SOT - another aircooled. Options

[wonkipop]

this is in the workshop.
citroen GSA - early 1980s vintage.
a private import into australia by an enthusiast citroen collector.
(australia only got the earlier original version GS).

flat four boxer engine. air cooled. front wheel drive.
think its 1200 cc.
not quite as convenient to work on as a VW. or at least the rear engined VWs. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
front of car comes off. and cooling fan and housing.
its getting its cam belts/aux belt replaced.
a bit more highly strung than type 4 pushrod engine - has quite widely angled intake and exhaust valves and belt driven overhead cams.

interestingly it has no thermostat controlled warm up temp regulator flaps.
instead it relies on simply an oil cooler valve.
makes a nice fan scream sound at speed apparently. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
wouldn't like to have to change the alternator belt on the side of the road.
easy enough to do with all the front of the car and engine off, looks like a nightmare when its all together. another interesting feature is that half the fan is painted white and half is black. thats the french idea of a timing mark ! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[emerygt350]

Wow. Just wow.

[wonkipop]

Wow. Just wow.

even when its got a front back on it and the engine lid closed, you sit inside and get more wow factor.




all dates from back when citroen were citroen and not niche badged peugeots.
indicator stalks. rubbish idea. try this rotating cylinder next to your finger tips.
or if thats not enough how about this lunar module inspired rack of rocker switches.
and forgedabout a speedo, rotating cylinders under a magnifying glass, much better and incidental to a back to the future circuit board display to inform you your hydraulics has shat itself and you are about to have no brakes, but you still have 1.0 seconds to react and assume the brace position.

once upon a time the french were gloriously different for the sheer sake of it? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[flipb]

The engine bay of a Citroen looks like someone asked GenAI to create an image of "mechanical stuff".

Very cool.

[bkrantz]

The engine bay of a Citroen looks like someone asked GenAI to create an image of "mechanical stuff".

Very cool.

Or a company that had to be different. Not better. Different.

[wonkipop]

The engine bay of a Citroen looks like someone asked GenAI to create an image of "mechanical stuff".

Very cool.

Or a company that had to be different. Not better. Different.

yes they had to be different. thats for sure.
though there is an exception to that almost correct blanket statement.

refer citroen xantia activa.

only a handful here. tightly held. cult car in capital letters.
looks harmless wearing 4 door sedan clothes.
underneath - .........V6 and hydro suspension in its final and most sophisticated form.
unbelievable cornering ability. though i have never driven one i do know someone who owns one. back in the day road testers affirmed the view.
said to have outperformed contemporary porsches at the time in terms of cornering and with performance that could keep up on the straights.

but like all citroens. only so when its going.....and not sitting flat on its belly collapsed in a pool of green LHM. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[StarBear]

Bloody hell! Front is full-on steampunk.

[Superhawk996]

Sweet - finally something that looks worse to work on than a BMW. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

I miss the old days where there was variety in the automotive world. So many air cooled motors back in the day. Fiat 500, Honda 1300, Tatra’s, even air cooled diesels in heavy equipment.

Thanks for sharing that! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

[wonkipop]

Sweet - finally something that looks worse to work on than a BMW. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

I miss the old days where there was variety in the automotive world. So many air cooled motors back in the day. Fiat 500, Honda 1300, Tatra’s, even air cooled diesels in heavy equipment.

Thanks for sharing that! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)

very nearly as bad as a beemer! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
getting the front of the car off is a pain, once you have done it the first time i guess you probably get pretty efficient. bit like dropping a VW engine. first time you take forever, second time its on the floor in 10 minutes flat. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

ah yes - variety has been killed off these days. pretty narrow gauge when it comes to the various species of cars out there.

there was also a version of these GS citroens that came with a rotary engine co developed with NSU. very rare. only one in australia. also comes in the workshop here from time to time. almost impossible to find spark plugs for them.