French car with French engine

Walt Kowalski · 15-10-2009, 06:50 AM

What do you think of this? Any comments? What engine?

TIP Its a trick question and the answers will be revealed soon.

Come on have some fun

Paxton · 15-10-2009, 07:59 AM

Citroen DS.

What engine, as there were as many as five in its lifetime.

Walt Kowalski · 15-10-2009, 08:11 AM

Thanks Paxton

Its an engine found regularly in The Shire

A Frenchman started the company.

Come on guys

Have some fun

What engine is in it?

It is a very nice engine bay

I will post the engine pics when the correct answer is given or after at least 10 guesses

It will be worth it.

**Burnout** · 15-10-2009, 08:19 AM

The worlds most hideous motor vehicle, are there any still on the road?

Just butt ugly!

whales · 15-10-2009, 08:27 AM

Looking at the wheels it hasn't got a standard old citreon engine

Fev · 15-10-2009, 08:28 AM

Engine in the shire?

Is it powered by hobbits?

**DJR-351** · 15-10-2009, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt Kowalski

What do you think of this? Any comments? What engine?

TIP Its a trick question and the answers will be revealed soon.

Come on have some fun

Engine is a GM LS1 V8 @ around 400hp.....

sly_ba · 15-10-2009, 08:55 AM

we have a winner......

zyweik · 15-10-2009, 09:01 AM

damn.. more pics please..

Yellow_Festiva · 15-10-2009, 09:04 AM

http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicl..._19/index.html

Quote:

Jeff Meyer's Pro Touring 1966 Citron ID19
Jeff Meyer, of Windsor, California, has a thing for European cars, but he also likes his hot rods. Wanting to combine the two, he had Kevin Bradley at Kreations Auto Body (www.kreationsautobody.com) in Rio Dell, California, turn his '66 Citron ID19 into a
By Rob Kinnan
Photography by Wes Allison
1966 Citroen Front View
The Citron was finished just...

read full caption
1966 Citroen Front View
The Citron was finished just in time for the '06 SEMA show, and we shot it the following Saturday, so the two miles or so that Kevin drove it for our photo shoot was the most road time the car had seen. It drove straight and performed just fine.

When you think of France, you think of romance, great food, fine wine, snotty waiters, and an inept military. Certainly, "car manufacturer" doesn't come to mind. But there is a segment of the population here in America, albeit very small, that is rabid about the French-built Citron. These quirky cars combine swoopy, obscure French styling with equally quirky hydraulic controls for nearly everything, including the suspension. You definitely don't see them every day, and it's often easier to fabricate parts for them than it is to find factory replacements. Seems like the perfect Dare To Be Different project, huh?

Jeff Meyer, of Windsor, California, has a thing for European cars, but he also likes his hot rods. Wanting to combine the two, he had Kevin Bradley at Kreations Auto Body (www.kreationsautobody.com) in Rio Dell, California, turn his '66 Citron ID19 into a Pro Touring car. The Citron was unique because it had all those hydraulic pumps and rams everywhere, but also because it was front-wheel drive with a Maserati four-cylinder for power. Swapping in an American V-8 was the plan, but that meant considerable fabrication. Kevin designed a frame to fit and then had Art Morrison build it based around his G-Max chassis. Opposite from most cars, this one has a narrower track width in the back than it does in the front. The suspension is Morrison's Mustang II-based independent in the front (with coilovers) and a triangulated four-link in the rear. To get the car nice and low, the body was channeled 4 inches over the frame.

Kreations got a warmed-over (410hp) LS1 from Turnkey Engine Supply (Oceanside, California) and stuck it in the car, setting it back far enough to fit under the sloping hood while leaving room for a laid-down radiator. With a 4L60E automatic bolted behind the LS1, the surrounding panels were built, giving the car a transmission tunnel where one had never existed.

The Citron's body structure was pretty flimsy, with a bolt-on fiberglass roof attached to a thin metal structure that also located the front and rear glass. To keep the stock parts but stiffen it all up, Kreations built a rollcage-like structure with 151/48-inch bars, then welded it into the A, B, and C pillars and molded everything together to make it nearly invisible inside the car. It also provided a mount for the three-point seatbelts. Kreations fabricated the steel dash and center console to Meyer's specs and stuck the stock steering wheel on the Flaming River column. "That was a three-day project making the monotube steering wheel work with a traditional column," Kevin said.

On the outside, much of the body is stock. Kreations smoothed the front lower panel and put a big hole in it to feed air to the radiator and engine. The stock bumpers were bolt-together, three-piece units, so Kreations welded them together and removed the bumperettes then had Advanced Plating in Nashville rechrome them. The rear license-plate panel required some work, and while there, Kreations added a second set of taillights to complement the C-pillar-mounted stock lights, which still work. The color is Teal Tease from DuPont's Hot Hues line, the roof is a tri-stage white with pearl thrown in, and suede paint sets off the interior and underhood panels. The final touch is Billet Specialties Stiletto wheels, 18x9s in the rear and 18x8s in the front, with 245/45-18s on all four corners.

Must say, I drift in and out of the Aussiefrogs forum (The Festiva has been replaced with a Citroen) but haven't seen this car mentioned there in any great detail.

Nice work, looks very neat.

CHEETR · 15-10-2009, 09:07 AM

old news lol saw this ages ago

**DJR-351** · 15-10-2009, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zyweik

damn.. more pics please..

...as requested...

...i wonder what i won!!!

Powdered Toast Man · 15-10-2009, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJR-351

Engine is a GM LS1 V8 @ around 400hp.....

I was actually going to guess chevy V8 looking at it. Would have been a good guess. I was thinking carby small block though.

sgt_doofey · 15-10-2009, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Must say, I drift in and out of the Aussiefrogs forum (The Festiva has been replaced with a Citroen) but haven't seen this car mentioned there in any great detail.

Nice work, looks very neat.

That's right. I've seen you over on the dark side. You're right, haven't seen it there either but I frequent the Peugeot forum, not the Citroen one.
Looks good, for a Citroen.

zyweik · 15-10-2009, 03:47 PM

lol..he shouldn't of bothered with the back wheels.. stockies would do cause can't see them anyway :P

**Peuty** · 15-10-2009, 03:52 PM

Bah, I was gonna say LS1.

Awesome car.

Rev28K · 15-10-2009, 06:09 PM

French car with French engine? Since when is the LS1 French?

The article also mentioned that the Citron (sic) had a Maserati derived 4 cylinder engine.

I think that they are getting confused about the V6 that was used in the Maserati Merak and Citroen SM when Citroen owned both brands. They were short of cash and my memory tells me that they grabbed the 90 degree V8 used in the Bora and chopped 2 cylinders off it thus creating a 90 degree V6 (2.8? 3.0 litre?).

It’s surprising that they didn’t use an SM or the 2-door cabriolet DS as a basis of the conversion. The Safari wagons looked a bit ungainly.

Citroen’s pushrod (?) 4 lived on in the CX and even acquired a turbo in the performance version

Walt Kowalski · 15-10-2009, 06:49 PM

OK so here's my confession.

I saw this this photo this morning before I went out and could not believe it.

A beautiful LS engine in a car so weird that when I was a kid Dad told me they were supposed to be futuristic.

We both thought they were just pig ugly at the time. And weird.

But looking back the thing was so advanced that i wonder why they changed it.

Biggest problem was gutless engine but the V8 installation obviously fixes that.

Yeah OK I was stretching it when I said "French Engine" but Chevrolet was of course a French Swiss guy who worked a fair bit in Paris before going to North America to establish his Chevrolet car company so I could not help make the (admittedly) wild link.

Sorry guys to anone who took it seriously but how good is that thing as a cruisy sleeper!

Paxton · 15-10-2009, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt Kowalski

OK so here's my confession.

I saw this this photo this morning before I went out and could not believe it.

A beautiful LS engine in a car so weird that when I was a kid Dad told me they were supposed to be futuristic.

We both thought they were just pig ugly at the time. And weird.

But looking back the thing was so advanced that i wonder why they changed it.

Biggest problem was gutless engine but the V8 installation obviously fixes that.

Yeah OK I was stretching it when I said "French Engine" but Chevrolet was of course a French Swiss guy who worked a fair bit in Paris before going to North America to establish his Chevrolet car company so I could not help make the (admittedly) wild link.

Sorry guys to anone who took it seriously but how good is that thing as a cruisy sleeper!

There is a write up in one of my Wheels magazines (I think BF Falcon first drives), where they are talking about them. Futuristic, but ugly. Some of the parts in them, especially the suspension, is still being used today in brand new Citroëns.

Neeek · 16-10-2009, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rev28K

I think that they are getting confused about the V6 that was used in the Maserati Merak and Citroen SM when Citroen owned both brands. They were short of cash and my memory tells me that they grabbed the 90 degree V8 used in the Bora and chopped 2 cylinders off it thus creating a 90 degree V6 (2.8? 3.0 litre?).

2.7 litre, it was.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rev28K

It’s surprising that they didn’t use an SM or the 2-door cabriolet DS as a basis of the conversion. The Safari wagons looked a bit ungainly.

Agreed with the Safaris - they do look a little bit like an afterthought. Not a cohesive design compared to the DS.

Not sure anyone would cut up an SM for this type of conversion, though - the purists would hunt down and hang the offender! As for the DS cabrio (or decapotable, as they are known), not only are they extremely rare, but worth a bloody fortune. Not sure that even the craziest rodder would be mad enough to butcher one of them.

Nice DS, though. I'd have gone with a later model DS rather than an ID, say an early 70s one. I think they look better with the quad lamps behind perspex.

xbgs351 · 16-10-2009, 12:30 PM

Anybody else think that the front of these looks similar to some of the mid 50's Studebakers?

GTP-814 · 16-10-2009, 12:32 PM

why would you do so

xbgs351 · 16-10-2009, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTP-814

why would you do so

For a start that light blue colour was a common Sudebaker colour. Here is one of the Studebakers that I was thinking of as an example:

and with the bonnet closed:
http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gif

Rev28K · 16-10-2009, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neeek

Not sure anyone would cut up an SM for this type of conversion, though - the purists would hunt down and hang the offender! As for the DS cabrio (or decapotable, as they are known), not only are they extremely rare, but worth a bloody fortune. Not sure that even the craziest rodder would be mad enough to butcher one of them.

Nice DS, though. I'd have gone with a later model DS rather than an ID, say an early 70s one. I think they look better with the quad lamps behind perspex.

Always had a thing for SM's myself. "The first (and only?) FWD supercar" propigator of the myth that 210bhp was about the limit for FWD - with 70's tyre technology.

Without googling I think that there were 2 versions auto - manual and maybe a hotter version (fuel injection?).

Like the DS's as well. Have a look at the film Gattica - Uma Thurman's character drives a decapotable (I swooned when I saw it) and the Rover P5 makes a turbine sound like Rover were planning - for the P6 I think?

Yellow_Festiva · 16-10-2009, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xbgs351

Anybody else think that the front of these looks similar to some of the mid 50's Studebakers?

Depends on the angle, but from here I can see an older model Porsche:

And from this angle I can see Datsun Z / Rubber nose MGB:

EB# · 17-10-2009, 08:44 AM

We had one of those Citroens when I was a kid, around '75. It was an
amazing car for its time.

One of the distinctive features was the hydraulic adjustable suspension.
The preferred ride height was selected with a lever on the right side of the
drivers seat (I think), lower for sealed roads, up a bit for gravel. The car
would "power down" after you turn off the engine, then sit way low
when parked. Start the engine, and it rises up after 20 seconds or so to
your ride height, all automatically.

These cars are widely regarded as one of the greatest designs of the 20th C.,
in both automotive circles, and the design world generally. Love em or
hate em, they are certainly interesting.

Ghiadude · 17-10-2009, 09:00 AM

Dad still goes on about how smooth the ride was in those. Ive never riden in one but they are unusual. Im impressed though - Im on ford forums looking at a french car with a Chev in it and people here are appreciating it. Dare i say that Ford forums is becoming more refined and (gulp) cultured????
It is a nice car.

**DJM83** · 17-10-2009, 06:15 PM

Hidious but a nice heart. I lost my licence racing against one

: back when i was at school. My mate was a mad fan of these.

stevepet · 18-10-2009, 06:33 PM

Absolutely brilliant. Something so different would love that in my garage.

Walt Kowalski · 18-10-2009, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevepet

Absolutely brilliant. Something so different would love that in my garage.

Steve,

Thats what I thought when I saw it and that's why I started the thread.

The contrast between my first impression especially as a 15YO many years ago of the weird French car and the impression that this particulkar Citroen had on me were miles apart

Kinda like KOPJ's Hyuindai Excel will have on multitudes

Except his "Hyundai" wilbe an absolute rocket;

Way faster with an SR20 than any Citroen wioth a LS1

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11251053&highlight=Hyundai