High-Pressure Hydraulics by Citro?n

[jeanlouis]

The second model, a DS 20 Pallas 74 or 75, is coming from Europe. The colour "bleu Platine" is not matching with this model.

 

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More about the DS US version


Paris on the left, New York on the right, the DS front face is different.

Close from the DS serie during a long time, the problem appear in 1967 with the third front face of the Citro?n. American administration did not allow headlights behind a window. The constructor must review its copy and the look of the DS is modified for USA and Canada where the car is also exported.

Notice the little grills on the bumper for air conditioning and the big turn signal underneath.

Citro?n Station Wagon had some amateurs too.

Amazing vinyl roof on this DS Pallas.
DS and SM exportations toward USA were stopped in 1973.

 

[jeanlouis]

Same to the SM but the design is modified from the appearance of the model.



Between two DS a "little" SM US version is assembled at Javel manufactory (Paris)

The plate lighting is different on the US version.

The fragile front window of the SM was especially exposed in town.

 

[jeanlouis]

Citro?n, it is complicated!
The motor, for example...


This book editor who is publishing the photo upside down!
In more, it is not a DS 19 but a DS 21 electronic injection.

To confuse a GS flat four engine (above) with one bi-rotor (below), how is it possible? :thinking:

 

[jeanlouis]

Specific colours saved for some DS, GS, CX versions


Palladium Gray for DS Pallas 1965-1968

Nacre Gray (mother-of-pearl) for DS Pallas 1969-1975

Nacre Gray (mother-of-pearl) for GS Pallas 1975
For all the range GS-GSA 1976-1981

H?lianthe Yellow for GS X/X2 1975

Hunaudi?re Blue for GS X/X2 1976

Sun Red for GS X/X2 1977

Ibiza Orange for GS X/X2 1978

 

[jeanlouis]

Vulcain Gray for CX Pallas and Prestige starting 1976

Beautiful NOREV model scale 1/18

Rare Iroise Green for CX Pallas 1976 only (found on the web)

Unusual orange for the DS press cars of the raid 2CV/Dyane/Ami Paris-Pers?polis in 1971.

 

[jeanlouis]

The two-faces mirror


Left : DS23 Pallas Electronic Injection 1973
Right : CX25 Prestige 1984

 

[jeanlouis]

The Citroen comfort, is it a myth wondered the magazine Auto-Plus in 1995


Forty years after the DS and twenty years after GS and CX, the difference decreased compared with a good metallic suspension.

To simplify : On the bump the passenger weight is multiplicated by 2, in the hole it is divided by 2.
More the difference is small, more the suspension is sweet.

Three suspension for Xantia, the cheapest is the most comfortable. However the Activa suspension judged firm is yet softer than the hard hydropneumatic of the old BX GTI 16S (16 valves motor).

Toward the end of a time ...

 

[jeanlouis]

SM presidential was inaugurated by Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II in May 1972 while her official visit in France. Beside her the president Georges Pompidou who had ordered two cars to the bodyworker Chapron. Compared with a serie model, the SM presidential is 70 centimeter longer.

Because of the interpreter tip-up seat, that don't seem very comfortable, the wheel is moved six centimeter to the left and front seats are moved also toward the exterior.

 

[jeanlouis]

Twenty years later, in 1992, nearly the same photo.
Only the French president is changing : this time, it is François Mitterrand.

 

[jeanlouis]

DS Prestige, the "car-office", work tool of the journalist

1 - Jean Ferniot (1918-2012)


Ordered by the radio station RTL for its reporter journalist Jean Ferniot, this DS Prestige is especially arranged by Chapron starting from a DS 21 mechanical gearbox. The bodyworker would like to exhibit it on his stand at Paris motorshow 1970 but the famous journalist (the passenger on the photo) needs the car every day.

At this time, a small number on the plate indicated a VIP !


2 - Philippe Bouvard


Inspired by Jean Ferniot, the radio/TV presenter wanted also his personal DS Prestige, a 21 carburetor also but with hydraulics gearbox. For these celebrities, I think it was the driver who chose the version.

 

[jeanlouis]

Bought in 1972, Philippe Bouvard kept his DS ten years and sold it after 300.000 km covered.
He bought another "car office", a Peugeot 604 lengthened bodyworked by Heuliez. Today this DS is entirely restored.

 

[jeanlouis]

Summit of comfort for some, vomitive car for others, the DS needed an interior adapted to the softness of its hydropneumatic suspension. Seats and carpets are of Dunlopillo foam, a new material at this time. Carpets are barely two inches thickness and we are sinking into the seats!

At the opposite, austerity reign in board of the first ID19 Luxe like at the good old time of the Traction.

ID 19 Confort with the interior of the DS, except the dashboard, was a best seller.

DS 19 or 21

Some room for the legs at the rear whatever the model.

Pallas finition only for DS 19 or 21.

Above right, handle of plastic specific to ID 19 and DSpecial from the beginning to the end.

 

[jeanlouis]

Road holding, DS 21 in front of its competitors in 1966


DS and Renault 16 : when the front is passing, the rear is following (in theory)

Good sticking for a basic propulsion with rear rigid axle.

Peugeot and Mercedes had some rear suspension problems solved two years later with the new model generation.

 

[jeanlouis]

Game : What are the clandestine guests of this up'market Parisian restaurant "La Grande Cascade" and why ?


Citroen Traction 15/6 H - 1955

Citroen DS 19 - 1960

Peugeot 304 Cabriolet - 1972

Peugeot 304 S Cabriolet - 1972

Citroen CX Prestige - 1976

 

[jeanlouis]

Two other restored 15/6 H



A DS model 60-62 with ashtray fenders is overtaking this 15/6 H from the Netherlands.

Rare decouvrable A.E.A.T

 

[jeanlouis]

Do the hydraulic gearbox of the DS "eat" 9HP ?
1960

The magazine "L'Auto-Journal" was surprised to see ID 19 having nearly the same performances than DS 19 with 9HP less ! They thinked that it was because of the hydraulic gearbox of the DS

1970

DSuper is like a DS 20 with a 4 speeds mechanical gearbox

Same to "L'Automobile" ten years later. For the accelerations we can understand because the gear changeover is a little slower with the hydraulics control but for the maximum speed? Normally, with 9.5 HP in more, DSuper and DS 20 must be faster than DSpecial. I wonder if the constructor doent is exact.

 

[jeanlouis]

ID/DS : Headlights and direction indicators

 

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[jeanlouis]

GS 1220 is fifty


Powered with a 1220 cm3 motor 7CV, this new model is exhibited for the first time at Paris motorshow 1972. It will become a best-seller of the make.

From the catalog edited for this event.