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Do any of you long-time residents recall if the Citroen Mehari was actually sold "new" in Hawaii? For all these years, it was my understanding that the only (U.S.) Citroen dealers who opted to order these were based in Florida and California.
This recent article (see link) indicates that this Mehari at auction bore Hawaii license plates.
[url][/url]https://autos.yahoo.com/news/eight-of-the-oddest-cars-to-come-up-for-auction-so-far-this-year-154339647.html
If I recall correctly, these were (barely) legal under existing Federal regulations. The NHTSA Nazis tightened the loophole and this put an end to any more importations.
Todd
Todd
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It could have been shipped to Hawaii at some point in its life.
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Wow. I thought I had extra time on my hands lately...
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Approx 5 years ago,we met a man who has a large collection of these types of vehicles in a warehouse of his down in the locked and gated section of kapoho tide pools area.In addition he has hundreds of MGs in same condition,rusted hulks all non running stuffed into his warehouse.
Never saw him again and since the hurricane,do not even know if his place survived as he was right next to the ocean.
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The article says the car has Hawaiian plates, but they look more like European plates.
So if they're wrong about the plates, they may be wrong about the cars being used as rentals here.
><(((*< ... ><(("< ... ><('< ... >(>
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Not just European plates, you can tell exactly where the photo was taken. From the design on the bus in the background (a pattern of squares with the "infra" logo) you can tell it's from Fürth, Germany.
http://www.stadtverkehr-fuerth.de/
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Hi Guys!
I've been tracking Mehari's after I heard about them in the USA and in Hawai'i for the first time 4 years ago.
I grew up in France, my first car was a 2CV.
A customer who had a 1953 Traction Avant from Colorado with low compressions sitting in his garage told me about the Mehari's, but he liked so much red french wine that I wondered what was true in his story while he was sipping out of his glass while I was working, all day.
A Honolulu rental company had to get rid of them because of a couple accidents where people fell off the car (no seat belts, half ass doors….)
I dream about founding them sometimes, this is becoming an obsession.
2 weeks ago I talk to a friend of a friend while camping on the beach, we talk about 2 Cv's, there is one nice mint Charleston in Hawai'i Ka'i, a red one at Volcano Park (the guy probably works there, it's often parked there) and a rag doll on the Ala Wai harbor.
The guy has also heard about that rental company who used to rent Mehari's, but doesn't know the name either.
It sparked my interest again and I decided to search the hell out of it, here is what I found… [8D]
Shelly Motors at 544 Queen St in Honolulu was the dealer in 1970.
A few have been sold to Budget-Rent-a-car inc. in Honolulu.
One has been featured ,probably from that fleet in the Brian Keith show.
Now, after I pulled a couple strings, I finally found where they ended up and where they sleep, rotting in a field for 40 years…. I gotta have that somebody pin point the exact location on a map since I couldn't access the private properties where they are.
I haven't seen them yet, but they are in total wreck stage….[xx(]
I'd like to at least picture them, and if possible get them all out of there and build a decent one out of the parts. I'll probably have to order a chassis from France, no way that **** resisted rust cancer until now.
Aloha!
Alika
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And here is the link for that Truckette 2CV in Arizona
http://www.carsforsale.com/vehicle/details/563197
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As you know, I have a 2CV. Currently in Alaska; but soon to be on our place in Hamakua. I know about the Ranger in Volcano!
AKpilot
We're all here, because we're not all there!
We're all here, because we're not all there!
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Hello ATIKA
8 years later... I'm a bit late... have you found this beautiful cemetery of Hawaiian meharis?
I am a French passionate about these old Grannies
Leonardo
