1955 Traction 11B "Barn Find" Project

I went and bought an Eezibleed kit as the one we had seems to have disappeared 😕 Put it on as the instructions (20PSI off my Dyane spare ) and the fluid rushes into the Master Cylinder.

Went to the rear right brake drum, opened the bleed nipple expecting it to gush out (I have used this kit before on my son’s mini) but just a slight trickle. This cannot be right.

So off comes the NEW master cylinder and I open it up to compare to the old one. I did measure the plunger orifice too and the new one is 44mm long and the old one is 46mm so not sure if that could make any difference ❓

But when I opened up the new I had a few too many parts floating around in side. The little non return valve had unriveted itself and the spring and holed disk were just rattling in the chamber. Hence the pedal going solid and no liquid able to exit the master cylinder.

Not too happy but I have my old (new replacement non return) part from the old Master Cylinder that I will put in now and try.

[attachment=0:182czavc]P1070449.jpg[/attachment:182czavc]

Yep this part is from CTA – I have sent them the picture and the problem.

BUT – VINNY IS BACK ON THE ROAD 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀

1st time on the road since 1970 (just been told by the last owner who we stopped by the house and tooted, hello!)

Got lots of questions as this is the first time I have driven a Citroen Traction (by myself). Took him over the petrol station and put in 30 litres and up comes 30 litres on the fuel gauge…so that works. Lots more work to do to get him tidy but for now, he is a running Traction again 😀

https://youtu.be/Ucsp6PdzF7A

[attachment=2:37b67zdj]IMG_1843.jpeg[/attachment:37b67zdj]

Here is the previous owner taking a look – all the family came out, joking how many babies were made int he back….. note to self, clean thoroughly 😆

[attachment=1:37b67zdj]IMG_1847.jpeg[/attachment:37b67zdj]

Parked outside his new home.

[attachment=0:37b67zdj]IMG_1849.jpg[/attachment:37b67zdj]

No stopping me now 😀

@OSL282 wrote:

Anyway, how does it feel to drive compared to the 2CV?

My wife, Julie, commented as we pulled up the small rise over the river “wow, it actually pulls up hill, not like the 2CV” 😆

It drives very nice – trouble is that I am listening out for everything to see if anything is going wrong. A van came from the other way and past us and flipped up some plastic rubbish from the road that hit the front of the car – straight away I pulled over thinking I had dropped the engine or the wheel had fallen off. I will be like this for a while I think – never built a car or engine from scratch before 😯

1st Question – when I pull of in1st gear the engine shudders, unless I put some revs on. Is this normal. It is a new clutch plate and maybe I am not revving enough.

Been for a few drives today – the brakes work well but pulled to the right so keep coming back to fine tune them. Still pulling a little but they are fine.

I have booked it in for its Controle Technique tomorrow morning at 09:00 so I have been busy getting it all ready. Set up the lights last night as per the book.

[attachment=2:2sfok6dn]P1070451.jpg[/attachment:2sfok6dn]

Then fitted a resistor to the LED for the alternator field current (charge light) – this worked perfectly.

[attachment=1:2sfok6dn]P1070456.jpeg[/attachment:2sfok6dn]
[attachment=0:2sfok6dn]P1070457.jpeg[/attachment:2sfok6dn]

Got the polisher out and started to polish up the bonnet and the roof. Lots of bare metal and bubbling paint but it makes it look a little better. Where there is good paint, it comes up like a mirror – will get on with this next year when it goes properly into paint. But for now – we will drive and enjoy 😀

Looking good, no doubt there will be those that complain that it’s ‘not original’ (like mine) but it’s your car so enjoy 😎

@tripyrenees wrote:

Mmmm, yes. I was slightly annoyed at a certain letter in this months FP on this subject.

Yes, but would they rather see a Traction left to rot, be broken for bits, or saved and put back on the road?

There are 2 schools of thought, leave a car as it was found, unrestored, but get it running or do a total renovation. If your going the 2nd route and spending your money, what’s wrong with adding in a few ‘improvements’ so that the car is safer/more appropriate to drive in today’s vastly changed traffic conditions from when the design was 1st conceived way back in the early 1930’s?

Outwardly the car looks no different to the original design and all the ‘upgrades’ are hidden ‘under the hood’ so no one except the nerds out there would notice 🙄

Anyway back on track, you need to get some kms on the clock before your ‘season’ starts so go and enjoy Andre’s wonderful creation.