Early Traction 3 piece spare wheel covers

[Graham TulettParticipant]

Hi, Do any of the members have an early traction -’34 ’35 ’36,fitted with the 140 x 40 “stop ” wheels and which has the 3 piece spare wheel cover, (with no bolt hole in the centre of the hubcaps), who would be prepared to take photos of the cover and how its fitted, so that I can have one  made here in NZ. I do have some plans which are in French, and a little too complicated for my old brain. Any photos, diagrams, drawings or advice would be most appreciated.

Best Regards

Graham Tulett

Rolleston

New Zealand

 

 

[David SelfridgeParticipant]

Hi Graham

Sorry no member answered your post, I don’t know if anyone in the UK  has a 1934, 35, 36 Traction, my car is 1938 Light 12. Your car must be very rare, would it be possible to share with the forum a few more details, where did you purchase, condition, work done and work to do. The Forum & I would be very interested to see photos of the car even if restoration work has not yet started, I think this car would be quite a topic for discussion and I look forward to your future  posts.

Best Wishes

Davy

 

 

[David SelfridgeParticipant]

Sorry Graham, just remembered I have a few photos taken off the internet some time ago, might be some help.

Regards

Davy

[Graham TulettParticipant]

Thanks for your reply Davy. My car is a ’35 7c roadster. The first half of the construction of the car was in France and the 2nd half in England.That was so taxes could be claimed from both countries
I believe it was built around late September/early October. it has a worm & roller Gemmer steering box, a steel dash, twin petrol fillers leather upholstery etc.I have owned the car since 1970. I’ll include som pics of the car and if anybody is interested in more photos or info about the car, I’d be happy to oblige.
Regards
Graham

[Graham TulettParticipant]

I Also have a ’38 lt 15 Davy
Cheers

[David SelfridgeParticipant]

Hi Graham

Thanks for the Photographs and the experience, two very lovely cars, a credit to you for completing to a very high standard the restoration of your Roadster. Both cars are Righthand Drive, lovely steering wheel and very, very well fitted carpets, “Fantastic.”

I have saved the photos to my albums to show to all my Citroen friends. You must be a fully baptised Citroen enthusiast with Chevrons running through your veins to have spent the long years, and long hours, required for the completion of this restoration.

My Light 12 came of the Slough Production Line August 1938. A similar car to yours exists in England owned by a member of the TOC, perhaps I could try and put you in contact with him,  his name is Mick Polka,

Thanks Again for Sharing, Davy

 

[David FaulknerParticipant]

A similar car to yours exists in England owned by a member of the TOC, perhaps I could try and put you in contact with him,  his name is Mick Polka,

Micks car is a 1939, restoration images are online https://www.flickr.com/photos/mick_popka/albums/72157629091651700 which may, or may not help. There is another album about the car on the same server

[David SelfridgeParticipant]

Thanks Dave, this should be a great help to Graham and I enjoyed looking at the Pics, Sorry Mick for spelling your surname wrong.

Cheers, Davy

[Graham TulettParticipant]

Thank you both for your advice. Yes I know Mick through a number of Facebook groups for  Citroen enthusiasts that I belong to. The 3 piece spare wheel cover was fitted to the sedans prior to the opening  bootlid being fitted, and I believe, to the coupes and roadsters  until thePilote wheels were used in ’37.

Approximately 6 of around 23  surviving Slough built roadsters are here in NZ. Not all are restored.

Best Regards

Graham Tulett

 

[David FaulknerParticipant]

Ah, I seem to remember that Tony Mathers car is an early one with no boot lid (the rear seat swings up to give access to the boot area) – I’ve e mailed him for confirmation/possible help but in the meantime I took a picture of a 1935 Roadster at the 80th in 2014, is this what your looking for?

[David FaulknerParticipant]

Heard back from Tony and hios car is a 1937 with the swinging seat back, but an opening boot, so is maybe a “crossover” car.

Nothing in the world of Citroen is straightforward 🙂

[Graham TulettParticipant]

Yes David, The cover on that lovely French Roadster is the type that I’m looking to copy. The cover completely encompasses the spare. I think that many owners replaced the original wheels with the pilote wheels, and changed the spare wheel cover as well. You can see my car is fitted with the pilote wheels,but I do have the original wheels ready to put on, once I have the cover.

Best Regards

Graham

 

 

[David FaulknerParticipant]

Graham I was talking to James Geddes today  who confirmed that cover is 3 piece, the chrome band holds it together.

However he had a warning, the ‘New’ Comfort tyres now available for the ‘Stop’ wheels are actually larger than the original 1930’s ones (Michelin claim they aren’t but James and John Gillard are, from experience,  adamant that they are so don’t fit under an original size cover so if you do get one made, make sure it’s for a modern tyre, not an original 1930’s one as when you come to replace them in the future, the cover won’t fit.

 

[Graham TulettParticipant]

My intention is to use the spare wheel cover I already have for the outer section David, and have it adapted. The 140 x 40 tyres are not available  in NZ but the 165 x 400 tyres have been used successfully on the “stop” wheels here. Yes I have heard there are fibreglass replicas of the spare wheel covers available but there is a problem with them fitting a modern tyre.  I am very interested to know about the Early Slough built tractions (or lack of) in the UK. Are there really few or even none left.             My roadster is the oldest traction in NZ, and it appears to be the oldest  surviving Slough  built roadster in the world.

Best Regards

Graham

 

[ChrisParticipant]

Graham and all,

This is fascinating! Thanks for sharing.

You may already be aware – Jerome Collignon’s site https://jeromecollignon.blog4ever.com/identifier-un-roadster-traction is all about early Tractions and he has a section on early roadsters. It’s really about the French cars and it may or may not have some answers. It’s a great place to get lost for a few hours anyway.

Chris

[Author]

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