New member in California (and sometimes in France)

[Dick NyquistParticipant]

Hello. I’m a new member.  My name is Richard (Dick) Nyquist.  I live in northern California. I’ve had quite a few cars over the last 60+ years including a few Citroens.  I recently  bought a 1954 light 15 and I have a few questions about it. I hope to draw on the wisdom of the other Traction Owners. For example, our light 15 spent an unknown period of time in Rhodesia.  To my eye the interior upholstery seem not original. I would very much like to see photos of proper original  seats and seat details and even a few major dimensions.  //Thank you // Dick Nyquist

[Larry LewisParticipant]

Hi Dick- If you bought that car from Rod Pick in San Clemente, you have my old Light 15- Let me know if you do.

[Dick NyquistParticipant]

Hello Larry,

Hello Larry,  I bought the car from John Taylor in Healdsburg, Ca.  (We are now just a few miles away in Santa Rosa.) I know that John had the car for several years.  I don’t know who the previous owners were.  Where are you located?  This car has many mysteries.  If this is your old car I would very much like to ask you about it.    Many thanks // Dick Nyquist

[Larry LewisParticipant]

Hi Dick- I am in Toronto, Canada. That car isn’t my old Light 15- mine had red wheels and an outside sun visor from Durban, S.A. and a roof rack. It was on the Bring a Trailer website last year. You might be able to find it there. I winder just how many Slough-built cars are in North America. Supposedly left hand drive Slough cars were sold in Canada but I’ve never seen one. There is a guy in Montreal with a 1955 Slough 6 hydraulic that was restored by John Gillard. That guy also has 15 other 15/6Hs as well as a sport biplane, a helicopter and 3 mistresses.

[Dick NyquistParticipant]

Hello Larry, It is a very small world after all. Seeing your Toronto location I went diving in a small pile of paper work that came to me with the traction. Here is what I found:

1 A bill of sale from Mr Robert Anderson of Oakville, Onterio to John Taylor, Healdsburg, Ca (my previous owner)

2 A work invoice for a rebuilt engine from Raymond European Cars, Toronto, Onterio to. R. Anderson. Dated Feb10, 1983

3 Paper from the Reserve Bank Of Salisbury for Robert Anderson emigrating to (emigrating to Canada) Taking personal belongings.

4 Government of Zimbabwe “Exemption Certificate Receipt” for vehical reg 157300C. (our reg number) Dated 30-9-82

That’s about all that seem germane, Larry. I realize Toranto is a large city but I wonder is Robert Anderson a name you recognize as a fellow Traction owner there? Thanks // Dick

[Larry LewisParticipant]

No, I don’t know the name of Robert Anderson, but I do recall Raymond- His was the last garage that worked on Citroens in Toronto. Our club now has all of his old Citroen factory tools for members to use. My Light 15 came to Quebec by way of South Africa, then Botswana. It was owned by a Canadian mining engineer and he had a 48 light 15 as well as the 54 and returned to Canada in 1976 or so. Here’s the story- Our club president George got a call back in 2005 from a lady who had the 48 in her basement since about 1980, her husband had died and she wanted it out. George called me, we went over and there it was, in the basement through two sliding glass doors. We did what it needed to get it roadable and it eventually was sold to a guy in Edmonton. While we were finishing the car up, she said she had another one in a barn in Quebec near Ottawa.

We went to take a look at it. It was on the second floor of a genuine barn. The ramp to the second floor was long gone and the car was trapped. She said that if we get the car out, it was ours for nothing, plus the remains of a third Light 15 that consisted of crates of parts. A lot of crazy schemes to get the car out were discussed, but I contacted a construction company who built a bridge and dragged the car out. It was a long-time mouse nest and when the sun hit the roof, yow-the stink! There was at least 50 pounds of mouse “debris” in it. We trailered it back to Toronto where I got it running and able to pass the safety test, similar to an M.O.T. I put in a later short block as the original had some scary noises coming out of it. I also rewired it, tires, brakes, shocks but left the body alone. I liked it with its flaking paint, dents and so forth. A lot of patina, that’s for sure. It had insurance stickers on the windshield from a company in Botswana and a sticker from Kruger National Park in S.A. A few years later some young idiot crashed into the rear end and insurance paid to restore the body and there was enough money left over to re-do the seats in leather. I kept it for a few more years and then sold it as I needed a new project car and it ended up in San Clemente, CA.

 

[Dick NyquistParticipant]

Hello Larry
Thanks for the info. If you find yourself back in California I’d be happy to buy you a pint. //Dick

[Larry LewisParticipant]

Buy you one myself- cheers!

[Larry LewisParticipant]

Here’s my old Light 15 on the Bring a Trailer website when it sold last year. Nice, isn’t it?

 

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1954-citroen-traction-avant-2/

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