Description
A beautiful example Expertly restored, at a cost of over £20 000 in truley stunning condition vast interior runs like a sewing machine find a better oneLaunched in 1934, the Traction Avant was an extraordinary car which positively bristled with innovations. Not only the world's first mass-produced front-wheel drive car, it was also one of the first to feature a welded steel monocoque body, rack-and-pinion steering, hydraulic brakes, synchromesh transmission and independently sprung front suspension. Considerably stronger, lighter and lower slung than conventional designs of its era, the Traction Avant was blessed with exemplary handling and stability, being capable of 70mph with 28mpg economy. Production resumed after WW2 and lasted until 1957, when the Traction was replaced by the equally revolutionary DS after 760, 000 examples had been sold, making it a huge success for Citroen. This stunning 1954 Paris-built Traction is a long-wheelbase Commerciale with a top-hinged tailgate and masses of interior space which made it ideal for tradesmen, hence the name. first UK registered in 1982 and from 1993 until 2010 it was owned by a London gentleman who appears to have spent much of his time in Hong Kong. The car was supplied to him as a project by a well-known Traction specialist in London, the deal being that he would carry out a full restoration that was forecast to take three months and cost about £15, 000. You can probably guess where this is heading... Twelve years later and the job was finally finished (2005) -- the history file containing increasingly furious letters from the owner who ultimately refused to pay any more than £21, 250 for the job . The full extent of the work carried out is far too detailed to list in full here but is amply documented in correspondence and invoices on file. Literally everything on the car was renewed, rebuilt or refurbished, with some choice upgrades including a fully rebuilt engine compatible with lead-free petrol, high-ratio diff, additional oil pressure and water temperature gauges, 12v conversion and a Kenwood radio/ CD discreetly fitted under the dash. From 2010 Meticulously maintained during the prior keepers his nine-year ownership, it has only covered some 16, 000 miles since the restoration was completed. running like a sewing machine as we have driven it , The cloth interior is equally wonderful and has hilarious amounts of legroom in the rear so it would make a great wedding , she also comes with a useful quantity of spares, with an original instruction manual, repro repair manuals, two sets of keys, many invoices plus a few photos of the car being restored. The best Traction we have ever seen, simply put there wont be another .
