Hello Chris and welcome
As with Rob, the ‘Nuancierds’ is a frequent go-to site for me.
The Pallas question is a tricky one. Just about all the parts that distinguished a pallas from a standard DS are either being re-manufactured, or can be bought secondhand.
Yes – that silver strip across the dash is a good sign of a Pallas – but can be added by someone willing to take a dashboard apart. And now that everyone knows about it, i’m sure people ARE adding them.
The other ‘tell’ was the two handles in the driving compartment that are pulled to open the bonnet catches. Ds have simple knobs of wire. Pallas pulls have a moulded ‘trigger’ for you to pull with your finger. unfortunately – you’ve guessed it – those can be bought second hand and added.
It helps (a little) to look at ‘pallas’ more holistically. As the top of the range finish, the cars were for those with ‘deeper pockets’ willing to splash out on a few whistles and bells.
Pallas cars often – though not always – have metallic paint finishes. If the car you look at has a metallic finish, you can check that the little round paint code tag up by the wiper motor corresponds to the colour of the car. Pallas cars were carpeted. If a car is carpeted and the carpets are original – that might suggest Pallas. Seats were often leather – but not always… if NOT leather, then the foam in the seats was plumper than on a standard D (I think….). pallas seats also had stainless steel finishers on the sides of their bases.
The height changing lever had carpet covering it and the gate that the lever moved through was made of stainless steel.
Pallas cars often had a temperature gauge on the dashboard. these can be faked (from a fuel gauge) or added. On an original speedo unit, there is a little white thermometer printed onto the plastic lens infant of the temperature needle.
You really need to look for a number of clues and then consider them together. if buying from a DS seller (not auction site) ask them if it’s genuine Pallas.
If the sale comes with lots of receipts and they include the kind of things that pallas cars had – then it may have been faked-up (or improved – depending on how you view this).
These days, just about the only way to know for sure that a car rolled out of the factory as a pallas is if the seller still has the bill of sale saying what trim/ extras it had OR – more recently – the owner had applied to the Citroen Conservatoire for any history on the car and that says it rolled out as a Pallas.
