i “any! It's been a good 30 years.:. Happy birthday, ONY ELE OOEE “taps littleduck By CHRIS ADSHEAD The Citroen 2CV was unveiled before a very surprised French Public at the Paris Auto Show in 1948. However, during the year only a handful of the cars were produced for design, development, and_in- troduction at the Show. The car was to say the least, unique, and yet even now in 1979 the car continues to enjoy excellent sales. The history of the 2CV goes back to the mid 1930's and the then Managing Director of Citroen, Pierre Boulanger. . He had seen the success of the -legendary Traction Avant and realized there was a crying demand in France for a small 4-door car that was in his words, “four wheels under an umbrella”. He also decided that the car’ should be capable of driying over a farmer's field, loaded. with ¢ggs, without breaking any! The car had to be economical and func- tional, and, at. the same time, requiring the minimum of care and attention. He set his designers to work on the project and in 1939 a series of 250 proto- TIDY CAR Associate dealer Tom Turner featuring Preserv-a-shine types were tested and readied for the market place. With the outbreak of the war the project was ‘shelved and all but three of the prototypes were destroyed—the remaining three were hidden and did not see day light until 1945 when the project was dusted off and development started again. There is through this story, a very strong parallel with the Volkswagen Beatle which also was developed as a“people’s car” prior to the war but not produced until CONTINUED ON PAGE 50 t | | | | | | | | | | | | | I | | | | | | | | | | | l | | \ * OPENING MAY 7 * ‘Locally owned & operated” ‘@ ask about our conditional ECONO GUARANTEED BRAKE PACKAGE * specialist in foreign and domestic cars, light trucks, vans. etc. * disc & drum brakes * shock absorbers & exhaust systems ® we can handie Motor Homes! a2 OT ADB Ae 28 egad At Econo your safety is our business ECONO BRAKE & MUFFLER a | f Never wax your car again aici This coupon is worth 15% off 984-9581 erent limit one per customer , 7 a 860 W. 15th, North Vancouver Ge i Call now for a Free Esti mM ate aE (across from Dave Buck Ford) , 986-2178 _ SAVE $5 WITH THIS AD