RWD the early days

When we added a 1927 12/24 to the fleet (Normale 1955) in the absence of any other contenders, I was promptly appointed as your RWD correspondent. 😮 My interest in Citroen RWD cars lies in the remarkable changes to the engineering within the cars and, the engineering processes used to make them – all over a remarkably short space of time. Most of us are keen to celebrate the advanced techniques to be found in the Traction but, it should be remembered that it all began with these RWD cars. For folk who like coincidences, when we bought the Traction it came with its age related plate TSU 953. When about a year ago I assisted in repatriating the 12/24 to these shores I did not notice the number plate until a little while later – HU 8953. What were the chances of that happening. Is it an omen, should I go and buy a lottery ticket ?

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30 Years of standing in a museum in Chicago apparently did no harm to the car but it needed quite a bit of “light” recommissioning and still does. After six months of sorting out the basics; ignition, clutch, brakes etc we were ready for a test run beyond the end of the road. Remarkably the Westinghouse servo system needed no work on it at all. A massive cylinder with leather sealed piston inside soon eased itself into action and now the car – as heavy as a Normale- will stop a lot more quickly than a Normale..

Here you see the car at Brooklands museum (Weybridge) on its very first run out . Your £10 admission allows you prowl around everything in the museum including the aircraft you see in the background. It is an additional £5 (or so) for a proper tour of the interior of Concorde

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Below the 12/24 with 4 up at the National Rally. Engine is 1539 cc side valve pushing out magnificent 24 hp so – not too quick off the lights…. That number plate is the original hand painted one. It is a Bristol number and despite its age and history, the car has kept its registration plates along with a lot of other small but important details. The “calormeter” on top of the radiator is as rare as hen’s teeth. The brass, nickel plated hub caps are also extremely rare. The handed and labelled (G et D) wheel nuts are impossible to find. The Marchal headlamps with sidelights built in appear at Bonhams occasionally and that Auster screen was a period accessory usually found only on Rolls Royces, Sunbeams etc. . Incidentally, despite sidelights in the headlamps English law of the day required sidelights on the wings hence , “HU” boasts four sidelights. No stop lights mind you. They had not been invented in 1927 ❗ .

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To see some more of Brooklands, these links will give you a flavour…

1)
A recent event to celebrate the closing of Brooklands at the outbreak of war. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1oylezg0q80yzwv/AAC9OZXgvHKsS9n-Idz1Uk6Za

2)
An earlier event this year to celebrate the Double 12 races. Two races each of 12 hours long were run with a short break between them. That was the time of the big Bentleys charging around the track, dangerously near the top of the banking. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wm4wnbnykw47b5g/AAAUJqMWToIMYRgt64feNgFoa