This is one of the best restored DS I have ever seen. Congratulations to the owner. This is one of the most import cars in the history of the automobile industry and it is in such a mint condition, what a delight!
I must say that every time I see a DS in normal traffic on a video clip, or in real life, I think it looks totally at home (in 2021), making no apologies to anyone in terms of driveability or performance!
The 70-75 SM was to a great extent a "Super DS." It was constructed of much of the DS machinery. Many of its parts have DS part numbers. Other parts are modified DS pieces. Too bad the Peugeot-Renault-Volvo SOHO V wasn't ready in 70 instead of 74. The SM could have had a French motor.
not only one of the most innovative automobile designs of all time but one of the most innovative industrial products period. And one of the few car designs which can arguably be said to be timeless. To begin to appreciate it needs to be seen in the context of its contemporaries and then of course in the context of today. How many people remember the Oldsmobile Toronado? And it was distinguished solely by its front wheel drive. The automobile industry still has not fully caught up with the Citroen DS. The floor covering in the Pallas was like 2" thick foam rubber, the seats among the most comfortable of any seat period. I'm not selling the car, it was the first car I learned to drive. As they say, you never forget your first love]
***** Hi there. I do own a 1974 DS that just bought from Spain and since I live i Florida I am looking for an original AC complete kit unit to but so I can install in it mine> Do u know where I could find one from a wrecked 1972 or newer?
What a perfect example of a truly beautiful car and you do not know how imposing it is until you stand next to one, Really there is no car like it and congratulations to the restores, 10 out of 10
Magnificent car, far ahead of its time through technological innovations, its design both inside and outside, a rolling palace, ultra comfortable, very quiet, excellent road holding... This is one of the few cars that can still be driven with even more pleasure than when it was commercialized !!
Please guys I have the cetrion Dallas 1975 model I reside in Africa mine is giving me serious issues expecially the cabirator..and the blower am in. Need of both urgently
Magnifique véhicule superbement restauré. Les exemplaires destinés à l'export étaient vraiment magnifique. Souvenir d'avoir travaillé sûr la chaîne de montage des blocs optiques à l'usine de Javel. C'était pendant les vacances j'étais en apprentissage à l'école Citroën. Je ne pouvais pas dormir tant ma tête tournait à la cadence de la chaîne. C'était en 1974. Cette année là environ 12 SM étaient intercalées sûr la chaîne de montage des DS. Quels souvenirs. Mon copain de la classe travaillait lui à l'assemblage des charnières de portes de coffre. Un grand plaisir de voir que ce véhicule a encore tant de succès. Mon père avait une Pallas 1965 avec les optiques ronds.
Wow, i personally drove this car for my friends dad (Sali) from Texas! It was 0 degrees once we got closer to the midwest and i had no heat and the pass side door would not stay closed. It was a nightmare but it was fun.Now completely restored and making history. Amazing job Sali!
I was the proud owner of a 1972 DS 21 Pallas...British Racing Green Tan Leather Interior...I was involved in a near head on crash (Not my fault) .....the car saved my life...you should demonstrate the padded interior and engine placement and the rest of the safety features..note: The headlight turning feature didn’t pass USA standards and unfortunately had to be disabled...Ridiculous...I know....High speed handling...auto leveling.....Good memories....
Magnificent car in a fabulous colour plus stunning condition. A 1972 DS 21 Carbie Pallas 4 speed with recessed door handles and European turning high beam lights. 2175 cc 115 hp 115 miles per hour. More sumptuous seating & armrests than any other car. In Australia I had a 1972 DS21 EFI 5 speed Pallas Sable in colour with brown French deer skin leather. Later I had a 1974 DS23 EFI 5 speed Pallas Blue Delta with blue jersey interior. The most incredible high speed luxury rocket ship hurtling through the countryside suspended on mineral oil and nitrogen... the most characterful car ever.... along with the 2CV ... Ah ... Zee French
My dream car, since childhood. This example is perfect! I'm a bit disappointed that he failed to show us the greatest feat of this magnificent vehicle. Its ability to drive on three wheels!
With the suspension these have you physically cannot feel any bumps in the road ,these cars just stay completely level ,and so comfortable ,i went to france on an exchange trip back in 1977 ,the family i was with had one of these, great car .
Chuck, What a wonderful video on the exact Car I have lusted after for many, many years. What was so gratifying was this man installed A/C in to this DS21. I was not certain how many of the DS line of Citroen came fitted destine for the USA to be factory equipped A/C. Nice to see and hear this man went to the effort and investment it took to replace the A/C compressor with all the lines, condenser, evaporator, controls, and re-plumb the whole system. I am very impressed. I have no idea how long this man took to fully restore this DS21 but it is really beautiful. Thanks again for a Great Video!!!
rgion29247616 It sounded to me like this car originally had A/C and somebody took the compressor out before he got it, so all he had to do was restore the compressor and he had a working system again.
To answer your question, factory Air conditioning was only offered in the very last year imported into the United States, 1972. This car is a 1972 with factory Air. The previous owner had the compressor disconnected and this gentle reinstalled it back on the car.
Years ago I had the full set of A/C parts for a DS/ID: condensers under the front end in front of the tires, compressor bracket, transaxle bellhousing, under-dash vents and blower. Unfortunately, while I was out of town, druggies broke into my home and stole everything they could pawn or sell for scrap.
Amazing how quiet the car is. From the video, I didn't hear much noise at all when he drove it. My 4th grade teacher and her husband had one of these. The rear end is adjustable too.
The Citroen DS is the most advanced, safest and most beautiful car in all history. As one motoring journalist once put it: "The DS is not the car of the future, nor the car of the past. It is the car of today". Meaning that it is always modern, and up to date!
What a fantastic job! Congratulations. What a shame you forgot to mention the way the DS use the hydropneumatic suspension so one can change a wheel without a jack or a sweat |:-) In the late 70's I've made a few miles in a friend's old DS19. I remember I found it the closest thing to a magic carpet. Citroen next generation DS21 model was a high priced upper-class vehicle loaded with state-of- the-art technologies, including its proprietary variable height hydropneumatic suspension and power-assisted gearshift, clutch, steering and brake systems, active headlights, ergonomic controls incl. foot parking brake, electric windows, A/C, etc. It was fast, maneuverable, agile, stable, comfortable, silent and very safe. It also had a singular shape. One could only hate it or love it. Sleek and streamlined, it had a fantastic Cx near 0.2. It could pierce the air like a hawk with a resulting high mileage per gallon and cruise speed and very low dynamic noise. A French TV commercial showed the DS's unique ability to make high speed slalom and cornering with only one front tire. The suspension could compensate the absent (front) wheel by changing its geometry in order to shift DS 21 center of mass into the triangle defined by the remaining wheels |:-) In 1962, French president General De Gaulle survived one of several attempts on his life. De Gaulle and his wife were cruising Paris at 70 mph, when they were ambushed by a hit group belonging to the paramilitary organization OAS. The black Citroen DS19 presidential car speeded out with everybody onboard unharmed although its four tires were pierced and shredded by bullets. Two of the presidential motorcycle bodyguards were hit and died. www.history.com/this-day-in-history/citroen-helps-de-gaulle-survive-assassination-attempt A beautiful iconic car and great restoration work. Again, congratulations Luis Lisbon Portugal
Luis Cordeiro :also the Cd drag coefficient for the DS was 0.33, not 0.2 - the few contemporary saloon/sedan cars that could get close to it included the NSU Ro80 (0.355) and the Alfa Giulia Super (0.34)
Excellent...! Thank you for a very nice Vid.... We had a '62 ID-19, White with a Black top in Verdun, France.... Dad took us to Barcelona, Spain, Venice, Italy - Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Belgium and all over France..... Brings back fond memories.... Again, Thanks...! Gordon
Dunno what happened with the channel, Chuck, but this is one very impressive automobile. The French were known for their comfortable cars. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride, and I'd have one of these to be druv around in. Thank you!
RideswithChuck I'd love to watch the video. I don't know if one person can watch one video *that many times.* It'd take several viewers a long time to watch that many times. :)
Thanks a lot Chuck for re-posting this video. I added it to my list when first posted only to wonder why it was deleted. Ever since I was a kid, even before having any degree of just what a marvel of engineering it had been, the futuristic design, the high mounted turn signals really caught my intrigue. Of note, I am sure the A/C system was an aftermarket or dealer installed option just for the American market.
The DS saved the french president of this time, they came back with 14 bullets in the car and the two front wheels flat. When the president gets out, he told his wife "you've been brave, Yvonne !", she tells him "I expect the chickens have nothing" (no "injuries"), she didn't speak about the police men of the escort (chicken is an insult for policemen in french) but she was talking about food the were transporting in the trunk.
I used to ride in one 3x/wk when I was in school. Quite an experience. Undoubtedly the smoothest ride imaginable. The suspension simply floated though there was a good deal of body roll in sharp turns. An acquaintance owned a Citroen SM which performed impressively. In those years, many people expected "foreign" cars to be inexpensive, but those Citroens certainly were not. Factory-trained techs. were essential for continuing reliable performance.
Beautiful car then and still and a beautiful restoration. I first saw this type of Citroen at a motor show when I was a kid and I thought it was the most futuristic looking car on Earth. I still love the look of these Citroens. But then as now, I think that I one spoke steering wheel was, and still is, weird and probably a little annoying on a long drive.
The 1 spoke steering wheel had a design purpose. It wasn't for looks. It was design as such to allow total unobstructed view of ALL the instrumentation on the dash. Also, since the steering was tied into the hydraulic suspension, it would return to the straight ahead position immediately. It was so kewl.
The one-spoke steering wheel was actually for safety - if the driver was flung forward in a crash the steering wheel would collapse out of the way. It is absolutely normal feeling, and not even a little bit annoying on long drives. Also, the self-centering “DIRAVI” steering was only fitted to the SM and later CX models.
@@klwthe3rd- The D steering would return to center as the car was rolling just like most cars since the 30s. It was the SM that would return the steering to center when the car was not moving.
El coche más bonito jamás diseñado, en España se le llamo "el tiburón" the shark 60 años adelantado a su época monsieur Citroën chapeau, en europa tienen muchísima demanda
Like many people, I've heard of the Citroen DS. I find it more attractive than cars offered today. I've never driven one. I love where the spare tire is.
Citroen DS21......C'est Magnifique! The 20th century "Belle of The Ball" in automotive innovation, accessibility, durability and adequate performance! I own one while station with my company in Spain in the late 1970's and remains my favorite automobile!
The 2CV couldn't be made to pass US safety standards once they were more than a laminated windshield and sealed beam headlights. Individually imported used 2CVs were brought in by several companies.
I did not see a whole of these cars growing up. I grew in east Independence mo. I maybe might of seen two or three of them in my whole life.. I remember one of my class mates at the high school I went to drove one of these type of cars to high school everyday back in the 70s / 1974 and 75 it was a two tone burgundy with a white top paint job. I don`t know what yr model it was for sure but I`d guess it was a late 60s model probably a 1968 Citroen....I remember when they parked it to attend school classes for the day they would drop the car down and it look like it was literally sitting on the grown...LOL
Great car. Great job ! And there 's so much to say about the revolutionary technology on board. Chuck, get some information before the interview when you're face to face with this kind of marvel. It had flaws, for sure (under-powered for instance) but so many great features never matched by any so-called "luxury cars". No one. Ever !
This is not a DS 21, but the economy model (ID or D-Spécial technically - which the owner did say, btw). The DS 21 had a semi-automatic hydraulically shifted gear-box, this one is the manual shift version. But both are good, still today.
@@andrewwatson9805 the 5 speed was an available option. You are correct on that point. The Citroen automatic was called Citro-matic in the United States.
I've had two D Specials with the four speed on the column, and a BVH "semi-auto". I prefer the former for their simplicity and the fact that you can park them on hills far safely......
One of the greatest world cars, but not in the States. If you see one there, you'd be unusual. I'm sure a lot of people would say, What is it. Two things I dislike are the bizarre headrests, and that hood ornament. It messes with the beautiful clean slope of the hood. Otherwise, perfection. I considered buying one, but like this guy, you have to marry it, it's a lot of work.