Hand cranking a car

[brian2cv]

Believe it or not I have a car with a starting handle (a 2cv) so if needs be I can crank it to start it. Has anyone else got a car with this useful facility or had such a car in the past?

[Barmaid]

lol Brian. Yes this was a Moggy 1000. I was not allowed out on the road on my own until he was satisfied that I could get it started by cranking, fix minor mechanical problems and change a wheel!! (I admit, I now have an AA card and a mobile phone!)

And much as I loved the old mog, it is nice to have the comfort of being entirely unable to flatten the battery in my present car!! Which is useful considering I don't have the luxury back up of a cranking handle!!

That car was built like a tank tho. I was hit twice from behind in it. Both cars crumple zones went whereas the old Mog just suffered a dislodged bumper!!!

[brian2cv]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=KNA5BUh-T8s

In Japan apparently they have a meeting of owners of French made cars every year. One of the features of the event is this 'crank start up race' whereby the driver runs to the car, cranks it and drives to the finishing line!

Yes 2cv drivers are a bit whacky!

[brian2cv]

Funnily enough Barmaid I was talking to a lady in the village just now who has just sold her Morris 1000. She too had to use the starting handle on occasion she told me! Although it's nice in some ways to have the luxury of just phoning for the breakdown service in the old days you just felt you could always get home even if you had to do the odd minor (sorry pun unintended) repair. Certainly it was very satisfying, and seemed good fun at the time, to be able to crank up the car, once you knew the technique it was easy wasn't it! It was just an age when you had to be more self sufficient.

I'm still smiling at this vision of a woman being applauded by some builders after successfully cranking her car, that tale made my day!

Interesting how well your moggie survived being shunted at the rear. I'm not sure that modern cars are so much better.