“Blast from the Future” Citroën GS

Join me for a blissful road test of a fabulous example of Citroën’s radical GS 1220 Club after work to rectify a clutch judder, oil leaks and noisy speedometer drive.

[@markbehr88]

I love these. I have four of them. 👍

[@urshochstrasser8859]

“Backwards progress for the last 40 years”, that’s exactly it! Thank you so much for this video!

[@FindingDrivingSpirit]

The pleasure was all mine ☺️

[@CJBW335]

Ooh yes, I remember it so well. One of the best driving experiences I ever knew. We had the same model in that nice mid-blue colour. Active safety meant that you could get home on three wheels!! Fabulous car.

[@stephenberry1205]

I totally agree. Best small car ever made with safety, ride, handling & comfort not seen since. I had a 1015 C matic, 1220 manual, 1220 Wagon C Matic and leased a 1982 GSX 1 1299 cc 5 speed for 3 weeks in Europe, with 2 Aussie mates while my 1982 2CV6 Charleston was being shipped from Belgium to Halifax in Canada. Cruised at 150 kph in the GSX in Europe and 140 kph in the 1220 manual in Australia. Dad bought a GS 1220 C matic and 3 years later gave it to mum and bought a CX2400 C matic. The GS's handling saved their lives when forced off the road and were able to keep control and get the car back on the road. Anything else would have skidded and rolled. Yes, if you have a rear blow out you feel nothing. If a front wheel blows you hear it and the steering becomes heavier, but you keep control.

[@FindingDrivingSpirit]

Nice one, Stephen

[@ne0ne0]

I had one. Absolutely wonderful car!

[@αλεξανδροςραπτης-λ5ζ]

we had 2 in the family,not even cars of today are a match in the sense gs gives you on the road

[@sirflight1]

I had one of these back in the day (GS club)and I had a blow out at 75m/h+ . front left and all I felt was a slight twitch on the stearing which whent heavey and a breaking force from the flat tyre fantastick , and the ride was good to , such a underated car

[@thebarak]

I had a 1971 model with the smaller engine. It was only three years old at the time. That suspension was amazing and it should still be produced! In the case of mine, it had a bad carburetor. I never really knew whether it would start.

[@MrLekatt]

Just found this! What a great video. My life with Citroën includes 2CV's, BX'es, CX'es but unfortunately not the GS. I've loved them all for the reasons you mention and many more. Citroën has been designing cars with active safety since the early 1930'ies, long before it was even a talking point.. Too bad it hasn't been recognized... even today. Thank you for the trip - lovely👍

[@pavloarmand4070]

I used to have a 1970's GS 1220 Club back in 1994. It was a left-hand drive car, a bit scruffy, for which I paid £240 , banger money in those days. It had only covered about 62,000 kms ( about 37k miles). I drove it from Calais to Valencia in Spain in 29 hours . The return trip went without problem apart from a clean of the carburettor jets which succumbed to clogging due to dust in the petrol. Driving it was just as you described. Wonderful, willing and reliable car.

[@multislipful]

I bought a white GS1220 Club in 1973. It was just as great as you say it is now!

[@Alantheleopard]

I subscribe to the stability and safety (as well as comfort) of this car, even in the case of puncture on a front tyre, because many years ago, my father was driving on a highway, at night, with heavy traffic, and at one point he suddenly spotted a large piece of metal (probably part of the exhaust of another vehicle) precisely on the lane that he was driving. With no room nor time to skip it or avoid it, he had no alternative but running over it. The BANG must have been deafening (I was not there then). Cautiously, my father moved to the slower lane and a while later he stopped by a petrol station where he checked the damage to the car: the front left tyre was torn to pieces, the wheel hub lost a great portion and the missing piece on the tarmac bounced hitting the bottom of the car, right under the front left seat. He drove for about two miles on three wheels and a half, and still the car just steered normal. Unbelievable. We still have that GS (a 1978 Pallas); the car that saw me been born, so as you may imagine the bonds between us are so strong indeed. It´s my greatest pride.

[@CharlesStanding]

Thank you, Simon. It was a delight to watch this. I had several GS's back in the 70s and 80s (GSX2 1220, GS 1220 Club estate, GSA 1299 Pallas), and I'd have another one tomorrow if I could find one. A glorious car, and wonderful memories.

[@mr_nice.]

@@toqtoq3361 ....if you can afford keeping it, keep it. Hey one question: what 's the situation over there with fuel? These GSs ran on leaded fuel and these fuels have stopped being produced. Is the situation different in the Netherlands or you still have leaded fuel for these and similarly old cars?

[@FindingDrivingSpirit]

These cars, with their aluminium alloy cylinder heads, have hardened valve seats. So unleaded doesn’t pose a problem.

[@malikoco]

My parents had a GS Club Break of 1978 : it is the best car I never seen ! Today, cars have too electronic and it 's very expensive for repaire. With the old car, as the GS, we can to replace things broken without garage help. I like it !

[@keithspraggs9338]

absolutely

[@ragnarragnarson5184]

Great video Simon, wish i still had my GS Pallas, My father had 2 G's back in the day, a 1972 Club break and a 1978 G special Break so naturally i had to have one aswell

[@willhughes2904]

Wonderful, wonderful cars. My first car was a 78 GSpecial with the 1129 engine. When I bought it the engine was completely knackered so I fitted a 1220 engine from a Club. Wish I still had it now. Thanks for the video.

[@FindingDrivingSpirit]

Thank you. My pleasure

[@harishadjivassiliou1671]

Congratulations , I wholeheartedly agree as an owner from 1979 up to now of what you are saying !

[@Gundamzerowing1]

I'm currently restoring a '73 1220 club here in South Africa. Adore these little buggers.

[@darrenwilson8042]

I had a 1978 1129cc GS - it was amazing when compared with my previous wheezy Avenger ( not a bad car in itself ) but the GS revved it was great on fuel rode superbly - it was a bit incontinent considering it was air cooled, lots of oil and fluid leaks but man I loved it - sadly rust killed it in the end.

[@schotterfreund]

nice video! "backwards progress" -- exactly...

[@julienbee3467]

I love the dashboard a lot

[@christopherhunter2892]

The French version had even more wacky instruments

[@Baldieman1]

My dad,who usually had Austins,Vauxhalls etc went all avant garde and bought a 3 year old 1975 1220 Club,in bright orange with matching interior.Was my favourite of all his cars,and was reliable,untilrust unfortunately took hold a few years later.Would love to have one,or a GSA X3(if you can still find mint ones).

[@christianneitzel]

The 1220 engine is probably the best version they ever built. ❤️

[@FindingDrivingSpirit]

I have to agree. A veritable turbine!

[@acptelford1307]

Awful cam shafts built out of really soft metal

[@christianneitzel]

@@acptelford1307 Well they all sort of suffer the same. Just make sure to change oil with shorter interval

[@minutepapillon5060]

Le 1300 des X3 est la plus abouti !

[@brettrogers8482]

It's a great engine, but my favourite was my early 1015. Fewer leaks, even smoother and liked to rev even more.

[@bazworld]

did my apprenticeship on DS GS and 2cv etc good times

[@4figgis957]

You can thank PSA for the end of real Citroen. So short sighted.

[@petercrosland5502]

Spot the bits - ashtray from Dyane, on a tilt! Had the GS 1220 break in the same colour, lovely old thing.

[@johnwaga3702]

My dad had one and I actually learnt to drive in it. Fantastic car but the trouble is I then thought all cars had such good brakes. I remember some family friends came up in a Morris Marina and the dad let me drive it and when I tried braking at the first junction it just didn’t stop in time. Needless to say I could never wear those trousers again!!

[@FindingDrivingSpirit]

Hahaha! Absolutely! Great story, John 😂

[@sevesellors2831]

Great video lovely car we had a Renault 16 which was excellent but should have tried one of these anybody enjoyed both these models and which did you prefer?

[@edwardconroy8442]

I had a 1978 GS PALLAS, A fantastic car. Actually 1222 cc From Edward.

[@keyser414]

😍😍

[@sebastiena.6792]

Wonderfull car !

[@smoore9050]

just in case you get the urge to go between two lorries! I'm fixing up a 75 Club at the moment.

[@FindingDrivingSpirit]

Fabulous! What colour?

[@energiteknight1314]

Hello, quite recently I bought this car for a project so I need to open up the bonnet to work on the engine. But I don't know how to do this, there is no pedal/lever in the drivers side to open the bonnet like many modern cars. Please help, I don't know how to open the bonnet.

[@smhorse]

Presenter reminds me of Sir Tony Robinson.

[@FindingDrivingSpirit]

😂

[@angusnz7910]

Yesh how many revs is that thing pulling?

[@FindingDrivingSpirit]

Many! They are very free-revving. But a 5-speed box only came with certain models of the GSA from 1980.

[@blackpool321]

Is it a c-matic ?

[@FindingDrivingSpirit]

No, a four-speed manual

[@xm222]

Your driving spirit is great, kind regards 👍😊, I like your channel and i hope maybe one day you will enjoy my as well 😊

[@Aucard2Tours]

Indeed the car is wonderful, but if you like it, of course the engine will be different, but try the CX.

[@FindingDrivingSpirit]

Neil, I love the CX and have had a nice selection, including a black, ‘87 GTi Turbo II. My favourite, though was an ‘87 DTR Turbo saloon. My favourite car owned - although my present 2015 Subaru Outback is close.

[@lucythemoggy1970]

that wonky steering wheel needs addressing

[@FindingDrivingSpirit]

Not so, Michael. The wheel was designed to be off-centre and in the event of an unrestrained driver being thrown into it, deflecting him/her into the centre of the cabin.

[@brettrogers8482]

🤣

[@blackpool321]

Sounds so quiet for a forty plus year old car.

[@qrm8772]

Backwards progress for sure. Todays cars are measured by the writing of the software for the modules which fail at an alarming rate.

[@rodneyemmerich8828]

Not as pretty as a DS but just as competent