Front Drive - Citroën Classic Owners Club of Australia Inc.

FRONT C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 1DRIVEA U S T R A L I A’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTSWINTER ‘07 VOL 31 NO 3

2 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 3POSTAL ADDRESSCITROËN CLASSIC OWNERSCLUB of AUSTRALIA Inc.The address of the Club andthis magazine is:PO Box 52, Balwyn, Victoria, 3103.The Club’s website is:www.citroenclassic.org.auCitroën Classic Owners Club ofAustralia Inc. is a member of theAssociation of Motoring Clubs.The views expressed in this publicationare not necessarily those of CCOCAor its Committee. Neither CCOCA,nor its Committee can accept anyresponsibility for any mechanicaladvice printed in, or adopted from thispublication.The Club cannot accept anyresponsibility for, or involvement in,any business relationship that may occurbetween an advertiser and a member ofthe Club.COVER IMAGEThe cover image is taken from theTraction Avant Nederland calendar anddepicts Hirson, Aisne, France and wastaken in 1946.MEMBERSHIPAnnual Membership is $45. Foroverseas membership add $12.MEETINGSClub 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.LIFE MEMBERSThe 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 1984CONTRIBUTORSContributors to this edition of‘Front Drive’ include:Ted Cross, Rob Little, Mark McKibbin,Michael Molesworth and JeffPamplin.DEADLINEThe deadline for the next edition of‘Front Drive’ is Friday, August 31COMMITTEEPRESIDENT —SECRETARY —VacantEdward Cross[03] 9819 2208 [H]secretary@citroenclassic.org.auTREASURER — Clare Hadaway[03] 9598 6888 [H]treasurer@citroenclassic.org.auACTIVITIES COORDINATOR —Mark McKibbin[03] 5625 4020activities@citroenclassic.org.auMEETING COORDINATOR —Bernie Hadaway[03] 9598 6888meeting@citroenclassic.org.auSPARE PARTS OFFICER — Rob Little[03] 5823 1397 [H]spareparts@citroenclassic.org.auPUBLICATION EDITOR — Leigh Miles[03] 9888 7506 [H]editor@citroenclassic.org.auCOMMITTEE PERSON —Michael Molesworthspectron@dcsi.net.auSUPPORTWEB WALLAH — Jeff Pamplin[03] 9523 0210 [H]webwallah@citroenclassic.org.auMEMBERSHIP SECRETARY —Mark McKibbin[03] 5625 4020 [H]members@citroenclassic.org.auAOMC LIAISON OFFICERS —Ted Cross [03] 9819 2208 [H]Russell Wade [03] 9570 3486 [H]CLUB PERMIT & SAFETY OFFICERS —Russell Wade [03] 9570 3486 [H]Peter Boyle [03] 9470 8080 [H]Mel Carey [03] 9419 4537 [H&B]David Grieslibrarian@citroenclassic.org.auLIBRARIAN —CLUB SHOP — Graham Barton[03] 5987 0767 [H] 04 1810 0992 [M]clubshop@citroenclassic.org.auICCCR REPRESENTATIVE —Ted Cross [03] 9819 2208 [H]STATE ACTIVITY CO-ORDINATORS —ACTMike Neil[02] 6254 1040 [H] 04 1821 1278 [M]NSWBert Houtepen[02] 9746 9920PUBLIC OFFICER —Peter Boyle[03] 9470 8080ruffb@tadaust.org.auCITROËNINGCH PLATESSend your annual CH renewalform to PO Box 52, Balwyn,3103. Please do the right thingand enclose a stamped, addressedenvelope.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 your caron the road, and keeping it going.FOR SPARE PARTS &TOOLSContact Rob Little. Phone:[03] 5823 1397 spareparts@citroenclassic.org.au [Please doit at a reasonable hour.]CLUB SHOPFor Citroën models, memorabiliaand other items contact GrahamBarton on [03] 5987 0767or clubshop@citroenclassic.org.auOTHER CLUBS?VIC: www.citcarclubvic.org.auNSW:www.citroencarclub.org.au/WA: www.citroen.aceonline.com.auQLD: www.citroenclub.orgwww.doublechevrons.aunz.com

4 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 5ED SEDWith the weather turningcold, and some wellneededrain falling, itlooks like the time of year to settleback with a good magazine. Andjust in time,here is the latestedition of‘Front Drive’.A vintage edition of ‘Front Drive’,actually. Reading the Contents listyou could be forgiven for thinkingthat this issue features Clare andBernie Hadaway’s new C4 [see thelast edition]. But, no. It features theoriginal C4 [or to give it its correctname AC 4 – as in André Citroën,how vain can a man be?]. Thesearticles have been translated fromFrench and originally appeared in‘Retroviseur’.‘A Costly Mistake’ details some ofthe issues that surround makingthe switch from petrol to diesel. Afilling error, it seems can be a veryexpensive mistake.Jeff Pamplin shares with us one ofserendipitous moments that occurwhen you travel in rural France andMichael Molesworth and MarkMcKibbin tell us of their recentFleet Follies.‘It’s the Law’ explains the backgroundto my [and Jeff Pamplin’s]insistence that cars listed with usfor sale must include both a priceand a registration,, VIN or otheridentifier. Neither of us want to faceprosecution, so these rules will beED SED PAGE 4PREZ SEZ PAGE 5A-TRACTIONS PAGE 6CONTENTSCITIN’08 DENILIQUIN PAGE 8THERE WAS A C4 PAGE 13C4: THE PASSING YEARSPAGE 20A COSTLY MISTAKE PAGE 32AN EARLY START PAGE 35FLEET FOLLIES PAGE 37IT’S THE LAW PAGE 40SPARE NEWS PAGE 41CLASSIFIED ADS PAGE 42applied with real vigour in future.Rob Little has loads of ‘SpareNews’, and of course there’s those‘Petit Announce’.Last, but most importantly, fulldetails of CitIn’08 in Deniliquin arereleased with this edition. Bookingforms, web address, contact detailsfor questions… CitIn’08 is ALLGO! Book early for both discountedprices and to ensure your place. Aswith CitIn ‘07, there are limits to thenumbers we can accommodate.Enjoy,Leigh F Miles – Editor Well we are finally gettingrain in Victoria [andelsewhere around thecountry], but the opportunities touse our Citroëns are still available toclub members through our activities.The annual BastilleDay celebrations willhave been and goneby the time you get this issue.Of course, the arrival of the rain hasshown that my Traction still leaks:so more jobs to do.Last month we joined some otherclubs at Lance Dixon Citroën andI had a sit in the new C4 Picasso– quite a machine! No doubt it willbe very popular with young familiesas a creditable option to the bigger,more ungainly people movers. It isgreat to see more Citroëns on theroad than ever before and even peoplepassing positive feedback.CitIn’08 is all go! Planning is completeand in this edition of ‘FrontDrive’ you will find all the detailsyou will need, including the bookingform. The planning committee[Helen Cross, Andrea Fisher, DavidGries, Leigh Miles, Ian Sperlingand me] have put together whatwe believe is an event that will onlybe great fun, but also great valuefor money for all participants. Wehave been given permission to useDeniliquin’s town ‘tag’ – ‘Do It InDeni’. And we will! Bookings openon August 1 [the day this magazinelands in your hands] and based onthe experience of CCCV this yearwe know that demand to participatein the National Rally is increasing.So, we recommend you get yourbooking into us ASAP. Rememberalso, to book your accommodation.While there is no shortageof accommodation in Deni, it is apopular Easter destination.There are no plans for us to runPREZ SEZOzTraction in 2008 – so Easter isyour only opportunity to meet yourfellow Citroënists from around thenation – making your presence evenmore important.I do not need to tell you but I willanyway, it is absolutely vital thatwe get a substantial number ofCCOCA members attending thisevent. Our CCOCA reputationwill be at risk without a good turnout of our own members. So pleasemake a big effort to come along evenif you do not regularly attend theannual Easter CitIn.I have recently attended club meetingsat Peugeot and Jaguar andboth clubs run excellent monthlymeetings in pleasant surroundings. Ihave been trying to locate fresh clubrooms for CCOCA but so far withoutsuccess. We want to keep thefourth Wednesday of each monthand so some suitable venues havehad to be overlooked because thosedates are already taken. So if anyclub member has an inspired suggestionplease call me to discuss.I am looking forward to catchingup with as many members as I canat future events and look forward toseeing you there too.Ted Cross

A-TRACTIONS6 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 7Please note: if no bookings have been received for anWHAT:BBQ lunch• OCTOBERBOOKING: Essential by August 31Event, by the booking deadline the Event will beMONTHLY MEETINGPAYMENT: With bookingautomatically cancelled.WHEN: Wednesday, October 24 CONTACT: www.aomc.asn.au• AUGUSTPRE-RAID SURVEYWHEN: August 1 to November 10FROM:MelbourneTO: Cape Leveque [and back]COST:Looks priceyBRING: Everything you need forover 3months on the roadBOOKING: Essential by July 6PAYMENT:CONTACT:With bookingLeigh Miles[03] 9888 7506editor@citroenclassic.org.auMORE INFO: www.raidaustralia.comIn preparation for Raid 2008 thenext stage planning is getting underway. Jeff Pamplin, representingCCOCA, will be heading out to meetup with the rest of the survey crewin Kalgoorlie and depart there on10 August. Travel through Victoria,South and Western Australia andNorthern Territory [possibly].Final destination is expected to beCape Leveque north of Broome orsomewhere thereabouts. The surveywill try to cover the route in thesame time as the Raid will take– some four weeks.Then rest, recover, repairs and startthe long, slow trek home – either viaKimberleys, Darwin, Alice Springs etcor maybe Perth, Albany, Kalgoorlieetc. Much will depend on the stateof the car and its occupants.MONTHLY MEETINGWHEN: Wednesday, August 22TIME:8:00pmWHERE: Canterbury SportsGround Pavilion, cnr Chatham& Guildford Rds., CanterburyCOST:FreeBOOKING: Not requiredCONTACT: Bernie Hadaway,meeting@citroenclassic.org.au• SEPTEMBERMONTHLY MEETINGWHEN: Wednesday, September 26TIME:8:00pmWHERE: Canterbury SportsGround Pavilion, cnr Chatham& Guildford Rds., CanterburyCOST:FreeBOOKING: Not requiredCONTACT: Bernie Hadaway,meeting@citroenclassic.org.auTIME:8:00pmWHERE: Canterbury SportsGround Pavilion, cnr Chatham& Guildford Rds., CanterburyCOST:FreeBOOKING: Not requiredCONTACT: Bernie Hadaway,meeting@citroenclassic.org.auCITY TO CAPE RALLYWHEN: Sunday, October 28TIME:9:30amFROM: Birrurung Marr[near Federation Square]TO: RACV Cape Schanck ResortCOST:$50per vehicleSpectators: $10ppAn invitation to all owners andenthusiasts of collector pre-1958vehicles to participate in the inauguralCity to RACV Cape Schanck Resortfamily day vehicle run. The Runcommences in Melbourne City fromBirrurung Marr [near FederationSquare] and follows a gentle route tothe RACV Resort complex at CapeSchanck. A morning tea stop will beat the Frankston Campus of MonashUniversity. The event will be limitedto 400 vehicles and applications willclose 31 August 07.Your entrance fee of $50 per vehicleincludes a commemorative showbadge and a barbecue lunch for twopeople, with additional people costingjust $20pp. Spectator admission: $10[Children under 14 are free].For updates, maps and the downloada booking form go to www.aomc.asn.au

8 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 9The Citroën Classic Owners’ Clubof Australia is proud to be hostingCitIn’08 in Deniliquin.We believe that the location forCitIn is vital, and Deniliquin haseverything you need for an enjoyablebreak in the company of fellowCitroën enthusiasts. In addition togood food and the opportunity toshow-off and admire our cars, thereis a wide variety of attractions foreven the least Citroën-minded ofus!Deniliquin is situated at the edge ofthe Riverine plain, which stretchesnorthward into the driest ContinentCCOCA INVITESYOU TO CITIN‘08DENILIQUINMARCH 21 – 24, ‘08on earth – welcome to the edge ofthe outback! It is also on the fringeof the world’s largest redgum forest;bird and wildlife abound, and thewell-developed network of foresttrails offer you the chance to freeyour adventurous spirit. Located besidethe Edward River, and with thewarm March weather, the attractivesandy beaches will be popular withyoung and not-so-young.We have kept access in mind; ‘Deni’has the advantage of being locatedcentrally to most large populationcentres; it also offers a variety ofaccommodation options, many ofwhich are being held over for you.The town itself is a delight towalk through; enjoy the beautifullyrestored old buildings, the formalWaring Gardens and the bushlandIsland Sanctuary, as well as the craftshops, cafes and the annual EasterSaturday Farmers’ Market andArt Show, all within easy walkingdistance. Attractions further afieldinclude the famous Conargo Pub,the vintage cars and number-platedisplay at the Clancys of Conargowinery, the Steam & PumpingMuseum, and the Country PatchCottage Garden highlighting theachievement of an attractive gardenin an extremely low-water environment.There is so much to do andsee, we are sure you will find plentyto enjoy during this stay, and whenyou come back again!CCOCA every year hosts a nationalCitroën rally over the Queen’s Birthdayweekend in June, so we bring toCitIn an extensive history of hostingevents such as this. We are confidentthat we are offering excellent valuefor money; see below for a full listof all the inclusions!Register soon, to make sure youdon’t miss out, as places are limited- and to get the lowest price! Welook forward to seeing you all therein March!REGISTRATION AND FEESRegistrations for CitIn‘08 open onMonday July 16 and must closeon Thursday, January 31 2008.In common with previous years asliding scale of registration chargeshas been adopted. Remember too,spaces are limited: we cannot acceptmore than 180participants.Applications received prior to 30November 2007: $165pp1st December 2006 - 31 December2007, inclusive: $175pp1st January 2008 - 31 January 2008[Deadline]: $185ppBookings close on January 312008.Children: Enquiry about the pricesfor children of various ages.Either complete the registrationform included with this edition of‘Front Drive’, or download a copyfrom the CCOCA website [www.citroenclassic.org.au] mail it to usalong with your preferred paymentdetails. Payment will be accepted

10 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 11by Visa or Mastercard, cheque ormoney order.Return your completed bookingform to:CitIn‘08 Deniliquin, 16 Harrow St.,Blackburn South, Vic., 3130.DO NOT POST IT TO THEREGULAR CCOCA POSTALADDRESS, OR YOUR BOOK-ING MAY BE DELAYED!WHAT’S INCLUDED?Your registration covers the following:• Friday Registrations & ClubShops will take place from 3pm atThe Crossing Café, in the centreof town.• Be sure to collect your CitIn‘08CCOCA INVITESYOU TO CITIN‘08DENILIQUINMARCH 21 – 24, ‘08Rally pack, which contains permanentmementoes of this Event.Every registered child will receivetheir own special bag, as well.• Friday night: A light dinner,including warming soup and arange of tasty meals, coffee andtea at the Crossing Café – a fullylicensed venue, with refreshmentsto your account.• Saturday morning sees our ‘Show& Shine’ on Civic Place, one of themajor streets of Deniliquin.• A Country BBQ will follow. Arange of sizzling sausages, burgers,chops, salads will be served. Topthis off with dessert and coffeeand tea to ensure you are ready toface the afternoon.• A range of touring and sight-seeingoptions will be available onSaturday afternoon – includingthe ever-popular ObservationRun.• On Saturday night, we will behosted at the Deniliquin GolfClub for a sumptuous ChineseBanquet, served with ChineseTea. [Other refreshments, to youraccount]. Coffee and tea will beserved after dinner.• Entertainment during the eveningwill include a Trivia Quiz [whereyou can compete for both Teamand individual prizes] and otherentertainments.• Sunday morning sees an EasterEgg hunt, for the younger participants,but otherwise this isdeliberately free – to enable thoseof you who wish to engage inworship to do so without missingany of the weekend’s Citroënactivities.• The gala three-course prize-givingdinner, with coffee and tea, willbe held at the Deniliquin RSL.[Refreshments to your account].Dress to Impress and put onyour dancing shoes – live musicis the go!• Monday morning we are backat the Crossing Café for a fullycooked breakfast, with all thetrimmings!WEB UPDATESBe sure to regularly check the dedicatedCitIn‘08 website [follow thelink from www.citroenclassic.org.au] for the latest news on what’shappening over the course of theevent.ACCOMMODATIONLike any attractive location at Easter,accommodation books out early.We have arranged with a number ofconveniently located motels to holdrooms for CitIn participants. Whenyou book your accommodation, besure to advise that you are a CitInparticipant.Camping sites are also availablethough these with the exception ofunpowered sites book out early.Don’t forget that arranging accommodationis YOUR responsibility.• Deni Country Club Motor Inn,68-72 Crispe St., [03] 5881 5299.

12 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 13Holding rooms until end Jan., ‘08.• Deni Motel [Budget], 286 WickSt., [03] 5881 1820. Will holdrooms until end Dec., ‘07.• Riviana Motel, Cnr Crispe &Hetherington Sts., [03] 58812033. Will hold rooms until endJan., ‘08.• Coach House Hotel Motel, 99End St., 0409 800 848 or [03]5881 1011. Will hold rooms untilend Jan., ‘08The following caravan parks mayhave some limited availability ofcabins and on-site vans.• McLean Beach CaravanPark, 1 Butler St. [03]5 8 8 1 2448CCOCA INVITESYOU TO CITIN‘08DENILIQUINMARCH 21 – 24, ‘08• Pioneer Tourist Park, Hay Rd[Cobb Highway]. [03] 58815066 or Freecall 1800 350 303• Deniliquin Riverside CaravanPark, 20-24 Davidson St. [03]5881 1284GETTING THEREDeniliquin is central to most capitalcitiesFrom Melbourne: 280km, 3hoursFrom Sydney: 740km, 8hoursFrom Brisbane: 1,450km, 16hoursFrom Canberra: 540km, 6hrsFrom Adelaide: 700km, 8hoursCITROËN CLASSIC OWNERS CLUBOF AUSTRALIA INC.TheClub’swebsite is:www.citroenclassic.org.auOnce upon a time, there wasa Citroën C4… Followingon from the great successof the tall, narrow B14, the C4 remainsin many Frenchmen’s memoriesas unstoppable,it was economical torun and pretty mucha blatant copy of theAmerican Chrysler. Its reputation isundeniable, and it is undeniable thatwe often turn to the Citroën to takea pleasure drive.With its two large eyes shining inthe twilight, its doors open to reveala foldout occasional seat, invitingus to take our place. The 1929 AC4 awaited us, always ready for anouting.In the 1920s the fashion amongstmotoring industrialists was to usealphanumeric designations for theircreations. Renault’s KZ 3, thePeugeot 177, Delahaye 107 M andMathis GM are all witness to this.At the Paris Salon of 1928 Citroënlaunched the AC 4. For a long timeTHERE WAS A C4cars have been referred to as feminine.And while it might seem suitableto name one’s car by using theinitials of the maker, especially whenthat man is already on the front pageof all the popular newspapers, it canalso be really irritating. So, for theman in the street, it quickly became‘C4’, and it is under this term that itssuccessive versions were launched.There is a little of the C4 in all of usmuch like granny’s legendary abilityto make jam, or the framed militarydecorations in the parlour, or an oldschool book, or a stone house with abench out the front., the C4 is moreor less a distant notion, dependingof the age of the person who recallsher, but remains a part of Frenchcultural inheritance. Take the wheelof one of these popular cars and inless than ten minutes, you will hearsomething like ‘Look, a C4, the sameas the one that uncle Paul had…’The car we selected to showcaseand present in detail, left the Quaide Javel in June 1929. It’s a six-doorvehicle – its body being the mostpopular after the ‘torpedo’ fell fromfavour. It’s a luxurious ‘Familiale’,a six-seater family car whose bodyThe steeringwheel is veryclose to thebody and is ofa very large diameter.It carriesthe controlsfor thelights and thehorn.

The ‘Familiale’is distinguishedfrom the traditionalsedanby two interiorfolding seatsfacing in thedirection oftravel. On thedoors, appreciatethe cabinetwork: C4 andC6 are the lastCitroëns tobenefit fromsuch luxury.14 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 15was lengthened by 12cm to allowthe fitting of two forward-facingoccasional seats. The car is owned byMichel Ascione, the Citroën dealerin Chatou; it was ordered new by hisTHERE WAS A C4grandfather, and has since remainedin the hands of his family.S PACIOUS FOR SIX…WITHOUT THE LUGGAGE!Although built on a long wheelbase,the C4 doesn’t resemble a railwaycarriage: it is 4.22m long and 1.74mhigh, giving a relatively squat silhouette– but it doesn’t lack eleganceaided by the balance of the frontand rear windows and doors whichare almost equivalent in size. On thefour door, the harmony is broken,as the shorter wheelbase results inshorter rear doors. The high radiatorcap, surmounting the massivechrome grill gives the impressionthat you’ll find a large 2litre motorunderneath it; the contour ofthe wings and the body show anAmerican influence, [is the bodynot assembled according to Buddpatents, using expensive machinesimported from the other side of theAtlantic?] even if the stock marketcrash of 1929 had tarnished the ElDorado dream!From the front, the charm is notas apparent: the large hubcaps donothing to mask the gaping hole,and its narrow [1.32m] openingcan’t be compared other luxurycars of that era. This defect wascorrected by increasing its widthby 8cm.But the black test car, at the time ofits delivery, wasembellished bytwin bumperbars,a radiatormascot and a ‘Coquille’ trunk [greatcare has been taken in fitting theindicators, as well: they are attachedto removable bases from which thewires can be easily removed, so thecar can easily be returned to itsoriginal configuration.] The presenceof the trunk is comical, fortwo reasons: firstly, it is unable tohold the effects of six passengers;secondly, is that the grandfather ofM Ascione was a luggage maker.His factory employed 40 workmen,making and selling trunk accessoriesfor cars. Before the launch of eachnew model, André Citroën providedM Ascione with dimensional drawingsof the car’s rear panel and luggagestand. The irony is that when itcame time to install the metal trunkhe had no faith in it: ‘What couldone do with a trunk that one couldnot even bring to one’s room’. Infact the designs of M Coquille wonover, in spite of its poor capacity;two higher clasps unbolt the lid ofthe tool plate holder, and two lowerclasps release the panel which carriesthe spare wheel, by which two flatbags can be inserted.M EN: 6, HORSES: 30The introductions having beenmade, it is high time to get in andsee how this vast limousine handles.As with all cars whose doors openright to the windscreen, i.e. almostevery pre-war car, it’s not easy toslip your legs in front of the seat.In addition the width in the frontis limited, while the controls arespread out. The base of the seatis very high; a position inheriteddirectly from the seats of coachmen.One seems to be in close proximityto the windscreen… In the back,the space is worthy of a palatialliving room. Access is facilitated bythe reverse-opening doors, and therecessed rear-seats form an alcove atthe rear of the car. The area is gracedwith blinds and curtains to ensureprivacy. The space between the frontseats and rear bench is large enoughto unroll a Persian carpet, if thefolding seats were not there.The instrumentation is clusteredunder an illuminated oval pane:fuel level [with chain], speedometer,voltmeter, odometer and an oilgauge to show any sign of a drop inoil pressure. Four bakelite buttonsframe it: the ignition switch, choke,the fresh air distributor and thestarter; lighting and the two-tonehorn are actuated from the hub ofthe steering wheel. And under theinstrument panel is a fuel tap.There is as much difference in thedriving experience of the C4 as therewere versions of it: the AC4 of 1929Who wouldbelieve thatthis slim sedanis only 4.22mlong? Its cruisingspeed borderson 75-80kph, but itfears the hills,having only a30 horsepowerengine to carryits gross weightof 1,245 kg!

18 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 19like Harold Lloyd on the hands ofa giant clock. Parking or making aU-turn, in particular, requires considerablemuscular effort. On theroad, the car cruises comfortably;THERE WAS A C4A good view ofthe ‘Coquille’trunk made ofsheet metal.quickly and easily reaches 70kph.It can be taken on to a top speedof 90, if it is well driven. Attentionmust be paid to convex roads, whereit can be diverted by either the leftor right slope of the surface.IT STEERS LIKE A TRUCK, BUTTHE BRAKES ARE EFFECTIVE.Inside, the noise level is bearable,and the ride is comfortable despiteits average shock-absorption. Inthe absence of a water temperaturegauge the only information to befeared is the appearance of blacksectors on the oil gauge, signifying adrop in oil pressure. The directionalstability is, apart from the situationdescribed previously, withoutreproach, and despite its significantheight the cardoesn’t swayor lose balancewhile takingcorners. Nevertheless a prudentspeed must always be adopted,because if the situation becomescritical, there would be no time ‘todown-shift a gear’.Fortunately braking is one of themost pleasant parts of the C4,rather soft to the touch but powerful,with the clear feeling of assistance,the two rear wheels slow downalbeit with some time lag. To stopa C4 from 80kph is thus not aninsurmountable problem; still it’snecessary to sufficiently anticipatethe need to brake in order to preventany inopportune imbalance [a wheelwhich locks and skids], due to anabrupt hydrometrical change or abad planetary alignment... Nothingelse is required to have the brakecable lengthened.In conclusion, the C4 does not haveanything in common with a sparklingcycle-car, and no more than a prestigiousclassic with powerful breath. Butit is one of best in its category of the10CV family of 1928-32. Homogeneous,enduring and economical, itis moreover nicely shaped.Our most sincere thanks to Jean-François Soyer, of the CETAC,Michel Ascione for his time, andfor lending his car and… and tohave lent himself to the scene . To,Isabelle and Mathieu, and to Mr.Fatien, manager of ‘the FouniaiseHouse, on the island of Chatou,for his welcome.TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICSENGINE: Four cylinders in line infront longitudinal position, rolled:1,628 cm³ 72 X 100 mm bore andstroke. Cast iron block and cylinderhead, light alloy pistons. Side valves,camshaft pulled by helicoid gearsand Celerons pinions. Crankshafton three controlled bronze bearings.Force feed lubrication; capacity: 5litre.Cooling by radiator, pump andthermostat; capacity: 9litre. Carburettorvertical Solex 30 MOV, fueltank of 38litre. 6 volts, 75Ah, battery,coil and lighter. Compressionratio: 5, 5:1. Power: 30horsepowerat 3,000rpm. Engine rating: 9CV.Maximum speed: 90kph. Consumption:10litre per 100km.TRANSMISSION: Dry single-plateclutch, gear box has three unsynchronizedratios and reverse gear[taken direct only with helicoidsgears]. Driveshaft has two Cardanjoints and sliding sleeve; banjo stylepant back rigid, out of cast iron;conical couple in spiral size.CHASSIS – SUSPENSION: C Chassisis made up of two U-shaped sectionsjoined together by tubular orpressed cross-pieces. Body: all steel.Rigid front axle, four semi-ellipticsprings and lever-action frictionshock absorbers. Steering: screwand sector. Mechanical brakes:controlled by cables and assisted byWestinghouse servo. Drums on thefour wheels. Hand brake operatingon the rear wheels. Full disc wheels13 X 145.DIMENSIONS – WEIGHT: [Familiale]:Length: 4.22m; width: 1.58m;height: 1.74m; ground clearance:19cm; wheelbase: 2.97m; waysbefore-aft: 1.32m Weight in functioningorder: 1,245 kg.The four cylindersside valveengine is madefrom traditionalcast iron, butis built withquality materials.The gravityfed fuel tank,is fitted witha tap that isactivated fromwithin the interiorof thecabin.

20 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 21The C4 with the passing ofthe years…In 1928, André Citroënbecame - by far - the largest Frenchmanufacturer of cars: in nineC4: PASSING YEARSyears his factories produced nearly300,000 cars. The total numberof private cars in France was only800,000! After two years he hadabandoned the tiny 5CV, in favourof a new car that was available ina wide range of body types. But,from now on, André was determinedto move his range furtherup-market.There was double surprise fromCitroën at the 1928 Paris Salon.The marque’s first production modelto be equipped with a six-cylindermotor, of 2.4litres, the C6, was presented.The design is basically thatof an American car, with Frenchstyling. The second was the unveilingof the C4, the future replacementfor theB14G. Whileit bore a strongresemblance toits predecessor, the body style waslower and more modern.The B14 was only two season oldand had been a great success, butthe new ‘10hosepower’ [well 9CVactually, for tax purposes] offeredimproved mechanics and stylingthat was far more modern. Themodern look was created by a lowerbelt-line with an angled roof and ahigher bonnet. The higher bonnetgave the impression it concealedan engine of much larger capacitythen its 1,628cc. Like the C6,the look was very American; withparticular reference to Chrysler. Ofcourse, André Citroën was a greatadmirer of Henry Ford [who hemet in Detroit in 1931 – althoughwhat the anti-Semite Ford thoughtof ‘le petit Jeuf ’ is not recorded]and Citroën adopted many of theadvanced techniques that had beendeveloped on that side of the Atlantic.He turned to Budd for thestamping of his ‘tout acier’] bodies,Gleason for gears, Delco forlighting, Ingersoll for the boring ofcylinder blocks, Westinghouse forbrakes. As for ‘Floating Power’, thiswas French invention by Lemaireand Aubarêde, and Citroën had topurchase an expensive license fromChrysler a few years later.The reputation of the marque, thepublicity surrounding the mechanicaland chemical laboratories, the‘tests’ undertaken at the provingground at Montlhéry, the generousdimensions of the body and itsrobustness were all put to the testduring the coming decades.A CERTAIN REFINEMENTIn line with practice of the marque,the C4 was offered in a wide rangeof body styles. A four-light berlenewith a boot, a six-light sedan,without a boot, the familiere, withfolding seats on a chassis lengthened12cm, faux cabriolet in bothtwo and four-seat form, two andfour-seat cabriolet, luxury torpedoand commercial torpedo. This last,the least expensive in the range, wasvery popular with rural customers.For the 1929 season, it continuedto use the old B14 body – recognisableby the rounded shape ofthe doors at the bottom. Duringthe year a revised body was added,which included a rear window, anda family torpedo on a lengthenedchassis and various executions foruse as taxis.Basic equipment includes a clock,an odometer, an ‘oleometer’, whichshows black if the oil pressure isinsufficient. The interior is completewith wood cabinetwork on thedoors, curtains over the windows.Interestingly, bumper bars are notincluded as standard.The wings, wheels and storm flaps

22 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS23

24 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 25[don’t ask, I’ve on idea. Ed] wereregarded as part of the chassis, andwere always black. But the body wasavailable in sombre shades of black,grey, brown or blue, with contrastingC4: PASSING YEARSfilets or two-tone combinations. Forexample, the glasshouse could bedark brown, with the sides andbonnet in light beige,or the reverse.Although, inthat casethe lightcolourdoesextendovert h ebonnet.Cabrioletsandfauxcabrioletswere oftenpainted in lightcolours, with contrastingfilets and decorativemouldings on the doors, whereasthe sedans were more likely tomore sober in green or brown. Acertain degree of personalisationwas also possible. For customersmore accustomed to other marques,the C4 was available in right handdrive and with the accelerator as thecentral pedal.Citroën made great use of hisstructured network of dealers andadopted a number of new techniques.Processions of cars weredriven on furrowed roads, dealerssystematicallyprospected fornew clients, fullpage advertisementswere regularly inserted in theprincipal newspapers and there waswide distribution of Citroëntoys. This marketingstrategy ensuredCitroën enjoyeda wideclient base– fromt h esmalles tshopkeeperto theelegantcitydweller.Nothing issimple…Various mechanical improvementsto the engine, transmissionand brakes were made for the1930 model year. Internally namedthe C4 III, the car was always referredto in publicity as the C4,although on the registration papersit was actually the AC4. It is alsocommon to refer to the model asthe C4 NT [Nouveau Tableau]:the original instruments on a white29/05

26 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 27background, directly inherited fromthe B14, having been replaced bylarger, elongated instruments. Someexternal detail changes were alsointroduced, such as the sun visorC4: PASSING YEARSand from now on, the hubcaps weredecorated with the characteristicchevrons.But the principal innovation for the1929 Salon was the launch of acommercial sedan, on a lengthenedchassis, with a tail gate, removablerear seat covered in moleskin. Itwas supplied with removable metalpanels, enabling it to be turned intoa light van.The following autumn, a new steeringbox, silentbloc engine mountsand a shortened hood justify thenew model designation – AC4 F.At the start of 1931 the variety ofchassis and bodies was enormous.In the spare parts catalogue, onless than 66 alternatives are listed.This seriously complicatedthe jobof those onthe production line… and of therestorer of today.First, on the normal chassis [whichhad just been shortened] appears the‘routiere’ or roadster [both manesbeing used byCitroën], thena new chassis[1.42m] availableas a truck, sedan or familiale,plus a half-compartment landauletand a taxi with a convertible rearroof section. Launched at the timeof the Colonial Exposition of1931, this taxi became very popularwith Parisians – they were delivereddirectly to the company’s subsidiary,the Société des taxis Citroën,painted brown with an orange band,the coupe-landaulet body and double-bladebumpers.ALL BECOMES COMPLICATEDAt the Salon of October 1931 theC4 G was launched. This was a true10CV car and was an improvementon the C4 F. A new dashboard andchrome or nickelled items such asthe head light bar and brackets andhubcaps. TheGrandL u x einheritedthe equipment that had beenlaunched on the CGL6 the previousyear. Chrome bumpers with bevelledblades and over riders, movable flapsfor thermostatic control, bonnetwith four shutters, the rear wingenvelope the wheels, Triplex glassand even more luxurious trimmingsmake this a car worthy of a grandmarque. But it is quite expensive forthe average, middle-class Citroënbuyer. This undoubtedly explains

28 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 29the low sales of the C4 G GrandLuxe, despite it being available inall body styles, except the commercials.In a move in the completely oppo-C4: PASSING YEARSsite direction, and at the pressingrequest of his principal dealers,André Citroën preparedin 48hours, in November1931,a strippedoutmodelwhichsold for15%lessthanthenorma lsedan.Namedthe C4 IX,the enginebenefited fromthe same improvementsas the 10CV, but thecapacity is the same as the outgoing9CV. It lacks the chrome and bootof the regular model and is availableonly as a sedan, touring sedan[an innovation] and a covered van.Within weeks, it is decided that onlyone style of rear door would be used[in the interests of production efficiency]and the sedan and touringsedans were transferred to the longerchassis. The touring sedan has alarge boot and a wide rear quarterpanel. The sedan is distinguishedby a third side window of reducedside and by its boot. Both are ofcourse availablein normaltrim or GrandLuxe. But, wait,there’s more. In April 1932 the C4MFP was launched. This saw the introductionof ‘Floating Power’across the range. Designatedby a swanon water, withits wing outstretchedand the slogan‘ridesas softlyand quietlyas aglidingswan onthe water’.TheC4 G MFPsaw the passingof the doubleblade bumpers, formall models except the GrandLuxe.In the autumn of 1932 the entireC4 and C6 ranges disappear formthe catalogue. The Salon of thisyear presented the new 8, 10 and15 – soon to be known as the ‘Rosalie’,but some C4’s will linger forsale into 1933 and some will evenbe sold with the new grille designfeaturing the marque’s chevrons.FOR ALL USESAt the end of 1932, aside from thenew models, one could examine finde série C4s in Citroën’s showroomon Place de l’Europe. This buildingwas purchased by Citroën fromthe state railways in the summerof 1931. It was refitted and transformedinto the showroom, to beopened at midnight on September30, 1931. It offered 15,000m2of space, over several floors; theequivalent of the Salon at the GrandPalais, but for the use of just onemarque. It accommodated privatecars, vans, trucks and specialisedvehicles: ambulances, fire engines,tankers…Town and regional councils andartisans formed the prime targetsfor Citroën’s marketing of the utilityderivatives built on its chassis.During 1929 the manufacturerpresented two ‘industrial’ models.The C4 I, series 500 and the C4 Iseries 1000. The former is availableon the short chassis, either withouta body or fitted out as a coveredvan, either in steel of with curtainsides. On both models, the lowerside panels were metal. The1,000kg version was built on thelonger chassis which was reinforcedand fitted with a four-speed gearbox.Before long twin rear wheelswere made available and wide rangeof bodies could be fitted. The factorybodies were generally deliveredpainted in green or red over black.These were considered economic tobuild, easy to maintain and repair.In 1932 the vans adopted thespecifications of the C4 G, withthe 10CV motor and an increasein payload to 800 and 1,200kgrespectively. However, a 500kg vanremained available on the C4 IXchassis [9CV engine], while awaitingthe development of the ‘8’ and‘10’ commercial vehicles during1933. The C4 commercials stayedin production for several monthsafter the demise of the sedans.In addition to the original vans therehave been a number of C4s transformedby cutting the bodies of sedansor limousines, sometimes evenfaux-cabriolets have been converted.The converted faux-cabriolets are

30 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 31identifiable by their wide doors,which also a shape which is differentform other models. These vehicles,which have often been subjected tosome very tough service, exist as aC4: PASSING YEARSdirect result of the dark years thatwere to come.After the war, the Parisian workshop,Duriez, took elements of theC4, and hid them under cabins ofadvanced design. These ‘Transition’models are very radical and highlysought-after.The C4 was also the basis of thelong line of Citroën-Kegresse caterpillartractors. Most of them arebased on the P10 of 1929 and theP17 of 1931.LES EXOTIQUESAlthough it was always possible fora client to order a ‘naked’ chassisfrom Citroën,there is littleknowledge ofthe preparation of special bodiesfor the C4. Indeed, it was outsidethe general spirit of the companyto promote the work of outsidedesigners and constructors. Itshould also be remembered that aclient wanting to have a ‘made tomeasure’ body prepared would bemore likely to use the C6 as theirstarting point, than the smaller, lessexpensive C4.Having said that, Citroën did giveconsiderable publicity to what musthave been the most extravagant ofall the specially bodied C4’s – theaerodynamic ‘Vent Debout’ ofPierre Delcourt. Gustave Carde,in Bordeaux, is best known for thework he did based on the Model TFord, but he also produced the ‘Fregoli’,an example of which recentlysurfaced in Touraine.Naturally the foreign Citroën subsidiariesin Slough, Milan andCologne brought their local requirementsto bear in their developmentof the C4. In Germany there was afive-seat convertible, in Italy theydeveloped their own unique roadsterand of course in England there wasa range of Weymann fabric bodiesavailable. The Weymann body wasnot to the taste of André Citroën,but they were very popular on thatside of the Channel. Of course inthe UK the C4 was called the BigTwelve, because it was rated at 12RAC horsepower. The English carswere right hand drive and were fittedwith wire wheels, side lights on thewings, a sunshine roof and leatherupholstery. The very last specimens,in 1932, featured a petrol tank onthe back – similar to that of theC6.While the model range is confused,267,000 examples were made and itwas one the most popular pre-warcars in France. As a result, to thenovice, any upright car of the periodtends to be referred to as a ‘C4…just like my grandfather’s.’This, and the preceding articlefirst appeared in ‘Retroviseur’, May1994.‘RED PLATE’ UPDATEDo you have your Citroën on‘Red Plates’ through CCOCA?Do you have an up to date Handbook, detailingthe current Classic and Historic Register rules?CCOCA recommends that you always carryan up to date Handbook in your car.The latest edition of the Handbook isnow is stock in CCOCASHOP.Contact: Graham Barton on [03] 5987 0767or clubshop@citroenclassic.org.au

32 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 33As diesel power for motor carsbecomes ever more popularin Australia, the problem ofowners filling their tank with theincorrect fuel is bound to becomeA COSTLY MISTAKEmore common. As this article, fromthe UK indicates it is an increasinglycommon [and expensive] problem.Petrol wrecks diesel engine lubricationprocesses and is particularlydamaging to a diesel engine’scostly, high-pressure fuel pump,which operates at up to 2,050bar[30,000psi]. Petrol removes thepump case hardening and if a filmof hardened metal disintegrates intoswarf it will greatly harm or evenwreck an engine’s internal organs.At best, if the engine is not startedor perhaps run only very briefly, thefuel tank and its internal pump, fuellines, main high-pressure pump, fuelinjectors and filters will all requireremoval, clearing and re-installation[which might include some renewal]at a cost of up to £7,000. At worst,several parts will need replacing,even the engine itself, at a potentialcost of £12,000, or more for a topexecutive car.Friday is danger day, when driversfill up on their way home at theend of a hard week. Those new todiesel motoring too often go forunleaded petrol as a matter of habit.At the nationwide business vehiclemanagement company Fleet SupportGroup, of Chippenham, Wilts,technical services manager MikeKick warns: ‘It’s a big problem thatisn’t getting any better and is growingin cost.About £7,000is the norm.Rarely is itnecessary to replace an entire dieselengine because drivers realise theirmistake before starting up and donot move their cars before callingfor help. That is important. Everydriver new to diesel cars must makea conscious effort to avoid misfuelling.Petrol is death to a dieselengine.’The problem is seriously disablingabout 155,000 diesel cars a year.The RAC attended 50,000 caseslast year, the Automobile Association44,000 and Green Flag morethan 6,000; UK plc suffered 54,000company diesel car misfuellingincidents.Each says that the problem is gettingworse. Moreover, of course, asdiesel’s popularity grows, so doesthe number of fuelling errors. Theannual cost of repairs is estimatedat more than £800million. In principle,that accidental damage iscovered by comprehensive insurance,according to the Associationof British Insurers.In practice, misfuelling is widelyexcluded from motor policies. Andit is automatically excluded for a vastnumber of companies that insuretheir vehicles third-party only toavoid high premiums. They pay fortheir own vehicle damage repairs.As a spokesman for the VW Groupobserved: ‘It’s difficult to put dieselin a petrol car these days becausethe diesel pump nozzle is too big.It does not fit and that alerts driversto their mistake before it happens.But the other way round is easy. Unleadedpetrol pump nozzles fit easilyinto diesel car filler necks. Businesspool and self-drive hire diesel carsare at particular risk from petrolcar drivers who suddenly switch toa borrowed diesel; by the time theypull in to refuel, they’ve forgotten.’Currently one in three new cars[34.9 per cent] is a diesel, accordingto the SMMT. Five years ago, thefigure was one in seven. In the firsthalf of this year, UK businessesbought 296,000 diesel cars andprivate motorists 156,000. TheSMMT predicts that this year’s totalnew diesel-car registrations willbe a record 881,000, about 170 percent higher than in 2001.BMW GB, big in diesel power [asis Mercedes-Benz], says that since2001 its largest diesel growth hasbeen 137.8 per cent in executivecars and more than 81 per cent inmedium-size models. The firm hasjust updated its guidance to dealersfor repairing petrol-contaminateddiesel cars and hosted a MotorConsultant Management Forum,at its MINI plant in Oxford, toproject the topic to business vehiclemanagers.‘Three years ago, 12 per cent of ourcar sales were diesel models,’ said aspokesman. ‘Today the figure is 35per cent, with diesel the top choicefor BMW 3-, 5- and 7-series carbuyers. So it should be no surprisethat since the diesel segment isgrowing, the number of driverswrongly refuelling with petrol isalso increasing. We do not knowthe answer. We are simply doingall we can to get a message acrossto drivers to help them avoid anexpensive error.’While fuel filler flaps and/orfiller caps are usually clearly marked,gone are the days of a distinctivelycoloured cap to jolt the driver’smemory. A spokesman for theRAC said, ‘Part of the problem isShould welonging for thesimple days,when petrolwas petrol andthere was nochoice?

34 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 35that people forget they are drivingdiesels, because they are now sogood and no longer noisy, smokyand smelly. Modern diesel cars haveslick, petrol-like performance. AA COSTLY MISTAKEworrying feature is that forecourtfuels are now sub-branded and donot have uniform pump nozzlecolours for diesel and petrol. Makinga mistake is too easy. Sadly,misfuelling diesels is a growingphenomenon that will continueuntil it is physically impossible fordrivers to make a mistake.’While some motorists are not tooembarrassed to stick a warninglabel on the fuel filler, inventorsare searching for ways to preventmisfuelling. An intelligent petrolpump that recognises and refusesto serve diesel cars is one idea beinggiven serious consideration.Filling station security cameraswould read number plates of allarriving vehicles and electronicallycheck DVLA records to identifydiesels, which would then only beserved by diesel pumps; petrolpumps would be automaticallyswitched off todiesel vehicles.A triangulardiesel pumpnozzle is another idea that mightwork, if cars had similar fuel fillerapertures. However, in both casesthe costs would be enormous, andwhy should oil companies or fillingstations shoulder such expense?Truth is; they do not have to. Thousandsof rueful motorists would bemore than satisfied with a clear, simple,colour-coded and standardisedlabelling system at the pumps. Thecost? Almost nothing.Diesel fuel is likely to rise stillhigher in price but petrol will dropa little after the summer holidays,predicts Ray Holloway of the PetrolRetailers’ Association. Diesel hasrisen by 9p a litre since Januaryand unleaded petrol by 11p a litre.Tax on petrol and diesel is the sameat 47.1p a litre – excise duty plus17.5% VAT on the total [price plusduty]. As fuel prices rise, so does theVAT [although the duty remainsunchanged]. So, the higher theproduct price the lower the exciseduty as a percentage of the cost.On a £4 gallon [87.9p per litre],the total tax paid is 68.5%.This article first appeared in ‘AutoExpress’It had been an early start fromthe gite in Haute Vaucluse toreturn the friendly little CitroënC1 to the car hire place and a stopfor coffee only waited on findinga promisingcafé inthe very nexttown. TheCafé de la Gare beckoned, there’susually a good coffee to be hadat a railway station, but the barwas unattended. A group was immersedin a game of cards at the farend of the bar and, by the strongsmell, liberal libations of pastis.Eventually one of the playersdragged himself away long enoughto make coffee.Only then, caffeine fix fixed, didI hear the crackling exhaust notecoming from the gravel area nextto the railway line and wanderedAN EARLY STARTover to find a bunch of old blokesfussing under the bonnet of alovely, blue/black 1927 Amilcar.The narrow body had a pair ofstaggered seats and a shapelytail. It was on a three-day rallyaround Provençe accompanied bya Renault Gordini and Dino Ferrarithat had also stopped to help.

36 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 37After having a good stickybeak andtaking some photos I looked a bitfurther afield and saw an orangeMehari with a ‘for sale’ sign onit parked across the road outsideAN EARLY STARTthe warehouse of a brocante – asecond-hand dealer.Lo! A door was open and with a littletrepidation, I stepped in. Well.Behold! An Aladdin’s cave of dustand cobweb covered old cars; mostfrom the 1920s, some much later.The cars were also covered in sofas,chairs, tables and boxes with otherfurniture and stuff in-between. Istarted taking photographs buteverything was jammed in, thelight was not good and my handsmay have been a little unsteadywith the excitement. There wereCitroëns, Fiats and Peugeots fromthe 1920s, something streamlinedthat I could not recognise, a coupleof later cars and some old motorcycles,one of which had a smallbody with akind of dickeyseat. Underthe dust, thecars seemed to be complete andin very good condition with whatwould once have been new tyres.Just then one of the card playersfrom the café came over to checkon my intrusion but on learningthat I was a citrophile from Australia,he was quite happy for meto look around and take pictures.I enquired after the price of theMehari – at his asking price forthat it might take Aladdin’s lampto acquire any of the old cars!Jeff PamplinM ICHAEL MOLESWORTH– COMMITTEE PERSONDRIVING LIGHTS FOR DIXYAs part of the preparation forRaid 2008 Ifelt it wouldbe fun to fitdriving lightsto Dixy. These are recommended inthe Citroën raid preparation notes,however they will probably not beneeded next year, as we are unlikelyto be driving in the dark. At least nomore than is usual. The plan beingto stop while it is still light, to setup camp and get the meal underway,much more civilised than stumblingabout in the dark. Thus leavingthe wild animals to feed at night,without presenting as a hazard tothemselves and small cars made ofpaper thin metal.So the addition of the lights is foreffect, more than anything, in thehope that the little car will lookthe part.Due to the agile suspension of the2CV, the headlights need to be adjustedfor varying load conditions,and this should apply to any auxiliarydriving lights as well.There is just room on the headlightsupport tube to fit some smalldiameter lights. A set of about110mm diameter fits nicely, and stillallows the bonnet to lift clear.The brackets on the rear of the newlamp housings had to be moved toallow them to sit more neatly. Theoriginal rivets were drilled out justenough to release them, new holesmarked out and drilled, and thebrackets remounted using the oldFLEET FOLLIESrivets. A conical centre punch spreadthe rivets out to hold everythingnicely.Two blocks of aluminium weremachined to make a split clampto fit over the lamp support tube,[25.4mm or one inch diameter surprisingly!]Two 5mm set screws holdthe clamp in place. The front blockis higher to allow the bolt on thelamp fitting to be fixed through it.The new lamp shells and the bracketswere painted to match the existinglight housings.There is plenty of movementfor alignment of the beams. Themounting bolt supplied with thelamps allow sideways movement ofseveral degrees for setting the correctdirection. The main headlightswere set in correct alignment, andthe new lights raised or lowered togive the best throw and all boltstightened up to fix them.Now when the headlights are adjustedup and down from insidethe cabin, so too are the new drivinglights.Wires were run inside the supporttube beside the existing wiring,

38 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 39[much easier said than done], withnew connectors fitted above the fanhousing. Two pairs of heavy gaugewires were then taken back to besidethe battery, where the black wasFLEET FOLLIESearthed. This was done to avoid anyloss in bad chassis connections, asthere is an earth from the battery atthis point. A 30amp relay with itsown fuse was mounted nearby andthe red active wires taken to it. A12volt supply was brought directlyfrom the battery to it as well. Allconnections were made with crimpon terminals, firmly crimped andgiven a good tug to check. Wires weredressed beside the existing loom andcable tied to it, to keep them fromfalling on hot parts of the engine.The control wire for the relay wastaken through the firewall to pick upcurrent from the high beam indicatorlight via a switch. This ensuresthat the driving lights can only operatewhen theheadlights areon high beam,the switch allowingthem to be disabled whennot needed.The kit had 100watt bulbs, butthese were replaced with 55wattones. The alternator is rated for300watts only so it is very near itslimit with all the lights on.This wiring scheme adds very littlecurrent drain to the lighting switch,which already has a tendency tooverheat, whilst minimising voltagedrop to the new lights.There is now plenty of light, especiallyas the original headlamps casta good beam anyway.Michael Molesworth M ARK M C K IBBIN –A CTIVITIES DIRECTORBusy times in the McKibbin Garagefirstly the C5 alternator is playingup, well not the alternator but thepulley which has a one way ‘overrunningclutch’ in the centre of it. Theclutch is available from Bosch if youlive in Germany or wait for 7 weeksif you live in Australia, Citroën donot keep this as a spare part onlythe whole alternator at $1500.00yes I will say that again $1500.00!I just wonder what a Toyota onewould cost.The 2CV was pressed into servicewith the C5 on the skids and itbeing this time of year the batterydied. I’ve had the car for about 5years so not a bad run for a batteryof unknown vintage.The Vintage Sports Car Club hasa 24 hour team trial at Echucaon the weekend of the 14th July.I am running the Darracq in theSTD [Sunbeam, Talbot, Darracq,not what you were thinking] team.Unfortunately we drew the shortstraw with the 1am to 6am section,the Darracq only had aero screensso I’m fitting the original “V” windscreen,with some difficulty as thecar now has a different body.The T Model has now been painteda dark blue with black mudguardsand looks great the interior is comingalong with seats installed, onlythe hood to go and its finished.Too many cars so little time.Mark McKibbin

40 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 41IT’S THE LAWRecently I became involvedin an international on-lineCitroën discussion groupon the subject of advertising secondhandcars.A car had been advertised, but withno indication of the price beingsought. I noted that in Victoria, thepublication of such an advertisementwas illegal. This caused someconsternation amongst others inthe group.So, here is the relevant piece of Victorianlegislation, which applies nomatter where the car is being sold.Advertising Requirements underthe Motor Car Trader Regulations1998Motor Car Traders[1] A motor car trader who publishesor causes to be published an advertisementor statement in relationto the trader’s business of tradingin motor cars must include in theadvertisement or statement the letters‘LMCT’ followed by the licencenumber of the motor car trader.Penalty: 10 penalty units.[2] Where the motor car trader,or a servant or agent of the motorcar trader publishes or causesto be published an advertisementoffering a used motor car for sale,the person must include in the advertisement–[a] the cash price of the motorcar; and[b] whichever of the following isapplicable –[i] if the motor car is registered,the registrationnumber,or[ii] if thevehicle is unregistered, the enginenumber of the vehicle.Penalty: 10 penalty units.[3] Sub-regulation [2] [b] does notapply if the motor car trader, servantor agent publishes an advertisementon television, movie film orradio offering for sale a batch ofsix or more used motor cars of thesame modelPrivate Advertisers[1] If a person [other than a motorcar trader, or a servant or agentof the motor car trader] publishesor causes to be published an advertisementoffering a used motorcar for sale in a newspaper generallycirculating in the whole or anypart of Victoria or in a motor carspecialist magazine generally circulatingin the whole or any part ofVictoria the person must includein the advertisement –[a] the cash price of the motor car; and[b] whichever of the following isapplicable –[i] if the motor car is registered, theregistration number. or[ii] if the vehicle is unregistered,the engine number of the vehicle.Penalty: 10 penalty units.First let me apologise to anymember I have told to usebailey channel for their windowsfrom Australian suppliers.It turns out none of this appearsto be the sameas that used inTractions. Atthe insistenceof a member who found the localproduct unsuitable I have nowbrought in some window channelfrom Europe complete with thecorrect clips, this sells for $96.70and the clips for $25.80: this issufficient for a Light 15. The extrarequired for a Big 15 would makeit slightly dearer, but it will fit andthat is the main thing.I have received the first drive shaftsand they look good, I displayedthem at OzTraction in Portlandover the long weekend. These cost$330.00 each and use Magna CVJoints, which can be reconditionedif necessary in the future. It is myintention to pass these on to membersat cost but all freight costs arein addition to that price. If youintend having some shafts modifiedyou will be required to send themto me first and I will then have thework done. Please ensure that youonly send shafts with good tapersand keyways. I hope that this willbe an ongoing relationship with thisengineer and all work will be donethrough club spares. The next stepis to institute an exchange scheme, ifonly for Light 15s. Unfortunately,as Big 15s and Big 6s are far scarcerit will not warrant the expense ofcarrying these in stock. If yoursplines are excessively worn, thesecan also be rebuilt.Over the OzTraction, I spoke toLance Collins from DS Motors inBrisbane. He is still reconditioningdrive shafts with original universaljoints. Anyone who is interested inthis method as an alternative cancontact Lance on [07] 3368 1533and discuss a price with him.Last magazine I spoke about thelight at the end of the tunnel withID head gaskets: well since thensomeone has turned it off! Justwhen you think, you are makingsome headway the situation changes.Greg Fienberg has offered to checkwith the supplier in question ashe deals with him frequently but Imust report that I have heard nothing.I was also given a reference toa company in Thailand who willmake any gasket set as long as theyhave a pattern, I will be looking atthis as an alternative. In addition,Depanoto has established a website;they are usually good for hard to getitems so there is a chance we mayscore there.Parts otherwise for Tractions arecoming through regularly withlittle hold-up. Everything appearsto be available, although someSPARE NEWS

42 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F OR C ITROËN O WNERS A ND E NTHUSIASTS 43SPARE NEWSparts taking a little longer than doothers. That is the nature of carrestorations.One of our members in Tasmania,Steve Muir has even concluded thathe has a set of homemade eyeboltsand nuts in his clutch pressure plate.We are supplying him with a genuineset and this is after he promisedhis wife that he would have this carrunning in no time and with very littleexpense. [How often have I heardthat promise? Ed.] I now believe thefamily dog lives in the house and hehas taken up residence in the kennel.This has happened to all of us atFOR SALE1974 DS23 EFI PALLASUnfinished project due to baby. The caris a driving chassis at the moment andcurrently has a 23 carburettor motor withthe 5 speed that runs fine, the EFI wiringand computer are still in the car, a rebuiltsome stage as you never know whathas been done to an old car to keepit running when there were no partsavailable. Steve if you think you arehard done, by you should speakto someonewith an ex-Vietnamesecar.In life, thereis always someone worse off thanyou are.If you have been unsuccessful in tryingto contact me over the last fewweeks, you will have had no success.I have been out of the country on awell-earned holiday. By the time youhave this edition of ‘Front Drive’ inyour hands I will be back in townand on-deck as usual.Rob Little23 EFI motor is waiting to go in. The EFImotor is a rebuild, new bearings, excellentcondition head, the rings are original.Apparently the motor came out of a40,000 km car and has been in storage for25years. The car has had the minimal rustthat was in it repaired, roof rails, c pillar,boot lip surround, bottom door rubbermounts etc. All panels and bumpers arevery straight, now rust free. The car iscomplete except for a boot lid, a few efiparts [air filter, some inlet pieces] and acouple of stainless door trims. Originallya white body with the red and creaminterior. The trim is in fair condition,and complete. The car is an originalPallas and would make an excellent,honest restoration project. Comes withFOR SALEsome spare parts inc. another 23 motorand Borg Warner automatic transmission,front brakes, wheels, etc and someCX parts. Registration was SGH833,chassis: DS-FG-01FG6843, engine: DX50683013655. $5,000. Contact BradLanyon [08] 8355 9529 or 04 02786462, Adelaide beeandcee@chariot.net.au[31/01]INTERESTING DS ACCESSORYWhite fibreglass full width overheadconsole with 2 speakers & radio fitted.Suitable only for D series car. Very neat,professionally made unique accessory,easy to fit as it clips into inner roof railabove windscreen. $150. Phone CitroMotors [03] 9419 4537. [31/01]1982 CX 2400 PALLAS1982 CX 2400 Pallas, five-speedMechanically excellent, body and interiorvery good, lovely black leather. Victorianreg SIE 245 to May ’07. Metallic lightblue. Nothing to spend. $4000 Contact:John Wright, wrightlines@bigpond.com [30/08]DRIVESHAFT CONVERSIONSChange over, reconditioned driveshaftsupgraded with modern CV joints. Offthe shelf availability for; D-Series, Big 6,Light 15 and Big 15. Price on application.Citro Motors [03] 9419 4537 [30/07]L15 & B15 BODY &M ECHANICAL P ARTSCitro Motors has a range of bodyand mechanical parts for sale – toonumerous to list in full. Phone with yourrequirement now. Citro Motors [03]9419 4537 [31/02]1979 CX PALLAS C-MATIC1979 CX Pallas sedan. Reg no. RYW 225C-matic. Burgundy paint and fawn leatherinterior – a great combination. Recentmoney spent on repairs and maintenanceover last three years of ownership. Goodbody. Needs a re-spray. Fair interior.Registered until December 2006. Runswell but steering rack has small leak. NoRWC, $500 for quick sale. Ring Peter[03] 9521159 or 04 0138 3878.[30/05]WANTEDT RACTION P ARTSSet of 185 x 400 wheels for 1951 big 6.Set of 185 x 400 wheels for 1954 big 6.Please contact Bob Shackley on [02] 62516134 AH or email to kyzyl@bigpond.com [31/03]

44 A USTRALIA’ S N ATIONAL M AGAZINE F ORCITROËN CLASSIC OWNERSCLUB OF AUSTRALIAA AAustralia’s National Citroën Car Club