Paul's polishin' blog

[Citroening]

That's grand - thanks Paul.

[Caffiend]

Still a bigger fan of green, but that's lovely.

[Citroening]

I remember the car under the gazebo had under 10k on the clock and still had all the cellophane on the back seats (he wanted 14 grand for it!) . . . 'time warp'!!

Just had a chat with dad about this car - he remembers it, and remembers seeing the original advert in the newspaper prior to it being purchased!!!

It was from up north somewhere, although don't know what happened to it - we've certainly not heard anymore about it, so there is a possibility that it went abroad, likely Japan with a Prestige Turbo 2.

Shame the plates weren't on it as could of run a vehicle check...

Oh, and the D GAV Florentine Red CX GTi Turbo 2 is in Ireland, was for sale recently too... Edit - Maybe not, appears to have Cassis Leather... Hmm...

I can't quite make out the cherished number plate on the Silver Series 2 CX, but I've a suspicion it's a CX GTi Auto, that was converted to a Turbo by Mr Maikonics! No longer around I'm sure... Not sure if that picture is pre conversion, although got an aftermarket exhaust on it from the looks of things...

[Tim Leech]

Still a bigger fan of green, but that's lovely.

Omfg thats gorgeous!

[Paul296]

Omfg thats gorgeous!

It was! And don't get me started or I'll cry . It had a few marks on it when I bought it (for a grand in 1997) but nothing that wasn't swiftly sorted out. Other than that it was totally original, never been welded, totally rust free with brand new contour mudflaps and TG trims (which I promptly lost the valve covers for! ). It was originally bought in Derby (it still had the 'Mark Pritchard' plates and dealer stickers) but I bought it from the original owner who had retired to New Milton (I lived just outside Winchester at the time). It was immaculate 'as new' and I still miss it

[vulgalour]

On the plus side, these wheels look amazing and are a big credit to your efforts.



Overexposure or not, I like the pretentious French dreamy quality of this photograph, it's exactly how I imagine French cars are thought up once the Absinthe wears off.

[Paul296]

On the plus side, these wheels look amazing and are a big credit to your efforts.


Overexposure or not, I like the pretentious French dreamy quality of this photograph, it's exactly how I imagine French cars are thought up once the Absinthe wears off.

Thank you! I certainly sweated over those wheels - but well worth the effort. That car gives me a lot of pleasure (staring at it usually rather than actually turning the engine over! ). Actually, if I was offered a straight swap; my two present cars in return for my Athena, I'd probably stick. Using a 7 year old 16 petrol as an everyday car is eminently do-able, but a 20 year old one probably isn't .

Yep, that second picture does have a certain elegiac quality; 'Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan?'

[Jaba]

'Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan?'

Et, plus important encore, ou se trouve la traduction mon copain ?

[Caffiend]

Ici mon ami - "But where are the snows of yesteryear?"

Will hazard a guess at Baudelaire.

[Tim Leech]

I always thought the Athena was a fabulous looking car, possibly the pretiest Mk2 production model.

[Paul296]

Ici mon ami - "But where are the snows of yesteryear?"

Will hazard a guess at Baudelaire.

It's the refrain from Francois Villon's Ballade des dames du temps jadis , in which he laments the passing into history of France's great heroines - yer know . . . like Citroens

Factoid: the word 'yesteryear' was coined by Dante Gabriel Rossetti to cope with the translation into English of the word 'd'antan'.

[Paul296]

I always thought the Athena was a fabulous looking car, possibly the prettiest Mk2 production model.

There's one or two other contenders for that accolade, but for out and out elegance it probably takes the biscuit . . .

[Tim Leech]

I have that brochure, think I may need to get it laminated and framed!

[Paul296]

Factoid: The odd thing about that picture though, is that the statue doesn't actually represent the Goddess Athena, but rather, it depicts 'Venus with an Apple' by the 19th century Neo-Classical sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen.



By all accounts she was a rum old girl, Venus . . . particularly if you happen to be a Bohemian Monk!

[merlyn]

By all accounts she was a rum old girl, Venus . . . particularly if you happen to be a Bohemian Monk!

He gets everywhere that monk!