2cv 4x4 de 1962 n°429. 60000 Km. Colour: Grey.

MODEL : The 2CV Sahara, called ‘4x4’ after 1962, is the only production car to have had 2 engines and 2 gearboxes, one of which is in the boot (‘trunk’ in the US). As a consequence, the spare wheel is on the bonnet and there are 2 fuel tanks of 15 liters under the front seats that are filled through the doors.
A number of parts are specific to the model, identified with the designation ‘AW’ and so extremely rare, because the total production from 1960 to 1966 was only 694 units.
The 425cc engines give an output of 28 CV (about 27 horsepower), 5CV for the purpose of taxation. Top speed: 105km/hr (about 65mph)
The gearboxes have 4 speeds and the clutches are hydraulic.
The 5 wheels have Michelin ‘X’ tyres of 155 x 400 and have unique rims.
Price at the time: 9,830 Francs, so the price of two ordinary 2CV saloons at 4,840F each.

HISTORY :

I have searched for an example of this model for over 30 years, during which time I have found over 20 of them, but none of which fitted the criteria of the museum. They were often in a partly wrecked and incomplete state, or totally restored. I saw this particular car, number 429 of production, in Svelvik in Norway in 1993, almost complete, stored correctly in the dry in a barn since 1973. At that time, the owners were 4 brothers who did not want to sell. In 2010, they decided to do so and by lucky chance one of the brothers met a Frenchman in the marina of Svelvik.
The brother told him that a French Citroen fan had been interested in buying the car 17 years earlier, but he had lost the contact details! So from this, the contact was made again thanks to another Frenchman, my friend Jacques David who has lived in Oslo for more than 30 years. He went as my representative at an auction by phone, another Norwegian Citroen enthusiast was interested too. Finally, the 2CV returned to France, after 49 years, to its country of birth.It had been ordered in 1962 along with n° 247 by the state telephone company in Norway.  In the north of Norway, it had been preserved so well from corrosion by the tremendous cold and lack of use of salt on the roads.It’s still in the same condition when I bought it, I didn’t work on it yet.