Barn finds come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from cars packed in a shed to a single special vehicle sitting forgotten in a field. This one is particularly weird, though. It’s a one-off three wheeler that uses a Citroën 2CV engine to power the front wheels. And it hasn’t run in 25 years.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Citroën 2CV, think of it like the Volkswagen Beetle of France. Following World War II, it was the people’s car of choice, providing basic transportation on rough roads for an affordable price. Power came from a flat-twin engine driving the front wheels. Production ran from 1948 through 1990, with millions of units sold.
This vehicle is not a standard 2CV, though. It takes the Citroën running gear and crafts a sporty body around it. The result looks like a French take on the classic Morgan Three-Wheeler, including some wood portions of the frame under the metal body.
The body appears to be from hand-formed pieces of metal, with some very basic leather upholstery in the cabin. There are also Brooklands-style windshield pieces with no bezel that manually flip up.
The host of the video attempts to get this car running again despite the decrepit condition. Thankfully, the 2CV’s engine is about as simple as things get. The powerplant doesn’t want to run at first, but it does turn over, which is a good sign. This mill has points for the ignition, so this guy just cleans them off with sandpaper.
Finally, spraying some starting fluid into the carb gets the engine going. It runs rough at first but eventually settles into a smooth idle. Sadly, we don’t actually get to see this weird machine on the move. Even with the engine running, we don’t know the transmission’s health, nor do we know what else is necessary to put this bizarre machine on the road again.
Anyone who owns a project car understands that every little step is a success. Getting the engine running is a big step. Making the transmission work is also significant progress. Working brakes are a victory. We can’t wait to see this bizarre machine running again.
