This vehicle is much more than just an old truck. It's a fascinating piece of French history.

The Type 45 was a heavy commercial vehicle produced by Citroën from 1934 to 1955. It was an extremely successful model, so much so that some 18,500 were requisitioned for the Wehrmacht after the factory was taken over during the Occupation of Paris. These trucks played a key role in transporting supplies, ammunition and personnel for both sides during the Second World War, and the few surviving examples deserve to be preserved for future generations.

Here we have a 1940 petrol-engined example that has held up remarkably well over the decades. Available evidence suggests that Type 45 'U' chassis were reserved for army trucks, and this may well have been the case with this truck before its conversion to a tow truck in 1955.

As you can imagine, running a huge in-line six-cylinder petrol engine was expensive, and wartime shortages made the Franco-German invention of the wood-fired gasifier popular. Pioneered by Georges Imbert, this "gazogène" was a device mounted directly on vehicles, burning wood to extract a combustible gas that fed the petrol engine's carburettor. It was an ingenious invention, and here we find a very rare surviving example of the 1939 Imbert-Köln gasifier fitted to this Citroën. Although this truck currently runs on petrol, the fact that it retains this system after all these years is astounding, and is sure to be of interest to collectors.

Today, the truck sports a charming patina and retains its towing equipment and corresponding special vehicle registration card.

This sale is subject to Car & Classic's terms and conditions. By bidding and/or making an offer you also agree to the following:

✓ The seller is registered as a private seller, which means that consumer rights arising from European consumer protection legislation do not apply. However, you are still covered by Car & Classic's terms and conditions.

✓ We require a non-refundable fee to be paid if you are the lucky winner of the auction or if your bid is accepted. Please refer to our FAQs and terms and conditions for specific fees.

✓ This vehicle is "sold as is", on an "as is, where is" basis and without warranty. Photos and descriptions are for illustrative purposes only and it is customary to carry out a full vehicle inspection prior to purchase for your own peace of mind.

✓ VAT is included in the buyer's deposit. VAT may or may not be included in the final offer or tender price, as specified in the advert.

✓ We want the transaction to go as smoothly as you do, which is why UK-registered cars and motorbikes offered for sale on Car & Classic are HPI checked to ensure they have no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and are not financially pledged, allowing you to bid with confidence.

✓ We also check whether vehicles are registered as written off as part of a total loss at the time the advert is placed on Car & Classic and provide write-off category labels (Cat C/D/S/N) to help you. However, the presence or absence of a label does not guarantee the status of the vehicle and it is always worth carrying out a full vehicle history check before making an offer on it.

✓ Buyers are responsible for the collection or delivery of the vehicle. Importing vehicles may incur additional customs duties and import taxes. If you wish, we can recommend a third party transport company who can assist you. For more details and to speak to the team, email [email protected].