Com'on youse guys.
Stop pounding on the French. We have a whole new colony of them forming here
in LA and other than the fact that, at parties, they drink a bit then move
into a corner and smoke and listen to depressing French folk music (not to be
confused with depressing Seatle folk music that is in some form of English)
and murmer to each other in raspy undertones of a language that always sounds
like they're complaining, they're ALL RIGHT.
The women are pretty, the men are good natured and witty and as long as you
talk to them BEFORE they drink enough to revert to smoking and complaining
you'll have a great time. And boy can they cook!
As for the cars, I/ve owned a few and they have been exciting and different
and lots of fun. But I'll readily admit that I'm weird. I've owned a Peugeot
403, a rather stodgy and predictable sedan that felt as solid as a fifties
Buick and never missed a beat. It had a sunroof and room for six. The only
Brit car that could rival it would be a Morris Oxford or one of the smaller
Mercedes. I then owned two big Citroens, an ID 19 and a DS 21, both '67s.
These were so weird that one could imagine that they were alien
shuttlecraft. The DS had an electric semi-pre-select automatic clutched
trans and a big rubber button for the electro-hydraulic braking system. You
could raise and lower it like a very slow low rider, and it could be driven
with only three wheels if necessary. It had a little two liter mill that
could push this six passenger car at almost 100mph and still get over 28mpg.
Did it break? Sure! but no more than most other old cars! Were the parts
always "onna-de-boat" and at least three weeks away? Sure, but that's why
you need two of them! Did everyone think I was Crazy? Sure, I wouldn't have
it any other way!
Last time we were in the UK, we rented a Peugeot 205, a little econobox that
they stopped making last year. Ours had a1100cc/5speed and was so much fun to
drive that I wanted to bring it home! They also made the SAME CAR with a
1900cc Turbo that was supposed to be killer fast AND I even saw a few in
convertible form. I saw more of these in the UK than in France (though I also
saw more Minis in Paris than I did in all of the UK! See you on the Funway!
Rick Feibusch, Venice, California
Automotive Journalist/Appraiser
http://www.EnglishCars.com/rick.html
mailto:RFeibusch@aol.com
61 Minor pickup
60 Minor Saloon
59 Minor Convertible
69 Chevelle Malibu 350
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