Astonishing that the DS was designed in the early 1950s and launched in 1955. It must have looked like a spaceship to people when it first appeared. The phrase "ahead of its time" is really true of the DS. Adrian is right. A marriage of art and engineering.

The crank start thing was actually mandatory by law in France for a pretty long time, so many french cars had this.

Hey Car Wizard , your car is from 1969 , but the Citroen DS or ID , was launched in 1954 at the Salon de Paris auto show . Your car has a technology that in 1969 was already 15 years old ! Cheers from Portugal , I love your videos !

I absolutely love the DS. Way ahead of its time and it is definitely a classic car.

Great to see Adrian again! And yes... he very much should have a YT channel. Great to see more on the Citroën - that thing is going to be so amazing when sorted. It's also always funny to see people's reaction to them.

The DS in one of the finest cars ever made. Absolutely stunning

Hopefully there were five balls in there and not four. The four suspension balls probably need replacing (the nitrogen is your spring, as mentioned in the video) but the fifth ball is your pressure accumulator. If you have a well at home for your drinking water you know there’s a pressure tank to go along with the pump. Same thing. And that’s the one that definitely is busted and is causing the pump to cycle on and off all the time.

I enjoyed this one! The Citroen is such a cool car and I think I'd pay the Bug Ninja just to read the owners manual out loud. What a great voice he has!

By the way, the single spoke steering wheel is a safety feature. If you hit it with your head or body it will flex. I also believe they were the first to have a padded dash as well. I grew up with a British engineer father. He always thought these cars were brilliant. He set the garage floor on fire and drove the car out on 3 wheels. It was different time for sure.

I can see this DS being a flagship of preservation and example of restoration. Please bring us along for the ride.

It's good to see the Bug Ninja back in the shop! He brings an interesting viewpoint to the mix with all of his automotive experience and expertise, along with a good sense of humor!

Absolutely loving the tech side to this vehicle but his face when he kicked the crank. Keep them coming

Wizard this car seems to be making you genuinely happy. Fun to follow you in this adventure.

On mine the front "suspension" took 15 minutes for two spheres, 1 hour each for rear and new rubbers and about 20 minutes for the master sphere. Total time was just over 3 hours for a full suspension rebuild :) The stalk in the right is a twist for the lights (pull for main beam). Mine is a BVH, so no clutch. You are missing the rear view mirror. That sits on the dashboard as if it was on the roof you wouldn't see anything.

Greetings from England. The DS logo is actually a French pun. These wonderful vehicles, way ahead of their time, have an incredible suspension (I first drove one in 1969 in France on holiday). Since the car ‘drives like a goddess’, Citroen chose two letters that, pronounced in French, are exactly the same. In French, goddess is ‘déesse’ (near enough to day-ess) and the letters ‘DS’ are pronounced the same (again, near enough to day-ess). 👍🇬🇧👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿👍🇺🇸👍🇫🇷👍

One of the most classic cars ever made. So glad you were able to get parts. This car is a keeper.

Wizard: Nice to hear that you learned about the importance of how the oil filter is installed. Just keep yourself in the same mind set with everything else. They are not hard to work on. Just different. So be aware of the arrows on the oil filter cap and also, the rear suspension boots: Don´t just do it the "obvious" way. On the "rod side" they should be mounted kinda "inside out". And you have to use ligarex bands. There are many peoples to ask even if most of us are in the EU. And you will find that DS folks usually love to help out the newbies. And for every step you talk, you come closer to a very nice place to be, in the best car ever made. Yes I said it. It´s the best car in the world. After 30 years of owning classic DS´s I can safely say it´s the most reliable car there is. The things that matter are really crazy over-engineered. You just have to re-learn some stuff. But it´s at least fun stuff you are learning.

Fun Fact: The suspension is exactly why they use Citroens exclusively for filming horse racing, even to this day!

Back in the early 70's backpacking in Europe hitchhiking, I was picked up is a DS. I remember the ride even today, the most comfortable car I have ever been in. You melted into the seats. Incredible comfort.

The front wheels pivot about an axis that is dead centre of the tyre so if you hit a large puddle or bump the steering carries on straight ahead. You can sum it up that Citroen decided to make a car the way they thought a car should work and not follow convention. I have one in the same colour scheme. ❤

That DS is one of the most beautiful, and weirdest cars in the world. However, one the most comfortable. Adrian is back!😊

Also would've been good to mention the driving ability of the Citroen because it reacts to brake inputs by dropping down the back end of the car to stop weight transfer which helps it stop way better than anything else. Love to see you and Bug Ninja take it out for a test drive when you get it sorted.😃

The first time I've seen Adrian and he knows alot and isn't ashamed to say he hasn't seen something before. He has the voice of a good teacher and I agree he needs a channel. When I was 18 and started my first job in oil and gas my boss had a 1989 Bentley Turbo R. This is when I first learned about the spheres. The back end of the Bentley was dropping so as the newest employee and maybe he saw I was interested I had to climb in the boot "trunk" and strip back to get to the spheres. They were a darker more military 🪖 green but in bright red was the Citreon logo chevron. #Wizard you say Citreon correctly. An interesting fact for you. The British hoarse racing was filmed with cameras mounted on these for decades because the were so smooth over bumps. Other countries may have as well. I learned that on one of Jeremy Clarksons programs celebrating this car. James may also done a piece for the DS/Goddess being the greatest car of all time.

I am South African, 77, from Port Elizabeth, and the Citroen DS and ID19, was a smash hit in South Africa in the 60,s and 70,s. Incredibly smooth ride with hydraulic suspension, and incredibly comfy big seats. Way ahead of it,s time or anything else in the market. You forgot to mention that the spare wheel was in the front of the radiator in the engine compartment. The spare sat at an angle. 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦

I also love the placement of the spare wheel. You can get at it without having to lie down on the ground and get dirty, and without unloading all of your luggage first.

This was a great video, Car Wizard! Thank you for having another auto compatriot there with you to review this car and what it will take to get it back on the road again. I look forward to seeing more about this Citroen as you complete the work and take it for a drive.

The car wizard and his wife along with Adrian ,Jay Leno,Tyler Hoover (to name but few) should be on the friends list of everyone into automobiles and national treasures for their knowledge and attitudes. Continue the great work everyone.

Citroen always followed a different drummer, and I’m fascinated by them. They’re such a contrast to modern cars, where similarity seems to be the rule.

I have been looking at this video carefully. What you have is a very fine example of a Citroen, Enjoy it.

It's really cool to see car guys, in thier natural habitat, keep'em rollin'!!!

I'm so happy to see Wizard engaging with this car, he was like a kid at Xmas opening presents when going thru the boxes of new parts.

As a 70+ year old Alfa enthusiast, the 5 Alfas I owned and worked on, this is a similar devotion to a mark. Enjoyed rebuilding transmissions, engines, brakes, autocrossing and enjoying the rewards of working on my cars over the years. Club and friends made all the difference in enjoying your favorite mark of car.

A very worthwhile restoration project. When completed, people will be thrilled by going for a ride in it - especially down a dirt track! Do try and keep the car as original as possible. One thing you will notice after driving it, is that any other car is uncomfortable!

I love this car! It was nicknamed "Shark" back in Yugoslavia.

These were immensely popular in outback Australia because of their ride. They are still popular here and there is a strong support mechanism. And I say this as an ex Citroen owner and BMW restorer.

Great to see the Bug Wizard again, and love this car. Love how there are different design solutions to the same needs.

Should seek out some Euro spec headlamps with pivoting driving lights .

Love the Bug Ninja! Very thoughtful choice of words when he speaks.

Hey Car Wizard. Another great video. I could watch videos with you and Bug Ninja all day long. You both have a wealth of knowledge that I wish could be shared with younger mechanics to keep the industry strong for decades to come.

"More balls than you know what to do with" takes on a whole new meaning! I think keeping that car on the road is a good thing. Thank you for your passion! Hi Adrian! 👋

Absolutely love these cars. Too much emphasis today on firm 'sport' suspension and too little on actual comfort . Can't wait to see yours fully sorted. 👍

Dude is me favorite guest. Just Like you started as a guest for Hoovie, I hope "Bug Ninja" starts his own channel, I'd watch it.

My Dad owned one the last two or three years my brother and I were in high school, around '70-'72, in South Jersey. My friend Ron remembered we had one and sent me this link. That really took me down memory lane and I learned so much about how it operated. I remember shifting on the column and how it went up and down. It was so easy to drive and was as comfortable as you commented. I remember when they introduced the sports model which I think was actually called an SM. I think the headlights adjusted for going around curves so you could see what was there sooner. I'm not sure if it was ever approved for the U.S. Truly engineering marvels and just like Dick Tracy and Star Trek, they are becoming reality now. Thank you for the video and I'm going to look to see if you do a video after all of the repairs are done and you take it out on the road. Two thumbs up!!

Looking forward to seeing all those parts fitted 👍

just so you know: you have a pretty solid survivor DS there! just repair it as decent as you can and enjoy it! you'll be one of the few people having the opportunity to experience this gem. (still don't understand hoovie)

Most of all the quirkiness is down, mainly, to make a car that is extraordinarily safe to drive (in the 50's and 60') through: Low center of gravity, optimal weight distribution thanks to the hydraulics and chassis geometry, height pressure hydraulic brakes with extremely short throw for faster engagement, center point steering (center mounted hub pivot points), one-spoke force deflecting hubless steering wheel, headlights always correctly height adjusted, aerodymically stable trough tapered body shape, inboard disc brakes and light weight wheels/hubs for better road grip (higher frequency), gas/hydraulic springing with progressive dampers... and so on. All of it topped of with front wheel drive and very high level of comfort. Love this video!

Wizard, thanks for bringing back the Bug Ninja. He is very chill and his automotive knowledge seems endless. More!

Hi Wiz, I drove one these back in the 80’s, great car, yes best ride ever. You got me thinking of all the times I replaced springs and shocks well over a 1000 in parts plus labour 500. Great move getting this car.👏

The Wizard loves this car, and loves showing it off. I'm happy he's working to restore it to being a reliable driver, not a garage queen PS: it's always great to hear the Bug Ninja's thoughts about the car

You forget about the advancements in safety this car brought to the world! Thanks for showing us your french treasure!

I remember seeing one of these as a kid walking home with my brother, it was new then 1969. We have here two gentleman with a passion for cars with voices that are polar opposite! Funny to listen to.

I agree the innovation in the DS is incredible

Thank you Wizard! I love this car and loved the Bug Ninja's reaction. I would really like to see how the inboard brakes come apart when it comes time!

The Citroen DS 21/23 is just gorgeous, with absolutely amazing engineering. Would love to own one, but finding one in good shape is like trying to find a unicorn.

I just love this thing. It’s beautiful, quirky, full of technology wizardry. Cars nowadays don’t even come close to the timeless shapes of this simple Citroen.

Can't wait to see it fully repaired and on the road. Hopefully you will have a driving video on it. 👍

I was thrilled when I saw that you made another video about this car. After seeing your first video I did some research on the Citroen. It is, as you point out, an amazing engineering feat, with innovative and timeless features.. I like that it is considered by many to be the most comfortable car ever built. I look forward to future videos you post as you install all of the parts you have purchased.

Love hearing the wizard and the ninja nerd out about this car, i actually didnt even watch the vid but just listened to it during a walk and loved it

Awesome video! I have a Citroen DS in the exact same colour. 1974 model. Shout out from South Africa!

I love a nice DS, the ride is second to none. Your car Will benefit with the correct Michelin XAS tyres.

I love the Bug Ninja glad he's back in another video wizard keep up the good work

As somebody who grew up with Citroen cars I really enjoy watching you re-discover the cool engineering that made these cars interesting.

CRANKSTART --- did you know that even a citroen BX, built until 1994, could be startet this way. "1920 style", by hand. I used to own three BXs back in the 90ties. Great memories. UZ from Switzerland.

That kick start was like seeing a half-court shot go in!

Put the Euro front lights on it

28:16 Your friend pointed out a main theme of Citroen manufacture and that was safety. The single spoke wheel so the instruments are always visible. Controls on the column so the drivers hands never have to leave the steering wheel. On the semi automatic it can shifted with two fingers off the top of the wheel. All of this innovation in 1959 long before it was thought of anywhere else. It’s nice to see a skilled and enthusiastic mechanic take this on when so many DS are scrapped cause of fear or not understanding. Here in Canada the road salt took care of them. Good luck Wizard you’ve got the brains and the(green) balls to fix it.

I'm so glad the car ended up with you, Wizard! I know it'll get the love it deserves!

Thanks Wizard for this Video showing the Citroën legacy. Similar technology Citroën were the GS, CX and BX, but further developments with the help of electronics were the XM (looks like an UFO) C5 and C6 (which had 6 "balls" as "hydractive" to adjust flexibility), and the Xantia Activa V6 that used the hydraulics as active body roll which is a unique car in the world for its handling (the car would change its balance in corners to increase grip, so probably a unique future collector)

I remember seeing a few of these in the 1970s in northern Michigan (during the summer!), and was always attracted to them - but had no idea how different they are from "normal" cars. Thanks for the grand tour of its layout and engineering.

20:23 ... Chewy box ("Where pet lovers shop"): lol

I recall that adjusting the handbrake when you put new pads in is a bit of a pain unless you have the factory tool whereupon it becomes very easy. I did it using a large phillips screw driver but the local agent (who had many of these cars retained for spare parts) showed me the double jointed tool that made it a breeze from top side. I learned a few expensive lessons maintaining mine (don't overheat it and warp the head - its not meant to be resurfaced according to the manual I had) but I liked it - when it was going.

I grew up in the '50s really admiring European cars because of their unique engineering and craftmanship. In 1959, I had a chance to sit (not drive, unfortunatly) in a DS-19 and found the seats to be SUPREMELY comfortable, more comfortable than ANY car I had sat in. There are a few things about this that I would like to share. The Citroen DS/ID-19 is among the safest cars ever produced, it has the LOWEST FATALITY rate per mile driven of any car. The passenger compartment is a "space frame" reinforced design, contrary to what Mrs. Wizard said about the pillars "looking rather fragile". The missing spare tire in your car would act a sort of "crush zone" in a front impact, the engine is designed to "slide" under the car in a front impact, further ptotecting the passengers. The inboard disc brakes reduce the "unsprung weight" to help enhance the superb ride quality and help the handling of this vehicle, just like the original Shelby Cobra. There was a YT video uploaded 7 days ago by "TFL Classics" that was meant to dispell the "reliability myth" of this French car, going into great detail about all it's quirks. Very interesting viewing for anyone wanting to know ALL about these cars!

Bug ninja is a great guest. I always enjoy having him show up!

always liked citroens...neat cars...drove an SM once...it was terrific.

I'd love to see Wizard react to a 2CV... I love these old Citroens

Great to have a contact who is passionate about the car and willing to lend his expertise and part sources!

Hey Mr Wizard, I'm surprised you didn't mention the following "quirks":- The hydraulics not only work the suspension but the brakes and the steering as well. The brake pedal is actually a button on the floor that you can operate with your big toe and, if you "jam on" the brakes and you're not wearing seatbelts, you'll very likely go through the windscreen. While there's pressure in the system you have power steering but, if the pressure drops below a certain level, the steering pinion drops onto a rack so you can still guide the car along. The hand brake (I think you call it the emergency in the US) operates on the front discs, not the rear wheels, possibly why the calipers are so big. To change a wheel, you get the car on max height, stick the "jack" (which is a length of metal with a fixed arm at one end) into a slot in the lower side of the car and then set the car on the lowest setting. The wheels on that side of the car will then come to rest above the ground making for easy removal. I had a DS Familiale for a while, basically an estate but with the rear seat set further back so jump seats could be fitted between the front and rear seats. Luggage space was still large despite this arrangement; the normal estate had a cavernous luggage compartment though. That car is great on twisty roads, you can throw it into corners with near on gay abandon without any consequences. I eventually had to part company with it as it needed attention that I could not afford at the time but I will forever be grateful for the experience of having driven it.

I like the grease fittings on the CV joint.

You pronounce Citroen correctly Wizard lol. Absolutely love this thing because it is so unusual and quirky.. and I’m so pleased it fell into your very capable hands and it’s getting the intelligence and love it deserves! Isn’t how ironic that all the self-levelling tech is mainstream on modern SUVs and big cars but funnily enough, they’re on the whole less reliable than this 60+yo Citroen 🤣 and I guarantee they won’t survive as long as this DS has

Bug Ninja is a seriously articulate communicator, Thanks!

I'm not a great fan of older cars but a Citroen DS and a Jaguar XJC would be my dream classic garage.

You should look up the London to Sydney motor race over some of the roughest roads known to man. Citroen won that race I think a number of times.

Hey Wizard & Mrs Wizard, I love the Citroen!!! It's so quirky it's cool!!! Thanks for sharing this exciting video!!! 👍👍🙂

20:27 Exactly what I was thinking about the knowledge base for old cars. People need to share and document what they know. They are a valuable resource.

This was fascinating! Thank you for letting us share it with you!

Cool car

Ever since I first drove one years ago I've considered the Citroen DS to be the Tucker 48 that actually was mass produced. Brilliant cars! I've never understood why they didn't sell well outside of France but I'm glad a few escaped to the US.

It's so cool that an expert in Citroens reached out to you to offer you those parts! That's some true passion for the cars.

I am glad you will take such a good care of this timeless beauty.

wow 4k in parts - the Wizard scored very well on the prices - I know how much the stuff cost due to friends owning Citroëns back in the 1980s and 1990s because the cars used the same systems - Back in the days when the French government owned the Citroën company they used to subsidize the price of new cars but not the spare parts so spare parts where even more expensive so parts where very much a sticker shock

LOL, from what i have heard Jay Leno doesn't own a single Ferrari on principle.

Love that look he gave the car at 5:34... right before "you gotta be kidding me".

As a french i can only be delighted that you're going to make this old lady road worthy for years to come

seeing it again ---- you got a great deal there. This car looks relatively rust free. When you get it fixed up i bet you wont ever sell it. The reguator always clicks it is how it regulates the pressure; i hope you dont drive it on the highest level of the suspension. You keep sayng 1960s --- the car ws first released in 1955 in DS version and as yours ID 1957. Had cars with this suspension and done over 300,000 miles one car and no suspension issues --- just have to do basic maintance. Remember there is a return (low pressure) from the suspension cylinder; on the rear if the boot is not good then they will leak this return oil. Is your car a DS or an ID; does it have the hydrolc power steering ? In late 1967, for the 1968 model year, the DS and ID was again restyled, by Robert Opron and has directionl inner headlights . The comments posted on this, just go to show most American have no idea about cars designed and used in Europe, the technology on the Citroen is not advanced at all, its well tried and tested; near 10 million cars with suspension most in Europe ie DS/ID, CX, XM, BX, GS/GSA, SM, C5, C6 Drive all except the C6 and SM and none have ever had a suspension failure. As for 'fiberglass' wings -- what rubbish and the single spoke steering wheel was a safty feature year ahead of American Cars. What they did do was one-piece wheels were made of carbon-reinforced resin, introduced for rally events . Total amount of ID/DS's built is 1.456.115 not as stated 2 million

Looking at the shape of the dashboard I think this is not a DS but an ID, which is a simplified version of a DS, a '69 DS has a more curved dashboard but the main difference is the brake system, ID has a normal shaped brake pedal, DS a mushroom shaped knob At least this is the case for European models, USA specs might be different

When we were kids back in the seventies here in New Zealand we had a builder down the road that had a Station wagon(s) as his company vehicle for his construction business. Few years back he still had Citroëns at his house. Great for carrying those loads in the back suppose. I remember they had an ad late seventies with a baby elephant in the back.

Looking Forward to watch more of this car.

Ive never seen your guest before, he was was great, very knowledgeable, definitely a well versed car guy. Great video Wizard.

This is not a 3 speed but 4. All DS/ID had 4 speed gearboxes, with a 5 speed option after 1971. This one got a dashboard from a Citroën ID and not DS. But the chrome interior doors handle, the grey windscreen seal, and the capitoned doors are from a DS. I had a few of those in France and I still got a 1967 one, but US export market models where differents so I don't know if all this is genuine or not.

Finally some content with the Frenchie! Keep it coming!