Classic Jalopy Blog

DS sill trim – replacement part 3 1

DS sill trim – replacement part 3

The installation of the new sill trim in the DS progresses.    Today I was able to glue down the passengers side of the car after doing some final trimming to size (mostly done in part 2).    I ended up using an entire can of spray adhesive, as the underside of the trim absorbs a lot of the glue.     Unfortunately, I...

DS sill trim – replacement part 2 2

DS sill trim – replacement part 2

The DS has large box sections that run down both sides.  On the DS comfort, there are various bits of vinyl trim that cover these sections.   In part 1, I had replaced the outer trim and door sealing strips.  Next was the inner trim.  The inner trim comes mostly pre-cut to size, but it needs to be trimmed and also adapted for a...

The electric DS 1

The electric DS

The Citroen club held its monthly meeting at the Tesla showroom, where club members got to test drive the model S.   As well as seeing the Model S, one of the members of the club brought along his electric DS to compare with the Tesla.   I have to say I was very impressed with what he had done with the car.  ...

450SLC door striker replacement 0

450SLC door striker replacement

The drivers door on the 450SLC had become harder and harder to close properly over the past year or so.   It normally took a couple of tries before it would latch correctly.   I therefore decided to try replacing the door striker, which do wear out over time.   The part number of the new striker was 115 720 06 04. As can...

2015 Tesla Model S Review 1

2015 Tesla Model S Review

The Citroen Car club had its monthly meeting at the Tesla showroom this month.  Tesla were offering short test drives to club members as part of the meeting.   The Tesla Model S is one of the few modern cars that interest me, so I jumped at the opportunity.   In my view, the Tesla is the first ‘green’ car that is a great...

Traction oil service – how simple 1

Traction oil service – how simple

The Traction Avant is the easiest car I own to do a basic service.   There is no oil filter, so the oil is simply drained and topped up.    The transmission is right up front, and not obscured by the ducting of the DS, so it can be done while sitting in front of the car.    The downside of course is that...

DS sill trim – replacement part 1 1

DS sill trim – replacement part 1

The other day I had removed all the sill trim from the DS.  I also re-routed the speaker wires so new trim can be fitted.   Next step was to fit the silver trim that faces the outside of the car, but is only visible when the doors are open, and the inner weather strip. The trim is glued on, but needs to be...

Re-routing the DS rear speaker wires 1

Re-routing the DS rear speaker wires

I had originally tucked the wiring for the rear speakers in the DS under the marine carpet that was on the inside of the sills.   However, I am now replacing that and gluing down the correct vinyl, so wanted a better solution. The DS wiring harness actually goes between the inner and outer sill, along with some hydraulic lines.   This is not...

Citroen DS sill trim – removal 1

Citroen DS sill trim – removal

The sill trim on my DS was in poor condition – the rubbers were perished, the outer sill trim was cracking, and the trim on the inside sills had been replaced with Marine carpet.   Most of the information I could find on the Internet referred to a DS Pallas, and I wanted to keep my car as a DS Comfort. The photo above...

Traction will select a gear…   Sometimes. 0

Traction will select a gear… Sometimes.

I had the traction towed home a week ago as I was unable to select a gear despite the clutch being fully depressed.   I didn’t think anything was seriously wrong, as I had been driving fine around that time.   After doing some research on the Traction Yahoo Group, and looking carefully at the linkages, I was able to determine that they sometimes...

JDCA run to St Albans 0

JDCA run to St Albans

Today the JDCA organized a run up to St Albans, which is just north of Sydney.   I hadn’t had a chance to take the E-Type on a long run, so thought it would be a good opportunity.   It was one of the biggest car club runs I have been on with nearly 100 sign ups and at least 20 E-Types joining in....

Top Gear should finish with the departure of Clarkson 0

Top Gear should finish with the departure of Clarkson

There have been some rather amusing columns written over the last few weeks that the departure of Jeremy Clarkson somehow paves the way for a ‘kinder, gentler’ (read more PC) Top Gear.   More reviews on affordable cars; more eco friendly; no off colour comments.    What a lot of rubbish.   Nobody wants to watch a programme like that.    How many teenage boys have a poster...

Traction won’t select a gear 1

Traction won’t select a gear

Today I was planning to change the oil in the engine and gearbox of the Traction.   I took it for a drive to heat up the oil so it would drain out nicely.   It was a lovely evening and I was enjoying the drive, then all of a sudden, the Traction won’t select a gear.   Despite pushing the clutch to the...

Replacement accumulator fixed heavy steering while parking 1

Replacement accumulator fixed heavy steering while parking

Last year I replaced my accumulator sphere on the DS.   The main driver for this was that I was getting short ‘cycle’ times.  (i.e. the hydraulic pump would kick in very regularly to maintain system pressure, which puts stress on the system).   At the time, I did get an improvement in cycle time.   Secondarily I was hoping to cure a problem where the power...

Minor repairs to the Traction 0

Minor repairs to the Traction

This evening I spent some time looking over the traction.     One of the things noted in the condition report was that the number plate lamp was inoperative.   After eliminating it was not the blown fuse, I took the light apart, and the problem was that it was just dirty.   A good clean and the lamp was working again. I also...

Dawn drive up the Putty road with the Citroen Club 1

Dawn drive up the Putty road with the Citroen Club

Despite my overheating problems last year, I had enjoyed the Citroen Club drive up the Putty road last year, and was keen to have another go in the DS with a new water pump and flushed radiator.     This year was the same format, drive up for breakfast at the cafe halfway along the Putty road, Lunch at one of the wineries and...

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