the height of the chassis (12cm) seems to be the way to go, although I would advise to spare 1cm in order to avoid body ripping and other joy. Changing a chassis is easier than welding in new floors.

You will need to alter the angle of the pivots at the front, in order to keep the same angle as when the 2cv is stock height.

There are other little details that need looking into (Axle bolt heads that stick out lower than the chassis) people weld "covers" to protect them (if the bolt head gets "scraped off" enough, you can lose your axles Laughing

which is kinda fun up to a certain point... also, channeling will require a hole in the bonnet, or, ideally, lowering the engine/box, cause it's going to be much higher...

But basically it seems possible to get the sills of your Snail at about 5cm off the ground, and have a driveable car (within reason, you're not gonna be able to jump over speed humps anymore, of course)...

I'd keep the galvanised chassis If I were you. but then again what do I know.

The most expensive parts are going to be the uprated shocks and springs. I guess.

If you don't go over the top and do most of it yourself you could build quite a cheap neat looking car. Even with standard rims and more or less stock inside/engine...

Bye
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"That bumper fits there like sunglasses on pig" Laughing

O.E.

Panthershaun · Dropped Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 247 Location: Kent, UK

Cheers JoZef. Storage space is my biggest problem and I have a couple of cars spread around various farms at the moment as it is.
I have to finish my Pop first before I embark on this big time so I can get it under cover to work on (it always seems to rain in the UK when I want to work on the cars Sad

) which is why I'm gathering all the info I can now so that when I get the free space I can dive right in.
I am even thinking of selling some of my bikes to finance this build Shocked

but I still can't decide between a really cool low van and a chopped/channeled modified style Confused

maybe I should get a standard car body as well and do both and see which I prefer Rolling Eyes

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In-the-Shed Speed Shop.

Spookeend · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 2:02 pm Post subject:

Channeling should not be to hard, either with a 2cv or a 2cv van, i think.
We have been talking and trying out ideas over here for a while now, and perhaps, in the near future, we will go and try it out. "Biggest" issue in out opinion will be the position of the steering wheel and the pedals. Our option would be to cut out the fire wall, and take some of the top of the fire wall and then place it back in again. In that case all would be still in the right position, only higher, where it should be. The steeringwheel would be mounted on a selfmade place, as that would be so low and sticking out, it would be hard to get in and out of the car. But, we think it must be pointed more towards you then it is in the 2cv originaly. Bacause you will be sitting lower, it would be weird steering if the wheel would be more upright as it original.

To our calculations, it would be possible to leave the engine on it's original engine mounts, but we have to find a way to either place the alternator somewhere else, or get a smaller one. In case of an old bonnet, that woud be another storie, as that is allready lower then a modern one, so it would be even harder to place the altornator on the position where it is in a modern 2cv.

Then there is the question about the place of the fenders and the bumpers. If you place the uncut fenders, you won't be able to use the bumper mounting places, as that would then be higher (the front of the chassis) then the bumper mounts. So you either have to go with uncut looking fenders with holes in them, or ride with no bumpers.

The fun is, as we think, that you ride the original ride hieght if you want, and make the car look as it is as low as an lowered 2cv. If you would lower the stops, where it hits as the 2cv gets to low, you could lower it without damge to the body.

This is all we have sofar, lol, i can't weld (yet) but we (i have two friends who can and are 2cv maniacs (low)) have been checking things out, and things will be thought off and made as we go. It's for now, as with most project, future plans, but it is getting closer as one restoration is nearing completion, hahahaha, and then there is one 2cv in spare agian, lol

Greatnix Spookeend
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If it ain't fast, make it LOUD!!!

Jasu · Dropped Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 211 Location: Finland

Hi!

One of my friend is making something like that:

100mm channeling, 45mm top chop, 2cv6 (or Visa) engine and ripple bonnet..!

"Chopped engine"

Yes, I asked can I post these photos. I can answer something of it and also Olli knows this project...
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Make it today, tomorrow it's probably illegal...

Panthershaun · Dropped Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 247 Location: Kent, UK

I'm liking that Jasu, really liking that Laughing

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In-the-Shed Speed Shop.

Olli · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 5:09 pm Post subject:

This is fabulous project. Just roof is more chopped than 4,5cm. Window is chopped 4,5 but also "airconditioner" valve is removed under it so final chopping is around 15cm!

-Olli
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www.ollierkkila.com

Jasu · Dropped Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 211 Location: Finland

TONY ENGLAND · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:13 pm Post subject: STEERING AND CLEARANCE

Shaun. With the steering you could cut the column and weld in two uj's. I used ford fiesta type, cost £5 each. This will allow you to tilt the column to face you. Cool

With the clearance problem under the bonnet, ie alternator hitting etc, i have considered turning the engine around so that the gearbox is at the front with the engine at the back nearest the bulkhead. To do this you would have to 'flip' the diff over so that the drive went the other way. This is only a small job as the diff housing is seperate to the gearbox. Idea

With the engine this way round you could get the body very low with no worry about anything hitting. You may have to build ducting though to get the cool air into the now reversed fan intake.
(WHO SAID THESE THINGS ARE EASY) Laughing

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If it works ok, "LEAVE IT THE FUCK ALONE".

Olli · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 7:18 pm Post subject:

Maybe in this case just removing alternator and droping engine 5cm is a bit
more easy job... Rolling Eyes

-Olli
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www.ollierkkila.com

JoZeF · Grave Digger Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 1734

Haha...

Maybe... Laughing

That chopped AZU is really neat... the Chop job is so much nicer than Pétrés Citron. It looks so much more natural...

Vans are obviously going to be so much more easier to channel...
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"That bumper fits there like sunglasses on pig" Laughing

O.E.

backfire · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:43 pm Post subject:

Nice work, we have tryed it on a dyane body, but it's very difficult the get al the parts to match up again.
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2CV, with Visa turbo charged

Olli · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:50 pm Post subject:

backfire · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 5:58 pm Post subject:

We tryed to chop it, but with the dyane most of the parts are tapered chaped, so if you cut out a part then you have to fill it up again, also in the back with the third window, nothing fits, basically you are better of building a new rear panel.

Unfortunately we don't have any pictures left from this and the body has been destroyed Embarassed

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2CV, with Visa turbo charged

JoZeF · Grave Digger Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 1734

Hmm

Filling in the 3rd window should save a few problems... it's not as if it was actually pretty or useful, especially after a chop...

and cutting through the "angle" edge of the rear door and removing the chop amount either side of this should make life easier...

Agreed, not extremely difficult, just a lot of hours to get things nice.
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"That bumper fits there like sunglasses on pig" Laughing

O.E.