The Citroen DS

[c107]

if you are interested a DS, let me know if I can help in any way.

 

[c107]

Had a bit more of a look at this car and Its been done in a very original way.

For example, the instrument cluster is the correct 1970 ONLY instrument cluster. It has the shift marks in the speedomter, for later years they were removed and the cluster was simplified in about 1973.

it has the early D-Super badge, again correct for 1970. The carpets are correct for a D-Super, again many cars get the DS or DS Pallas carpet.

Door cards have the correct ribbed section at the bottom that most of the reproduction door cards are missing.

The colour looks correct for Bleu Platine which was one of the nicer colours offered for 1971. A D Super would have come with the white roof as this car has.

The seat fabric may be slightly off, the texture that doesn't seem quite right.
The D super would have come standard with Vinyl and optionally (as on this car) had the velours from the DS non-pallas. These velours were not patterned for 1970. (at least that I know of)

Being a D Super it would have the 1985cc engine with the better carby. 4 speed manual gearbox.

 

[c107]

This is a good photo gallery showing the restoration and structure of a DS.

This is probably the most desirable DS model in my view - 1967 DS21 BVH.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/citroenclassics/albums/72157644041125221

 

[SEL_69L]

I was thinking about the lack of power.
That led me to looking on Google images at the variety of attempts to address the problem via an engine swap.

Eliminating the transplanting of a V8 as being rather vulgar, it seems to me that the best way to go would be with a Japanese twin cam four cylinder engine, perhaps super or turbocharged. A good think would still be needed to retain as much as possible of the original drive system, and not over power it.

 

[BenzBoy]

When you drive a DS you appreciate that the supposed lack of power is less significant than it appears on paper. With a heavy cast iron (?) flywheel the motor keeps spinning freely and the compensatory behaviour smooths out the impact of small inclines etc. The excellent Cx factor enables the car to slice through the atmosphere rather than confront it head-on like a Benz design of the time. National cultural differences perhaps?
The DS makes an outstanding cruising car; it does not make a sports car. French motoring is not about speed; it's about comfort and not shaking up that wonderful Bordeaux red in the boot. If you wanted speed at the time of the DS you went to Italy to shop.
I went to the 50th Anniversary parade of the DS and the cavalcade of different variants made a wonderful spectacle as they wound around the Arc de Triomphe roundabout and down to Les Halles ……
The roundabout is not for the faint-hearted. I got stuck in an endless go-around whilst driving a Toyota gazoil and found the only way to peel off into the road I needed was to keep my hand on the horn and accelerate. It seems that's how the natives do it too.
Regards,
Brian

 

[SEL_69L]

I have been told that if you have an accident on the roundabout at L' Arc de Triomphe, any car insurance is invalid.
Now, I know the reasons why.

 

[BenzBoy]

I have been told that if you have an accident on the roundabout at L' Arc de Triomphe, any car insurance is invalid.
Now, I know the reasons why.

I suspect that might be an urban myth,
Have a look at this video and it's not peak hour. (Do you remember Plastic Betrand?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENfzqiSpUoo
Regards,
Brian

 

[abl567]

"Do you remember Plastic Betrand?"

Part of the sound track of my youth, although the majority was pub rock, Painters & Dockers, Saints etc.

 

[motec 6.9]

Yes I do Benzboy and I also know what the lyrics are . Apparently Radiators are playing next weekend in Queanbeyan.

 

[motec 6.9]

Not the same in English https://lyricstranslate.com/en/Ca-Plane-Por-Moi-Ca-Plane-Por-Moi.html

Yam! Bam!)
(My cat "Splash")
rests on my bed
has eaten her language
By drinking (tronc=trunk but this could be a sound, too) my whisky
concerning me
slept little, exhausted, teased
I have had to sleep in the gutter
Where I've had a flash
Hou! Hou! Hou! Hou!
In four colours

Come on!
One morning
A darling (oruppy) came toward me
Doll (or: female) from cellophane
chinese hair
a patch
A snout of wood
has drunken my beer
In a big glass
of caoutchouc
Hou! Hou! Hou! Hou!
Like an Indian in his iglu

It slides for me
It slides for me
It slides for me me me me me
It slides for me
Hou! Hou! Hou! Hou!
It slides for me

Come on! The girl
what a foot!
What a vibration!
Of sending itself
To the floor mat
Rasped, ruined, exhausted, satisfied
"You are the king of the divan!"
That's what she said to me while passing by
Hou! Hou! Hou! Hou!
I am the King of the divan

It slides for me
It slides for me
It slides for me me me me me
It slides for me
Hou! Hou! Hou! Hou!
It slides for me

Come on!
Get busy
alarm yourself
Don't touch my planet
It's not today
That the sky falls on my head
And that I will miss the alcohol
Hou! Hou! Hou! Hou!
It slides for me

Come on! My girl
has streched herself
has closed herself
Finally it's enough of hiding everything
the sink, the bar leave me alone
like a big idiot
Hou! Hou! Hou! Hou!
The foot in the plate

 

[BenzBoy]

And a different translation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp2KV4vx5tI
Must be played loud through big speakers and see how many of the neighbours remember places like the University Club disco …..
Ca plane pour moi is quite ambiguous; and a great pick up line.
oops - this is supposed to be about Citroen....
Regards,
Brian

 

[abl567]

Oh my god, I'd forgotten this one!

 

[c107]

When you drive a DS you appreciate that the supposed lack of power is less significant than it appears on paper. With a heavy cast iron (?) flywheel the motor keeps spinning freely and the compensatory behaviour smooths out the impact of small inclines etc. The excellent Cx factor enables the car to slice through the atmosphere rather than confront it head-on like a Benz design of the time. National cultural differences perhaps?
The DS makes an outstanding cruising car; it does not make a sports car. French motoring is not about speed; it's about comfort and not shaking up that wonderful Bordeaux red in the boot. If you wanted speed at the time of the DS you went to Italy to shop.

Agree with Brian here, the engine power is adequate for the car. its a cruiser not a sports car and to me the semi-automatic gearbox is a big part of this, if you need to go up a hill you're back a gear with a flick of the wrist. It is a very smooth cruising car. I think the DS would have been interesting with the flat six they originally planned, as it would be much smoother than a four, which can be a bit coarse when pushed.

Only the very early cars were underpowered, by the time the five bearing engines came they were adequate. My car is happy to cruise at 120km/h and has power in reserve.

An engine swap would not be so easy as you need the high pressure hydraulic pump and it needs to be mounted backwards from normal with the transmission in front of the engines and ancillaries running of a camshaft pulley.

 

[motec 6.9]

I owned a Manual CX in the 90's I don't have anything against the real Citroen's

 

[Patrick_R]

I’ve never had the pleasure of sitting in any Citroen.
Even on my wife & I trips to Europe we always seem to score Opel, Fiat or Peugeot from Avis or Hertz.
After reading all of this, I sure wouldn’t mind having a spin in one of these iconic classic cars.
There is a true love of these cars I can see here with you boys, I read the fondness and good memories you have all had with these cars over the years.
Seems you all have a real nice soft spot for them, and that’s great.

Brian May remember a while ago I posted some pics of a fleet (about a dozen) of Citroen assembled outside the hotel we were staying at while in Sicily.
They were all heading off on some type of rally.

Brian quickly identified them as a Citroen SM.
Boy, that V6 sure had a unique sound, especially all of them running and heading off together.

Quite a unique looking car thats for sure, very quirky.

 

[c107]

I’ve never had the pleasure of sitting in any Citroen.
Even on my wife & I trips to Europe we always seem to score Opel, Fiat or Peugeot from Avis or Hertz.
After reading all of this, I sure wouldn’t mind having a spin in one of these iconic classic cars.
There is a true love of these cars I can see here with you boys, I read the fondness and good memories you have all had with these cars over the years.
Seems you all have a real nice soft spot for them, and that’s great.

Brian May remember a while ago I posted some pics of a fleet (about a dozen) of Citroen assembled outside the hotel we were staying at while in Sicily.
They were all heading off on some type of rally.

Brian quickly identified them as a Citroen SM.
Boy, that V6 sure had a unique sound, especially all of them running and heading off together.

Quite a unique looking car thats for sure, very quirky.

The SM has the DS hydraulics with a sporty body and a Maserati v6 engine. Citroen owned Maserati at the time and this engine was designed by them and later modified for use in the Merak. Unusual for a v6, it is a 90degree unit, probably so they could built it on the same production line as the v8s.

It also had the DIRAVI steering better known in the CX. This system is a variable one with only two turns to lock and with a self centering feature.

The aerodynamics are even better than the DS so it goes much better than the 2.7 v6 would have you assume.

Sadly they never offered the semi automatic transmission from the DS, you either got a 5 speed manual or a borg warner 3 speed.

There were never officially made in RHD, but quite a number have been converted.

 

[motec 6.9]

This SM comes to Cars and Coffee in Canberra regularly . Included DS Safari

 

[Patrick_R]

The SM is a great looking car.
Reminds me of Commander Ed Strakers car from the 70’s TV show UFO.

I need to look more closely at these beautiful cars, the DS in particular.

Gents,
Thank you for educating me on a car that has never been on my radar.

 

[c107]

Most people know about the Berline (Sedan) and Safari (Wagon), and even the Chapron convertible. But the small number of coupes that were built by Chapron are far rarer. Personally, I don't like the proportions of the Cabriolet, but the Coupe models are really interesting. There were only around 30 of these ever made.

Here is an example of the Le Dandy:



and here is the Concorde.




They generally sell for less than the Cabriolet Usine, and also less than the other custom cabriolets (e.g. Le Caddy)

 

[BenzBoy]

Truly remarkable looking cars; designed with passion and flair.
And more information here:
https://citroenvie.com/citroen-by-henri-chapron/
Regards,
Brian