Description
1969 Citroën ID19 – DS21 2175cc Engine – 5-Speed Manual – Restored
I am selling my 1969 Citroën ID19, a very pretty and mechanically excellent example which underwent a comprehensive restoration approximately three years ago.
The car is left-hand drive and, at some point prior to my ownership, was fitted with a DX-coded 2175cc DS21 engine and 5-speed manual gearbox. This makes it a particularly enjoyable and usable version of the ID, especially for longer journeys.
The restoration included extensive bodywork and paint, a full mechanical rebuild and a complete retrim of the interior. The engine was rebuilt and the seats were retrimmed in tan leather in the traditional style.
It has covered very few miles since the restoration, simply because I haven’t had enough time to use it. It has been kept dry and barn stored over every winter.
Condition
I don’t want to describe the car as concours or immaculate because it isn’t, and I would rather somebody viewing it is pleasantly surprised than disappointed by an overenthusiastic description.
It is, however, a very clean and extremely pretty DS/ ID which attracts a huge amount of attention.
There are some minor imperfections you’d expect from a classic that has been restored and subsequently used rather than kept as a showpiece. It also has a small water leak via retro fitted sunroof in very heavy rain, something I want to mention openly rather than have a prospective buyer discover it later.
Mechanically, it’s a different story. The car is excellent.
The rebuilt 2175cc engine runs beautifully, the five-speed gearbox works very well and the hydraulic suspension operates exactly as it should. It starts, rises and drives properly and has that wonderful DS/ ID ride.
Like many older cars, I’ve found that it actually likes being used. If it has been standing for a while it benefits from being taken out and driven, and the more regularly it is used, the happier it seems to be.
Engine and 5-speed gearbox
There is an important part of the car’s history which I want to make completely transparent.
The registration PFJ 629G identifies the car as a 1969 Citroën with a 1985cc engine and it was originally recorded as white. From the dashboard and specification, the car is an ID19 rather than a DS21.
However, the engine currently fitted carries the DX engine code associated with the 2175cc DS21, and the car is fitted with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
These were already fitted when I acquired the car. I have not converted the car during my ownership and unfortunately don’t have sufficient history to say exactly when the engine and gearbox were changed.
I am therefore selling and describing it for exactly what I believe it to be:
A 1969 Citroën ID19, subsequently fitted with a 2175cc DS21 engine and 5-speed manual transmission.
Restoration
The restoration was completed approximately three years ago and included:
* Extensive body restoration and repaint in metallic grey
* Rebuild of the DX-coded 2175cc engine
* Mechanical and hydraulic work
* Interior completely retrimmed
* Tan leather seats finished in the traditional style
* Carpets and interior trim renewed
* Exterior trim and brightwork refurbished as required
I also have photographs of the car before and during the restoration, so prospective buyers can see where the car started and the extent of the work carried out.
The car has done relatively little mileage since completion and has been stored under cover and kept away from winter weather.
Why I’m selling
Quite simply, I don’t use it enough.
It’s a lovely thing to own and even better to look at, but these cars benefit from being driven. With everything else I have going on, it spends far too much time sitting in the barn.
I’d rather it went to somebody who will actually use and enjoy it.
History and registration
The car is UK registered as PFJ 629G and qualifies as a historic vehicle.
As explained above, DVLA currently records the car as 1985cc and its original colour as white. The car now has the DX-coded 2175cc engine and is finished in metallic grey.
I’m deliberately highlighting this because I want any prospective buyer to understand the car and its history before travelling to see it.
It is not being represented as an original DS21 or as a matching-numbers concours car. It’s a restored ID19 with a desirable DS21 engine and five-speed conversion, and a very enjoyable car as a result.
Viewing
The car is located in Worcestershire.
Viewing is encouraged and I’m very happy for a serious buyer to spend time looking over the car properly or arrange an independent inspection.
I can also provide additional photographs, photographs from the restoration and a walk-around/ running video before anyone makes a journey.
There’s something about a Citroën DS/ ID that people have a connection with. Everyone seems to have a story about one. Their father had one, they went to France in one as a child, their neighbour owned one, or they simply remember seeing them on the road.
You genuinely can’t take this car anywhere without somebody stopping to look at it, asking about it or telling you their own Citroën story. It creates conversations everywhere it goes.
It is unmistakably French – eccentric, elegant and completely different from almost anything Britain was producing at the time – but it’s also completely at home on UK roads. With the larger 2175cc engine and 5-speed manual gearbox, it’s a classic that you can properly drive rather than just take out for the occasional Sunday morning.
And that’s really the appeal of this particular car. It’s not a museum piece. It’s a beautiful French classic that’s been restored to be driven, talked about and enjoyed.
