Acadiane gone, replaced by Dyane with dodgy speedo (advice?)

[harvestmouse]

I was sort of sad to see the Acadiane go, after I had taken it to bits AND put it back together (I don't always do the second bit) but I think that it has gone to a good home.

Latest acquisition is a 1968 Dyane 6 saloon. It's a bit rusty in places and has a collection of scrapes that look like they have gradually been added to over the last 46 years and not attended to, but it runs fine apart from a (discovered today) loose connection somewhere in the charging circuit. Has just passed its Contrôle Technique (French MOT) with only a few advisories.

It has retained a smell from way-back-when. The Acadiane didn't have that. The back smelled of dried dung and the front smelled of welding.

Have asked my girlfriend to stop me if it looks like I'm going to dismantle it. There are only two or three holes and the biggest is 2p-sized.

Will try and make it look a bit happier without going overboard.

* The speedo needle only goes up to 68km/h, even if I'm going faster. I know that most of the time it doesn't get the chance to register anything higher, but I'd still like to know. Does anyone have experience of this? The car hasn't been sitting around for too long. Your help, as always, is appreciated.

Hope you lot are all well and not having too many Citroën-related problems.

[RichardW]

I had trouble with a Visa speedo where it had sat in the sun and the end of the needle had curved up a bit - just enough for it to foul the 'glass' and stop it reading more than 40mph. Snipped the end off the needle and it worked again. No idea if this could apply to the Dyane speedo though!

[sparksie]

Shudder!!!
One of those nearly took my fingertips, when refitting the wing after changing the plugs!
Why do the French think that simply beacuse it physically fits is a good enough reason to use a power plant in any application?
Surely the wing could have been made part of the bonnet, Triumph Herald fashion, if they couldnt fit an engine with accessible service items!
Frankly I'm surprised opening the oil filler cap wasn't an engine out job on some of them!
You obviously know your way around them, but for those who don't, they start out made of very thin metal, with razor sharp edges EVERYWHERE. Then they get frilly and the jagged edges are even worse, because they leave bits inside you. You have been warned!
Oh... don't ever get rear-ended in one! You'll end up sitting on the bonnet of whatever hit you, wondering where your car went. They peel open like a banana, if hit at the right point...
Taking cover now...

[Jaf]

Sorry no advice, but she's sweet looking. Not sure about the bull bar though, gives her face a bitety look.

[harvestmouse]

JAF I agree with you about the bull bar. They call them buffalo bars in France. I think that the buffalo would still win, even with this on the front of the car. It's going to come off / be sold but I need another bumper first, as the original one has the necessary holes in it for the bar to fit.

SPARKSIE Have a look at my other post which contains a photo showing quite how much I dismantled the Acadiane. I can see your point about spark plugs. They do look accessible on this without removing the wings but haven't tried yet. I had the engine out when I changed them on the van. I have had Triumph Heralds and Spitfires in the past and have wondered why more manufacturers didn't do the bonnet/wings combination.

[harvestmouse]

Mystery solved!

The needle, which is about three times as long as it needs to be, has its progress halted by a small piece of perspex that is right at the top of the speedo. The purpose of this is unknown.

I was unable to see the top of the speedo whilst driving as I am over six feet tall. Will try to remove it and sort the problem, probably by shortening the needle a bit.

Fortunately, it's a Dyane and not a CX, so it won't be an engine-out job to remove the speedo.

[Richard_C]

I had 2 Dyanes back in the late 70's, 80's, did 150k miles between them and I don't recall ever needing to remove the wings, certainly not for spark plugs. I do remember treating myself to a good 3/8 drive socket set, the 1/2 drive one I had been using on good old British cast iron lumps was too agricultural.

I though some might like to see these photos. We got the first one brand new, new car loan deal from my wife's work, here it is before collection so outside and under bonnet all as it left the factory. Third one somewhere 'in the wild'. Must have been after our trip to France when I bought a door mirror for the passenger side from a tiny Citroen garage in the Cerdan. The proprietor/chief mechanic/sales manager/storeman/pump attendant (all one person) seemed amused by someone from England turning up and asking for one.





I wish I still had one.

[harvestmouse]

Nice photos, thanks. I used to travel to school in a yellow Dyane sometimes. Not ours (we had an Austin 1300 and a Princess 2200 wedge) but we did car sharing a few decades before it was either trendy or necessary. The R5 Gordini is the only car on your list that really takes my interest.

Back to the speedo issue - further inspection revealed that the perspex cover isn't even stuck down, all I have to do is move it up 5mm and put a dab of glue on it.

[RichardW]

We had a Dyane that colour - TDL 690S IIRC. Leaked like a sieve!!

[lexi]

Lovely pics Richard. I wish I had one too..........in the same nick as that one in your pic man!

[Richard_C]

Here you go then (for Harvestmouse):

[Lighty]

I had one of those Gordinis too, great looking Dyane by the way , always love em.

[harvestmouse]

Mmmmm nice.