Vermont Only: Unique Delivery Vehicle

1978 or thereabouts, skiing the French Alps, wandering around Paris in love, feeling at home in the world.

“I want one of those!” J. has the delighted face of a five year old on Christmas morning.

“What is it?”

Small, loud and looking like a cross between a Quonset hut and a frog, it’s a Citroen Deux Chevaux (Two Horsepower) Camionette (Truckette).

Paris was full of them in those days, the delivery van version of the tried and true 2CV that was France’s post-war Model T equivalent. Farmers in Brittany used them like a cross between a car and a tractor; students in Paris had them like U.S. students had V.W. Bugs.

Fast forward to 1999. Doc has always wanted to give J. (now dr.j.) one of these delightful little beasties. Changes in the Department of Transportation rules in the past few years make importing old cars a little easier. Doc found a man named David Allen through Hemmings Motor News who helps with the process. His associate, David Brown in England buys the cars or trucks in France, ships them to the U.K. where they undergo complete, body-off restoration with all new and rebuilt parts.

Doc had the camionette rebuilt with all new parts, painted in Vermont Only’s corporate colors. Design Graphics of Rutland, Vermont made the Vermont Only signs. David’s friend Erik deWidt, president of the Citroen Owners Club of America was kind enough to pick up the car at the Port of Baltimore and take it to his home.

Doc caught the 7AM flight to Reagan, took the Metro to Maryland, a bus to Erik’s street and drove the Camionette home up I-95 and I-91. Quite a ride for a two-cylinder truckette. Tried to pass the same semi for over 100 miles, couldn’t do it. Hours later, skin blasted by road grit and wind, I called dr.j. from the driveway.

“Come out here, there’s something I want you to see.”

“Come out where?”

“The back door”

Exact same smile, exact same look of enchantment 21 years later. Perfect.

-- Doc