Nice Astro,looks in nice condition too .
Hello, I've just joined, and thought I'd post a pic of my 'unusual' car. A chevvy Astro van AWD running gpl.
Hi Guys
Have just discovered this forum and thought you might be able to help me with some advice.
I have a 1928 Citroen B14 taxi 'Gabrielle'(see link above). The old gal has suffered from the unforgiving sun over the past couple of summers- coupled with the fact that I have had nowhere to garage it since moving to France. It no longer looks how it did when this photo was taken 2 years ago. It's in need of a complete new paintjob. Does anyone have an idea of what this is likely to cost or could you recommend anyone within striking distance of Lodeve in Herault(34) that could do it.....Many thanks....Brian (...and Gabrielle aged 84 and a half!)
Hi All,
I'm wondering if anyone can help me out? I'm looking for a vintage car to hire for my boyfriend's birthday in September. We live in Tours. Would anyone have any contacts, or better still be willing to hire out their car (if that's how it's done? Or with a driver if not?)for the day?
Any help would be much appreciated!
Liz
An update on insurance, thanks to all for the advice given on SFN. I have been insured with Adrian Flux in the past and Footman James, neither of these meet my requirements at the moment. SAGA has been suggested and I have contacted them, they will not insure my car because it is over 30 yrs old, I pointed out that they are keen to insure people who are over 55, why not cars.The person I was speaking to couldn't answer this !! I have decided to do some work on the car over the coming months and winter in readiness for next year, (it's not been a good season,weather wise, for a car with no roof). In the meantime I am still pursuing a suitable insurance company that can meet my needs. Again , thanks to all .
Just a quick note to Colin Underwood. I don't know whether you are still looking for insurance companies. I was in the UK recently and came across a leaflet for Adrian Flux, www.adrianflux.co.uk (Freephone 0800 089 0045). I have never heard of them, but the leaflet claims that they have been Classic Car Insurance Specialists for 30 years.
My problem, when I first tried to insure my car years ago, was that if I insured it as a voiture de collection, all the insurers I went to expected me to insure it as a secondary car and not as a principal car. They kept saying to me, "Yes, but what is your other car?" when I tried to explain that I used my Morris every day. They all insisted that I had to insure it as a principal car if I were driving it every day. I really am interested in what you say, Graham. Is your MGB your only car i.e. your principal car? Sorry about your Morris and the CT, Simon!
That's right, Graham, it does not which is why I said that it used to apply.. a few years ago. Now, of course, you can go where you like. It was a bizarre bit of legislation which I could never figure the purpose of & which I ignored! But it might explain why Tony was under the impression of insurance imposed restrictions.
Mark
I think that restriction no longer applies.
The useage restriction used to apply to collection vehicles a few years ago & all it did then was limit the vehicles use to your own department & the two adjoining depts. you had a sort of chequebook of forms to send to your prefecture if you were going further. The distance restriction was a legal restriction, not an insurance one. My GMC bolster truck cost about 60 euros a year with Retro Assurances, but not as my principal vehicle. It is sold, now, which is just as well, as under the old regs it was exemt CT, but no longer. When the DUKW is finished that WILL be fun to take for a CT - or as a boat perhaps it will be exempt???
Simon
My MGB is FFVE and I regularly visit the UK with it. Insurance is less than 200 Euros and it is insured for 9000 Euros with no limitations on driving.
Still waiting to get my 1957 Morris Minor through the CT for a second time. Also needs attention on the brakes. Was never a problem in the UK with MOT, but seems the CT is more strict on them.
I was also under the impression that registering as a 'voiture de collection' restricted you to driving the vehicle only at weekends, so mine is insured and registered as a regular vehicle so that I am not bound by the restrictions. I'd be grateful to hear of any cheaper ways to insure and run my Moggie.
Graham, I may have been labouring under the wrong impression which I got from the time I first shopped around in France for car insurance. My Morris is my only car and I use it for day to day purposes. I thought that Classic Car insurance, i.e. insured as a 'voiture de collection', limited you in both the time and distance you may use your car in any one year e.g. only going to Rallys on the odd weekend etc. Is that true? Currently, I am being insured as a modern car. In fact, my Morris is insured at a rate for a car going 0-60 mph in 4 seconds. I told them that the day I do that I want a year's free insurance!
Tony
Dont forget if you have not already done so you can register it with FFVE http://www.ffve.org/ and then you only need a control every 5 years and classic insurance.
My 1968 Morris Minor Traveller passed the Contrôle Technique yesterday on its second attempt. I had to get new brake shoes fitted. I hadn't realised that anything was wrong with the old ones. I don't drive fast and I hardly ever use them, except for stopping, but they insisted, so all in all, it has been an expensive exercise. Still, I am both relieved and pleased!
Thankyou to those who have made suggestions as to insurance. I have been with Footman James but the time is limited for each trip. I will try Saga when in UK next month, also I have been given the name of BDG in Dinan as a possible.
Cheers ,Colin
For Sale, a 1967 SIMCA 1000. Second owner, 142,000 km, manual drive. Body is in good shape. Does not run at the moment. I have an English shop manual to go with it. Asking 1200 or best offer. No exchange.
I am looking for a new classsic cars to illustrate this year - previous work on www.idea1.eu.
If you have an interesting car and have a good set of photographs please contact me. I will provide an A3 print when completed.
They might have changed their policy then, Brian, but before I moved over here permanently, Footman James insured my car for both the UK and in Europe and I could make an unlimited number of trips abroad for any length at a time. They knew that I had a house in France. Might be worth a try, though, as I say, they may have changed since I was with them.
Hi!
Try Footman James. They specialise in insuring classic cars. Sorry I can't remember their number, but google them!