C i t r o ë n      D      S u p e r      5

DS = La  Déesse  =  The  Goddess

There it is, a shiny black car on bright white snow. The Godess, as the French people say. It was born in 1972, imported to Finland and registered as RN-222. Since then its two shark's teeth have cut air, its cat eyes have beamed light in the darkness. Look at its eyes:

I bought this cat before Christmas 2000. It was my first Citroen. Since then, I have had also numerous of BX's, CX's and two XM's. D Super 5 was inspected and in full driving condition. I inspected it again and it passed without any remarks. Wintertimes it sleeps in a winter nest waiting for snow to melt and hit the road summertimes. Thought on summers 2007 and 08 it has rested and waited a minor hydraulic leakage and new high pressure pump and spheres to be replaced.

Let's take a closer look!

This car is not everyday sight on the roads in Finland. That is noticed when driving in a city, where it gathers the attention.

The DS is one of the most comfortable cars ever produced. Suspension is hydraulic (no springs), as well as brakes and gears in some models. The heart of the car is hydraulic system, where a hydraulic pump is pumping green 'blood' and keeping up pressure to maintain all the hydraulic functions. In early models the hydraulic system was vulnerable to leaks because of the hydraulic liquid used at those times. The hydraulic liquid deteriorated the pipes when it got hot. Later it was changed two times. The final liquid is 'LHM' that is mineral based oil-type liquid.

The driving height of a DS is possible to adjust. Normal driving height is rather low, but on a bumpy road the height can be risen by lever in a cockpit. The maximum height is 27 cm. When a DS is parked, in some ten minutes, it gets lower. When the engine is started, the car has to rise first, after that it is allowed to depart. If there is a need to change tires, no jack is needed. Lifting the car happens by its own hydraulic system.

That's how it looks from back. The sight that I cannot see too often.

The DS's has numerous beautiful details. For example, a right indicator, here you are:

According to my opinion they are fit smart. They are about the level of eyes of the other drivers, for them they are easy to notice. But now, let's take a look at the interior:

Nice couch? It's not only nice but also very comfortable! There's a risk to sink into it.

In the photo below is part of the instrument board. Tachometer is righternmost. There's speedometer behind the steering wheel. What is not seen in this picture is the warning light group, biggest of which is the warning light of hydraulic pressure. The big handle in the middle is gear stick that is attached to the steering column. Notice also the weird placement of the mirror! 

Two olds: A locomotive and the Godess. What they might discuss? Both could get extinct without people who are interested in them.

Al the prevous photos are taken just after buying it in Dec, 1999 (sorry for the quality). The next photos are from last years. I still have the car!

Sep 3, 2005 was a critical day to car. The day before I drove if 750 km from Turku to Oulu. Today was the wedding day of my sister and the car got a major leakage. A rubber hose from high pressure pump to reservoir broke and nearly all the LHM was gone. On Saturday just some litres of LHM was found in one store. I tried to fix the hose by cutting the damaged part off. It did not work and while driving to the church, the hydraulic pressure and finally the whole car depressed. The car was decorated and I decided that it WILL serve as a wedding car anyway (notice the low position!). I drove 8 km way from the church to the wedding party place car totally down position, very slow and using only manual brake. The exhaust pipe hit the ground two times but did not damaged. The trip went well aparth from the hydraulic pressure loss. Next day the hose was replaced to a hose of half a meter long. The other end I leaded straght to the resercoir via its refillig cork. The trip back to Southern Finland went well.

In 2006 it was 50 years of Citroen DS in Finland. For the honor of the D-model a parade of D-Citroens was organized. It took place 20 May in Helsinki. Excactly 50 D-models took part to the parade. Mine was one of them. The D's were sorted by models and facelifts. Here is a row of D Super and D specials of the late 60's and early 70's

The highway full of only D's!

Bye bye, see you next summer!

If someone is willing to discuss and change opinions, links, hints etc about DS's, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. And don't forget to sign my guestbook!