FYI
Pacet 12volt fans are expensive but good, i used one with this simple switch
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/thermostats/0331534/, different on/off temps available

o annoyed

Trying to fit the crankshaft seals using the graphite cord supplied by CAS. I am following the right procedures and checking on photos but it looks like the cord was too fat or just didn't fit right. I even cut it in half to try and fit it but I assume this will defeat the object as an oil seal.

Anyway, I tightened or tried to tighten the baffle bolts and snapped the lower baffle - such a pain.

OK - so I have had my problem explained by Peter Larson of CTA Services. It seems that I have an ID oil baffle fitted and this unit does not take the graphite cord. Hence the reluctance of it to fit and subsequently snapping the lower unit.

My car came off the line in the 12th April 1955 and stood in a barn since 1972. I have had a few explanations as to why my bottom end is part 11D (DS) and part Perfo (Original Traction) as the engines changed to D from May '55. It may have been built using new parts off the shelf when they ran out of Perfo parts - I tend to agree as there is no evidence that this engine had been removed before. But it does cause me problems specially as I am new to all of this and do not know what to look out for.

Here is what it is supposed to look like.



I really wish I had known as this would have worked out a really easy job

I am going to have a go at repairing my unit and see how it goes.

Right, this is the baffle unit I have and my engine is a Perfo engine but from the 12th April'55 - so citroen did mix up the parts towards the end of the Perfo it seems.The previous owner did not do any work on the car from 1967 so if the original owner had any repairs down it was in the first 12 years of its life. Very strange

I was sent this through by Peter Larsen of CTA explaining the procedure on fitting - if only I knew before it would have been finished - but you have to learn somewhere, right

I am going to try and get it repaired as I cannot find a replacement anywhere at present - hopefully a few phone calls tomorrow might find something but the per equivalent is in excess of €100 so maybe 30mins in a weld shop might be cheaper.

What do I need to ask for to repair an aluminium part

Needs TIG and gas for Al

On the oil baffle issue I have a couple of options - A citroen guy up in Scotland has found one that I can have but it means breaking an engine for it. So tomorrow I will look for a TIG welder and see if I can repair it. If I can't then I may be send it over to the UK to you Pete

The procedure I have now will help me install it (I will make the 0.1mm shim by cutting up a coke can )

So while I wait for this to all happen I carried on with the interior of the car - firstly I took out the head liner - I just hope it goes in OK, it was quite a task (dirty one at that to remove it)



I also took out the windscreen as I need to repaint the dash and it just makes sense to remove it now. The windscreen surround (on the car) is like new without a spec of rust to be seen. The seal around the windscreen frame was harder than rock and it took a while to remove this (as well as the hinges which had rusted on, I have modified these to use stainless bolts instead of the flat head screws)



The headliner came out in one piece but with a bucket full of rods, screws and edge strips.



The new one is a little cleaner than this one - above is perfect, no corrosion and not much evidence of mice, some, but not much The wooden rails are fine and the roof mounted heat/sound proofing all looks good, old, but good so not going to touch that.

I even got the wife in helping - we scraped all the bitumen off the inside of the floor, under the rear seat and the boot. What a crappy job.

I have found some cracks in the base where I think the last owner overloaded the car with his mates. He boasted to me that they had 11 in it when they visited the local ski station. He was so happy to tell me the exhaust manifold was glowing red He came around this evening to have another look at the car he learnt to drive in. He asked me when it would be ready to drive again, adding 2 to 3 years... he was little shocked when I said my goal was before April

Julie has already named the car

I have given the crankshaft seal to a local welder who will hopefully fix it - if it is crap then I will have to go for a new one.

it has caused quite a lot of confusion and explanation on my part to try and convince the Traction guys that I have this certain Crankshaft in the is engine. I even emailed the Citroen Conservatoire to ask them if this could have been done in the factory as my car was one of the last to be used with Perfo - they just came out with dates and said mine should be per (probably not opening themselves up to the fact they used whatever parts they had to hand at the end of the line.... or more probable, the archivist would not know anyway )

I am hoping all the dirty jobs are finished now - the dusty headlining is out. All of the bitumen and hessian mess has been stripped from the floor inside.

This took an age, using a heat gun and scraper. I tried paint stripper on parts but this did not work that well. Baby wipes after one heat wiped it to clean shiny metal but this was tough, so as this will all be covered with sound proofing and carpet I decided I did not need to strip this to shiny metal and a good coating of paint protection will suffice.



I do need to hoover and suck out all the dust everywhere else though and wipe it all down spotless or maybe I will call the wife back in



The cord rope that surround the doors for the trim has been removed as well - this was a tough job and I was replacing it thinking it did not look that secure in the grooves. But it took an hour a door to remove including all the nails they used.

I was advised by another UK Tractioniste to change out the seal on the rear window so when advised, do it straight away Just learnt that from the French Traction forum when I got hammered by a member for not responding to his post within the hour. He went mad and deleted all his posts to me. Subsequently I told him that we were meeting up this Sunday for the 1st Regional TU meal in Toulouse - he has calmed a little, but wow, I was surprised by the reaction as to why I had not rushed home, opened the garage and measure the diameter of my main bearing within minutes of him asking the question

So, just took out the back window, which was not at all how it looked. It was tatty but not sure it was letting in water, just yet (although it has been dry for the past 45 years). It was quite tough and a couple of sharp blades later it is out, cleaned and the frame has been treated with antirust.







But what have you got in your back window - it is a shame I had to scrape it off

Why you scrape it off?? It is the cars history, like the little dents & scrapes... I still have the French insurance & CT in Gerty's windscreen dating from the late 80s (I think... will have to go and check - might be a day or so before I can answer that if that's ok by you?!)
But great thread, total inspiration!

I know, I know. I was thinking about it but I am stripping the whole thing anyway, so taking photos of various historical elements that I find.
Ultimately the body of the car will be painted too, so that historical rust will have to go