Author Topic: What kept me busy all that time...  (Read 5022 times)

GGR

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What kept me busy all that time...
« on: October 18, 2019, 23:18:58 »
So I haven't been that active on the board lately. The main reason is that work is keeping me away from home most of the time and I am left with little time to tinker with wrenches, nuts, and bolts. The other reason is that I dedicated that little time to the other car I cherish, the Citroen DS. Below are some pictures of a '67 DS 21 with citromatic shift that I just finished restoring. The first two pictures are during the restoration process, and the two last ones are how the car looks today:
« Last Edit: October 19, 2019, 00:44:10 by GGR »

GGR

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2019, 23:26:06 »
Then, one thing leading to another, I ended up discovering a black DS not far from home. It hadn't ran in 5 years. I couldn't resist. I always wanted a black DS as these were the official cars of French Authorities in the Pompidolian France of my childhood. Below are some pictures after I put quite some work into it in order to get it back on the road:
 

GGR

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2019, 23:39:42 »
Below are some pictures of when that was a State car:

GGR

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2019, 23:55:00 »
This being a french car, I guess we also need a bit of glamour:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYRPLdOYuTs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GIFVvsuCb8

« Last Edit: October 19, 2019, 11:56:17 by GGR »

GGR

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2019, 00:00:15 »
And these being my cars, of course, I can't leave their engines alone!

I got a CX GTI Turbo 2 parts car, which engine is a cousin to the DS block. Only that it rotates the other way round. So my plan is to take that CX turbo engine, a DS engine, give it a good shake and hopefully come up with a DS turbo engine. It may take a while as I have really little time to dedicate to that project. But I will update this thread when I make some progress.
« Last Edit: October 19, 2019, 00:24:52 by GGR »

wjsvb

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2019, 02:00:23 »
Oh, and build one with an engine also in the rear...well, it's been done with a 2CV!  Seriously, we've missed your posts and look forward to more soon!
jon

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Cees Klumper

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2019, 02:26:06 »
Very special cars, we called 'Snoek' (Carp) in my youth in Holland.
I do think female beauty combines better with the Pagoda, but then you can't have it all.
Bon weekend,
Cees Klumper
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kampala

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #7 on: October 19, 2019, 03:53:19 »
The DS is one of my favorites - way before living in France.   The DS, along with the Peugeot 504 were THE cars during my childhood in East Africa.   

These are rarely seen in Paris except at old timers events.   A piece of Art from a different time and a different France.   



You’ve been Busy!  Very nice to see. 
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Aslam

GGR

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #8 on: October 19, 2019, 12:03:26 »
The DS, along with the Peugeot 504 were THE cars during my childhood in East Africa.

I have seen quite a number of DS in Addis while working there in 1996. The story goes that the Negus being francophile, he wanted all his Ministers to drive in a DS. I don't know if that is true.

I don't remember seeing any DS in Kenya or Uganda though I worked there between 2001 and 2007. A DS was used in the movie "The last king of Scotland" but Idi Amin never owned one in real life. He owned one or several SMs.
« Last Edit: October 19, 2019, 18:32:55 by GGR »

wayne R

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Ds 21
« Reply #9 on: October 19, 2019, 13:44:43 »
GGR    love them, i have never owned one ,but my brother owned one in New Zealand,
 about 30 years ago, drove it alot, and i have always wanted to buy one, but its one car  that did not
come my way.
Citroen unveiled the DS in 1955, just before the Paris Motor show,and the audience were stunned with
the sleek furusistic styling.and list of advanced techological features.
It quikly became the most impressive car in the world.
I guess most have heard about President De-gaulle was shot at in his DS ,and 3 of the tires were blown out,
but his driver was able to continue to get  the president to his destination safely. because of its famous self level suspension.
As seen in the movie,----The Day Of The Jackel.

GGR

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Re: Ds 21
« Reply #10 on: October 19, 2019, 16:38:36 »
I guess most have heard about President De-gaulle was shot at in his DS ,and 3 of the tires were blown out,
but his driver was able to continue to get  the president to his destination safely. because of its famous self level suspension.
As seen in the movie,----The Day Of The Jackel.

Here is the ambush in the movie " The Day of the Jackel " :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp0yPa0zcKw

For the ones who read French, here is an article describing the role of the DS in saving De Gaulle's life:

https://lexpansion.lexpress.fr/actualite-economique/la-voiture-qui-sauva-de-gaulle_484871.html

Honestly, the biggest factor in favour of De Gaulle was that the attack didn't go as planned. Contrarily to what is shown in the movie the attackers did not see the signal with the news paper informing them that the convoy was approaching, and reacted late.

The second factor was the experience of the driver, who was already driving a DS in a previous attempt to assassinate De Gaulle. As soon as he realised the situation, he downshifted from 4th to third and floored it making it harder to aim and hit the car.

About 20 bullets still hit the car, blowing the front right tire in the process. A car from the attackers did not have the time to get in the way contrarily to what is shown in the movie, but started chasing the convoy which was now travelling at high speed and fired at it blowing the left rear tire of De Gaulle's car in the process. The chasing car then abandoned pursuit leaving the convoy to reach the Villacoublay airport at high speed.

The qualities of the DS that contributed making a difference are the following:

- the citromatic allows for dowwnshifting at a flick of a finger while flooring the gas pedal which had the car gain speed much faster than a conventional car. Also, the driver did not have to operate a heavy gear shift lever and a clutch pedal which allowed him to concentrate on his trajectory with a blown rear tire while gaining speed;

- the self leveling hydro-pneumatic suspension allowed for the car to keep its attitude with one and then two blown tires without altering the dynamics of the suspension as it would have been the case on a traditional sprung suspension car, and allowing for better control at high speed;

- the long wheel base also contributed to a better stability and control;

- the front inboard brakes allow for the steering pivot to be in the center of the wheel, eliminating bump steer and all kind of reaction in the steering due to the blown tire. This last specificity, in my opinion, is what allowed the car to escape at high speed with two blown tires while the driver was in full control of it.

Many specialists said that any other car of the era in similar conditions would have ended up spinning or getting out of the road given the speed the convoy was travelling at.

I myself blew the front right tire in a DS on the highway at a speed of about 140 to 150 km/h while passing another car. I was quite heavy as I was moving my student room from Toulouse to Paris. Apart from the noise and pieces of tire flying everywhere, I was able to keep full control of the car, finished passing the other car and then slowly came to a fully controlled stop on the emergency lane. Not sure of what would have happened in another car. 
« Last Edit: October 19, 2019, 21:16:02 by GGR »

sully

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #11 on: October 19, 2019, 19:06:38 »
Very nice car,i have a 1973 model Super 5 in a same colour as yours which has won over 200 thropies.

Sully

GGR

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2019, 19:28:54 »
Very nice car,i have a 1973 model Super 5 in a same colour as yours which has won over 200 thropies.

Sully

OMG! Is this your car?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/your-chance-to-buy-the-finest-citroen-ds-in-the-world/


« Last Edit: October 19, 2019, 19:39:05 by GGR »

Benz Dr.

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2019, 22:03:04 »
I know a guy who had a convertible and I was told it was a very rare car. He showed it at Meadowbrook Concourse last time I saw it.
1966 230SL 5 speed, LSD, header pipes, 300SE distributor, ported, polished and balanced, AKA  ''The Red Rocket ''
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mclewis

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #14 on: October 19, 2019, 23:10:13 »
I always have admired the DS. This August I was in Paris on vacation and Citroen was sponsoring a photography exhibit in celebration of its 100th anniversary. In the courtyard of the building in which the exhibit was held there were several old and new Citroen, including a well preserved or restored DS.
Marc Lewis
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sully

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #15 on: October 20, 2019, 15:41:43 »
Yes that is the one

Sully

Benz Dr.

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #16 on: October 20, 2019, 17:09:44 »
I like the looks of the SM more. I imagine that engine would be a real treat to work on though.
1966 230SL 5 speed, LSD, header pipes, 300SE distributor, ported, polished and balanced, AKA  ''The Red Rocket ''
Dan Caron's SL Barn

1970  3.5 Coupe
1961  190SL
1985   300CD  Turbo Coupe
1981  300SD
2013  GMC  Sierra
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1967 250SL
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1988 560SEC

neelyrc

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #17 on: October 28, 2019, 01:05:18 »
I am not knowledgeable about the Citroen Mark in spite of having lived in Paris in the ‘80s for several years but remembering having seen this thread, I shot this beauty this past weekend at the Autoemotodepoca Fair in Padova, Italy. 
Ralph

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GGR

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #18 on: October 28, 2019, 09:09:40 »
Nice shots!

The car behind seems to be a prototype, with Panhard CT24 type fenders. That was the period when Citroen took over Panhard.

MikeSimon

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Re: What kept me busy all that time...
« Reply #19 on: October 30, 2019, 12:55:25 »
There is one on BaT right now.
1970/71 280SL Automatic
Sandy Beige
Parchment Leather
Power Steering
Automatic
Hardtop
Heated Tinted Rear Window
German specs
3rd owner