1976 Type HY

Introduced in the 1947, this French icon remained in production until 1981.










2 litre petrol engine from the DS saloon and plenty of room for most domestic transportation, I drove Nellie, named for being grey and crinkly, for the first time today in five years, following a leisurely restoration. Wonderful!  

France is a great place to find these old classics!

Bill :)

Known here colloquially as a 'Tub', pronounced 'Tube', from 'transport ultra bas' meaning low loading. With no traditional chassis it could be loaded in and out with ease, clever concept, Ithink I am right insaying the French produced the first production front wheel drive saloon, in the Citroen TA. (Traction Avant)

Lovely vehicle, thanks for posting, I thinkI have some piccies somewhere, too.

Doug

I don't think so mate. Cord had fwd in the States in 1929,Alvis (GB), I think, 1928, BSA (GB) as well and DKW in 1931. 

Thanks, F'w, I did say 'think', sometimes  if your 'thinks' are old enough they become 'wozzes'!

Something else interesting to look up,

Doug

Love it Bill, used to have classics myself…a 1955 Standard 8 with 10 engine… lost every race it entered at Snetterton, also Wolesley 15 happy days I'll dig out some piccys. Again superb restoration.

Ian

The Traction Avant (French for 'front wheel drive and some variants also used as delivery vans!), is arguably the most important French car. Wherever you drive one in France, almost everyone you meet has family memories of one and the Traction often opens doors for you (sorry sir, I was mistaken, we do in fact have a room left for you tonight and would you like to park that beautiful car in my garage?). Produced between 1937 and 1959, the innovative design put many automotive principles together for the first time, putting it decades in front of all rivals. It had of course front wheel drive, but also a monocoque body shell (no chassis) rack and pinion steering and independent suspension. The interior was cavernous and due to no chassis, here was a propshaft running through the cabin, had a flat floor front and back and the car sat lower to the road, making it more streamlined and fuel efficient. Originally, the Traction was to have an automatic gearbox, but Citroen's addiction to gambling wasted his fortune so much that the company became bankrupt and the car had the familiar three speed manual box.

Andre Citroen, already famous for his double helical gear wheels, represented by the still instantly recognisable Citroen logo, developed a close friendship with Henry Ford and studied and introduced Ford's mass production methods in the Paris factory. The tyre manufacturer Michelin, who were developing the new radial tyres and producing the wheels for the Traction, stepped in to rescue the company and the Traction came in to production just as Andre Citroen died.

1950 Citroen Traction Avant 11 Normal

Hi Ian,

I've always been a Standard Triumph fan and the 10 engine must have been entertaining. Did you upgrade the brakes I wonder? I've happy memories of beating round numerous race circuits in a variety of machinery, much to the dismay of the bride, but some things just have to be done! 

Happy days indeed,

Bill :)

Hi Bill it had twin Su carbs and to lower the suspension the front Springs
Were shortened and the back axle flipped over and fitted under' the rear leaf springs then the diff was rotated 180 to stop it going backwards. The brakes were upgraded to 'suicide'

Ian

Sorry that should have read back axle fitted over' the rear springs.

Ref. the Citroen Traction. Apparently Andre Citroen was inspired by the monocoque construction of Budd Railcars he saw when he visited the States. The weak point of the car is the driveshafts. If I remember right, they only had simple couplings on the driveshafts and they are prone to breaking. A fairly easy upgrade to modern CVJ's is often done. Mike China,of Wheeler Dealers fame, rebuilt a Citroen van recently. Some major mods were done on it, such as a conversion to a Ford Transit engine! 

I've been driving a TA for 17 years and nothing of note with mechanicals so far *. One needs to remember that they are a pre-war design and must be treated with much more respect than modern offerings, so very regular servicing and oil changes (there's no oil filter!). 

The whole drivetrain is the car's weakest point, as Henry pointed out and it can be modified and even take a DS four speed, or even a five speed box. I even know one guy who installed a diesel engine! The original engine crank bearings (white metal) are now practically impossible to source, so modern shell bearings are the order of the day. 

As with all old vehicles, they remain a joy to drive and produce smiles everywhere.

Bill :)  

* Just remembered that I did melt the crank bearings on a French auto-route years ago. Oops!

Not a Citroen I know, but in her own way, she gives me a lot of pleasure. 1965 SilverCloud and I've owned her since ''67. Now fitted with a fuel injected 6.7 litre V8 and a 4 speed 'box and disc brakes on the front with a conventional servo instead of the gearbox thing. All bolt on mods  so she can go back to standard if I wish. I've had Citroen's in the past,16 valve BX,XM V6,Xantia Activa. They were brilliant cars. Everyday car is in the family, Peugeot 307 sw.

I can't find my 'TUB' pictures, but this little Peugeot van might raise a smile!

The owner was charming but didn't want to be photographed with his van which he used daily in his grocery business. Taken 2006.





F'w, what a beautiful car, but I wouldn't like to have to fill the petrol tank too often!

Doug

"F'w, what a beautiful car, but I wouldn't like to have to fill the petrol tank too often!"

Thank you for the comliment. Yes, she does like a drink,but she's a lot better with the bigger engine and injection. On a run she gets up to 16 mpg,but round town she gets 12. But I wouldn't part with her. She's actually quite cheap to run,but I do my own work on her.

I don't know if this will open for you [Bill], if you haven't seen this site it may be of interest.

http://www.the-blueprints.com/index.php?blueprints/cars/citroen/

Hi Henry,

The pleasure from a wonderfully warbling engine is, to an enthusiast at least, priceless! That's the reason why to this day, I do not actually know the fuel consumption of my TR3, thoroughly well breathed upon and with a magnificent soundtrack I've been enjoying for 22 years! I'm always amused at the expression from onlookers by my lack of concern for either economic or environmental concerns of classic car ownership, but then every chap needs his toys!

It's so good to hear that you have been enjoying your stead for such a long time and long may you continue to be happy together.

Bill :)

 

 

Still can't find my TUB piccies, but you might like sight of one of my postcard designs….



Doug

Je adore cette carte postale Doug, absolument et la bride aussi. Thank you very much indeed, as you have given us both big smiles.

Bill and the bride :cheers:cheers

Hi again Doug,

Thanks for blueprints.com and it opens just fine and I hadn't seen it before. Will look some more at some old friends on there.

Bill :)

A good friend from Normandy and ex-H van owner just sent me the link below. You should be aware that Citroen H vans have been used to sell posh coffee and stuff at swanky UK locations and with this in mind and a good sense of the ridiculous in hand, read on . . . . .

http://sniffpetrol.com/2015/11/12/new-business-saves-citroen-h-vans/#.VkYvIctdFMv

I'm still laughing at the company name!

Bill :)