It was in the fall of 1979. From the Noordoostpolder we drove with the Citroën 2CV4 from my mother to Haarlem. The Citroën GSX stood for a repair in the workshop of the Emmeloorder Citroënagent Dijkstra. The appointment for the family visit could go ahead, as we had the luxury of having two cars at home at the time.
Hero status
I had looked forward to that trip to Haarlem in advance. 120 kilometers had to be covered with a 435 cc power source in the ultimate from A to B car. In advance, these were the ingredients to grant the Deux-Chevaux, which is marked 78-54-UD, hero status. I thought it was a thrilling idea that we were going to demonstrate that an almost unbridgeable distance also with this authentic and basic Citroën could be bridged. Everything that was bigger, more modern and at the same time so much duller could then be placed in perspective by the red one Citroën. That's how I experienced it as a child. The seed for my underdog sympathy was then planted.
With a big grin I experienced the so familiar ride from the polder to Haarlem. While the entire traffic supply of that moment swept past us, I showed awe for the hardworking Citroën 2CV. I was at peace with the utter lack of pace. The Calimero feeling did not take hold of me for a moment in the despite everything comfortable A-Citroën.
Porsche 911
That cozy feeling disappeared instantly near Amsterdam. A gentleman made nervous maneuvers with his Porsche 911. I can still hear my father say it in surprise. "What is he doing now?" The Elfer landed on an exit lane and wanted to return to the main runway. My father anticipated with the Citroën 2CV4 and made room. The Porsche driver didn't understand my father's gesture and hit the brakes. We then passed him. "Then no boy", were the words innocently behind the tilted steering wheel of the Citroën came from.
In the end, the Porsche driver managed to merge. In no time he moved to our left. Sir was angry, honked and cut us off. Then he hurried away, gesturing vulgarly. Just restore the so-called pecking order. With a piece of life-threatening display of power. Because the driver of the Citroën 2CV4 inadvertently transformed the self-proclaimed XNUMXs Dandy in the Porsche into Calimero. Who took on one of the most original and basic cars in history: the Citroën 2CV4, which for him showed the relativity of everything. That easy-to-catch Deux Chevaux had apparently dominated the unsympathetic version of Calimero.
I will never forget it. It was the first time that I became aware of the phenomenon of traffic aggression. And that grimness ruined the ride for me, which I had been looking forward to so much beforehand. Fortunately, there was little consolation. Because I knew that a few days later we had another 120 kilometers with the Citroën 2CV4. Which happened without any problems in all respects. And that's why our Duck has forever hero status. At least for me. Because he then showed that simplicity can take you far, very far.
I now have that 'you go faster - but my car and I last longer' - feeling! I am 18, but I drive a Peugeot 7 in a 205 years older age. The right lane is my domain, but 100 is fine to do. And anyway, thresholds and roundabouts are really a party - who says your suspension has to be hard as nails to have fun? And in the year that I got it, 'Philippe' never let me down, unlike some say about French voitures. Only disappointed that I have not yet traveled abroad with him in the corona year!
With our 2cv4 in 1979 braved the road to Griesalp (Switzerland), gradient 28%
It was like sitting in the back seat.
Fantastic car!
And it has not even been mentioned that in the summer driving the col du gallibier with an LN 34hp duck engine can just overtake a BMW 2002 halfway through because the air-cooled engine cannot boil.
Wonderful story, beautifully written! I share with the writer the sympathy for “the underdog”, in man and machine… and certainly in cars :)! Yes, of course a 911 is a fantastic car, especially the raw boxer sound and those Fuchs wheels… . Once, just before my wedding day (whereby it was a bit of an unspoken wish to get married in such a 6…and write on the wedding card: “Please follow the bridal carriage”… to run away with my sweetheart afterwards from all obligations… to distant, romantic horizons ;)! ) drove into the rear of such a car. I was so preoccupied with “how beautiful that Porsche that drove in front of me was”… that I braked too late… slid into an oil spot before the red light and ended up in the rear with my beloved 911 station wagon. The Peugeot could simply drive even further… the Porsche couldn't :)!
Great story, so traffic aggression is timeless.
The FF - 62 - 38 yes my first duck and license plate, read that several license plates are engraved in the memory
With 3 people on our way to the winter sports in Switzerland in an Ak400 where we drove the same Porsche that did not climb the mountains with too much gas, slipping too much while we drove through the snow unperturbed thanks to the front-wheel drive! He was made to chug along in the trail!
Drove the Dyane 6 to Barcelona once in one week there and back, together with my friend in Oct '98 .. about 6 went quite well!
My parents had 1970-1984
3x a 4 and they were very slow idd. Oil consumption was also one thing ...
Mazda was what my father appreciated after that
My first experience with traffic aggression must have been in the Maastunnel sometime in the mid-50s. There, according to a gentleman, my father gave insufficient space to overtake, regardless of the fact that even then you were not allowed to go faster than XNUMX km / h and not change lanes.
In any case, in our already antique Opel Olympia, we were cut to a stop with screeching tires and a lot of horn, after which a hot-tempered young fellow came towards us. My father had barely gotten out when the first punch was handed out. But my father did boxing as a hobby and ducked away, so that the tunnel pirate banged with his bare fist against the rock-solid window pillar of the Opeltje with full force. You just heard the bones creak. My father quickly got behind the wheel and hurried away.
My second duck was a yellow: 63-63-UD. I myself am anything but technical, but my relationship at the time claimed to be so and did the maintenance like an experienced garage owner. At one point, on the way to Paris, smoke was all coming from under the hood and it was blue inside too. I didn't know how “fast” [not entirely applicable with a deus [or: 2 patte] had to get to the emergency lane. The oil level cover turned out to be open. But luckily I always had extra fuel and oil on board and we could continue to Paris. I have had a total of 3 ducks and I still regret that I finally had to get rid of my last years ago because of my two left hands and meager schoolteacher's salary!
A duckling or 911 with two ones, it doesn't matter much. My wife owns a 2cv purely original and I have a 911 T restored as purely as possible. Driving both cars is pure pleasure. It's just what you experience as fun. For us it is both.
78-54-UD I read.
My father's first car, a Moris Minor 4-door sedan (so not the well-known station), then still with those folding flashing flaps, had-according to tradition- 50-66-UD
Contemporary.
Porsche, pffff. What an overestimated event that is!
Then indeed rather a Duck.
Erik, how recognizable. Those brave cars fought the elements together with the driver. And they conquered those elements, however primitive (romantic) at the time. That's why I prefer to drive a classic, in my case an Ami, GSA, ID. Then you feel nature, technology and that as a driver you are mainly a human being.
the current price developments of the 2 cv may soon be heading towards the porch, maybe the roles will be reversed again !!?