PlaymoFriends

General => Report & Review => Topic started by: playmofire on March 24, 2023, 15:48:12

Title: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on March 24, 2023, 15:48:12
Review coming soon.
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: pingo on March 24, 2023, 18:24:54
"Cliffhanger"  :lol:
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: Klickteryx on March 24, 2023, 19:55:14
Definitely a teaser.
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on March 24, 2023, 21:54:11
No, just need time to reduce the size of the photos.
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on March 25, 2023, 17:09:48
Well here we go.

I've viewed the Playmobil classic cars with interest, particularly the Mercedes Benz 300SL and the VW Beetle, but the prices have put me off (although the sale prices are more reasonable).  However, when the Citroen 2V was announced, I decided to buy one, and a price reduction of 25% sealed the deal!

The idea of the Citroen 2CV was created in the 1930s as a replacement for horse power (literally) on farms for moving produce.  The story goes that the design brief required that the car would have to be capable of being driven across a freshly ploughed field with a load of eggs in the back without any of the eggs breaking!

The war delayed the 2CV being produced until 1948, and production continued until 1990 with over 3.8 million having been produced.

Over the 42 years of its production, the 2CV evolved in a number of ways but by 1981 the top speed was only 71mph, but it's reliability, flexibility in use and, in later years, its unique design made it a niche product both for celebrities and "hippies" and for those wanting to own a car that was "different".

The Playmobil version is the 2CV6 Special introduced in 1981, so one of the more refined versions of the car that would appeal to the wider general public. 

Playmobil have pitched for both historical ends of the car with their set including milk churns, two geese, a pig and a farmer (the original target market in 1948) and also une jolie jeune femme in striped top and jeans and a selection of hippy style stickers for the car.

Click on the thumbnails for larger pictures.

First, then, the box in the order front, back, two sides and then one end:

(https://i.postimg.cc/tZPZM9GH/Box-front.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/tZPZM9GH)

(https://i.postimg.cc/Whk8kYpD/Box-back.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Whk8kYpD)

(https://i.postimg.cc/ftR5SwkZ/Box-side1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ftR5SwkZ)

(https://i.postimg.cc/5jjnxNZS/Box-side2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/5jjnxNZS)

(https://i.postimg.cc/68CMDjDs/Box-end1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/68CMDjDs)
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on March 26, 2023, 15:50:50
Another post showing some of the contents of the box.

First, the contents as they are found in the box:

(https://i.postimg.cc/dDXnDcFP/Contents.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dDXnDcFP)

The bags of parts are numbered:

(https://i.postimg.cc/14PVHWKn/Bag-numbering.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/14PVHWKn)

and these tie in with the instruction booklet:

(https://i.postimg.cc/0K0hTcJ5/Bag-No-3.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/0K0hTcJ5)
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on March 26, 2023, 16:06:04
I didn't follow the order of the instructions exactly but started with the wheels.

Each wheel assembly is made up of four parts, the wheel itself, the tyre, the hubcap and the bracket attaching these to the chassis:

(https://i.postimg.cc/DJYV8pvj/Wheels-and-tyres-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/DJYV8pvj)

The hubcaps are a very tight fit and need careful placing and a firm push with a thumb, not like those of, say, the recent fire engines.

Here are the assembled wheels, showing both front and back views of them assembled:

(https://i.postimg.cc/K3K6L74Z/Wheels-and-tyres-2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/K3K6L74Z)

The wheel assemblies slot into brackets on the underside of the chassis.  The wheel assemblies are a tight fit, and the picture below shows one in place after initial fitting:

(https://i.postimg.cc/grnFfpsf/Wheels-and-tyres-3.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/grnFfpsf)

It needs a good, firm push down with thumb while holding the body unit firmly in your hand to get the wheel assembly fully pushed into place as here:

(https://i.postimg.cc/7GRcxC9j/Wheels-and-tyres-5.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/7GRcxC9j)

Finally, here they are, all fitted and ready to roll:

(https://i.postimg.cc/YjZK7Pyj/Wheels-and-tyres-4.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/YjZK7Pyj)
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on March 26, 2023, 16:19:28
Next, I fitted the rear lights, filler cap and bumper.  I didn't attach the number plate sticker as I haven't yet decided which to use:

(https://i.postimg.cc/xcNQbQbK/Rear-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/xcNQbQbK)

I thought the rear lights the most difficult Playmobil part ever to fit but eventually managed it - suddenly, a light just clicked in place, how or why I did not know, so doing it once didn't greatly help with the second light:

(https://i.postimg.cc/HJd1K7v2/Rear-2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/HJd1K7v2)

The rear bumper followed and was easy to fit (the instructions have an additional illustration stressing the way up the bumper must be inserted), but the fuel filler cap was another fiddly piece to fit:

(https://i.postimg.cc/HrfV73xL/Filler-cap.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/HrfV73xL)

Here's the assembled rear:

(https://i.postimg.cc/HJd1K7v2/Rear-2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/HJd1K7v2)

Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on March 26, 2023, 17:26:36
The front end next, and then I'll end for the day and we'll look at figures and accessories tomorrow.

There are quite a number of bits and pieces involved at this stage:

(https://i.postimg.cc/nChj8Cgn/Front-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/nChj8Cgn)

and before fitting any parts to the front of the car, you need to do some sub-assembly fitting - the overriders need to be fitted to the bumper and the headlamp lenses need to be fitted into the headlamp shells.

You have a choice of clear or orange headlamp lenses.

The assembled bumper/overrider unit went on easily:

(https://i.postimg.cc/gxrZhnHg/Front-2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/gxrZhnHg)

The headlamp brackets were other fiddly pieces to fit, needing precise placing and quite hard pushing (done with fear of breaking the bracket!) but the turn indicators fitted quite easily.

(https://i.postimg.cc/dkQv7T81/Front-3.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dkQv7T81)

The door mirrors were two other items which needed precise placing and a firm, steady push to fit:

(https://i.postimg.cc/67cxN5DN/Rear-view-mirror.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/67cxN5DN)

That's the car ready for the road:

(https://i.postimg.cc/DJzkf3T4/Side-view.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/DJzkf3T4)

so I'll end here and look at the accessories and other parts of the car not covered so far tomorrow.

Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: tahra on March 26, 2023, 17:36:03
Those parts were really hard to put in all the cars :(

I hate it (along with the tires) - and I always fear they will break :(

You went with the yellow lights - are those the french version? I think I will go for that one..


Thank you for such a detailed review :)
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on March 26, 2023, 18:07:43
Those parts were really hard to put in all the cars :(

I hate it (along with the tires) - and I always fear they will break :(

You went with the yellow lights - are those the french version? I think I will go for that one..


Thank you for such a detailed review :)

Thank you, tahra.    Yellow headlights were compulsory in France until 1993 but then they switched to the EU standard white lights.
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: tahra on March 26, 2023, 18:50:53
Thank you, tahra.    Yellow headlights were compulsory in France until 1993 but then they switched to the EU standard white lights.

Thank you for the info - I really know nothing of cars... :)  But this gets important when playmocars are involved!
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: GrahamB on March 28, 2023, 07:19:41
Ah, nostalgia! My wife and I had our honeymoon in France in a bright green 2CV back in the 1980s! It was a right-hand drive version for British roads, with clear headlamp glass which we had to paint yellow with a kit from Halfords. We landed in Calais and wandered as far south as the Dordogne, my wife doing most of the driving after I scared her by driving on the left, briefly.

Thanks for a great review, Gordon. The PM version seems very true to the original. I will be getting one soon (currently out of stock  :(  ), then visiting Halfords again for a can of green spray paint....

Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on March 28, 2023, 14:28:59
Ah, nostalgia! My wife and I had our honeymoon in France in a bright green 2CV back in the 1980s! It was a right-hand drive version for British roads, with clear headlamp glass which we had to paint yellow with a kit from Halfords. We landed in Calais and wandered as far south as the Dordogne, my wife doing most of the driving after I scared her by driving on the left, briefly.

Thanks for a great review, Gordon. The PM version seems very true to the original. I will be getting one soon (currently out of stock  :(  ), then visiting Halfords again for a can of green spray paint....

Thank you, Graham.  I'm sure the driving to the left wasn't your fault, merely the car feeling it was good to be back home!

My first car was a VW 1300 Beetle bought from my father with 75,000 miles on the clock.  I'm seriously thinking with the present sale on of buying one and, a you suggest, a trip to Halford's for the correct coloured paint.
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on March 28, 2023, 15:58:23
On with the review, delayed a while because I had to retake some photos because I had missed that there was a sticker to go on the gendarme's kepi. 

A look now round the outside of the car, beginning with the boot:

(https://i.postimg.cc/v4XVg5ng/Boot.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/v4XVg5ng)

You can fit in two milk churns or one milk churn and the young lady's sports type bag.

Moving forward, the interior has grey upholstery with a dark blue speckled appearance which is also on the floor and below the dashboard area.   Looking on the internet, there was a pale chequered upholstery pattern with a dark blue line in it and the Playmobil design may be based on this:

(https://i.postimg.cc/MMsw1KDY/Interior.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/MMsw1KDY)

In the front, the dashboard reflects the real thing and there is the push-pull gear change knob nicely to hand for the klicky driver.   Maybe rather disappointingly, the steering wheel is a standard Playmobil three spoke one with a cut out for the driver's legs.  The real car had a two spoke wheel and it would have been a nice detail in Playmobil had altered the moulding they used by removing the third spoke from the centre to the top of the wheel:

(https://i.postimg.cc/z3WHwsW1/Dashboard.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/z3WHwsW1)

Lastly in this post, a photo of the driver and passenger in the car:

(https://i.postimg.cc/XBpbLS16/Passengers.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/XBpbLS16)

Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: Rasputin on March 29, 2023, 02:09:59
Thanks for the review , will have to add it to the collection seeing as its Playmobil

Perhaps Geobra could make this Citroen next

(https://i.postimg.cc/pdJb3fNs/12-F0227-F-5-E1-C-4-D95-ACB1-43-EC07786197.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on March 31, 2023, 23:36:52
Well, I'll try and finish this now.  Apologies for the slowness of posting, but other things have interfered and I'm recovering from Covid at the beginning of March.  It was an unwelcome 79th birthday present from someone unknown and although it only lasted for a fortnight, it's taking time to recover from; basically, I get little or nothing done after lunchtime other than a sleep of an hour or an hour and a half.

So we're looking at accessories and detailing parts, and we'll start with the latter.

Two lots of stickers are provided, one consisting mainly of registration plates and country identifiers and the other of decorative stickers.

So the registration plates etc.:

(https://i.postimg.cc/mzg3mCGX/Registrations.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mzg3mCGX)

There are no UK plates which isn't really surprising but there are country identifiers for France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands.  Unfortunately, Playmobil don't identify the actual registration plates by country and I suspect all may possible be French plates from different eras.

The black and white sticker marked 2 at the bottom is not a moustache for a figure, but a band to go on the gendarme's kepi.

The decorative stickers next:

(https://i.postimg.cc/ftqcpyzw/Stickers.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ftqcpyzw)

In fact, they are not all decorative, I suppose, as the two cows on the right are to go on the milk churns.  I haven't used any of them.
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on April 01, 2023, 00:01:03
Now the accessories:

(https://i.postimg.cc/NLV8xKCD/Figures.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/NLV8xKCD)

As you can see, there are three figures, three livestock, a weekend bag and two milk churns.

The gendarme is a new figure and his uniform is the one worn in the 1960s.  You can see the black and white sticker on his kepi; it is very difficult to get it on perfectly correct - I didn't.

A few more photos to finish, starting with a view of the car with the sun roof alongside which presses into position.  On the real car, it rolled back being canvas.

(https://i.postimg.cc/0bwYX9Ls/Sun-roof.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/0bwYX9Ls)

Next a comparison of the model with the VW ambulance (I will post a side view later).  As you can see, the Citroen is a bit over scale.  Measuring it up against the actual car, the Citroen varies between 1/15th and 1/19th its size, although, overall, Playmobil has captured the shape and character of the car.

(https://i.postimg.cc/dhS0c6dB/Comparison-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dhS0c6dB)

A couple of photos of the car in use first as  the young lady asks her way and then as the gendarme pretends he is General de Gaulle on Bastille Day.

(https://i.postimg.cc/XZ3kyt10/Asking-the-way.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/XZ3kyt10)

(https://i.postimg.cc/NLL7T6DL/The-gendarme-plays-de-Gaulle.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/NLL7T6DL)

I will post a side view comparison but it will be next weekend as we are away for most of next week and if anyone would like more photos of the gendarme (or any other aspect of the set)  just let me know and I will post some.  Meanwhile, thanks for looking.
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: GrahamB on April 01, 2023, 09:17:48
It was worth the wait! Sorry to hear how badly Covid affected you, Gordon.

I didn't know that ambulance was based on a VW.
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on April 01, 2023, 11:12:20
It was worth the wait! Sorry to hear how badly Covid affected you, Gordon.

I didn't know that ambulance was based on a VW.

Thank you, Graham.  A couple of things I forgot to mention were that all glass areas on the real car are glazed on the Playmobil one other than those on the front doors, and that the body and interior/underfloor come ready assembled.  I forgot to look before adding wheels etc. whether these could be separated easily if at all.  So there may be implications here for repainting the body.  I have a VW Beetle ordered which is due to arrive Wednesday coming which also comes with body and interior/underfloor ready assembled, so that may give some clues.

I think the ambulance is based on the VW T Transporter.  Here's a not very well-angled photo of one:

https://photos.classiccars.com/cc-temp/listing/158/3185/31162212-1981-volkswagen-transporter-thumb.jpg

Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: GrahamB on April 01, 2023, 12:38:29
... the body and interior/underfloor come ready assembled.  I forgot to look before adding wheels etc. whether these could be separated easily if at all.

Vehicles can be tricky to get apart and it's helpful if someone has already done it and can share some tips! But don't do it if it's going to damage the vehicle!

I think the ambulance is based on the VW T Transporter.  Here's a not very well-angled photo of one:

https://photos.classiccars.com/cc-temp/listing/158/3185/31162212-1981-volkswagen-transporter-thumb.jpg

That looks pretty convincing to me! (More nostalgia- our family had a VW 'splitty' (camper with a split windscreen) back in the early 1970s. Not particularly roomy inside, so maybe that PM ambulance is not too far off scale compared with the beetle!)
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: Pynedor on April 01, 2023, 13:21:17
Excellent review! Thank you. :)

Those parts were really hard to put in all the cars :(

I hate it (along with the tires) - and I always fear they will break :(

You went with the yellow lights - are those the french version? I think I will go for that one..


Thank you for such a detailed review :)

Thank you, tahra.    Yellow headlights were compulsory in France until 1993 but then they switched to the EU standard white lights.

That's a really nice touch to include a selective yellow option! :D

Ah, nostalgia! My wife and I had our honeymoon in France in a bright green 2CV back in the 1980s! It was a right-hand drive version for British roads, with clear headlamp glass which we had to paint yellow with a kit from Halfords. We landed in Calais and wandered as far south as the Dordogne, my wife doing most of the driving after I scared her by driving on the left, briefly.

Great story! I've done the same with headlamps on some older BMWs, and I've found the selective yellow to be quite nice, especially in certain weather conditions.
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on April 01, 2023, 15:46:09
Excellent review! Thank you. :)

Thank you, tahra.    Yellow headlights were compulsory in France until 1993 but then they switched to the EU standard white lights.


That's a really nice touch to include a selective yellow option! :D

Great story! I've done the same with headlamps on some older BMWs, and I've found the selective yellow to be quite nice, especially in certain weather conditions.

Yellow is good at night because it cuts dazzle, but on the downside it also cuts light transmission  Yellow is also good in fog; at one time fog lights were always yellow but I think beam technology advances mean this is no longer necessary
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: Tiermann on April 01, 2023, 18:37:43
Thanks for the great review Gordon. This one hasn't been made available in the US and isn't in their catalog for the first half of the year. I quite like it though.

Could I get the part numbers from you for the pig and geese? The pig is a new variation I will have to try tracking down.  Thanks
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on April 01, 2023, 20:39:42
Thanks for the great review Gordon. This one hasn't been made available in the US and isn't in their catalog for the first half of the year. I quite like it though.

Could I get the part numbers from you for the pig and geese? The pig is a new variation I will have to try tracking down.  Thanks

Thank you, Tim.  I could always get you one if postage and customs (if any) don't make it prohibitive.

Pig is 30 65 6955, geese asre 30 09 3150 (neck bent) and 30 09 3160.
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: Tiermann on April 02, 2023, 16:39:38
Thanks so much Gordon. I am still doing shipping swaps with Daniela in Germany, but I appreciate the offer.
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: Klickteryx on April 03, 2023, 03:30:54
Definitely on the get list.
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: klickyklack on April 20, 2023, 10:07:11
Thanks for the great & detailed review Gordon!  I have a soft spot for these cars, my Grandad has one briefly when I was a kid & I loved it. This is in my wishlist of items to get..

Hope you start to feel better soon!
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on April 20, 2023, 15:25:35
Thanks for the great & detailed review Gordon!  I have a soft spot for these cars, my Grandad has one briefly when I was a kid & I loved it. This is in my wishlist of items to get..

Hope you start to feel better soon!

Thank you klickyklack.  Feeling better as the weather gets better, but still sleeping for a good bit of the afternoon.
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: klickyklack on April 20, 2023, 20:35:43
Thank you klickyklack.  Feeling better as the weather gets better, but still sleeping for a good bit of the afternoon.

Glad you're listening to your body & resting when you need to!
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on April 20, 2023, 20:52:17
Glad you're listening to your body & resting when you need to!

I don't have any choice - I can fall asleep reading a book or even eating a sandwich!
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: GrahamB on April 21, 2023, 06:57:08
I had a sandwich like that, once.
Title: Re: Review of 70640 Citroen 2CV
Post by: playmofire on April 21, 2023, 12:48:47
I had a sandwich like that, once.

Boom! Boom!