Lot Ended
Description
Rare Paris-built RHD Traction in a fetching colour scheme; £40k
restoration about 20 years ago and only 8,000 miles since; many useful upgrades;
recently completed a tour of France; rock-solid car that drives beautifully;
pre-war looks with post-war road manners; one for the connoisseur!
Introduced in April 1934, the extraordinary Citroen Traction Avant
was years ahead of its time and positively bristled with innovations. Largely
the work of French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre (1894–1964), it was
styled by Italian sculptor Flaminio Bertoni, an absolute genius who went on to
design the equally radical Citroen 2CV and the DS.
Hired by Andre Citroen
in 1933, Lefèbvre's previous work with the aviation company Voisin instilled a
focus on lightweight design, structural efficiency, and aerodynamic form. He was
instrumental in adapting the monococque construction method employed in aircraft
manufacture for use on the sensational Traction Avant.
Aside from its
pioneering welded steel unibody, the Traction was also the world’s first
mass-produced front-wheel drive car and one of the first to feature
rack-and-pinion steering, hydraulic brakes, synchromesh transmission and
independently sprung suspension.
Hailed for its exceptional stability
and astonishing roadholding, the Traction rendered all rival cars completely
inadequate, a reputation that endures to this day [Your scribe drove a couple of
1930s Austins before jumping into this car and the difference was astounding,
like switching from a hefty broad sword to a delicate rapier].
The
original 7A had a 32hp 4-cylinder OHV 1,303cc engine mated to a 3-speed manual
gearbox which made it good for 62mph with 28mpg economy. It was quickly
succeeded by the 7B which had a 1,529cc engine and very soon after by the more
powerful 36hp 1,628cc 7C.
Known as the Light 12 in the UK, the 7C
remained the standard 7CV model until the Luftwaffe brought production to an
abrupt end in 1941, by which time around 69,500 had been sold, the vast majority
with Berline (saloon) bodywork and a small number with Cabriolet and Faux
Cabriolet/Coupe bodies.
This particular Traction is the 7C2 version which
came out in 1938 with various upgrades such as rack-and-pinion steering (rather
than box) and telescopic shock absorbers on all four corners (rather than
friction dampers). It also gained the distinctive ‘Pilote’ dished steel wheels
which were specially designed for the new Michelin X radial tyres which gave
greater steering delicacy and ride comfort, being quickly adopted by Lancia and
other top-tier car makers.
This car is most unusual as it is a
right-hand drive model made in Citroen’s Paris factory rather than at the Slough
works in England - readily indentified by the double chevrons in front of the
grille rather than behind, the metal rather than wooden dashboard and the single
instrument binnacle rather than separate dials. This is confirmed by a letter
from The Traction Owner's Club and it was presumably built specifically for the
UK market because the chassis plate gives the Slough phone number for parts.
Corrsespondence on file shows that it was first registered in Sutherland
in the Scottish Highlands in March 1939 with the registration number NS 1769.
Nothing is known of the car’s early history but by 1985 it was owned by a Mr NJ
Webb of Glastonbury who was to keep it for the next 23 years. In 2008 it was
acquired by a Mr Aspinall of Leominster by which time the Citroen had fallen off
the DVLA radar and the original number had been assigned to another car so he
got it re-registered as ASV 838.
At this point the Traction was in a
fairly poor state so Mr Aspinall commissioned a complete restoration which
reputedly cost over £40,000, the bulk of the work being recorded by invoices on
file. The bodywork was completely stripped and professionally repaired. The
suspension was fully rebuilt and more effective 12” brakes added from a later
model.
The engine was found to be unserviceable so a later 1,911cc unit
from a Citroen ID was installed following a protracted rebuild which included
new pistons and liners and new shells on a reground crankshaft which was fully
balanced along with the conrods and new cam followers (the V5C still records the
capacity as 1,658cc). The gearbox was swapped for a 1946 unit which was also
fully overhauled.
The finished bodyshell was professionally repainted
and all exterior chrome either rechromed or replaced, along with the lovely
Bauhaus-style front seat frames inside. The upholstery was retrimmed in
top-quality leather, with a new cloth headlining and modern inertia-reel seat
belts.
It also had a new wiring loom and conversion to 12v electrics
with period Marchal headlamps updated with LED bulbs. The Jaeger instrument
panel was refurbished, the odometer re-set to zero and a new set of five
Michelin X tyres were also fitted.
Mr Aspinall subsequently sold the car
via Brightwells in May 2016 for £19,600. It then had another owner in Royston
and from 2019 another in Coulsdon from whom the current owner acquired it in May
2022.
He has gone right through the car to get in good shape for
long-distance touring, as detailed by invoices on file. This included having the
gearbox and rear axle/diff fully rebuilt by Devon Tractions with a high ratio
final drive for more relaxed motorway cruising. It also had a new clutch kit;
cylinder head rebuild; new timing chain; carb rebuilt; new brakes and pipework;
new wheel bearings plus much else besides.
We are told that the car now
drives very well indeed, completing a tour of France in late-2024 with no
problems whatsoever and being much admired by the Francais. It has certainly
been starting promptly and driving beautifully as we have moved it around on
site, with healthy 60psi oil pressure and delightfully light and direct
steering.
The vendor advises that ever since he bought this car it has
emitted a slight rattle from the front at tick-over which disappears as soon as
you touch the throttle. The source of this noise has defeated all efforts to
find it and as it does not affect the way the car drives and is completely
inaudible once on the move, it remains a harmless mystery to this day.
Supplied with a good file of invoices, it also comes with much useful
technical literature relating to the model and two highly detailed period repair
manuals. A quantity of useful spares will also be made available to the winning
bidder if desired.
Two old MOTs (both clean passes with no advisories)
record 23 miles in November 2011 and 1,703 miles in August 2017, the odometer
currently showing 7,972 miles which is the total distance covered since the car
was restored by Mr Aspinall 20-odd years ago. Classed as a Historic Vehicle, it
is of course now MOT-exempt and free to tax.
As you can see in the
photos, this delightful and sensibly uprated Traction looks to be in great shape
for an 87-year-old, with just a few minor scuffs to the bodywork here and there.
It is only reluctantly for sale because our vendor has recently been diagnosed
with a health issue which unfortunatelly means that he will soon have to hang up
his driving gloves for good, poor chap.
On offer here at a very modest
guide price, this ground-breaking Citroen brims with Gallic panache and now
needs an enthusiastic new owner who can reap the rewards of all the good work so
recently carried out.
As you can probably tell by now, we love this car
and we are sure that you will too, so make sure you come and see
it!
Consigned by James Dennison – 07970 309907 –
james.dennison@brightwells.com
Please note: An HPI check shows
a ‘Scrapped Marker’ in December 2000 but this relates to a Volvo 740GL and has
nothing to do with this Citroen. We have experienced this type of error before
and should be able to assist the buyer in getting this marker removed.