Grand Central Citroen

11/12/2017

Cold weather has arrived and this Mehari is leaving on a journey so we put the curtains and doors on. Check out the nice clear plastic with zippers added for a custom touch. The canvas on this car is original, from 1969. Thanks to Karim Belhacene at Classic Mustang Restoration in Redlands, California, USA. Once upon a time, Karim worked for Mehari Club Cassis in France.

11/10/2017

If someone is looking for a rolling restoration this solid driver needs a home. It needs cosmetics too. Plenty.

11/03/2017

November is an important month for the Los Angeles Citroen scene as The Best of France and Italy kicks off on November 5th at Woodley Park in Van Nuys, California. Www.franceanditaly.com

November is also CRPS awareness month. RSD/CRPS is the most painful disease known to mankind and I have it. Every bit of it. I'm missing a finger here and that's an interesting part of the McGill pain scale. The awareness color for CRPS is orange as pink is to breast cancer. Highly unlikely that I can make the event at Woodley Park but I would love it to be reported that the Citroen section was decked out in orange. For the record, I have lost the use of my whole right leg and complete left arm at this point.

November is also the month before December, when the new fiscal year begins. More than seven hard years into RSD/CRPS, the decision has been made, and not lightly, that there will be no Grand Central Citroen in 2018. The paperwork has been filed and accepted by the State of California. Stick a fork in me. The last car is behind the shop door today. It will not be ready for Woodley Park but it will be ready for Pebble Beach. And you best watch out at PB. Grand Central Citroen doesn't play the trailer queen game. Our customers drive our stuff because that's what it has always been all about.

Grand Central Citroen has made tremendous personal investment into a 30 year old set of hands connected to a very knowledgeable brain. Those hands just turned out another, perfect, front brake job on a DS. Those hands have picked me up off the ground more times than I can count and I am eternally grateful for the help that has kept us going up to this point. I need three more sets.

In that vein, I implore you, as Citroen owners, to learn how to think and use your hands carefully and safely. Much of the routine service required on the Citroen cars can be done by the owner with a little verbal guidance. Short of a clone machine, we as a community must develop our comprehensive skill set. Personal responsibility will become paramount. Critical thinking will become ever so more important. Judge carefully what you read on the internet. There is countless drivel (and some truly excellent at times tidbits) posted about these cars by guys who have owned a few Citroen cars, but honestly struggle to diagnose a flat tire: I've witnessed this in person. Avoid the rabbit holes or your Citroen will not be ten feet tall; it will be stuck on the ground rotting in your front yard.

I'm 52 years old. It has been 40 years since I picked up my first tools and changed an alternator on a 1971 D Special. That car is alive and well today in Ohio. I spent the last 40 years learning and doing because someone had to. Right now, I have to roll back and focus on one thing that is nearly impossible to do and that is finding a way to drive CRPS into remission. 40 years of Citroen was easier than trying to win this war. I kid you not.

Stay tuned. We expect to see a phoenix like church soon. My CPA is working in it and we already have a minister.

The best of France and Italy: French and Italian cars at Woodley Park in Van Nuys, California

10/12/2017

Early last summer we picked up this Mehari from a customer for a customer. Today it sports a no holds barred brake job, a new clutch, a clean fuel system and a working electrical system. It makes lots of power (for an A series), rides like it should and stops even better. We also resealed the engine and now it has no leaks. Short of a missing mirror this car is 100% street legal and safe. Someone, who has wanted one since these were new, is going to be extremely happy. He only had to wait 49 years to get one.

10/09/2017

Is your inertia dampered A series car real bouncy in the front end? Does the front suspension bottom out after going through a dip or over a bump in the road? Does it feel like the shock absorbers have endless rebound? If it does? You need to remove and service the often overlooked friction dampers. They are little clutch packs that control the front suspension. It can be done without special tools, but the tool really makes it easier when it comes to aligning them on the steering tube when you reinstall them remembering to put the tin shield in first.
Most of the time, the clutch material can be cleaned with brake cleaner and be re-used. The clutches themselves or even complete replacement friction dampers can be purchased from the usual suspects.
So. If you want your A series car to ride and handle like a real Citroen does? Service the friction dampers.

09/03/2017

Here is a unique truckette that was brought to us with a myriad of problems mostly related to a lack of proper care and feeding. The truck was "built" perhaps 27 years ago by a very talented metal man who produced at least two and possibly three specimens in the same general time period.
It came to us not running and with an owner reporting that the car had never made as much power as he thought it should, ever since it was built.
Following a perfect compression test revealing 150/150 cold we set about to make it right.
The owner collected his car yesterday and took it home. Last night he called and told us that it feels like a whole new car: we knew that already because we put 50 miles on it while fettling it.
Making people happy makes it fun for everyone. That is why we do it.

08/24/2017

This is great. This is what everyone else on the LeMons tour had to look at for four days . Except those guys in the Meyer's Manx: those guys could be in trouble. We have an SM in that same junkyard we got this one out of. And like this car, we know that SM will run.

08/23/2017

Everything the world thought they knew about Pebble Beach? We were there in more than one capacity. The one car that EVERYBODY talked about is The Lemon Goddess. This car was dragged out of the bone pile and made roadworthy. Driven by an extremely talented team of drivers she has traversed almost 5000 miles since I last saw the car twelve days ago. Starting from fourth or fifth place upon event check in/inspection she went on to capture every last point available to finish in second place. Today she is getting a routine service in anticipation of her next public appearance on Friday. She isn't much to look at. But damn is she a good driver. Sponsoring this venture was nothing short of a kick in the pants. Thanks to all for your contribution to the madness and especially to Charles R Crittenden IV who without, this never would have happened.

08/12/2017

When I was trying to learn my ABC's, my older brother (some kind of savant) dragged me over to the cutaway poster of the Citroen DS that hung on the wall and taught me about spheres while explaining that I would have time later in life to learn my ABC's. 50 years later...... I am laughing about it.

07/30/2017

Coming soon to a LeMons event during Pebble Beach week 2017.

We hauled this 1972 D Special out of our bone pile at the yard and threw a replacement clutch, a couple of axle boots, a new water pump, a remanufactured alternator and a carburetor overhaul into it. Runs real well and should do 3000 miles no problem.

LeMons gives extra points for French and extra points for ugly. Our team will sweep the ugly part: the interior is roached and there is baked moss on the fiberglass roof.

If interested in purchasing this fine French machine? Please ask. This is a fabulous car and today is the rolling antithesis to 1 FINE D. It was way too good to dismantle so here we are.

07/15/2017

This one spent 30 years resting in the desert out at Area 52. Today she's a runner/driver and is almost ready to go home. Keep an eye out for her throughout California, Oregon and Washington.

07/07/2017

The Mullin Auto Museum has a fantastic display of all things Citroen from the beginning up until 2007, including a prewar Challenger Traction Avant which is a tremendous piece of Los Angeles history. The picture posted here is just a random shot of one of the many Chapron bodied cars on display.