My '69 Citroën DS can drive with 3 wheels! This has to be the CAR WIZARD's craziest car EVER!

This car keeps amazing this seasoned mechanic! You've got to see the CAR WIZARD 🧙‍♂️ drive his 1969 Citroën DS19 with just 3 wheels! 🤯
➡️➡️ LINK TO FIRST VIDEO IN SERIES: • OOH LA LA, I bought Ho... ⬅️⬅️
🔮🔧 AMAZON AFFILIATE STORE: www.amazon.com/shop/omegaauto... 🔧🔮
🇬🇧🇬🇧 UK AMAZON STORE: www.amazon.co.uk/shop/omegaau... 🇬🇧🇬🇧
🧰 BENDPAK LIFTS: www.bendpak.com 🧰
👕 CAR WIZARD MERCH: teespring.com/stores/carwizard 👕
📷 INSTAGRAM @realcarwizard 📷
🎸 MUSIC BY CLAYTON CAGLE: / claytoncalifornia 🎸

[@ronkemperful]

Yes, The Citroen was a remarkable car. In 1962 the Citroen's remarkable suspension saved the French president Charles de Gaulle's life when his Citroen was riddled by bullets from an assassination attempt. One of the car's rear tires was shot out and came off its rim but the president's driver was able to still get away on the three remaining wheels because of the ability of the suspension to compensate for the missing wheel! Charles de Gaulle insisted on being driven in nothing else than a Citroen from that point on!

[@MikeAarset]

Yes true story! Thanks for adding this Ron.

[@denislesperance852]

The car did several kms (at speed) on the blown out tires !

[@Milnoc]

The incident was even reproduced during the opening of The Day Of The Jackal (original, not remake).

[@sunsetrider45]

I was just about to mention the de Gaulle assassination attempt. Thanks, Ron! One of my favorite car of all time, ever since childhood.

[@thelegendaryblackbeastofar39]

De Gaulle, at least up till that point, abhorred the idea of riding in a car with bullet-proof glass, owing to some combination of egalitarianism and national-pride. After the attempt, upon much insistence from his advisors, a highly modified presidential limousin was built, based on a DS, called the Présidentielle.

[@JohnDavis-ed5sg]

I love your enthusiasm for this car - Hoovie went badly wrong condemning it so quickly for a few leaks! No rust, for a start! When you drive it you'll love it even more. I predict you'll use it a lot.

[@tl1024]

I thought the same, hoovie punted a content mine.

[@thedeadsenator686]

@@tl1024 I think Tyler gave his friend a gift. The Wizard would serve this car far better than he and Tyler is not short on views or other content.

[@danielulz1640]

Most comfortable riding car on this planet.

[@artyfhartie2269]

Hoovie only loves cars that break down later on.

[@insAneTunA]

This is a typical car that will keep it's value if it isn't going to be even more valuable over time. It's just too special and iconic, like the Fiat 500 and many other iconic cars. And to find one that is not rotted out is also very special. So I couldn't agree more with you.

[@basvanderhoek9293]

Hurrah, its a healthy frame ! When rust took its toll, you couldn't use the center jack-spot anymore . Mr Wizard, it is better to take the right rear wheel off to show this magic trick. That way the drivers weight is still on both left wheels, and the car will warp a bit less. Next time tell us that the A pillars are made in such a way that when you sit behind the 1 spoke steering wheel, you don't see them . The focal point of your eyes is behind the left A pillar, and before the right-side A pillar, thereby virtually disappearing. Its an over 180 degrees unobstructive panorama. I am like many DS fans, with 1 foot in the grave already, but still love them. I remember the introduction in 1955. Some cars still had running boards (VW) The longest love affair in my life. Citroën drivers are happy people, its nice to be different. Greetings all.

[@bobt2414]

Yea! Sure! My cars, in order, were: Citroen ID19, GS, GS, GS Estate, BX. Things started to go downhill with the dead hand of Peugeot so there was only one place to go thereafter: SAAB (RIP).

[@RemcoStoutjesdijk]

They used it in England to live broadcast horse races from a camera mounted on a DS' roof. The suspension dealt with the muddy ground like nothing else.

[@jebus914]

Yes, if you've ever driven there the roads are very narrow and not the smoothest surface, if paved at all, so you may need to scoot off road some to pass there. Suspension is almost #1 priority of a French car

[@lousbits]

Only thing madder is the incredible Citroen SM

[@douglasfur3808]

You're the perfect owner for this car. 1. The color scheme matches your bus. 2. You own a garage and are smart enough, so you can afford to do the work. 3. You can store it inside, warm and dry, so it won't rust out like so many have.* 4. Most importantly you're having fun. (* the garage at a shop I worked at had a slick trick to reduce salt rot. They had made a cross between a dolly and a sprinkler. You hooked it up to a hose and could run it under your vehicle while the spray washed the road salt off. This was in New England. In a way it was like a DS, you see it, your jaw drops, and you say "that makes so much sense")

[@JimRowe-yr3zw]

Hi Wizard, so glad you discovered this great car but you missed a trick in the wheel changing sequence. That two piece starting handle in your last video plays a big part. The handle part unscrews the wheel nuts and the nut holding on the rear wing and the shaft part fits through the hole in the centre of the wheel and on into the hole in the centre of the hub. This allows you to slide the wheel on and off it's bolts with very little effort. Sheer genius. I live in France and had an ID (phonetically idea in French) 19 estate and later a DS (again phonetically Godess in French) 21 super five back in the day. Wonderful cars and have followed them up with several CXs and I still have an XM today. There is nothing comes near them for wild inventiveness, for example that weird zipper on the air intake is to let the air in for driving in deep snow (which they accomplish extremely well) when the air can't get in from underneath. Thanks for all the great videos.

[@TheJohn8765]

Wow. That's a crazy amount of proper engineering forethought and execution. US cars from the same era had lots of power and some comfort but nothing else even approaching the engineering prowess of this car.

[@Kenjh71]

We had a BX and in the snow it's unbeatable. Drive until you get stuck, lift it up and drive away. If really stuck on the belly, lift the wheels up and stuff some sbow under the wheels.

[@matthewrooke386]

Also the pin that secures the Jack /stand height has a little arm that removes the hubcaps when fitted. They were brown when new in the early’60s .

[@adotopp1865]

​@@TheJohn8765 US cars were really unsophisticated and basically trucks with saloon bodies and leather seats

[@peterkendell5214]

I hardly ever see XMs on the roads these days. That's a shame.

[@dimitriostambakis9461]

I am in my 60's and remember very well one of my relatives buying one of these in Greece in 1971. It was a fantastic car with features we had never seen before and we had a lot of fun driving it. As a matter of fact my relative bought this car based on a series of impressive ads about its features, a couple of them showing the car's capability in moving on three wheels, which we tried and it worked! He kept this car for twenty five years and he loved it as much as the first day he bought it!

[@mikec2111]

So true. I have driven a few Citroens and currently drive a newer model but the last with the hydraulic (Hydractive 3+) suspension. It is now 15 years old with 200,000 miles but the features on it are only now coming onto today’s cars. Folk say “so you have this and that, so do I” but my response is “but this car had it 20 years ago”. The worst thing for Citroen was having to merge with PSA which took its uniqueness away. I think Citroen owners are like their cars of old….a little bit qwerty😂😂😂. Next stop Tractione Avante! .

[@terencehawkes3933]

Wizard, you are so incredibly lucky to have a rust-free example of this car. What you paid for it is slightly lower than its current market value, but these cars are becoming increasingly rare and more popular among collectors so you may find it appreciating considerably in the near future.

[@insAneTunA]

Agreed !

[@disnox6902]

This car is made of Aluminum, that's why it doesn't have rust.

[@terencehawkes3933]

@@disnox6902 I can assure you Citroen IDs and DSs are most definitely not made of aluminum and they rust like crazy.

[@ramonclements9879]

Mission accomplished--my mind is BLOWN! This is easily one of the most unique cars ever built. It makes me wonder what other inventions are out there. When left to their own devices, engineers can certainly come up with some amazing innovations and incredible designs. Great video content, Wizard!

[@alexmercer8042]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXyzinyXoNhki7s brace yourself

[@maxpool162]

And most of this tech was already on the first gen in 1955.

[@jonaslechat9472]

want an answer: citroens, the whole package. And the best of them all, the sleepers of sleepers the Xantia Activa V6. Ever wanted a boring 1996 FWD 4 door sedan that can go faster in the corners than most production cars and supercars of her time? That car can easily sustain 0.94G of lateral force (with a ride comfort better than any S class or rolls royces), and still being to date the undefeated king of the moose test. Plus it has a "boring" NA 190hp V6 that can be upgraded to a 300hp or over 400hp turbo. edit: and citroen claims it can sustain a maximum of 1.2G of lateral force, wich is more than most supercars/greatest sports car ever produce (except the Porsche 911 GT3 RS (991 facelift) that can handle 1.24G) (end edit) That car they did it because they could and only put the activa system on this model, they even needed specialy designed tires because the car was too extrem for existing tires. (and btw it is an evolution of the DS system so it can do all what the DS can)

[@dancheb]

Did you know that it can also fly? :-) Well, in a movie it could! A version of it appeared in the famous French movie series "Fantômas" where the main antagonist uses the car to fly away from the pursuit! kzbin.info/www/bejne/emmmq42oeaioqck

[@strat0871]

And remember guys, the DS appeared at the Paris motor show of 1955, it was like a UFO back in time, and still is ! I'm glad Wizard found a good DS specialist in the US.

[@TiagoJoaoSilva]

Most numbers of preorders until the Tesla Model 3

[@gideonrettich7754]

There's a wonderful efficiency to the design of the Citroën DS, ID and CV series. The styling is second to none.

[@JRs-Garage]

My grandma only ever had these cars I remember 3 of them , she even crossed the River on the property when it was flooding, back in the 60’s 😂😂 Great car

[@Xplasma1]

Seeing this car really makes me wonder how much automotive progress has been stunted by companies who A: Are resistant to change, and B: Don't want to take risks like this. Yeah, $19000 for a car this unique, this old and in that good of shape, Hoovie didn't get scammed.

[@AlanG58]

He just didn't have the sense to appreciate it for what it is.

[@ianmontgomery7534]

there is an ID-19 for sale in Australia that is in great condition for AUD47,990. The DS ones are around AUD70,000 and there is one convertible for near AUD200,000. All seem to be fair prices.

[@railshot9]

There is another Citroën floating around showing that they in particular kept releasing very innovative cars. Unfortunately, almost all of them were commercial failures. So, no surprize that most car companies prefer to play it safe.

[@aftonline]

​@tripledefinition He has way too many cars anyway. He doesn't call himself the dumbest automotive channel on KZbin for no reason. He'll make money from the video he made about it anyway...

[@tonybooth4]

@@ianmontgomery7534 exactly but in the US there are SM's available for very modest amounts and plenty of parts in the UK IF YOU DON'T SPEAK FRENCH, THE TROUBLE INAU was they were seviced by Contintntal cars who always charged a fortune, sorry for the caps, my cataracts are so bad I am almost blind.

[@johnwaga3702]

As an Englishman here in the UK I have long been enjoying your videos but as a huge Citroen fan my admiration for you has hit the roof given your complete appreciation of this brilliant car!

[@TheEulerID]

From 1926 up until 1965, RHD Citroens for the UK and Commonwealth markets were assembled in Slough (fairly close to where the Office was set). It was not too far from where the very first Ford GT40s were developed and built. It was also close where I went to High School, and the assembly line was dismantled the year I started. In 1963, a Citroen DS cost £1,298, of which £270 19s and 7d was purchase tax.

[@Juberdingus]

I now fully understand the love for these cars. The designers and engineers had a clear vision of what the average car owner wanted, and what they believed the standard of automotive transportation should be. Directly it didn’t shape the automotive world, but everything about it shows the effort. It’s a bit quirkier, but it reminds me a lot of the vision behind Tucker.

[@marsgal42]

When the trunk lid is open you still have full rear visibility. By design, so you can carry big stuff in the trunk and still drive the car.

[@theclearsounds3911]

Cars nowadays have little to no visibility out the back. Shows how far backwards we're gotten since the 1970's. Oh, such irony! 😂

[@Broadshore]

Mr. Murdock! The Master Citroen man! Not going to lie.. I'm rocking in my sit like a little kid. The Citroens are such cool cars man. Wizard, I can wait to see a fix her video. These cars are so cool BUT so Rare.

[@lassel1344]

When I was a child, my father borrowed a Citroen DS 21 pallas when we went on caravan holidays. Those memories made me buy a DS 23 pallas IE 74. Driving fast felt like flying low. The car was full of interesting technical solutions that I miss in today's cars.

[@cliffordsullivan5718]

Another advantage of the suspension is that it maintains a constant ride hight, this is more apparent in the station wagon variant, put your 5 bags of cement in the rear, the car sinks initially under the increased weight, and pumps itself up to its normal position, the same happens in the saloon of course. My last DS was the 2.3 Pallas as before the suspension brakes and steering were all hydraulically powered, with the addition of the gear change. there was no clutch pedal, you simply moved the short gear shift to the next gear, and a series of valves operated the clutch and shifted the cogs in the gearbox. You could actually adjust the speed of the operation, so you could have slow - super smooth changes - or fast - somewhat sharper changes. In the UIK we had the swivelling spotlights, and the main headlights had a cable running to the anti roll bar on the back of the vehicle, so that as the car pitched on its super soft suspension the headlight were moved to compensate for this movement. Sadly in the UK the cars were prone to rust, and new floors are not uncommon.

[@TiagoJoaoSilva]

The self-levelling and the pillow-like ride were two reason why ambulance conversions of the Break were so popular

[@MrCarGuy]

I sure wish the company kept making variants of the DS cars, true to the original formula (like Porsche and the 911). The old hydropneumatic system is special

[@GoldenCroc]

They did make variants of it until just a few years ago. Wasnt as soft as the older ones, but the principles were the same.

[@MrCarGuy]

@@GoldenCroc Totally disagree. Not the same formula. The C6 certainly did not have it and the C5 (with hydropneumatic on the rear only) was even further away. The C6 was better than nothing but calling that a DS successor is like Porsche calling the 928 a 911 successor

[@GoldenCroc]

@@MrCarGuy I meant the pneumatic system followed the same formula. Which it did. Not sure where you got C5 just had a hydropneumatic rear? The full on option was availible for all first gen C5 and second gen as well.

[@MrCarGuy]

@@GoldenCroc "I sure wish the company kept making variants of the DS cars, true to the original formula (like Porsche and the 911)" You: "They did make variants of it until just a few years ago" You later: "I meant the pneumatic system followed the same formula" Either you're intentionally disingenuous or didn't read it. You knew I was referring to variants of the DS cars, because I explicitly said so. I meant to say the C4 instead of the C5, which only had it on the rear. But the C5 still had a lesser system with a much inferior ride quality.

[@GoldenCroc]

@@MrCarGuy Nah, its just a misunderstanding about what I meant. Wasnt the best worded from my side perhaps, I can agree with that. No biggie, it happens. I will explain: Since you wrote, "The old hydropneumatic system is special" it can be taken to mean its one thing that makes the DS so special and being a part of the "variants" you mention. If you look at my reply you can see I wrote "Wasnt as soft as the older ones, but the principles were the same", of which can be inferred I was talking about the hydropneumatic suspension, since its the only thing that makes sense in context. Which is what I wrote in my reply below. Seems pretty starightforward to me, no need to assume any kind of bad intentions. For the last part: Oh, even if the mechanical workings of the suspension is effectively the same in the newer cars, its much harder than the older ones, thats for sure. Absolutely agree. Its gotten progressively harder ever since the DS, a pity but its what the market demanded. "Ordinary suspension"-cars have also gotten much more firm, ludicrously so. A normal Reanult Talisman family estate, not even a sport version, got about the same suspension firmness as a quite firm sportscars of the 90s these days. It is what it is. Its all good. Cheers mate.

[@banovsky]

So happy that Car Wizard is dissecting a legend like the DS in order to share his appreciation for the car & help spread the word. It’s not only ahead of its time, but in many ways, hasn’t been equalled. All of the car’s tricks were done without the use of computers, and is both remarkably simple and smartly designed-attributes tough to find in new vehicles these days! It’s too bad the car wasn’t turned into Citroën’s version of the (Porsche) 911; we’d be constantly looking forward to the next version of the DS. 😢

[@MrSparklespring]

Yep, and considering the DS was presented originally in 1955, incredible. Those engineers did definitely "out of the box" thinking!

[@bwofficial1776]

Citroen did keep with the hydropneumatic suspension for a while. The SM was a coupe with a Maserati V6 and the CX was a more angular 70s-style DS followed by the BX and XM. They decided to be conventional after that.

[@MrSparklespring]

@BW Recently they have a new patent combining shock absorbers with hydraulic 'cushions' and special foamed seats which gives 'advanced driving comfort'. They are back on the 'comfort train'.

[@quallzone6219]

Agreed! The Citroen DS series was rated #3 as "Car of the Century" by one organization because of its innovations: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_of_the_Century

[@aftonline]

@@bwofficial1776 I'd question that Citroens were completely conventional after the BX and XM. The Hydractive suspension developed for the XM was carried over to the Xantia, and then to the 2 facelifts of the C5. It was only in 2017 with the discontinuation of the Hydractive system in the C5 that the era of self-levelling suspension that began with the DS, finally ended. I admit that having a fully interconnected hydraulic system that included steering, brakes, suspension and gearbox actuation, was the genius aspect of the DS system that didn't flow over to the later models, but I didn't really miss that when I owned a C5. I just appreciated the suspension for its superior ride and handling compared to anything else on the road. Sure, you can get a sports car with better handling, but the ride is terrible in a car like that. The Citroen system was the perfect compromise between ride and handling.

[@rjft7003]

The US Specs DS landed in the best home as possible. I hope this rare one will be staying with the Wizard for many, many years to come.

[@gavinspring1350]

I'd have one anyday. People tend to rag on old french cars here in Aus, but really they were way ahead of their time and probably still are. This one's a keeper Wizard.

[@blaakrose]

These are beautiful and amazing cars.

[@Zinglupate]

I am a Mercedes guy but as a french viewer, it makes me happy to see someone from over the pond and especially the Wizard talking about such a car. Cheers!

[@chrisadams6595]

I am a Mercedes guy too, always bought old ones for pennies and run them into the ground which is very hard to do with such well made cars. But I've always found Citroen cars very appealing

[@Zinglupate]

@@chrisadams6595 Many of my old Benz are beater like that. I have a rusty 5 speed 1994 E250 diesel wagon with over 500k km. Hard to kill.

[@Blackadder75]

Mercedes bought the hydraulic suspension system from Citroën , to use in their own cars

[@DabDabGoose]

something to note to anyone who has a car with the Citroen sphere suspension, always have the car on some sort of jack if you plan to go under it, because the car is basically held up by liquid it can easily drop on you while your below if the car is off and many people have died working on the car when the car squashed them.

[@theclearsounds3911]

Right, wood blocks are better if the frame is rusty, but I agree 100% about keeping it up with something besides its own hydraulics.

[@russbilzing5348]

In 1970, a friend and I were hitchhiking from California and were about 13 miles out of a nowhere truck stop in Utah, of all places, when a school teacher driving this same car, color and all, stopped for us. She was very knowledgeable about her "Diana" and I had never heard of them at that time. She kept us entranced with little bits and factoids, including the anti-theft qualities of the car settling on it's wheels when turned off, for a good long while. I was in back and at 6 foot 5, had expected to be cramped, but not so! I don't know if the rug was stock, but it felt as if it were 3 inches thick.The seats were almost TOO comfortable. While I don't think much of French vehicles in general, the DS really impressed me all the way around. I'd say you have a good eye for value. Bon chance.

[@GarthGoldberg]

Wizard is going to have to start wearing a beret, a horizontally striped shirt, eat some stinky cheese, a baguette and drink some wine.

[@Lesterandsons]

Beeing french is cool but we don’t want others to know it

[@702Wolfi]

Growing up in Europe, I remember these driving around everywhere, this one and the Citroën 2CV was also very common. If you want see these cars in full action, watch some old Louis De Funes comedy films. Funny as hell.

[@hesseldijkstra5327]

You made me laugh just thinking about them, that was a long time ago.

[@macstone9719]

Ah, Louis De Funes, one of my all time favorites. Hilarious. A genius.

[@SitkaTreeWorks-dn8ve]

I once had a 1969 DS21 Pallas. On road trips I would often sleep in the car comfortably on the seat bed feature. Just remove the center post & front seat headrests, then slide both front seats all the way foreword and recline the backs all the way horizontal then meeting level with the back seat. Sleeps two. Definitely the most comfortable car ever built!

[@rogerpatry5167]

The design team for this car was really coloring outside the lines. Very creative! Love these videos Wizard! I knew this car was a great fit for you.

[@imagseer]

Yes, the designers were not even in the same box as everyone else. It was sad when the Peugeot Group assimilated Citroen and told the designers 'no more silly stuff.' I'm so glad The Car Wizard is showing these DS appreciation videos.

[@benoitguillou3146]

Only a 3 year old needs lines to color inside of in his summer book ....Great artists just paint freehand .... The sad pat is that the norm in every industry now is beeing a 3 years old .

[@Mr5Stars]

Wizard, this car is weird, cool, amazing, no wonder they made over a million in France. Can't wait to see videos of the suspension in ACTION over bumps etc.

[@vilhjalmrwt]

I think the reason why this car resonates with us is that , it's a blast to a time that life was enjoyable and simple. People were trustworthy and honest .

[@blondeboywilson9221]

General Charles de Gaulle turned in heroic Leftist Partisans to the Nazis even as they were being kicked out of France so that the Gestapo and SS could kill them-thus eliminating his competition to govern France at wars end. Trustworthy people is an oxymoron.

[@notroll1279]

I think people change less than you think.

[@vilhjalmrwt]

Unfortunately, I have history, and the present on my side.

[@notroll1279]

@@vilhjalmrwt History is the selective perception of past events considered relevant - which means a huge selection bias. Only recently, in a discussion about the armoured cars today's heads of state are using, someone said: "That's because they're universally hated now - in the past, they used to serve the people" I guess he/she referred to the "good old times" that never were. Actual history has always had its share of assassinations - which is why the rulers of old had some poor soul try their food for poisoning first. So as soon as armour was available, rulers would use it. And there have always, always been scams, fraud and deceit. Some around us may perceive the DS/IDs' time differently because they drove around when they were children themselves and their parents still shielded them from the real world... but that's a pink filter.... In the actual world where the DS was around, France had ugly colonial wars to cling on to its colonies (notably first Algeria, later Viet Nam, a war they happily passed on to the US, and many lesser, mercifully forgotten ones). The car's design itself may have been a stroke of genius, but Citroën sold it via a network of dealers so unprepared to servicing or repairing it that many of its suffering owners even considered the car itself a big fat fraud. I'd gladly visit the past for a day like a zoo but I surely wouldn't want to live in it.

[@mescko]

@@vilhjalmrwt When my father moved our family out west, the town we settled in had a local store run by its founder. My father went in and bought some stuff, and when he got to the counter he opened his wallet and realized he didn't have enough money to pay for everything he wanted. He said, "Mr. Crider, I don't have enough to pay for all of this." He continued to bag the items. My father repeated his predicament, he continued bagging. When he was done, he simply told my father, "Just pay for it the next time you are in." I defy you to find someone who would say that now. My father, being the man he was, did just that.

[@gdavis3529]

I own a Citroen C3 Pluriel, it's a 2005, which i absolutely love. It still uses those location pins, to align the removable roof arches. Very unique roof configuration, retractable, removable, converts into a pickup.

[@stefanfalldorf6573]

Citroën had so many great cars and inventions. Started with it's predecessor the Traction Avant, the DS and the Coupé SM. The 2CV, the van Typ H, GSA, Visa and BX. And of course the succesors of the DS, the CX and XM. All fantastic cars!

[@MrWeboFrito]

One more cool thing: Try sitting on the trunk, the car will sink and a few seconds later it will self-level at normal height but retaining the suspension softness. I had a Citroen BX and loved that, my friends where very surprised when I showed them that.

[@module79l28]

I had a BX 16TRS Break and I can confirm it. 🙂

[@amencma]

I had a BX 19D Break and I can confirm it.

[@imagseer]

@@module79l28 I had one also, as well as a GS, CX and Xantia,. The estate/station wagon type was great if you had an elderly dog as you could let the car down to within 6" of the ground to get in more easily.

[@andypullin4702]

My dad had a GS, he once loaded the boot up with flagstones, the guys in the builders yard couldn't believe it when the car just jacked itself back up as if there was nothing there!

[@jeffheins6624]

I can envision this being towed behind the wizards motor home in background for a party piece, they match well

[@ayedee6681]

was thinking the same thing :)

[@johnturner4400]

He needs to paint the bus the same shade though!

[@sumnerkinney2166]

You got a winner here Wizard. Hoovie was lucky you were willing to take it off his hands. WIN / WIN

[@MichaelJanzen]

35 years ago, I was an apprentice for a potter in Mill Valley, CA. He drove a station wagon version of this car and used it to haul heavy loads to/from crafts fairs. The ride is super smooth even when loaded down. Thanks for posting these videos. He used to tell me how amazing the car was, and I'm beginning to realize how amazing. I totally want one now.

[@retrocar7761]

Love these cars, there just so cool, I rarely see a DS, CX, SM, GS, BX or XM, so whenever I do see one I cant help but stare and take photos, I wish there were cars made today that looked as radical as they did.

[@composedlight6850]

owned all the above except the SM and XM -- i have now a C5 mk1 2002 which is the last real Citroen along with the C6

[@waynekaminski5438]

Wizard, you have hit a gold mine with this car. So many good videos yet to come and the two that are out are really good. This was a great investment because only you, as a master mechanic, can take us through all the quirks and weirdness of this car. Hoovie has his place in KZbin but there is no way he can fully display what this car is all about. Plus, you can find those guys who know everything there is to know! You can make connections.

[@ronaldraymond461]

My dad had a 1958 DS in the later years of the car. He repainted it himself. But eventually he had to get rid of it. The only mechanic in town who could work on the engine, passed away. That was in 1965. It’s nice to see these cars. They were way ahead of their time.

[@klaasbloem]

This was another Citroen with a couple of firsts: The Citroën Traction Avant was a highly innovative car produced by Citroën from 1934, designed by André Lefèbvre and Flaminio Bertoni. It was the first series-produced car with front-wheel drive (French: traction avant) and a self-supporting body. Many of the innovations introduced in the Traction Avant are still present in cars in the 21st century.

[@jakobschoen6499]

My father had a Citroën DS when I was still a child. We went on vacation with mother father and 4 children, there was enough space. I was allowed to drive a Citroën DS myself for the first time when a friend of mine bought a DS some time ago. It's incredibly fun. You look for bad roads with this car because you float over it.

[@michaelheimbrand5424]

I really love to hear that you found someone with good DS knowledge to learn from. Even good mechanics is these cars worst enemy if they haven´t been to the "DS school". Do your study and you will be a very happy DS owner. I had some really nice cars over the years, but nothing compares to the DS. Tip of the day: Learn about aligning the arrows when changing the oil filter. It´s super important!!

[@theclearsounds3911]

Oh, you're not kidding!!! I've heard of people blowing engines because the oil flow is completely blocked if you don't line up the arrows! Here's another Citroen killer: The metal pipe that comes out of the carburetor can fall out while you're driving, and this sprays gasoline all over the engine before it can stall from lack of fuel, setting the whole car on fire! I've seen people do a very simple fix; run a wire inside the hose clamp and attach the other end to the carburetor so it holds the hose on. The worst you will get in that case is just a small leak, which you can smell before it goes up in flames.

[@michaelheimbrand5424]

@@theclearsounds3911 Very important tip and thanks for the reminder.

[@adrianwilliamson6861]

@@theclearsounds3911 haha....I had a peugeot 404 that had the exact same setup;. It caught fire!!

[@alro2434]

@@theclearsounds3911 THANK YOU!!!!!

[@peterdaginis7174]

If you ever wondered why Citroën's logo is two "arrow tips" it's because the original Citroëns used bevel herringbone (double helical) gears in the final drive. They have all the advantages of helical gears, while cancelling out the thrust force caused by a single helical gear. Source: had a French professor who loved cars during my engineering education. I will always remember that fact, I found herringbone gears so fascinating. I think cost is the main reason they aren't used much anymore.

[@moyadapne968]

Double Chevron. 1900. Citroen was a clever man.

[@fahrfromrunnin]

When I was 2 (53 now), we drove a DS from CA to OK without a rear wheel on due to a flat tire. Lots of people thought we were about to wreck any minute, so this feature wasn't as fun as it sounds. Also, the car works fine like that As Long As you don't have someone sitting in that corner of the car.

[@waynekaminski5438]

So you would leave the guy sitting in that corner of the car by the roadside LOL (I guess they could ride in the trunk) or just have the shift the occupants around to unload the corner that did not have a tire on the ground.

[@charliecliche6155]

I'm not sure if what you mention about not sitting in the the section where the rear tire is missing is accurate.

[@426baron]

The Wizard was probably getting a little bored having seen it all with conventional cars. Now he's excited : something new !! Nice to see.

[@jean-pierredeclemy7032]

Put a glove or something over the end of the fender so you don't scratch the paintwork on the rear wing whilst lifting it off and replacing it. The locking pin on the jack has a hook on it which you use to hook off the hub cap by placing it in the hole where the tyre valve protrudes. Square holes in the centre of the wheel indicate that the wheel is wider than one with a round hole. I could go on :)

[@theclearsounds3911]

Me too. I'm trying to insert short tidbits of information at a time so people won't get bored by the book that I could write about the DS. Such a wonderful car!

[@cliffvictoria3863]

I keep saying "Wow!" when I watch your videos of the Citroen. What an amazing car.

[@rosstibbits2819]

My first car was a 1968 DS 21 Pallas. Amazing in so many ways and I am stoked that you are explaining things such as changing the tire and driving on three wheels! Nice job, Car Wizard!

[@sergevanneville2732]

Hello, m'y first car was 21 Pallas 1968 in...1986. today i have 3 DS Pallas 1968 !!! It more easy in France. Bye

[@barriobajaj]

I love these cars! There was a Citroen repair shop here in Santa Ana, Ca. from the '70's through the '90's. Saw lots of DS and SM models and on a rare occasion there would be a van with the corrugated side panels. I'm glad this car found you. I hope you keep it for a long time.

[@gordonmcgregor6431]

The H van has the same engine as this ID version of the DS, it can trace its lineage back to the 1934 Traction Avant, it's a pretty robust unit and as the Wizard's car has a manual gear box it's a LOT easier to keep running than the admittedly cool semi-auto that the more expensive models had.

[@thechryslercrew9417]

From my Renault, the best way I can describe French engineering is it’s like the engineers had a vague outline of how a car works, with no other existing knowledge of anything. They then went and designed a car that’s completely different from anything else, but not necessarily in a bad way- you just need to get into a different mindset when working on them.

[@rwinstanley8668]

Put an “S” placard on the sides of the car. That’s when you’re driving everyone will say, “Look at the Escargot!”

[@danjoe22]

Great video, great demonstrations. After seeing your first video I did some youtube searches on the Citroen DS and discovered much of what you showed in this video. This car is an engineering marvel in so many ways. So many of the videos described it as the most comfortable car ever made. It is a shame that the complexity of the pneumatic and hydraulic systems was not well accepted in this country. I look forward to your next video of this remarkable machine.

[@Dakiraun]

Those things are so amazing; was hoping you'd show off that unique feature! SUPER cool that you found a guy who knows so much about them and has a lot of experience (and parts) in restoring them. Look forward to more videos on it.

[@ckm-mkc]

One of the world's best Citroen restorers is actually in Los Angeles.....

[@bobmcl2406]

There is a world-wide community of experts on these cars. And most of them are only too willing to help anyone who is willing to listen and learn.

[@mrjj1f]

OK, Mr. Wizard. You have changed my mind completely. This is indeed the coolest car I have ever seen.

[@johnj3577]

When I was a kid in the 70's, we used to holiday in France every year (drove from the UK) and these things were everywhere. I begged my Dad to get one, but he was convinced that all the tech meant it would just go wrong all the time, although in reality they were pretty reliable. Maybe he was just pre-conditioned by all the unreliability of the British built cars he had and didn't fancy having to fix a Citroen on the driveway..in winter..in the rain.. just to get to work on Monday like he was used to doing. Funnily enough, on one of those holidays we met a guy at the campsite with an Austin Maxi and he had his engine completely stripped down and laid out on a tarp. My Dad asked him "What are you doing??", and he whimsically answered "Trying to get home". I always wonder if he made it...

[@PetrolHeadBrasil]

The DS is a COOL car! I already knew all these "tricks" and I'm so glad that you bought it and that you're showing all those cool things about the DS! I'm glad that people are enjoying the car!

[@davidl2438]

Thanks for this series on the Citroen. I remember seeing these cars on the road. I never knew about the things you showed today in the video. A lot of engineering went into this car's design. You have definitely changed my mind about these carts.

[@jean-yveslg719]

Here in France, my Dad baught three of theses One ID and two DS. I loved those and was very glad to drive the last one he had. It was such a pleasure to drive ! After that He baught a CX and I was really impressed by the DIRAVI system. It was really awsome at high speed, very secure. Better than many (any ?) nowaday's steering system.

[@macstone9719]

Changing wheels without a jack was space technology back in the day. And really practical in real life 😁

[@Narendra--Modi]

Wizard looks excited everytime we see him with the DS, when he has fixed this and driving long journeys its another experience altogether. Wonder if this car is the one that Wizard keeps for life.

[@bcbc3762]

1955 these came out! Compare to a '55 "Big 3" car.

[@nathanielgritzman6961]

They don't call the DS Godess for nothing. Best car ever made.

[@gordonstockdale9939]

Here in Germany we refer to the DS as „Die Göttin“ or The Goddess. And for Germans to refer to a non-German vehicle as the Goddess then you know it must be special. The convertible and wagon versions of these are really cool. The French also retrofitted some DS wagons as ambulances.

[@clockbuilderhg]

Wizard, thanks for taking on this project! I love the DS and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it! It's a car that's so inspiring and it makes you want to learn more about it. I hope you hang onto it for a good while.

[@krispandcool]

Such an innovative bit of engineering and over 50 years old at that. Many party tricks. Our family had a DS Safari as my old man was an engineer and used to come home with some interesting cars. I’d imagine the Citroen community would be very helpful with advice on this old girl.

[@briangallwey548]

Im from Australia. When I was a young buck a friend of mine used to have an ID. We used to love turning the motor off then get outside and watch it settle down to its rest position. He came across a flooded road which was holding up other cars. He simply raised the Citreon to its full height and drove home through the flooded road. Amazing vehicles.

[@module79l28]

The Wizard: "My Citröen DS can drive with 3 wheels!" Europeans: *just another normal day* 😁

[@AeroGuy07]

There plenty of videos of old Citeron DS's running rallies with 3 wheels. I owned a Peugeot 406 while I lived in Denmark and it was dead reliable. The only thing I had to replace was the aftermarket cd changer. I put a Pioneer SuperTuner in it.

[@dongidongi]

I was familiar with many of the weird stuff this car could do. But seeing those in action is a whole different situation.

[@edwardhalpin7503]

At first I thought oh no not another Citroen video, but within two minutes my eyes were glued to the screen I could not look away. the more I learn about this make the more I'm impressed

[@brianmeek5236]

Many years ago I as a state trooper stopped along the I system to rescue an old lady with a flat tire on her ugly Citroen. It was a front tire and if I remember right you didn’t need the jack for the front wheel,she gave me a lesson I never forgot, probably 50 years ago.

[@brwlegge]

Excellent video Wizard, this is really why old car repairs can be so much fun to do and watch. Check out Scott at Cold War Motors, he has the Citroen addiction. Can’t wait to see your next video.

[@rudolphna54]

Makes me sad that Citroen isn't available in the US these days, they make some really interesting and quirky cars.

[@peterkendell5214]

I once had a Citroën XM diesel. Fab long-distance cruiser. It had the usual Citroën problems - electrical grounding issues, loss of sphere pressure and blown head gasket, but still the most comfortable car I have ever owned. It could turn the roughest of roads into smooth tarmac and the seats were fantastic.

[@brmbrm6016]

One saved my Dad's life too. A front wheel blew on the motorway, when driving at almost a ton. Suspension compensated for the blow out and allowed him to drive safely to the hard shoulder.

[@DarthTechnous]

I am really glad you have this car, not that Tyler would not have done the car right but this is more of a car for a guy that does his own work. I had a 1970 Renault R10 it had the same type of wheel nuts. The car wasn't fast but it made up for it in handling. It was a lot of fun to drive but getting parts was a challenge.

[@americansmark]

Replaceable panels should be a thing. That's awesome.

[@macrook1961]

All ways watching back here in the UK, I will never forget,I was about 16 years of age back in the late 70's when my grandmother passed away the funeral cortège consisted of a Citroen DS Hearse , I thought it was the coolest thing ever.

[@genobadea2738]

This has to be one of the coolest, quirkiest and very iconic cars I've ever seen in a very long time. Definitely a keeper.

[@tommurray2653]

Hello Mr Wizard. Sending you a hello from the Maritimes up here in Canada. I watched the first video to the 16 minute mark and thought I would tell you about my personal experience of a short ride that I had in a "19" same as yours in 1971 when I was 17 years old. The car was owned by an elderly lady in my small rural community population 100. The car was not very old at the time .Tge lady was about 70 I think. I remember the very SMOOTH ride quality. Also a strange thing about the controls was the brake "pedal" which was a small round cylinder on the floor about the size of 1/2 a pop can. Part of the weird hydraulics of the car. I recognized this was a very unique car at the time. Our home car at the time was a 1973 Toyota Corola. I will always have fond memories of that glimpse into automotive history. Thank you for the trip back into my youth. At 69 years old now I am happy to look back. Tom in Canada at the NB-NS border

[@omarjette3859]

There were authorize repair shops back in the day - one in Moncton & one in Halifax.

[@Loafinbaker]

This is going into the Hall of Fame for Car Wiz! Love this one and your general affection for the car!

[@michelbeauloye4269]

I am so happy to finally see an American mechanic honestly interested in the hydraulic magic of the Citroën DS19.

[@richardstoc]

My elementary teacher had a Citroen and it proudly had a sticker in the back window claiming it was Flower Power also a few Large Peace signs sign of the times . You can not help but smile when driving such a car a joy to drive and to be seen in.

[@z33317]

Wizard - this is a great color match to your future motorhome. Would look great being towed behind it. Great video. Love that rear fender removal. Especially handy if you damage it and need to replace it. No repair shop necessary, even though your have your own shop.

[@therealjhall833]

Would never pictured the car wizard to be into this type of car !

[@TheopolisQSmith]

The first Citroen I ever saw up close was a DM that a salesman(insurance.I think) who was visiting a friends Father. He took the time to show the young teens how cool his car was. He showed us the standard tricks of the hydraulic suspension including raising just one wheel to change a tire. So Cool.

[@ajc5869]

Truly it is such a remarkable car. It’s unbelievable how the french just think completely different from any other country in terms of automotive design.

[@jamesdehaan6362]

Fantastic Mr Wizard, you have one of the most beautiful cars that has ever been built. You have to love the French. I hope she gives you both wonderful adventures and memories.

[@gilbertwashburn7095]

The engineers that Citron were absolutely geniuses what I'm awesome car I love citrons my dad used to talk about a car called the star car you could also drive another three wheels I didn't know how that worked but he used to talk about it now as a kid have a great day thanks for the great video

[@Paul_C]

Add the obligatory e in Citroën, please.

[@chash7335]

The original "Low Rider". The lug nuts are common on French cars and the usual count is three. Earlier Citroen cars had but one lug nut. The car drive with one REAR wheel missing, but not a front wheel. Thanks for the show Wizard, Trunes are fascinating and great cars to rive.

[@johanb.4636]

You do not "drive" a DS, you feel yourself in a heavenly atmosphere. Believe me, I had this experience back in the days! Nothing comparable!

[@josephmythen3844]

Back in 1977 my neighbor a French Canadian had one of these Citroen....(high school age both of us) I got to go for quite a few rides in it and I was amazed as I was a "MOPAR" dude with my Polara's ...amazing vehicles these are...Go for it Weezard!

[@johnwoodrich8179]

Thanks for going through the DS so well. It looks like she's in good hands. Scott at Coldwarmotors has a bunch of good Citroen and other French car videos. You guys are gonna want an SM when your're done with this one.

[@tomlewis3658]

I am another subscriber that is enjoying seeing this car in depth. It will be fun to see how the repairs are made. I guess it's a good thing that (as was mentioned in a Hoovie video) that you have lots of LHM (Liquide Hydraulique Minéral) on hand. And in case there is a poll on this, my vote would be to swap those red rear turn signal lenses for the original amber colored ones.

[@mescko]

I was about to say the same thing, done that with all the British cars I've owned. The DOT passed all these stupid regulations about headlights then doesn't do something that really does improve safety, namely requiring *all* turn indicators to be amber.

[@guymoinon3599]

Haven't you wander about the shape of the front of the car and its bumper. French roads at the time were bordered with trees. If the car hit a tree, it will deviate, not crash into it like the other cars of its time. Good to see a DS in the street. Guy

[@lvsqcsl]

There was an episode of "CHiPs" in about 1978 in which someone was driving a Citroen on a freeway in California on 3 wheels. Jon and Ponch pull the guy over and he could only speak French. I am wanting to say that in the 1930's Citroen had a car called the "Traction Avante." That was their first front-wheel-drive car. My neighbor had a 2CV that had different wheel bases on either side. I think that 2CV was literally "2 brake-horsepower." My favorite French car is a Peugeot 505. You can take that car over a bombed-out street and keep right on going. That hydro-pneumatic suspension really soaks up the bumps. Great video!