Beginner Inquiry

[Michael & Debbi]

"srod" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> >
> My friend and I would have liked your Dad. And you don't sound like a bad sort yourself.
>
> Skip
>
There are varying opinions on that last bit -- mostly my own. I missed the first of this thread
(am new to the group), but it seems you have a Citroën? Cool. What kind? As a kid I wanted the
red Mahari at the L.A. dealership. Then later an SM. Then my Dad's Chapron (though maybe with a
soft top). For about the last 15 years my dad had the car maintenance was an issue. He would
have a mechanic that could work on it come from a neighboring city (about 150 miles away). The
mech did it simply because he loved Citroëns. So, this got me wondering... Is there any
correlation between bent riders and the cars they drive? I don't know, for instance Skip, where
you are from. If you're from Canada, then a Citroën is probably a common car to have, but down
here, it would be extremely unusual.

Michael

 

[Skip]

"Michael & Debbie Seltzer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "srod" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > >
> > My friend and I would have liked your Dad. And you don't sound like a
bad
> > sort yourself.
> >
> > Skip
> >
> There are varying opinions on that last bit -- mostly my own. I
missed
> the first of this thread (am new to the group), but it seems you have a Citroën? Cool. What kind?
> As a kid I wanted the red Mahari at the L.A. dealership. Then later an SM. Then my Dad's Chapron
> (though maybe with a soft top). For about
the
> last 15 years my dad had the car maintenance was an issue. He would have
a
> mechanic that could work on it come from a neighboring city (about 150
miles
> away). The mech did it simply because he loved Citroëns. So, this got me wondering... Is there any
> correlation between bent riders and the cars they drive? I don't know, for instance Skip, where
> you are from. If you're from Canada, then a Citroën is probably a common car to have, but down
> here, it would be extremely unusual.
>
> Michael

Correlation between bent riders and cars they drive? Not sure, but a number of folks here seem have
a general distaste for cars and a specific hatred for SUV's. I suspect SUV drivers in the group
would be reluctant to mention it for that reason. Personally I drive a Subaru Forrester, WHICH IS
NOT A SUV, a 73 Datsun pickup I inherited from my father (at least one person in the group believes
I don't deserve the truck because I didn't earn it), a 72 Corvette with a big block V8 that many
people is this group probably frown on as pure excess. But I had a love affair with cars growing up
and I still love old cars. I've owned two French cars and unfortunately neither was a Citroen. My
friend truly thought of his Citroen as art. It didn't run - transmission problem as I recall and
when he moved to Memphis and had the car shipped from Toronto where he bought it. He was convinced
he would get it running again someday. My involvement with it was much the same as yours when you
were a kid - limited to sitting in it, pushing it around, and just marveling at the different way
things were done. I always had the feeling that if a Martian, who had no concept of a car, came to
Earth, had a car described to him, and then designed one, it could have been that Citroen. It was so
strange and alien how could it not be appreciated for what it was. I thought the same thing the
first time I saw a bent in Massachusettes in the late 70's. The French definately didn't copy the
design or the details of the Citroen from anyone else.

We would have liked your Dad because he undoubtedly went to extraordinary efforts to drive and
maintain an impractical vehicle that he loved. We applaud that effort. Not many people would
understand why, but we know your Dad did.

Skip

 

[Zach Kaplan Cyc]

"Michael & Debbie Seltzer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...

> Yah, the Citroën was performance art all on its own. It's all my Dad would drive (saved his life
> once, at least). As a kid I used to love the little mushroom brake pedal, and the hydraulic
> suspension. He drove a '67 Henri Chapron hardtop (I think the first one brought to the West
> coast) until he died. Then my mom sold it for more than I could afford, otherwise I'd probably be
> driving it now.
>
> Michael

I grew up in an all Citroen household. My dad had (and still has) a '67 DS21 Chapron cabriolet which
he bought in late 1966. My mom drove a '69 DS21 7 or 8 passenger wagon which replaced a DS19 or DS21
sedan. I also took a fancy to the mushroom brake pedal and also the various stalks on the steering
column with ergonomic shaped handles. From time to time if it seemed like someone needed to be
honked at I would press the end of the stalk on the right side of the steering column operating the
triple tone air horn. That is the closest I ever came to driving a Citroen. I still haven't been
given an opportunity to drive it to this day and several times have had dreams where I'm driving it.

Regarding the safety features, the DS21 was way ahead of its time and had many safety features, one
of them being the hydraulic suspension adjusting to allow running on three wheels in the event of a
blowout. I remember one time we were cruising along on highway 101 when the right front tyre hit
some debris in the road and blew out. The force of the impact caused the hubcap to fly off and I
vividly remember it rolling down the road at highway speed and slicing through the left door of a
large American car in the right lane (only made it through the outer door skin). The Citroen kept
going straight and my dad was able to safely pull it over to the side of the highway.

Zach Kaplan