If you observe the shutlines a little more closely ,especially around the rear doors in this monocoque structure it will immediately become apparent that the gaps are unseemly ,and indeed not uniform: This is indicative of hull distortion/failure , to which the Traction Avant has been prone since its 1934 inception. This is the result of water accumulation in the curved confines of the boat-like hull, which blocked drainage vents have precipitated : Slough built cars are more prone to this than the French built models, reputedly the result of the British models use of inferior quality steel. This is frequently a contentious and specious argument : Any restoration will perforce entail comprehensive straightening and truing of the shell before reinforcement and repair of the rusted inner structures : Having run 3 of these gems, starting with a 1937 12/8 model , and later Slough built Light 15's of small boot and big boot configuration in the late 1950's and early /mid 1960's , I was well aware of the consequences of weakened hulls ... Priority must be given to restored structural integrity and its visual enhancement before the first spanners are turned on mechanical components ....and don't forget to replace those clunky Light 15 universal joints with later ID19 constant velocity joints : Je vous souhaite 'Bon Chance' !

No windshield wipers?

My dad,who usually had Austins,Vauxhalls etc went all avant garde and bought a 3 year old 1975 1220 Club,in bright orange with matching interior.Was my favourite of all his cars,and was reliable,untilrust unfortunately took hold a few years later.Would love to have one,or a GSA X3(if you can still find mint ones).

You pronounce AMI slightly wrong .

Interesting video-use a professional microphone !!

You popped over the speed bump at 30 mph but the speed limit was 20 mph .

I had a 1978 GS PALLAS, A fantastic car. Actually 1222 cc From Edward.

Just found this! What a great video. My life with Citroën includes 2CV's, BX'es, CX'es but unfortunately not the GS. I've loved them all for the reasons you mention and many more. Citroën has been designing cars with active safety since the early 1930'ies, long before it was even a talking point.. Too bad it hasn't been recognized... even today. Thank you for the trip - lovely👍

I love these. I have four of them. 👍

Doesnt look like it needs restoration!

I've got an Ami 8 and I drive it to work twice a week, and I absolutely love it. 10k kms a year is what I do with it.

You pronounce Ami as the French would say the word meaning friend .

What a legendary car...

From across the pond. Was totally taken with Traction Avant from watching films of the 30's and 40's ( possibly the Cross of St. Lorine or Casbah). Good luck on your project. Narragansett Bay

Wonderful! That’s One of the last 2cv AZS produced in Forest (Belgium) Rare right hand drive

absolutely

Had several of these in my younger days when you could pick them up cheap, even paid one guy £20 for one and he fetched the engine and battery from under the stairs, it had been in his garden for quite a few years but a couple hours later we drove it home. We drove them all over the Uk and the continent and never had one let us down. They were as mad as a box of frogs with their quirky engineering but amazingly comfortable and also retained the off-road capabilities of the early 2cv. In snow and ice, they really are brilliant and we had a lot of that back then so knew we could always get about even when others could not. Rust killed most of them sadly though we did manage to break one in half loaded with flagstones, still drove home in it though we could not get the doors open. Love every minute of them and sad to say they are few and far between these days.

Only the English Traction avant had a wood in the inside on doors and dashboard. The first Citroen to get a little bit of wood in the doors where the CX MK2 top spec models. Some Citroënistes consider the CX to be the really first Citroen to have large pieces of wood inside.

J'adore, merci.🥰👍

Did you shoot any footage of the restoration? Id love to see the process.

Love Citroens an this very quirky Ami 6…..such a special little car 😎👌🏽

I badly wanted one of these when I was a teenager. And still do!

Ami has the emphasis on the ‘I ‘ as you would pronounce Ami meaning French for friend .

You don

Great video. Very nostalgic for me as I learnt to drive in my dad's Ami 8 estate. It was our family car and the extra space transported all sorts of things with ease. I remember it as a very good car and clearly it is. Thank you

I can see aspects of it's British build. I've owned Wolseley 6/90's and the interior door handles look identical, so does the door trim material, and the of course there's all the wood. The passenger wiper knob looks a lot like a Rover P4 freewheel knob too.

It’s AMEEEEEE.

Not quite pronounced correctly , it should be the French for friend . I have a pale blue one .

I had a 1971 model with the smaller engine. It was only three years old at the time. That suspension was amazing and it should still be produced! In the case of mine, it had a bad carburetor. I never really knew whether it would start.

How to shift gears?? picture below amperes gauge shows something different, than this that I see watching driver doing

Indeed the car is wonderful, but if you like it, of course the engine will be different, but try the CX.

I certainly loved mine, it got replaced by a Mk 3 Escort company car. The Ami could have taught it a lot.

Basil moment,😂 "the were, the war"

Fabulous ❤ mine is a 1977 model with reclining front seats and wind up front windows . Love it .

Is it a c-matic ?

Nice to see a video with roads I recognise! Didn't they also offer a hatchback version of the Traction Avant? Can't remember if I read that or dreamt it.

Pinnacle of the automobile, seriously! Cars never should’ve been made faster than these were. We wouldn’t need the expensive and heavy safety features of new cars. People would be more careful about their speed. We wouldn’t need these complicated fuel-saving measures that add expensive points of failure. What’s that? Want to travel faster? Well top speeds should limit sprawl to a degree. Oh, you want to travel further? Want more creature comforts?? Take the train!

Right hand drive, so does that make it a Slough built car ?

Thank you for the video! Your passion for old Citroëns is very contagious. In fact, I am planning to buy a Dyane 6, and I would really love to see a test if you ever take one on the road! Cheers from France

You are driving faster than I can cycle.

Pedestrians amazed you dont slow for speed humps!

Drives very nicely I see.......not many vintage cars would go so well.

I used to have a 1970's GS 1220 Club back in 1994. It was a left-hand drive car, a bit scruffy, for which I paid £240 , banger money in those days. It had only covered about 62,000 kms ( about 37k miles). I drove it from Calais to Valencia in Spain in 29 hours . The return trip went without problem apart from a clean of the carburettor jets which succumbed to clogging due to dust in the petrol. Driving it was just as you described. Wonderful, willing and reliable car.

An amazing car. Yes it would look good varnished wood, a shame to cover it with paint, especially black! It looks to be great fun to drive. Maybe not in your winters. 👍

I believe some of the very late cars were fitted with the hydro-pneumatic suspension on the rear, to prove the system in production cars just before the release of the incredible DS.

It would be a great car to own now you have sorted it. 👏

Been promising myself a 2CV but now I'm not sure.... Ami8 looks to be better value for money

So so far ahead of the competition.. Still love Citroën.

I totally agree. Best small car ever made with safety, ride, handling & comfort not seen since. I had a 1015 C matic, 1220 manual, 1220 Wagon C Matic and leased a 1982 GSX 1 1299 cc 5 speed for 3 weeks in Europe, with 2 Aussie mates while my 1982 2CV6 Charleston was being shipped from Belgium to Halifax in Canada. Cruised at 150 kph in the GSX in Europe and 140 kph in the 1220 manual in Australia. Dad bought a GS 1220 C matic and 3 years later gave it to mum and bought a CX2400 C matic. The GS's handling saved their lives when forced off the road and were able to keep control and get the car back on the road. Anything else would have skidded and rolled. Yes, if you have a rear blow out you feel nothing. If a front wheel blows you hear it and the steering becomes heavier, but you keep control.

Presenter reminds me of Sir Tony Robinson.