Yesterday I really did buy a project car...

"KatzManDu" (KatzManDu) 04/02/2016 at 11:32 • Filed to: Citroen DS, Restoration, Project

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but I didn’t have to trade my wife or daughter for it.

1975 Citroen DS 20 Break (it may be a Safari version or it may be a Commercial; more on that later.)

It’s a proper four-speed but with the mushroom/automatic brakes. Needs paint, badly and minimal welding. Needs a battery, new fuel line and exhaust. And the brakes don’t work. Eventually it will be road-legal. The plan is to get it road-legal/CT’d by the end of May, and eventually send it to the paint shop over winter.

I trailered it the 173km home across the southern part of Belgium. With my 2002 BMW 520d. Which probably broke all kinds of laws and weight limits, but I made it home after being stuck in traffic due to striking truckers blocking the motorway. What should have been under a 2 hour journey was almost 4 hours.

Oh, you don’t care about that. Here are some photos. I paid less for the DS than I did the 520, and I only paid 2250 EUR for the 520. Then again, the 520 was road-worthy and had a CT. This clearly doesn’t.

I was told that this was a “Commercial” break, meaning that there were no 3rd row seats and that the cargo area had a special flat piece for hauling things. This fits with some of the other features of the car; it looks like there are support posts for a massive overhead roof rack. I took apart the rear of the car; instead of a metal floor it was plywood (not factory) and there seem to be brackets for the folding rear seats that sit sideways. It may have been used as a commercial vehicle, but it isn’t the Commercial variant.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 11:34

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11/10 would daily!

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 11:37

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shop-teacher > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 11:37

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Wow!! You officially have the coolest vehicle here!

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 11:40

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Its beautiful. And you towed it with an e39 wagon.

smobgirl > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 11:42

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That car is awesome! I'm looking forward to updates.

Mark - Sixpots None The Richer > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 11:43

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Magnifique!

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 11:45

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Have fun taking out a mortgage to fix it up. Also that brown clubman, I need it.

LongbowMkII > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 11:48

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It’s not the initial purchase that forces you to sell your wife and kids...

Best of luck!

$kaycog > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 11:49

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I love it! Great find!

KatzManDu > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock 04/02/2016 at 11:49

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The Clubman is the wife’s. It’s an automatic but also a turbo diesel. Faster than the base petrol because of more torques, but not as fast as an S.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 11:54

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The diesel makes up for the automatic. If it has BMW dual clutch it would not be a terrible autobox. Most modern automatics are pretty good.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 11:55

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Much jealousy. I wish those were available on this side of the pond.

KatzManDu > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock 04/02/2016 at 11:58

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It does have flappy paddles; necessary because the wife’s arthritis makes it difficult for her to use a clutch.

KatzManDu > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch 04/02/2016 at 11:58

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I want to, but it will take some work to get it there.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 11:59

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Awesome, love Citroen! Looking forward to this build! :)

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 12:16

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I’m very Jealous/deeply terrified for you. That’s the mother of all project cars, but never was there a more glorious concert of moving parts.

Amoore100 > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 12:17

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My goodness. That's amazing! What a gorgeous machine, and I especially love that you towed a wagon with a wagon! Anyways, I wish you the best of luck as the DS break has long been one of my dream cars!

KatzManDu > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer 04/02/2016 at 12:20

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At this point the lack of brakes has me really concerned. The body work I’ll hire out and the basic mechanical work I should be able to sort out. Flavian Videl hooked me up with a parts supply, and so did a neighbor (I think, my French is terrible.)

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 12:31

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Wow nice that you finally found one! It probably is the Break version, due to the side-facing rear seats you expect have been there. Hope it is not to crusty underneath.

Regarding the laws and weight limits (assuming those are equal in Belgium and the Netherlands) you probably were a bit over. A BMW E39 520d is allowed to tow 1600 kgs, with the DS weighing around 1400 kgs, your trailer could only have been 200 kgs, which is it probably wasn’t. However seeing you didn’t wreck the BMW, it probably is able to tow around 2000 kgs in real life, since that is my estimate of the DS trailer combo weight. Also I don’t know how the drivers licence system works for an American in Belgium, but a European would have needed to have a special towing licence, BE.

It seems like I got a bit out of hand with the law/weight thing :)

KatzManDu > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer 04/02/2016 at 12:38

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No, that was what I was expecting :)

What I’m noticing is that it has the mounting brackets for the seats, which wouldn’t be there if it was a Commercial version.

Cé hé sin > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 12:51

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That looks like a fantastic project especially because it’s not my project!

Keep us informed. With pictures.

jkm7680 > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 13:19

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dat wheelbase

KatzManDu > jkm7680 04/02/2016 at 13:23

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3125mm — I looked it up to make sure I rented a trailer that was the right size ;)

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 13:38

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A real Oppo hero.

KatzManDu > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 04/02/2016 at 13:55

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Not until it is towing a track car. Credit goes to http://kinja.com/415s30#_ga=1.2… for the photo.

Ed, for the old good times > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 14:07

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DutchieDC2R > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 15:00

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thats a very long.......car....

Congratz on the project man!

f86sabre > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 15:29

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Very nice. What is your timeframe?

KatzManDu > f86sabre 04/02/2016 at 15:41

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Basic mechanicals by end of May, since it’s fairly simple bolting (except the brakes.)

Paint shop would be over winter, I think.

banjo cat ghost of oppo past > KatzManDu 04/02/2016 at 19:26

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best summation of my reaction

Also...

I paid less for the DS than I did the 520, and I only paid 2250 EUR for the 520.

Why do I live in Ameica...How free am I really ?

KatzManDu > banjo cat ghost of oppo past 04/03/2016 at 08:34

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Dude, I’m an American transplanted in Belgium. Things are different here, that’s for sure.

banjo cat ghost of oppo past > KatzManDu 04/03/2016 at 13:25

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Oh, well in that case here’s what should happen: Next time you see an BMW estate for cheap, or an Audi Coupe, Avant(S), D2 S8, or even a fiat x 1/9, you’re gonna post it on Oppo so I can buy it or at least try to outbid other opponauts.

KatzManDu > banjo cat ghost of oppo past 04/03/2016 at 13:27

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LOL, will do.

Belgium, the Netherlands and a few other places have CRAZY taxes for cars with big engines.