[Chris Reynolds]

Sound advice.
Your car sounds like mine would have been if I hadn’t given up on it. Mine was my only car for a few years and gave sterling service (I did put a new steering rack in) but failed an MOT on a wobbly swivel joint. I couldn’t afford to fix it and by that time we had a modern car and a baby. It was garaged but, at that time, the garage was pretty damp and so it just sat and rusted and rusted and seized. By the time I could find time to look it it was in a sad way and so I let it go, part of me wishes I’d kept it until now when I’m retired and have the time but can’t turn the clock back. I’ve since done what I should have done years ago and put a dehumidifier in the garage.

You’re right about scruffy in the flesh, I’ve seen that in two of the cars I’ve looked at. I think £10K might be right for the St. Albans car, watching the video of it on C and C you can see rust in normal bodywork places as well as cracked corners of the instrument panel. All fixable with time and money if I want to take it on. I’ve a mate who lives in St. Albans so I could take a look and have a beer with him.

[Chris Reynolds]

Thanks for your message. I think goes to the heart of my prevarication over what to buy and why. Do I just want a DS that I can enjoy driving with the acceptance that I’ll need to get the tools out now and then as problems arise but can mostly be just used. Or do I want something that will clearly need work and so give me a hobby to use and learn skills. I’ve looked at doing a basic welding and bodywork course and think that might be worthwhile depending on what car I get. Unlike you I haven’t spent enough time dicking around with cars to have built up a lot of skills but I do enjoy challenging myself.

For instance there’s this one close to me that I may go and look at:

https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1875424

It sounds like the bones have been fixed but with lots of bodywork to be done. Looking at the prices of replacement panels and some stab on amount of workshop time and I can easily imagine £20K+ to get the bodywork sorted. And that gets you close to just buying one of Olivier’s that, at least going by the photos, have had that work done.

Interesting on the St. Albans car as I’d not looked closely into it but it might well be worth looking at

https://www.carandclassic.com/make-an-offer/1971-citroen-ds-d-super-nvmzkg

The obvious answer is that I need two DSes, one to drive and one to restore.

[Chris Reynolds]

That’s great, thank you Paul. I have also rapidly downloaded them for safe keeping. It’s a fantastic source of information and hats off to all those, especially, Tony who’ve worked to make these documents available.

Back when I had my old D I bought a copy of the workshop manual from Citroen Andre and, while useful, it had to be said that the photographs weren’t the greatest quality copies, the work that’s be done to improve those scans is fantastic.

Thanks for the link to your site too, I’ve often looked at it and been impressed by your dedication in recording your work. I start off with good intentions but …

[Chris Reynolds]

Olivier’s cars do look nice in the photos, I need an excuse to head that way to take a look at some point – they’re on the upper edges (and beyond) of my price range but you never know.

It looks promising for the D rally on the Sunday for me so I’m looking forward to that

[Chris Reynolds]

Thread resurrection ahoy!

Hello again, I’ve just re-joined the club after letting membership lapse. A few personal issues last year meant my car hunt disappeared off my to-do list.

But I’m back and again looking for a D much as before. I’ve looked at four so far without yet pulling the trigger. I did look at the one that went for auction recently for about £40K, it did look lovely but I’d almost be scared to park it anywhere!

I’m currently watching Car and Classic, RetroSpecParts, French Classics, Pallas Auto and DS workshop for ones that appear.

I found the discussion on doors interesting as one I’ve looked at has terrible doors and I wondered whether it was cheaper/better to just buy repro doors or have them fixed. Either way I’d probably be paying somebody to do it as, although I have moderate competence at mechanics and electrics, bodywork is not something I feel comfortable with attempting.

Anyway, good to be back and I may be able to get to the D Rally this year for a nose

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