The Slough-built Tractions differed not only in name and right-hand drive steering (though some were built with left hand drive for export) but also in terms of finish. Slough Tractions had a 12-volt Lucas electrical system, Smiths instruments, wooden dashboards, Connolly leather interiors, chromed grills and a choice of colours other than black. Some were shipped from the factory in just primer, so they could be painted in the customer’s choice of colour in markets such as Africa.
The car was according to DVLA registered on 01/ 01/ 53. This agrees with the chassis number 523144 as this car was assembled in Slough in 1952 according to Citroen records.
The earliest data we can find is 1973, when the car was purchased from the widow of the first owner by a well-known figure in the Traction Owners Club who lived in South Norwood. The car was then silver with red leather upholstery and was purchased for £200! Attached are two pictures from that time! It was used for several European holidays and in 1977 sold for £1, 000 to a new owner who lived in South Wimbledon.
The car has an unknown history with that owner and was sold on 14/ 05/ 2000 to Classic Restoration, a well-respected Citroen restorer, who purchased the car on 15/ 02/ 2000. I have been told that it was purchased in bits at an auction, but I cannot confirm that. The restoration process started and the car was completely stripped and rebuilt. Some pictures are attached. The next owner took delivery on 08/ 07/ 2000 and spent some £15, 000 on the completed work and additional work until 2011. I have all the detailed invoices for this work.
I have MOT details from 26/ 10/ 2005 and these indicate that the car was doing around 800 miles a year only.
The car was sold on 28/ 04/ 2011 to a lady in High Wycombe and I purchased the car 27/ 04/ 2015. The current mileage is 18, 071 and the average mileage over the last 12 years is around 300 miles a year. I would estimate the car has done about 10, 000 miles since that complete 2000 restoration. When I got the car I fitted an oil pressure gauge and was concerned about the low oil pressure and after reviewing the invoices, I noticed that the main crankshaft bearings had only been polished, not ground so together with Traction Repairs, (another respected Citroen restorer), we removed the engine and ground the main bearings and replaced the con rods, and fitted shell bearings to same. Some pictures are attached.
The car has been trouble free since I have had it, and I have used for several Citroen Rally’s including a trip to West Ireland. The significant additions to standard include front and rear seat belts, an electric cooling fan, a radiator cover, (to allow faster warm up in winter), and a oil pressure and water temperature gauge.
In July 2008 the car was judged worthy of a front cover position in Floating Power, the Traction Owners Club magazine. Picture attached
This car has front-wheel drive, monocoque body construction (without a separate chassis) and torsion bar suspension.
Ordinally conceived in 1934, the Traction Avant, though, took all three into the mainstream. It was even unofficially named after its propulsion: Traction Avant literally means ‘front-wheel drive’, though the official name was numerical and referred to the car’s tax horsepower.
The result? A car that was so ahead of its time that it still felt contemporary more than two decades later. It was in production until 1957, and even sold alongside the legendary DS for two years. Compare the Traction with contemporary models and the advancements become even more stark. Ford, for example, would not built its first unitary bodied-car until the 1955 Zephyr, and it wouldn’t experiment with front-wheel drive until the 1963 Taunus.
What’s under the skin?
My car has the standard 1911cc four-cylinder engine. The engine is arguably the most conventional part of the car, and produced around 46bhp. It has a three-speed gearbox, whose lever in typical Citroen fashion protrudes vertically out of the dashboard. Some owners fit more modern engines and 4 speed gearboxes but I have tried to maintain as much originality as possible.
The front-wheel drive layout and lack of a separate chassis means the car is sleek and chic for the era – place it next to a conventional model of a similar age and it appears low-slung and downright rakish. There are practical advantages, too – the weight saving from a separate chassis improved performance and economy, and the lack of a transmission tunnel meant the interior could have a low floor and absolutely bags of passenger space.
Suspension’s clever, too; the front wheels were independently sprung on a torsion bar and wishbone arrangement, where most contemporaries were still stuck with live axles and leaf springs. The rear was a beam axle attached to trailing arms and torsion bars.
What’s the Citroen Light 15 like to drive?
Though rakish at launch, by 1953 – when this model was built – the Traction Avant appeared old-fashioned and a little quaint. However, that translates into enduring appeal in 2024. Step through the suicide front doors and sink into the cushioned leather covered red front seat and you can tell that this is a special automobile.
It’s typically 1930s inside. The Slough built cars had a polished wooden dashboard and better instrumentation together with 12 volt electrics. Cars of this era had a classic “smell” of real wood and leather.
Visibility is excellent, and the sensation of looking out across that long bonnet to the separate headlights is a great one. But the best thing to look at is the smiles on other driver’s faces – French motorists really adore this thing, and like the DS it shows off Citroen at its most innovative and classy best.
What’s most striking is how the controls, other than the unassisted steering, all feel light, easy and even modern to operate. There’s a satisfying click to the gearchange, the drum brakes are just about strong enough for modern traffic and the engine’s a surprisingly tractable thing. It pulls beautifully from low rpm – top gear in a Traction Avant was said to be ‘good for everything from 6mph to 60mph’ – making it really easy to drive smoothly.
Is it usable every day?
It’s probably best not to daily drive anything of this age, but the Traction Avant has a reputation for durability and longevity that it’s fair to say eludes most modern French cars. We have used this car for several long trips and it has never stopped. Owners happily take them on longer road trips, touring the Continent and probably having a grand old time while they’re doing so. The usual old car caveats apply – constant maintenance, 1500-mile oil changes and a gentle approach.
It keeps up with modern traffic easily though, and will cruise at 50-60 mph with no issues. As for comfort, this was a revolution at the time thanks to that modern suspension and the super-stiff bodyshell. It holds up today – roadholding, ride comfort and general robustness all feel genuinely impressive.
Parts are easy to obtain, either from the UK based Traction Owners Club, that has some £100, 000 worth of spares or from parts dealers in France, Holland and Belgium. All are very helpful and between them you can get almost any part for these cars.
Rally’s in Europe attract vast numbers (picture attached) so parts supply is a big business! The suppliers are helpful, enthusiastic and respond immediately.
