M DRIVE FRONT E F

FRONT DRIVE FRONT DRIVE

A U S T R A L I A ’ S � N A T I O N A L � M A G A Z I N E � F O R �C I T R O Ë N � O W N E R S � A N D � E N T H U S I A S T S

AUTUMN ‘05 � VO L 28 � NO 9

CITROËN CLASSIC OWNERS

CLUB OF AUSTRALIAAustralia’s National Citroën Car Club

2 A U S T R A L I AU S T R A L I AU S T R A L I AU S T R A L I AU S T R A L I A ’’’’’ SSSSS � N A T I O N A LA T I O N A LA T I O N A LA T I O N A LA T I O N A L � M A G A Z I N EA G A Z I N EA G A Z I N EA G A Z I N EA G A Z I N E � F O RO RO RO RO R

CITROËN CLASSIC OWNERSCLUB of AUSTRALIA Inc.

The address of the Club and thismagazine is:PO Box 52, Balwyn, Victoria, 3103.

The Club’s website is:www.citroenclassic.org.au

Citroën Classic Owners Club of AustraliaInc. is a member of the Association ofMotoring Clubs.

The views expressed in this publicationare not necessarily those of CCOCAor its Committee. Neither CCOCA,nor its Committee can accept anyresponsibility for any mechanical adviceprinted in, or adopted from thispublication.

Annual Membership is $40. For overseasmembership add $12.

Club meetings are held on the fourthWednesday of every month [exceptDecember] at 8pm. The venue is theCanterbury Sports Ground Pavilion,cnr Chatham and Guildford Rds,Canterbury, Victoria. Melway Ref 46,F10.

The committee awards life membershipto Club members in recognition oftheir contribution to, and support of,the Club. Life members are:Peter Boyle 2003Jack Weaver 1991Nance Clark 1984

CH PLATES

When sending the VicRoadsform to a club officer forratification, please do the rightthing and enclose a stamped,addressed envelope.

ABOUT TO ARRANGE A CLASSIC/HISTORIC PERMITFOR YOUR CITROËN?

CH permit applications must be accompanied by a RWC. Theonus is on owners to demonstrate that their cars are safe. Feel freeto consult our Permit Officers for advice regarding getting yourcar on the road, and keeping it going.

Contributors to this edition of ‘FrontDrive’ include:Ted Cross, Mark Ebery, Andrea Fisher,Rob Little, Mark McKibbin and IanSperling.

Don Wright’s front wheel drive CitroënSpecial was one of three cars which broke60seconds at the 1955 NSWChampionship Hillclimb. It is seen in thispicture from the front cover of ‘Wheels’[February 1956] rounding the hairpin atNewcastle, where the climb was held.The deadline for the next edition of

‘Front Drive’ is Friday, May 6.

C I T R O Ë N I N GC I T R O Ë N I N G

D E A D L I N ED E A D L I N ED E A D L I N ED E A D L I N E

C I T R O Ë N I N GC I T R O Ë N I N G

CONTRIBUTORSCONTRIBUTORSCONTRIBUTORSCONTRIBUTORS

POSTAL ADDRESSPOSTAL ADDRESSPOSTAL ADDRESSPOSTAL ADDRESS M EMBER SH I PM EMBER SH I PM EMBER SH I PM EMBER SH I P

M E E T I N G SM E E T I N G SM E E T I N G SM E E T I N G S

LIFE MEMBERSLIFE MEMBERSLIFE MEMBERSLIFE MEMBERS

COVER IMAGECOVER IMAGECOVER IMAGECOVER IMAGE

3� C I T R O Ë NI T R O Ë NI T R O Ë NI T R O Ë NI T R O Ë N � OOOOO W N E R SW N E R SW N E R SW N E R SW N E R S � A N DN DN DN DN D � E N T H U S I A S T SN T H U S I A S T SN T H U S I A S T SN T H U S I A S T SN T H U S I A S T S

PPPPPRESIDENTRESIDENTRESIDENTRESIDENTRESIDENT — — — — — Mark McKibbin310 Settlement Rd., Drouin, 3818

[03] 5625 4020 [H] [03] 5624 1111 [B][email protected]

SECRETARY — Andrea Fisher5 Oak Crt., Mitcham, 3132

[03] 9874 1960 [H][email protected]

TREASURER — Graham Barton12 Woodlands Gve., Safety Beach, 3926[03] 5987 0767 [H]041 810 0992 [M]

[email protected]

ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR — Ted Cross173 Power St, Hawthorn, 3122


SPARE PARTS OFFICER — Rob Little8 Buckworth St., Kialla, 3631


PUBLICATION EDITOR — Leigh Miles16 Harrow St., Blackburn Sth, 3130


COMMITTEE PERSON —

Ian Sperling5 Oak Crt., Mitcham, 3132

[03] 9874 1960 [H]

AOMC LIAISON OFFICERS —

Ted Cross [03] 9819 2208 [H]Russell Wade [03] 9570 3486 [H]

CLUB PERMIT OFFICERS —

Russell Wade [03] 9570 3486 [H]Peter Boyle [03] 9470 8080 [H]Mel Carey [03] 9419 4537 [H&B]

LIBRARIAN — Leigh Miles [details above]

CLUB SHOP —

Ian Sperling & Andrea Fisher5 Oak Crt., Mitcham, 3132


STATE ACTIVITY CO-ORDINATORS —

ACT Mike Neil[02] 6254 1040 [H] 041 821 1278 [M]NSW Bert Houtepen

[02] 9746 9920

PUBLIC OFFICER — Jack Couche31 Broadway, Belgrave, 3160

[03] 9754 3583

FOR SPARE PARTS & TOOLS

Contact Rob Little.Phone: [03] 5823 [email protected][Please do it at a reasonablehour.]

CLUB SHOP

For Citroën models,memorabilia and other itemscontact Andrea Fisher & IanSperling on [03] 9874 1960 [email protected]

OTHER CLUBS?

www.cybernex.net.au/clubs/cccvwww.doublechevrons.aunz.comwww.citcarclubvic.org.au/www.citroen.aceonline.com.auwww.oleopneumatics.com.au/car%20club/citroenclub.htm

C O M M I T T E EC O M M I T T E EC O M M I T T E EC O M M I T T E E S U P P O R TS U P P O R TS U P P O R TS U P P O R T


ED SED PAGE 4

GIPPSLAND GAS PAGE 5

A-TRACTIONS PAGE 6

CIT-IN PERTH PAGE 12

CITROËN RACING PAGE 15

LIKE RIDING ON GAS PAGE 19

CITROËN’S BOMBSHELL PAGE 25

ORIGINALITY REGAINED

PAGE 29

TOY A-TRACTIONS PAGE 36

FLEET FOLLIES PAGE 42

SPARE NEWS PAGE 45

CLASSIFIED ADS PAGE 46

Everyone has read, well

many of us will have read,

the reports in the English

and European press about the

launch of the DS 19 at the Paris

Motor Show

on October

1955. But I am sure there are few

who will had the opportunity to

read the reaction of the Australian

motoring journalists to the bomb-

shell that Citroën dropped that year.

CCOCA has been fortunate enough

to have been lent, by long term

member David Gries, a huge

selection of ‘Wheels’, ‘Modern

Motor’ and other magazines of the

1950s featuring reports on the DS.

Between now and October CCOCA

will be re-publishing these articles –

I would guess this is the first time

many of them will have printed in

the last 50years.

Not only do they reflect the

opinions of the writers, they are an

amazing window to Australia in the

‘50s.

This edition features a report on the

First South Pacific Racing Champi-

onships, held at Orange, in which

Don Wright [featured on the cover,

in colour if you visit the web site],

competed in his Traction Special

against the likes of Jack Brabham.

As a prelude to the launch of the

DS we have a report on the Six H

and then the first pictures and

report on the DS 19, from the

December 1955 edition of ‘Modern

Motor’.

Enjoy,

Leigh F Miles – Editor. �


Hello and farewell

As they say, ‘I’m out of here’. It is

election time and as my three years

are up it is time to

stand down. Currently

our Spare Parts Officer

lives in Shepparton,

our Webwallah lives in China and I

live Drouin which is admittedly not

as far away as the other two, so do

not let a few thousand kilometres

stand in the way volunteering. Full

details of the AGM are in the A-

tractions section.

You may also notice that the

membership has gone up to $40.00

this is to cover increased costs of

insurance and printing the magazine.

Your committee believe this is still

great value and you are getting an extra

two magazines per year.

GIPPSLAND GASGIPPSLAND GASGIPPSLAND GASGIPPSLAND GAS

By the time you read this Cit In willbe over and myself and 14 other carsfrom the eastern states will hopefullybe back safely. I have been preparingthe Traction for the trip with such

luxuries as cruise control, extra poweroutlets for the fridge and all thenecessaries such as oil changes, wheelbalancing, cup holders and MP3 playerso it should be a comfortable trip. Youcan read all about the work that hasbeen done in ‘Fleet Follies’.

Have a look at the coming events, C4and C5 update at Lance Dixon’s andAustraction over the Queens Birthdayat Rawson. I will be there, but maybeyou will be the President by then.

Mark McKibbinPresident. �


• APRIL50TH ANNIVERSARY

OF THE D-SERIESWHEN: Sunday 17WHERE: TBCCOST: TBCBOOKING: PreferredCONTACT: Peter Dekker

[email protected] event is being arranged byCCCV and CCOCA has been invitedto attend. So, if you own a D, wishyou owned a D, are thinking ofowning a D… this is a celebration ofwhich you should be a part. EmailPeter for full details, as they were notsupplied for this issue of ‘Front Drive’.

ANNUAL GENERAL

M E E T I N GWHEN: Wednesday, April 27TIME: 8.00pmWHERE: Canterbury Sports

Ground Pavilion, cnr Chatham& Guildford Rds., Canterbury

COST: FreeBOOKING: Not requiredCONTACT: Ted Cross,

[03] 9819 2208 [email protected]

Because of the clash of the MarchMeeting, which would normally seethe AGM occur the Committee hasdetermined to delay this essentialevent of the Club year by one month.

VOLUNTEER!Have you thought of standing forCommittee? Our President, MarkMcKibbin is standing down, underthe three year rule, but remember allCommittee positions are ‘up forgrabs’. So, complete the nominationform that is included with this [andthe next] edition of ‘Front Drive’ andreturn it to the Secretary to ensure youdo have a say. Remember,nominations must be signed by boththe nominator and the nominee, toensure they are willing to accept therole, if they are elected on the night.

VOTE!Voting for next year’s Committee is avery important right you have as amember of CCOCA. So, come alongand make sure you have your input. If

Please note: events with dark headings are CCOCA-arranged events. Those

with headings in white are selected items of interest that have been taken

from the AOMC programme of events.


you will notbe able toattend onthe night, besure tosubmit yourproxy form,which isa g a i nincluded inthis edition

of ‘Front Drive’.

• MAYLANCE DIXON’S

MOTOR SHOWWHEN: Wednesday, May 25TIME: 6.30pmWHERE:Lance Dixon’s showroom,

Doncaster Rd., DoncasterCOST: Gold coin donationBOOKING: PreferredCONTACT: Leigh Miles,

[03] 9888 7506,[email protected]

Lance Dixon will again be opening thedoors of their Citroën dealership forCCOCA. This time their Saab, AlfaRomeo and Land Rover dealerships[Bentley too, if we are really lucky] willalso be open to members of CCCV,CCOCA and the Saab, Alfa Romeo,Land Rover and Motafrenz Car Clubswill be attending.

• JUNEJUNE LONG WEEKEND IN

RAWSON/WALHALLA

WHEN: Friday 10 ~ Monday 13WHERE: Rawson, near WalhallaCOST:$110 per adult, $45 per child,

plus accommodationBOOKING: Essential by 17 MayCONTACT: Ted and Helen Cross

04 1935 6963, [03] 9819 2208 [email protected]

This year CCOCA is pleased to hostthe June long weekend. The event willbe located in Central Gippsland inVictoria in the surrounds of Walhallaand staying at nearby Rawson Resort.

All members are welcome to join usfrom anywhere in Australia oroverseas to visit this memorable area.Guaranteed to be warmer thanMawson!

Below: An overall

view of historicWalhalla – once a

wealthy goldmining town to-

day it sits quietand undisturbed

in its valley.


As in previous years we need to havean early indication of numbersattending so that accommodationand meals can be arranged.

This year the Rally fee of $110 will

give you excellent value and comprises:

� Friday night registration, supperand chat. Drinks at bar prices, openfires, comfy chairs.

[Saturday breakfast not paid for – youchoose what suits you.]

� Saturday lunch.

� Saturday tour of Train/Railwayand/or Central Mine in Walhalla [yourchoice]

� Saturday Dinner – Join us at thenearby Erica Hotel – drinks at barprices.

[Sunday communal breakfast or inyour room… again not paid for inyour fee]

� Sunday on tour to GippslandHeritage Park, Moe. [ObservationRun, light lunch & cars on display,films]

� Sunday Formal Meal [Drinks to

your account at bar prices] at RawsonResort. Awards.

� Monday – farewell communalslap-up breakfast [This one is fullypaid for.]

So most of your daily expenses willbe included – our choice ofaccommodation is very reasonablypriced and most people will be locatedin one complex, but in separate stylesof accommodation to suit yourbudget.

Please remember that Saturday andSunday breakfasts are not included.

The Dining Room cooked fullbreakfast will cost you an additional$7.50 per person per day.

Alternatively, you can do your ownusual breakfast in you motel room.

There are bunk rooms or a localcaravan park that can be used asalternatives to the Motel rooms.

You will need to pay youraccommodation direct to the Resortowner on arrival.

Book early.The price is for 3 nightsaccommodation – we have been ableto keep costs down.

Below: One of

Walhalla’s high-

lights is its band-

stand, seen here

floodlit, with

The Star Hotel

in the back-

ground.

Right: On Satur-

day afternoon

you will have the

opportunity to

ride on the recon-

structed rail line

from the

Thompson Riv-

er to Walhalla.


There is a host of alternative activitiesto consider at your own leisure andexpense.

We look forward to receiving yourearly acceptance/confirmation thatyou plan to attend, together with yourpayment, ASAP.

However our cut-off for bookings willneed to be no later than 17 May 2005.

WEATHER – WHAT TO BRING?There is a chance of showers… soremember to bring along your winterweather clothes and rain wear just incase. It is also likely to be cool or evencold. The resort has great indooraccommodation for us and open firesscattered around the building.

Rugs, umbrellas and gloves could alsobe a worthwhile inclusion. Make surethe heater works in your car. TheResort has heated floors etc.

YOUR ITINERARY FOR RAWSON

JUNE LONG WEEKEND

FRIDAY NIGHT

Arrive at Rawson Resort in sunnyRawson. Registration, supper andchat the night away.

SATURDAYCommunal breakfast in the RawsonResort dining room from 8.00am.[$7.50pp] Added to youraccommodation bill. [Or you maychoose to make your own breakfastin your room.]

We plan to assemble in the parkingarea for photos and then a drive to alocal look out point for more photos/sightseeing.

We will arrive at Walhalla forsightseeing and light lunch at the StarBakery.

Afternoon will be a visit to the LongTunnel Mine or a ride on the WalhallaTourist Railway [or both if you must].

There are stacks of things to see anddo here.

The evening meal will be at the EricaHotel nearby to Rawson. You willhave the choice of the menu boardand buy your own drinks.

Back to Rawson and the open fires/lounge chairs.

SUNDAYCommunal breakfast in the DiningRoom from 8.30am.

Below: Before the

railway came to

Walhalla, the

only means of

transport with

the outside

world was horse-

drawn wagons,

like this.


Plenty of time for a leisurely chat andsome serious under bonnet gazing.

Today we will possibly visit a nearbywinery and travel on to Moe

There will be an Observation Run onthe way to keep you interested.

We will then visit the Heritage Park atMoe. Here we have arranged todisplay our cars within the PioneerVillage and the lunch is a local BBQ.

Lots to see and do and we have ourown Old-Time Film show booked.

Tonight our formal dinner is at theRawson Resort Dining Room…. sono driving required [from 7.00 pm].We have an area reserved just for us.Open fires and lounge chairs. Barservice and a hearty meal. Time todress up tonight. Awards and raffledraw.

MONDAY

Our final communal farewellbreakfast. This will be the full monty.A fully cooked breakfast to prepareyou for the trip home.

Early departures assumed, so

breakfast will start from 7.30am byarrangement if required.

Time to farewell your friends anddepart for home.

ACCOMMODATION

Remember, you must book youraccommodation directly with theRawson Resort.

RAWSON RESORT – MOTEL

Sixteen Twin Share Motel rooms havebeen reserved for our use but you needto book your room early to ensurethe allocations are held for us.

Rooms cost $82.00 per couple pernight [$123 per person for theweekend]

Breakfast is an extra $7.50 per personand only served in the dining room.

Alternatively, you can provide yourbreakfast of choice – kettle providedin room, BYO toaster.

RAWSON RESORT – BUNKROOMS

The bunkrooms do have toilet/shower facilities but are more basicthan the motel suites and are in aseparate block within the grounds ofthe resort.

Rooms cost $65.00 per person for 3Left: A typical

bunk room atRawson, which

is complete with

private facilities.Right: The motel

rooms are wellequipped, brightand airy.


nights – if providing own linen save$7 per person.

Contact details for Rawson Resort:Telephone [03] 5165 3200Fax [03] 5165 3377Email [email protected] www.rawsonvillage.com

CARAVAN PARK

Contact Ted or Helen for more details.

The booking form for the CCOCAJune Long Weekend OzTraction isincluded with this edition of ‘FrontDrive’. �

Left: Brunton’s

Bridge was one of

the important

bridges that car-

ried the railway

from Moe to

Walhalla over the

Thompson Riv-

er. Today it re-

mains a stunning

item of industri-

al architecture.

SPARE PARTS FUND MEMBERS

For a one-off $100 fee Spare Parts Fund members receive a 10% discount on spare parts.

Alain AntoniousGraham Barton

Andrew Begelhole

Paul BishopPeter BoydPeter Boyle

Ron Brookes

Roger BrundleMel CareyGerry Carson

Jack Couche

Jeff CoxAdelino D’SilvaDoug Crossman

Jon Faine

Greg Fienberg

John FlemingJason GlennBill Graham

John Greive

ND HarwoodJohn HawkeDavid Hayward

Peter Holland

Richard HomershamGeoff HoolerMichael Hort

Alan Hurst

Keith JamesJean-Pier re JardelFred Kidd

Rob Koffijberg

David Law

Max LewisRob LittleDavid Livingstone

Brian Love

Dominic LowePeter LowrieIain Mather

Ian McDermott

Andrew McDougallMark McKibbinLeigh Miles

Laurie Moers

Michael MolesworthDerek MooreDave Morrell

Ronald Murray

Mike Neil

Sean O’BrienRichard OatesAlec Protos

Darien Pullen

Keith RadfordPhillip RogersBarry Rogers

Gaston Saint

Warren SeidelRober t ShackleyPeter Simmenauer

Lois Smart

Robin SmithBarry TeesdaleMark Vickery

Brian Wade

Hughie Wilson


After meeting the rest of our

group in Port Augusta, we

travelled around the Eyre

Peninsula and across the Nullabor in

a convoy organized by Joe and Helen

Schembri.

WA club members Phil and Denise

guided us through the South West.

We stopped at places like Esperance,

Albany, Pembroke and Margaret

River. The brave amongst us – some

not so young – climbed the

Gloucester tree.

We arrived at the Cit In, located on

Point Walter, a promontory on the

Swan River and offering spectacular

views of Perth and were welcomed

by Shayne Harris. Later others arrive,

including those who flew over. Friday

we spend relaxing, swimming in the

pool and wandering around

Fremantle.

The Cit In started in earnest withFriday dinner. Afterwards there was aguest speaker Graham Cocks from theFremantle Motor Museum or, if you

preferred, therewas the Cit Incinema. Thus,

the tone was set for the remainder ofthe weekend, for every event, thereseemed to be an equally attractivealternative. On Saturday, there wereseveral alternative tours. That eveningjournalist Avon Lovell discussed somemajor local justice issues and there wasthe film classic ‘The Goddess of1967’. Sunday saw the Citroën GrandDisplay. The number and quality oflocal cars was very impressivedemonstrating that there is anenthusiastic Club in WA. After lunch,there was the Observation Run. Weopted out of the hectic pace and tooka leisurely stroll along the shoreline

Naturally the

Grand Parade on

Sunday revealed a

wonderful collec-

tion of Citroëns,

from both sides

of the country.


of Point Walter. The Interstatecompetition followed; this year it wasa novelty event, a matter of tossing anumber of Citroën parts ie hubcapsand spheres at a tyre, which formedthe target. While CCOCA’s ladies

team were very competitive, they didnot return with the trophy. [Onceagain the Club can breath a collectivesigh of relief. Ed.] The evening endedwith the Formal Dinner andPresentations. Monday’s farewell

Top: Brian and

Esther Wade

drove from

Queensland in

their DS.

Bottom: This

fine Western

Australian 5CV

has been careful-

ly parked be-tween a 2CV and

a DS. Careful

viewing will re-veal a Traction

and a CX com-plete the array.


breakfast ended the event.

It seemed that every effort had beenmade by the Cit In organisers to makeit easy for us to meet in a delightfulenvironment. The venue was

stunning and the 24hour coffee andjukebox were well utilized. Everyreasonable request was facilitated witha cheery smile. We had a great timemeeting new people and catching up

with old friends. I look forward tothe next WA Cit In.

Afterwards, some drove back straightaway, others went by train or air. Wetoured north meeting John and Sue

Wyers inCervantes andagain in Kalbarri

with Barry Paterson After two nightsin Kalbarri and enjoying some of itsspectacular delights it was time to gohome.

Andrea Fisher. �

Top: In Port Au-

gusta the group

caught up with

the local car club

for a BBQ.

Bottom: After

the event Andrea

and Ian headednorth with John

and Sue Wyers.

Here they havestopped at the

Pinnacles.


The words ‘Citroën motor

racing success’ do not

typically roll off the tongue

amongst the population. Indeed I

would suggest that they are not words

many CCOCA

m e m b e r s

would readily

put together into a sentence. Yes,

‘Citroën rally success’, we all know

about the rallying successes of the DS,

SM and CX in the hands of drivers

including Australia’s ‘Mr Citroën’, Jim

Reddiex. Of course the more recent

World Rally Championship wins

with the Xsara make the papers – Isometimes wonder whether thecoverage of the World Rally wouldachieve better coverage in theAustralian press if Ford or General

Motors were in the lead, but maybe Iam being cynical.

Members with longer standing in theClub will be aware of the success ofPeter Damman at the wheel of hisTraction Avant and the Traction in

In 1955 the guttedbody of the O’Shea-

driven Traction from the

previous Redex trial could still befound in the sand dunes of Eucla. Only

the burnt out shell was left – O’Shea havinginvested £100 to salvage the remainder.


the sand at Eucla on the Nullabor ispart of Citroën lore, but Don Wrightdrove his Citroën Special to racing andhillclimb fame in the 1950s.

The front cover shows him

competing in the NSWChampionships at Newcastle in1956. The image, in full colourappeared on the cover of ‘Wheels’ inFebruary of that year. Don was oneof only three drivers to return a runof under 60seconds anddemonstrates the ability of hisTraction-based special.

Don also competed in moreconventional motor racing meetingsand the other images in this editionare taken from the April 1955 editionof ‘Modern Motor’ and show the First

South PacificChampionships,which were

staged that year in Orange.

The picture below shows DonWright’s car bending like a bananaunder the stress of cornering. Thecamera managed to capture thedistortion that was too swift for thehuman eye.

Leigh Miles �


Top: The winner

was Peter White-

head from the

UK, here taking

Windsock Cor-

ner with ma-

chine-like preci-

sion. His red

Ferrari led nearly

all the way in the

main event, cov-

ering the 100

miles [27laps] in

65minutes and

1second.

Below: Jack Brab-

ham was at his

usual best, but his

Cooper-Bristol

was outmatched

by Peter White-

head’s latest

model Ferrari.

Brabham fin-

ished second in

the 100-miler.


Top: ‘How near is

that fence?’ J

Masling’s Jag

Special spun per-

ilously close on a

corner, but recov-

ered.

Centre: Dice on

Winsock Corner

between J Robin-

son and J

Masling, both

driving Jag Spe-

cials. Robinson

won the handi-

cap for racing

cars.Bottom: The

start was the

most impressiveyet seen on the

Gnoo-Blas track.


Ever since André Citroën

launched his first mass-

produced car – the little 7hp

which appeared soon after World

War I and became so popular as to

be named the

Frenchman’s

Ford – this

make has been earning a reputation

for daring, radical innovations. In

1934 Citroën introduced front-

wheel drive so successfully that the

cars he made that year have remained

virtually unchanged ever since – yet

they are still quoted as a standard of

excellence in road-holding and

cornering ability.

A few weeks ago, however, two

sensational new Citroën

developments reached Australia: a

revolutionary new suspension

system on the Six, and an automatic

clutch on the 2CV, with other

features which make the tiny model

virtually a two-pedal car in

circumstances where

this form of

control is most appreciated –meaning congested city traffic.

I had a brief ride in the 2CV at thetime of the Melbourne Motor Showand described the difference the new

clutch made to it in the Show report,published in May ‘Modern Motor’.Last month I got an opportunity tosample the miracle ride of the latestSix.

The new suspension on the Six isdescribed as ‘hydropneumatic’. Itworks on rear wheels only, the frontcontinuing with torsion bars,although these have been lengthenedto give softer springing. The makerssay the system is not adaptable totheir four-cylinder models.

Like riding on gas

is how John Wil-

liams summed

up Citroën’s new

gas-liquid sus-

pension when it

was re-

leased in

A u s -

tralia.


HOW IT WORKS

Briefly, the rear wheels are carried onswinging arms, connected by a torsionbar. Springing is provided by a pair ofgas-filled metal spheres; the weight of

the car, acting on a pair of tubular shockabsorbers, compresses the gas, whichis separated from the hydraulic fluidby a diaphragm. Additional dampingeffect is obtained by forcing the fluidthrough calibrated openings.

The fluid itself is kept under pressureby means of a seven-stage pump, belt-driven off the engine and a pressure

accumulator. Automatic regulatorskeep the pressure constant at all enginespeeds and ensure that the car remainslevel. [Since the rear of it rides entirelyon this combination of gas and liquid.]

When he engineis switched off,the driver turns

a hand control on the dash whichprevents the fluid returning to thereservoir via the recovery line, so thatthe car re mains level instead of settlingback on its re wheels.

Inside the boot is a small levermarked Low, Normal, and High.When this is operated with the

Key to diagram: 1. Hydraulic fluid reservoir. 2. Line to pump. 3. Engine operated

pump. 4. Pressure regulator. 5. Line taking fluid to the rear suspension. 6. Line leading

to the shock absorbers. 7. Metal spheres containing inert gas separated from the

hydraulic fluid by a diaphragm. 8. Swinging arms, to which each wheel is fitted. 9.

Rear torsion bar. 10. Modified front torsion bar; longer and springier than those of

previous models.. The new suspension adds just £46 to the car’s price.


engine running, the rear of the car islowered or raised on the suspension,and the insertion of a rest into a clip,with the lever at the High setting,enables the rear wheel to lift itselfclear of the ground on the Lowposition.

With such a source of hydraulic poweron tap, it should not be long beforeinventors produce other interesting

gadgets besides this very excellent rearjacking system.

‘POSITIVELY UNCANNY’On the road, the results of the newsuspension are positively uncanny. Incircumstances where you feel that ahard sports suspension would bepleasant, you’ve got it. But where thiswould be uncomfortable, you’ve gotthe most featherbedish of softsuspensions – yet with none of theobjectionable floating feeling whichtoo often accompanies this kind ofspringing.. This change of characteris completely automatic, due to theincredible manner in which thesuspension adapts itself instantly tocircumstances.

On smooth, fast highway surfacesand on tight corners I felt that thiswas something akin to the tautspringing of a Type 44 Bugatti, forinstance.

The next section of the route wasover a badly deteriorated road,riddled with humps and holes of

Right: Support

placed under the

car enables the

new suspension

to lift the rear

wheel off the

ground at the

turn of a control.

Below: Engine

room: compo-

nents of the sus-

pension.: [A]

belt-driven hy-

draulic pump, [B]

pressure-regulat-

ing and distrib-

uting valve. [C]

reservoir of fluid.


four or five inches in a cobblestonesurface. At that time I was riding inthe back seat alone, with the driverand another passenger in front, andwe were doing 50mph.

The best description of the ride isthat I felt as though I could havepoured a glass of beer, with agenerous collar over the top, withoutspilling a drop. The bumps, whichundeniably went under the wheels,came out the other end withoutdoing anything whatever to the caror myself. There was completeabsence of rebound even over reallynasty ‘level’ railway crossings of thehumpy description.

Altogether, this new Citroënsuspension can only be described assomething quite revolutionary,which has been achieved withoutany mechanism that would appearliable to derangement or expensiveClose up of the

s u s p e n s i o nshows shock ab-

sorber pistonarm [A], with

movement-lim-iting bump rub-

bers [B], shock

absorber body

[C] , spherical gas

reservoir [D] andtorsion bar link-ing the swinging

arms [E].

maintenance. There are no separatedampers, and the absence of rollseems due to interaction between therear suspension units on each side,as well as to the anti-roll torsion bar.

Australian priceof the Six withhydropneumatic

equipment is £1,886, including tax.

This article first appeared in ‘ModernMotor’, in July 1955. �

Advertising for the Traction Avant.

Opposite: This two colour advertise-

ment appeared on the inside front

cover of the May 1955 edition of

‘Modern Motor’.

Overleaf: Citroën also advertised the

Traction in the July edition, in con-

junction with the article describing the

new hydropneumatically suspended

Big 6.


24 A U S T R A L I AU S T R A L I AU S T R A L I AU S T R A L I AU S T R A L I A ’’’’’ SSSSS � N A T I O N A LA T I O N A LA T I O N A LA T I O N A LA T I O N A L � M A G A Z I N EA G A Z I N EA G A Z I N EA G A Z I N EA G A Z I N E � F O RO RO RO RO RA U S T R A L I AU S T R A L I AU S T R A L I AU S T R A L I AU S T R A L I A ’’’’’ SSSSS � N A T I O N A LA T I O N A LA T I O N A LA T I O N A LA T I O N A L � M A G A Z I N EA G A Z I N EA G A Z I N EA G A Z I N EA G A Z I N E � F O RO RO RO RO R 25� C I T R O Ë NI T R O Ë NI T R O Ë NI T R O Ë NI T R O Ë N � OOOOO W N E R SW N E R SW N E R SW N E R SW N E R S � A N DN DN DN DN D � E N T H U S I A S T SN T H U S I A S T SN T H U S I A S T SN T H U S I A S T SN T H U S I A S T S 25� C I T R O Ë NI T R O Ë NI T R O Ë NI T R O Ë NI T R O Ë N � OOOOO W N E R SW N E R SW N E R SW N E R SW N E R S � A N DN DN DN DN D � E N T H U S I A S T SN T H U S I A S T SN T H U S I A S T SN T H U S I A S T SN T H U S I A S T S

Citroën can take credit for the

best-kept automotive secret

of the year. Hotly denied only

a few weeks ago, their new DS 19

model took everyone by surprise

when it was

unveiled at the

Paris Salon on

October 6.

A revolutionary vehicle in more ways

than one, it is the first mass-produced

family car to adopt ultra modern body

styling; and it’s packed with all the

latest mechanical innovations as well.

Its roomy six-seat body is a sleek,

streamlined structure of the type

which until now has been seen only

on specialist coachmakers’ products

and on a few expensive small-series

sports saloons. No other closed car

can match it for all-round visibility.

The roof is of reinforced plastic, the

wind-down door windows are

unframed, and the steeply slantedbubble-shaped rear window allows ahuge parcels-shelf behind the rear seat.

Front-wheel drive, long favoured byCitroën designers, has been retained;

this, combined with a low centre ofgravity, should ensure that the DS 19inherits the excellent road-holdingcharacteristics of its predecessors.

The two-litre, four-cylinder engineallows a top speed approaching90mph [145kph] and is stilleconomical enough to give 28 to30mpg [10.1 to 9.4l/100km] at asteady 45mph [72kph]. The 14gallon[67litre] petrol tank gives a cruisingrange of about 400miles [640km].

The car’s most revolutionary featureis the adoption – for the first time ina mass-produced vehicle – of power-

After staunchly

denying they

were producing a

new model, Cit-

roën rocked the

Paris Motor

Show with their

radically differ-

ent DS 19 sa-

loon.


assisted disc brakes. Fitted only to thefront wheels, they are cooled by fresh-air intakes and are compensated forwear. The rear wheels are fitted withthe normal drum-and-shoe-type

brakes.

Other major mechanical featuresinclude power-assisted steering;independent suspension all round,employing the unique Citroën hydropneumatic suspension systemdeveloped last year and described inprevious issues of Modern Motor;and automatic clutch, combined withhydraulic gearbox.

Power for brakes and steering, as wellas for the hydro-pneumaticsuspension, is supplied by a single

pump, operating off the engine anddrawing oil from a central reservoir.

CONTROLS, INTERIORInside the car, one’s attention is

immedia te lydrawn to theunusual steeringwheel; it has no

spokes, but is attached at one side tothe steering column, which curves leftas it emerges from the dashboard.This design means that, in the eventof a crash, the steering column is nolonger ‘a spear pointed at the driver’sheart.’

A tiny finger-touch lever on the dashselects the gears; the automatic clutchdoes the rest. There are still threepedals on the floor—but theycontrol the accelerator and two foot-brakes. One of the latter replaces the

Futuristic steering

wheel is side-

mounted on

curved end of the

steering column,

which should

minimize driv-

er’s injuries in a

head-on crash.

Tiny lever selects

gears, while auto-

matic clutch en-

gages them.


customary handbrake.

The first brake, controlled by thedriver’s right foot, is the normalfootbrake. The second, controlled bythe left foot, is stronger than the usualhandbrake – it works on the discbrakes as well – and can actually beused as an emergency brake whentravelling at low speeds. It locks inposition for parking.

The foam-rubber seats have foldingarmrests, and two separate heaters

pipe warm air to the back as well as tothe front of the car.

The boot is enormous – 17 cubic feet.This is all clear luggage space, as thespare wheel is housed in the enginecompartment, in front of the radiator.It does not obstruct the flow ofcooling air, as this is drawn in througha narrow slit under the front bumperbar.

SPEC. AND PERFORMANCE

Citroën have managed to cram all this

Boot is the larg-

est ever built into

a car of this size,

has 17½ cubic

feet of clear lug-

gage space. Direc-

tion indicators

are neatly built

into ends of roof

frame.


in and still keep the car’s weight downto 22 cwt. Wheelbase is long – 10’5” [3.17m]. Front track is 4’ 11”[1.50m], narrowing to 4’ 3” [1.30m]at the rear. Overall length is 15’ 9”

[4.80m], width 5’ 10” [1.78m],height 4’ 10” [1.47m], turning circle36’ [10.97m].

The engine has a bore of 78mm anda stroke of 100mm, giving it acapacity of 1,911cc. Compressionratio is 7,5 to 1, maximum torque101ft/lb. A double-bodied down-draught Weber carburettor is fitted;bhp is 75 at 4,500rpm [58kW].

Gearbox has four forward speeds and

reverse, with the top three gearssynchromeshed. Final drive to thefront wheel drive is by spiral bevel of9 x 35. Maximum speed is 25mph[40kph] in first gear, 50mph [80kph]

in second,7 2 m p h[116kph] inthird, and

87mph [140kph] in top.

It isn’t yet known when the DS 19will be available in Australia. Its basicprice in Britain is quoted at £990sterling [before the high purchase taxis added]. This suggests that it willcost around £1,900 in Australia bythe time exchange, transport costs,import duty and sales tax are added.

This article first appeared in ‘ModernMotor’, December 1955. �

Roomy,

comfort-

able inte-

rior has

armrests

on doors

and in

centre of

rear seat.

Dropped

f l o o r

helps obtain alow centre of

gravity; huge

windows, slimpillars give excep-

tional all-roundvisibility.


Two different looks for two

profoundly different

missions, in a single project

with its sights set firmly on originality

of form. That was the Citroën

approach to the

creation of a

new family

saloon that was intended to flaunt the

sort of stylistic originality which had

made the brand’s reputation in the

past, and has clearly made a come-

back on recent Citroën models.

While for many of its rivals the

benchmark family saloon has always

been and remains the Volkswagen

Golf, in creating the future C4, Citroën

clearly had something quite different

in mind right from Day One. In the

words of its Director of Design, Jean-Pierre Ploué: ‘Right from the start, ourintention was to produce the bestperformance in the segment,something truly exceptional under

every possible heading. On the stylingfront, we concentrated on our officialbrand values: quality, comfort andcharacter. The first two of those gowithout saying, while character is acore value that is expressed by powerfuldesign, which in Citroën’s case doesnot mean a single design concept wecan turn out in lots of different sizes.We need a range of conceptuallydiverse products, which nevertheless

The two C4

body variants,

each with its own

distinctive and

original styling

approach.


even insolent, on a five-door. At thesame time, since we already had carslike the C3, the C2 and the C3 Pluriel,we were reluctant to abandon the ideaof an original silhouette, even if it

belonged to ah i g h e rs e g m e n t ’ ,

continued Ploué.

So they stopped for a bit of a think.But not for long. ‘We took a fortnightout, to work up a new look for thefive-door, which involved redesigningthe tail. And when Claude Satinet[Citroën’s General manager, Ed] cameback for another look, he wasdelighted with it. It’s a design thatharks back to the old Citroën‘dumpling’ but still highly dynamicin profile’.

look like members of the samefamily’.

When they were offered a chance toreplace the honest but dull Xsara withsomething truly original, the Citroën

designers sprang eagerly into action.In the preliminary exploratory phase[late 2000 – early 2001] they cameup with a characterful design andapplied it to the C4 package. At thattime, the plan was for three and five-door versions sharing the samesilhouette. An approach that wasmore traditional and certainly cheaperthan what they opted for in the end.‘The first design was so powerful thatwe realised it would look overdone,


From then on work continued at apace Ploué unhesitatingly describes as‘extraordinary’. Obviously, it cost a lotmore to develop two completelydifferent bodiess i m u l t a n e o u s l y .Eventually, theengineers anddesigners wereable to show them a n a g e m e n tthat, while thetwo roofsdiffered in height,dimensions andpositioning, theywere otherwise quitesimilar. ‘We found one wayof cutting costs: making two differentcars on which the roofs are actuallyidentical, though that doesn’t show.In fact, one is extended by the glazing,while the other slopes downwards tothe tail, but since the eye is drawn to

In developing the

three-door ver-

sion, as illustrat-

ed in these

sketches, the de-

signers sought a

shape that re-

vived the spirit

of certain unique

Citroëns from

the past, while

eschewing any

hint of retro nos-

talgia.

different points on the two cars, theviewer doesn’t notice’.

That was a decisive moment, since itmeant they were not forced to

abandon the powerfulstyling they had

imagined for thet h r e e - d o o r .‘Around thattime, we had allbeen working onthe Airdreamconcept car, so weborrowed the

feeling from thatfor the Coupé.

‘Coupé’, in fact, is thename chosen by the

advertising people for the dynamicthree-door C4, though, given theparticular shape of its tail-end, Jean-Pierre Ploué prefers to describe it as a‘shooting brake’ [or ‘Coupé de chasse’,


view on which multiple horizontallines are a keynote design feature.Among these, the double row ofparallel chrome bars that protrudeabove the surface at the centre of the

radiator grilleflow into thedouble chevron

of the Citroën badge to make aforceful statement against the darkbody panelling. ‘We wantedsomething that was both a brandidentifier and served a practicalpurpose’, explains Ploué. We startedout with the C6 Lignage concept carand intend to go on evolving andoptimising that styling cue as we adapt

as the French say]. The roof-line,however, he insists, is no mere stylingdetail: ‘The three-door possesses anideal shape. In fact, the roof-line onlydiverges by a couple of centimetres

from the theoretical line we got fromour engineering colleagues for that sizeof car. It took us longer to get thefive-door exactly right, aerodynamicefficiency being one of our toppriorities, but, in the event, the Cx forthe saloons is barely 0.28 and 0.29respectively’.

So, different tails, but a shared front


it to the dimensions of each new carand its radiator grille’.

As the in-house team developed theirdesign for the exterior, they alsoassessed alternative proposals putforward by various consultants,including Pininfarina, Porsche and theBritish Makkina Studio. While thePininfarina design was inspiredessentially by Citroën’s historic brandvalues, the other two said more abouttheir creators’ own image of Citroën.In the words of Alexandre Malval andOleg Son, Citroën’s Product andPlatform 2 Managers: ‘We knew wherewe were going, but we still neededsome grounds for comparison’ In theevent, it was the body design byMalval and his team that was frozen.‘Those other people only had thebrand’s past to go on; we also had theevolving current range’. Pininfarina

was also invited to contribute aproposal for the interior, but again, itwas the home team, in the person ofCitroën designer Bertrand Rapatel,that prevailed. And here too theaesthetic and conceptual tradition ofthe brand played a significant role: thespirit of the DS and the CX lives againin the distinctively original interior ofthe new C4. Take the steering wheel.In early sketches, it was a single-spokemodel, that gradually evolved intosomething truly surprising: a two-spoke wheel on which only the rimrotates while the hub housing all thecontrols remains motionless. Thatcreation makes a powerful statementagainst the background of a distinctlyminimalist dashboard with a centrallypositioned control panel that is astraightforward piece of productdesign. The overall effect of this

Below: The defin-

itive design of

the five door ver-

sion.


interior may be ‘penny plain’, but itstill manages to communicate a feelingof protection and safety, thanks to its‘double bud’ shape and wraproundside panels. Rapatel himself calls it ‘a

Zen car that opens up to the out sideworld’.

Jean-Pierre Ploué and his designers arevisibly delighted not just with theirend product, but also with the waythe Citroën management let themachieve it. ‘With the C4 we came upwith a tautly roofed and stylish three-

door that has something of theAirdream prototype and the C2about it. It’s a more hedonistic carthan the five-door, which is moreconvivial along the same ‘cocoon’ lines

as the C3, thePluriel and thePicasso’. And

the C6, but that’s the next chapter inthe Citroën story.

This article first appeared in ‘Auto &Design’, November/December 2004with pictures from Citroën. �

Opposite: Pictures of Citroën’s Air-

dream car, taken from the press kit, in

the Editor’s collection.



As John Presnell writes in the

preface to his history of the

DS, Citroën DS – The

Complete Story, ‘…no more

extraordinary mass-production car

has ever been built.’ At its 1955 Paris

Salon launch it caused a sensation;

making virtually all other cars look

old-fashioned. Even today, fifty years

afterwards, it looks sleek and elegant.

As the DS began to be seen on the

road, thousands and thousands of

small boys must have dreamt of one

day owning one. Certainly, many

model car manufacturers have had

miniature versions in their

catalogues, and there are a number

of DS models still available. Whilst

the DS has been modelled in virtually

all its versions: DS saloon, ID saloon,

the Décapotable cabriolet, Safari

station wagon, the 1967 restyle, theChapron-built specials and so on, forreasons of space this article willconfine itself to the DS/ID saloons.

Perhaps therevolutionarylines of the DStook model-

makers, like the general public, bysurprise because it was almost a yearbefore the first models of the DSwere in the shops. The French DinkyToys model was introduced inAugust 1956 as model number 24C.The model quickly became a best-seller, and the DS remained in thecatalogue until the French Dinkyfactory closed. Over the years, anumber of variations of this modelappeared as Dinky Toys kept pacewith changes to the real car. Theoriginal Dinky model was availablein two colour schemes: green withivory roof or cream with an aubergineroof. Although Dinky caught the


proportions of the real car quitefaithfully, this early model looksrather odd because its lack of glazedwindows leaves large openings in themodel. Although the frontdashboard has been modelled [evendown to a tiny double chevronbadge], its appearance is spoilt by thelack of a steering wheel. Theappearance of the Dinky Toys DSwas greatly improved with the arrivalof plastic windows from January1958 [model number 24CP]. Stilllacking interior seating and steeringwheel, nevertheless the model nowlooked far more realistic. A year later,and the model was againrenumbered [to 522] and newcolours were introduced [lemonyellow and grey roof; orange and

cream roof] with slight changesbeing made to the wheel hubs.

Dinky Toys introduced a completelyfresh DS model, produced from newdies, in 1964 [model number 530].With its opening bonnet and boot,the new DS was a real masterpieceof die-casting. The open bonnetrevealed considerable detail of theengine, as well as a spare tyre, andthe base of the model also showedsome of the details from the real car.The interior, with seating, was incream plastic and a black steeringwheel was included. Two colourschemes were available: light greenwith grey roof; and a dark red colourcalled ‘grenat’ in French, with blackroof. Headlights were ‘jewelled’ to


enhance the overall appearance. In thelate 1960s, production of FrenchDinkies commenced in Spain, andit was this factory that in 1976brought out a model of the DS23

with a restyled front including arepresentation of the directionalheadlights that Citroën had firstintroduced in 1967. In 1979, afterthe Spanish Pilen company tookover, the Dinky Toys name wasdropped, and these models today arequite difficult to find.

Like the Dinky Toys model, Norev’sfirst DS came out in 1956. At thetime, Norev models were producedin a plastic composition trademarked‘Rhodialite’ and although themoulds that the company usedresulted in accurate-looking modelswhen new [often appearing better

than metal counterparts from othertoy companies], subsequently theplastic sometimes tends to warp.Warping seems to particularly affectearly Norev models of the DS,

which wasproduced inseveral separateparts: roof,

body, base and front grille assembly,all glued together. Norev’s first DS[model number 10] comes in a widevariety of colours, and is usuallyfitted with white plastic tyres andradio aerial, whilst the model issometimes found with a frictionmotor included. From 1957, Norevproduced a ‘Micro-Miniatures’version of the DS in 1:86 scale, whilstin the mid-1970s a ‘Mini-jet’ seriesNorev model was available in 1:65scale. Returning to the more usual1:43 scale, the DS continued to befeatured in Norev’s cataloguethroughout the 1960s and ‘70s, new


moulding being introduced in 1967with the arrival of a model of theDS21, and plastic giving way to ametal body in 1972. Although itdisappeared for a while in the 1980s,the DS returned to the Norevcatalogue as the firm started toconcentrate on the collectors’ market.In recent years, Norev has producedsome stunning models of rare DSvariants such as the cabriolet and theChapron coachbuilt Concorde andPalm Beach coupes.

The other main French model carproducer, Solido, seems to havebeen curiously unenthusiastic aboutthe DS. Although it featured apoorly-proportioned version in its1:40 scale ‘Junior’ range of the mid-‘50s, some versions available withclockwork motors and others asassembly kits, it wasn’t until the mid-‘90s that the Solido cataloguefeatured a DS [model number8033]. Since that time, the DS hasbeen continuously available fromboth Solido and its sister-company,Verem, including various policeversions.

Using old Norev mouldings, theFrench Eligor company broughtout a range of DS models abouttwenty years ago, many featuringadvertising on the bodywork forsuch French products as Dubonnet,La Vache Qui Rit cheese andWaterman pens. Others carried thebadges of fire-fighting brigades

such as Sapeurs Pompiers De LaRochelle and there were versionsbased on rally cars, such as the DSthat won the 1970 Monte CarloRally.

A number of the smaller French toycompanies brought out their ownmodels of the DS in the mid-‘50s.Gégé went so far as to produce theDS in three separate scales: 1:15,1:18 and 1:43, whilst Clé broughtout versions in plastic in the scalesof 1:90, 1:64 and 1:48. Other earlyFrench producers of DS modelsinclude JRD and Minialuxe.

Many non-French toy companiesalso produced models of the DS.One of the more common of thesewas that made by Corgi Toys. TheCorgi DS [model number 210]appeared in December 1957 andwas the company’s first model of aforeign car. Unlike many Corgis ofthe time, the Citroën was neveravailable with a push and go motor,simply because there was notsufficient room to fit one. CorgiToys of the time were not made toa common scale, and the DS wasabout 1:47. The lines of the real carare caught quite well, though the rearappears somewhat shortened. Ahard to find rally version wasbrought out in 1965, and even moredesirable to the collector is theMonte Carlo Rally Set featuring theDS 19 alongside a Mini-Cooper Sand a Rover 2000. All feature rally


stickers, and the trio are inpackaging that represents a snow-bound hairpin bend, Alpine peaksin the background. Corgi’s DSsaloon [costing just 3/6d when it

first came out] was in the cataloguefor many years and had a secondcareer when the Portuguese MetOsulcompany used the old dies in themid-‘70s for its own model.Around this time a number ofHong Kong companies brought outplastic models of the DS that,

judging from their proportions,seem to have been copied from theCorgi original.

Just to round off this [far fromc o m p l e t e ]survey of DSmodel cars, Is h o u l d

mention the versions from theItalian RIO company and from theFrench/Portuguese maker, Vitesse.Both companies introduced theirmodels in the mid-‘90s and theirproducts remain relatively easy tofind and quite inexpensive. Bothcompanies also offer a host ofvariations of the DS. As has been


illustrated before in one of thesearticles, there is a RIO modelcomplete with a miniature GeneralDe Gaulle taking the salute. Perhapsthe most original offering fromVitesse was its model brought outto celebrate the 40th anniversary ofthe famous car. This was arepresentation of a very strikingadvertising image that Citroënemployed when the car first cameout. A DS was photographed‘floating’ on water, held aloft by fourred spheres in place of the car’s

tyres. The idea was to publicise thesoft ride obtained from thehydropneumatic suspension. [JohnPressnell’s book on the DS includesa colour photo of theadvertisement.]

This article has just skimmed thesurface of the literally hundreds ofDS models that are available. Theycome from a host of manufacturers,from many countries, in a range ofdifferent scales and in a variety ofmaterials, from silver to wood!

Mark Ebery. �


Fleet Follies this edition features

Ian Sperling and Mark

McKibbin and a report on the

doings of Jeff Pamplin, in China.

IAN SPERLING – COMMITTEEMAN

We have just returned home fromthe WA Cit In. With a l ittlepreparation work beforehand, agrease and oil change in Perththanks to Ralph Hibble forallowing use of his hoist and al i t t le luck our 2CV had aremarkably good run. There weresome minor incidents. In searchof finding a site for lunch webeached the 2CV on a sandy roadsomewhere south of Geraldtown.After removing the heavy weights(such as myself), a little shovelwork and push we were back outonto hard ground. On leavingKalbarri in heavy driving rain,moisture worked its way into theignition causing a short unplannedstop. But, in context of such a bigtr ip , they were l i t t le i s sues .Otherwise the car ran faultlesslyfor close to 10,000 kilometres.For now, its time to clean off someroad grime and consider Cit In2006 in Dubbo.

Ian Sperling �

MARK MCKIBBIN – PRESIDENT

11BLThe 11BL has acquitted itself verywell on the trip to Perth, all it needsnow is a grease and old change. The

car cruised verywell at thespeed limit andI believe that it

would be happier at about 125Kph but of course that’s illegal.

I’m still not happy with the enginenoise isolation so I will haveanother go at the front mount, Iused neoprene last time and I thinkit al lows too much vibrationthough.

At Cit-In I saw another Tractionwith ID motor and they had amodified Traction air cleaner/silencer that should be muchquieter than my sponge jobby so Iwill try that.

Lastly I might try a 123 Ignitionon this car

SMStill waiting for me to complete theengine removal , now I’m notdistracted on the Traction I’m sureI’ll have more to report next time.

2CVNeed to go down to Melbourne toget some oil filters so I can do agrease and oil change. Also needto replace the plastic clips that holdthe windows open.


ID19BI haven’t seen it for a few monthssince I dropped it off to have thefront brakes fixed.

5CVTime for the annual oil change

Velosolex S2200Not a Citroën but it isunderpowered and French so verysimilar. When I was in Perth Ibought this moped, its an earlysixties model and after finding thefuel blockage runs very well andmay come in useful as a tow vehiclefor the 5CV.

Mark McKibbin �

JEFF PAMPLIN – FOREIGN

C O R R E S P O N D E N T

Warmer weather, and spring hasalmost sprung in Dalian, LiaoningProvince, China, with the firstbuds opening this week and maybetrees will blossom next week.Winter here was pretty cold for aMelbourne lad – the icy footpathssomething of a challenge but arefuge from the dangers of icyroads where pedestrian crossingsmean nothing at all to drivers witha dog-eat-dog, I’m-all-right-Jack,working-class-can-kiss-my-arseattitude.


A January holiday further north inHarbin, capital of HeilongjiangProvince, brought much colderweather with temperatures down intothe minus thirties Celsius, snow and

ice all around. The city makes a feature- what else can you do - of the iceand snow and attracts many touriststo an ice lantern festival with outdoordisplays of exquisite ice carvings andhuge ice replicas of well-knownmonuments - Arc de Triomphe, StPeters, Louvre, Great Wall, etc. withcoloured neon lights on the inside.

The solidly frozen river provided theopportunity to try some differentmodes of travel - horse drawn sleighsand dog sleds. The horses, one to asleigh, were in good condition andhad spiked shoes to grip the ice. Theyambled along easily with a driverhanging onto the harness, running,and slipping alongside. In contrastto the familiar picture of a sled beinghauled by a team of huskies, thesesleds only had one dog each to haultwo passengers. The huskies werelarge, strong, in beautiful conditionand seemed to enjoy the easy jaunt,hauling tourists.

A few days later and much furthersouth in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province,it was ‘warm’ enough for rain to fallinstead of snow. The city is famed

for its silk, canals and beautifulgardens, some of which have quaintnames such as ‘The HumbleAdministrator’s Garden’. The bestway to get around the city is by

bicycle andcyclists seem tobe betterlooked after

than elsewhere with separate lanesand even a special, left turn, bicycleunderpass at one major intersection.This took a bit of skill to navigate,enough speed to get out the otherend but not too much round the wetcurve, while watching out for othercyclists.

I happened upon an entrancing sightone morning while cycling along theGrand Canal [Suzhou, not Venice], afisherman with a flock ofcormorants doing all the work. A birdwould dive, surface with a fish, hoponto a pole and be lifted into theboat by the fisherman and, with abit of help from him, disgorge thefish and be dropped back into thewater.

Lunar New Year was spent inShanghai. The firecrackers andskyrockets went off almostcontinuously, not just on New Year’sEve but for two weeks and well afterI got back to Dalian. A bit ofexcitement, even a lot, is fine but theexplosions started about six in themorning and went all night!

Jeff Pamplin �


This magazine includes a full

list of priced spare parts as at

the end of the club year. I

would believe we have filled more

orders this past year than ever before

and would like

to thank the

members for

t h e i r

confidence in me.

I think it is inappropriate to publish

figures in the magazine but copies of

my annual report are available from

the club secretary and will be presented

at the Annual General Meeting, on

April 27.

Highlights of the past year for me

have been the success of the Traction

weigh-in at the Concours, which

surely gave a lot of members a better

understanding of balancing their cars

as I am receiving more reports of

people using and understanding

Bernie Hadaway’s balance beam.

Round speedo and combination

gauge dials coming to fruition, partof another long project and theincreasing acceptance of the use of JackWeaver plates, the sourcing of winddeflectors as described in the last

magazine and new hubcaps arecurrently on order in the U.K.Generally, these achievements arebrought about by co-operation ofother members sending meinformation that can be shared by alland last but not least we should allthank Rob Koffijberg and the team atTraction Avant Netherlands for theirunending technical assistance and co-operation.

Another new product available isspeedo dials for ID models toSeptember 1965, correct me if I amwrong. Most of these cars now havevery wobbly letters and numerals asthey deteriorate, this new dial is screen


1 9 8 6 2 C VMy wonderful 2CV [isn’t it] is for sale.It’s got a new[ish] engine, 123 ingnition,and performs as good as it looks. I amlooking for only $15,000 for thisdelightful example of an 1986 model [andwhat a lovely one it is], with long rego[just done]. Phone Larry O’Carroll, [02]4579 1051 or email [email protected] [28/9]

2 0 0 3 C 3 E X C L U S I V E

5 speed manual, just 28,000km, with thebalance of new car warranty. Registeredto July ‘05 [Qld] 457 GWY. Must sell.$14,900. Phone Jason Rout, [07] 33997022 or 04 1998 8307 [M]. [28/9]

2CV ENGINE AND

TRANSAXLE

2CV 602cc engine and transaxle#0905032790, complete with starteretc. Will start engine for interested buyer.$1,200 neg. Phone Mel 04 1482 0631[M] [28/9]

1 9 5 0 L I G H T 1 5This car comes with excellent provenanceand is in excellent condition. It hasrecently benefited from an engineoverhaul, with new silent blocs and a newwiring loom. The steering rack has beenserviced. It spent the first 46years of itslife in the Maldon area of Victoria andhas covered a genuine 86,000miles. It stillshows its original registration of ON 299and has had only three owners from new.The car comes with lots of spares and isbeing sold to make room for a newproject. Photos are available. $16,000.Phone Les Farrar, [08] 9430 5274 [H]or 04 0911 2987 [M] [28/8]

1 9 4 8 O N Z E L E G E R E

This car was originally registered in SouthAfrica and exported to the UK. It wasbrought to Australia last year. While thereare some unoriginal parts fitted to thecar, and it will require some work to putit on the road it is an excellent vehicle.Recently repainted. Reg YSL 801. PhoneRob Little [03] 5823 1397.[28/9]

printed on glass and is calibrated inkilometres, all that is needed is toreplace your old dial with the new oneand no calibration is needed for thespeedo. However if you need to haveyour speedo calibrated and serviced, Ihave a local technician in Sheppartonwho can carry out this work for you,we may be able to supply some on achange over basis for tractions andIDs.

Rob Little �

1948 Onze

Legere, originallySouth African,

via the UK.


1 9 5 4 L I G H T 1 5Silver big boot ex Warren Seidel. Garagedfor last 15years Runs well, brakes redonerecently, leather front seat needs reupholstering. Some rust in front driver’sfloor, none in the boot. $ 6000 neg. Oldregistration AWI 594. Phone AndréMcKinnon [03] 9578 3721 [28/8]

1 9 7 4 D S P E C I A L

Eng/no 0664016818. Price $6,000.Gardenia paint, roof resprayed, somelight body rust, some body panels needsmall repairs, small dent on bonnet, sparebonnet supplied. Brown vinyl Targa trimand grey interior, front seats need minorrepair. Runs & drives OK needs newmuffler, new boot floor fitted, recocylinder head, Weber carby, newHankook front tyres, rear tyres goodMichelin XVS, hydraulics seem OK. Towbar fitted. Phone Rob Little [03] 58231397. [28/6]

1974 GS 1220 SPEC IAL

Reg ORG073. Price $600. Good engine,Weber carby, needs synchro in 3rd gear, bodyand suspension reasonable, white with redinterior, excellent tyres, tow bar fitted. PhoneRob Little [03] 5823 1397. [28/6]

1 9 7 6 2 C V1976 not registered but near RWC. 26KA9741, Engine 0504121537. New brakes and

battery., good tyres - back new. No rust. Greenwith Paisley patterned brown seats, re-conmotor and gear box [Martin Bray], electronicignition. A sound reliable car ready to go to anew home. Needs TLC and refurbishing.Asking $ 7900 as is [firm] Phone: JeffHowarth [03] 5829 0792 [28/7]

T R A C T I O N / I D P A R T S

• 5 rims and hubcaps for an Onze Legere,in excellent condition. The rims are [ofcourse] 165 x 400 and are painted ivory.The hubcaps are chrome with black trim.

• ID cylinder head, brand new andcomplete; still in its greaseproofwrapping. A very rare find.

• ID con rods in good condition.

To discuss the purchase of any or all ofthese phone Vern Isaacs, [08] 9377 7365

[28/8]

1 9 7 4 D S P E C I A L

Two parts cars, one complete, open to offers.Phone Rob Little [03] 5823 1397. [28/6]

FRENCH TRAC T ION PAR T S

Cibie headlamps and other parts for aFrench Traction. Phone Rob Little, [03]5823 1397. [28/9]

Left: 2003 C3Exclusive, with

the balance ofthe new car war-

ranty, in Queens-

land..Right: 1986

2CV in excellentcondition, inNSW.

M DRIVE FRONT E F

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