On 7/2/2017 11:37 AM, Chris Trask wrote:
To be picky, Citroen did not build the DS19 Convertible, it was built by
Chaperon, a Paris coach builder. Similarly, Renault did not build some of
the more "interesting" models in the range, and Daimler Benz did not build
the G-wagen.
Piers
I drove a succession of DS offspring, though never a DS. The hydropneumatic
self levelling suspension was a marvel. Sleeping policeman speed bumps?
Ignored them!
I've never seen a DS19 cabriolet - didn't realise Citroen ever built them.
I did not know that. I wonder how they overcame the mechanical problem of not
having a roof as a structural member of the body? There isn't much of a
"tunnel" as the DS19/21/23 was front-wheel drive, so there is no drive shaft.
As far as I know, all convertibles by US makers have been 'chop-tops', ordinary coupes, and occasional sedans, with the
top chopped off after coming off the assembly line, since the beginning of time. That's how my '95 Olds convertible was
made. It was simple in the days of bodies sitting on frames. With uni-body construction, various struts, braces, etc.
are needed. There are a pair in the engine compartment of my car, that have to be temporarily removed for various
maintenance tasks and I gather more elsewhere.
And even so, it's just not as solid as the coupe from which it was made. Car mags used to comment on the amount of "cowl
shake" of convertibles,a symptom of this.
Yes, the hydraulic suspension was an engineering marvel. Chevrolet tried that
in 1958, but it was so bad they recalled all of them and removed it.
It's interesting watching those older Citroens when they are started.
The whole car rises up as the hydraulic pressure increases.
I knew someone with a '59 or '60 Caddie convertible that did that.
And if you have a heavy load you can pull up a lever that will give you
higher clearance.
The air suspension in our little RV can give a few inches of extra ground
clearance - needed for one place where we stay.
Elevated Moose
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What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
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