I’ve always been a fan of the Citroën 2CV and all its variants, especially the van versions that looked like a 2CV backed into a corrugated shed. These models, the Fourgonette or AZ or AZU or whatever you want to call them, were very successful inexpensive cargo/delivery vehicles that were the backbone of many small businesses. This brochure, from a company called Glaçauto, shows a variety of options to add windows to the ribbed sides of the van. What I find puzzling is just how many window options there are, and how remarkably specific they get for, you know, van windows. Here, look:
I mean, all of these are cool, and I see some slide open and some don’t, there’s small windows and longer ones, there’s even up to six extra windows that could be added.
I love all this dazzling choice, but I have to wonder if the long, sliding-open windows on the 2CV, shown in the upper right there, wouldn’t gave covered like 90% of what thee window-adders were looking for? I wonder what the thought process was for owners who just got, say, the two small square windows. Was the slightly longer window just giving too much light? Too great a privacy loss? Not claustrophobic enough?
If we look at other ads for the company, like this one:
…we can see they offered kits to give the 2CV classic sedan the extra C-pillar windows, something the factory wouldn’t offer for the 2CV until 1966.
Also, I think it’s also showing windows with a separate narrow tinted pane at the top? It must be like a cathedral in there!
This whole thing is kind of strange to me, especially since they seemed to have a close relationship with Citroën themselves. I don’t think I realized the degree of freedom your average Citroën window buyer really had. It’s magical.
ike a 2CV backed into a corrugated shed. These models, the Fourgonette or AZ or AZU or whatever you want to call them, were very successful inexpensive cargo/delivery vehicles that were the backbone of many small businesses. This brochure, from a company called Glaçauto, shows a variety of options to add windows to the ribbed sides of the van. What I find puzzling is just how many window options there are, and how remarkably specific they get for, you know, van windows. Here, look:
I mean, all of these are cool, and I see some slide open and some don’t, there’s small windows and longer ones, there’s even up to six extra windows that could be added.
I love all this dazzling choice, but I have to wonder if the long, sliding-open windows on the 2CV, shown in the upper right there, wouldn’t have covered like 90% of what the window-adders were looking for? I wonder what the thought process was for owners who just got, say, the two small square windows. Was the slightly longer window just giving too much light? Too great a privacy loss? Not claustrophobic enough?
If we look at other ads for the company, like this one:
…we can see they offered kits to give the 2CV classic sedan the extra C-pillar windows, something the factory wouldn’t offer for the 2CV until 1966.
This whole thing is kind of strange to me, especially since they seemed to have a close relationship with Citroën themselves. I don’t think I realized the degree of freedom your average Citroën window buyer really had. It’s magical.
Hey, let’s take a poll about these windows, why not?
Until the early 2K it was a regular option on most commercial versions of a car made by any French constructor. ( you could have either the metal panels or various numbers of windows ), the number of choice has been reduced a lot, but you still have the option of metal panel or windows on several models like : the Renault Kangoo, Traffic, Master, & the Citroën Berlingo.
I happen to have two of these “vans” – a 1978 AK250.with one small window, and a 1957 AZU Weekender with the long window. The long window is much nicer IMHO.
What may not be obvious is that the factory side windows have a slight curve at the top to match the shape of the body.- an odd luxury touch for such a low cost vehicle. – all the other glass is flat. Kinda similar to the old VW bus roof windows which are also curved.
These aftermarket windows were either shorter in height to allow a flat glass or have the additional separate glass section at the top to approximate the curve.
I have acquired and additional pair of the factory curved glass windows I will be putting into my AK250, giving it two on each side and allowing a small area for some signage still. I also recently got an electric webasto fabric sunroof from a French made microcar (at my local u-pull-it!) Which is a perfect width and length for the roof of the rear cargo section – I already have a opening roof over the front seats.
The early “250 kg” load rated vans 1/4 metric ton) are 11 inches shorter than a 2CV. The later 400 vans had both a longer and taller rear box which is more practical – but less odd looking.
Did you just call the 2cv fourgonnette a TRUCK?!?!?
WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO JASON
Oh and everybody knows série 1 is the way to go.
Also it looks like the article got into a transporter accident and was pasted twice.
I prefer calling it a “truckette” – mine is registered on WA state as a truck since it didn’t have a back seat…
I think some depends on the market. In the UK they would have no side windows for tax reasons. I think some variations are due to body structure
Also by default models with side windows had seats in the back. Fiat and Seat built similar dual use cars on the 127
Do the kids sit on the gas tank, or is that how they get in and out of the back? Is there a companion kid nozzle? Is metric or imperial sized? Is it SAE approved? So many questions…
What kind of cargo were these supposed to haul? Had to be lightweight. Chickens perhaps? I can only imagine what 8 bundles of roofing shingles and two full five gallon paint buckets in the back would do to the 0-60 time on this. Hell, would it even make it to 60 carrying a load like that?
They could carry up to 880lb. There’s no promises on when they would arrive with said cargo, which probably was measured in days, or weeks… but they could.
Just a basket of eggs across the farmer’s field.
60 kph maybe.
These were everywhere. Plumbers, florists, tile installers, contractors, electricians, butchers, anyone who needed a work vehicle had one of those.
Also, is the question-mark-colon the punctuation I didn’t realize that I needed?: yes.
I wish they would have had a no window option for the van portion.
IIRC there was one. By default I think the van only had two flip-up windows on the doors and nothing else. Maybe portholes in the tailgate?
They seems to be quite rare if they do exist
My gramps had one.
I’m guessing it was all based on how often you expected to have passengers along with how cheap you were. Most of these were work vehicles but you might have a rare rear passenger (small window), or you might be taking the family to church in the village every weekend (large window), or you may use it for camping (large openable window), or you might run the local kids to school every day (all the windows). Every dollar counted at the time.
Every franc*
“How bout six? Six is good!”
-Jerry Seinfeld
You have to take into account future use, 40 years after you bought your new van. Chickens always start laying earlier if there is more light…
Trying not to criticize Jason for copy-pasting his article twice by mistake, but came here to say that we all need access to the shed part of our Fourgonette via a sliding window. It’s my preferred means of ingress.
https://gifbin.com/f/984105
Did the editor have a stroke?
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-handbook-of-multimedia-learning/redundancy-principle-in-multimedia-learning/448A5532008EB4B4BA17DBEB5A421920#:~:text=Summary&text=The%20redundancy%20principle%20(or%20redundancy,forms%20or%20is%20unnecessarily%20elaborated.
Flappy windows. Slidey windows. All it needs is a big ol’ sliding canvas sunroof!
Hah! your comment reminded me of this Dinah Washington song, ‘Big Long Slidin’ Thing’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaFfJSC6uz8
(if you are at work, suggest you put on the headphones or risk a visit from HR)
Voted for all the windows à la the 21/23-window VW Microbus Samba. One could then call it La Samba (paging Ritchie Valens.)
Did Glaçauto ever offer anything for the 2CV Fourgonnette like what Renault did for their 4 Fourgonnette? Like so, as seen in the film Z:
http://imcdb.org/i131621.jpg
Z! What a great movie!
Ah – the very handy “Giraffe” roof – never know when you might have to carry one…
Why is the poll not multiple choice? And why can’t we get multiple back ends with each configuration to swap out depending on our mood of the day?
I hadn’t realized the AK had slightly more rear overhang!
The early vans had 11 inches of length cut off the rear of the regular 2CV frame. The later 350 used the standard frame but had the low roof, and then the AK400 had the top lifted 4 inches also.
That picture looks like Nikki Haley having one of those Calgon “take me away” moments after her most recent primary results.
If Nikki drove a French car she would receive even less votes in the Republican primary.
That’s almost not possible.
Well she could call it a “Freedom Car”.
I’ll just take the one with 3 inline windows in the box, because that looks the absolute most amount of silly 😀
So going with some old VW bus math, that would be a 13-window!
1 front, 4 (top+lower) in side doors, 6 in the box and 2 in the rear doors
For a car of that era, it really could have used some in the roof as well, but Citroën just always were so anti establishment 😉
These kids are going to have one heck of a ride home. Considering the huge bottle of wine mama et papa brought along and the infamous soft suspension of these vehicles. Mon Dieu!
The front side windows on my 2CV would flap open if you went over a big hump. They were hinged so the bottom half of the glass would just dangle from the hinges until you turned violently enough for them to slam shut again.
Based on that I’d go for the bare minimum of windows in my van please. Less to go wrong, less mass for the tiny engine to drag around.
The real question is, how much do you have to hide?
No one hides anything in a 2CV.
Firstly you have a 2CV, so you own nothing of value, secondly the suspension is so softly sprung that any activity you might want to hide has the car bouncing around all over the place.
I drove a 2CV for the first four years of my driving life, and replaced it with an actual car as soon as I had enough money.
I agree, Torch. Clearly formule 3 is the superior option: the sliding glass allows for purgatorial airflow, the larger size lets in more light from the beyond, and it clearly works best for families picnicking in the great white void.
This is the correct take. The ability to open the windows is clutch.
It’s like a JC Whitney catalog for one specific car.
Gosh I miss JC Whitney catalogs!