what in God's name ever made you choose a Citroen as a project car? Temporary insanity? Sado-masochistic tendencies? Penance?
All the above
I always thought the big Cits looked a bit spaceship-like and menacing:
The old engines were pretty much bulletproof (mine even had a pointless ignition system). The hydraulic systems can be a bit of a time sink and money pit to sort out. Up unit the late 60s they used a glycol-based fluid, and most people in the 'States just ran DOT3 brake fluid in them. As that stuff absorbs moisture over time it causes corrosion inside the system. That can have far reaching effects:
Once I straightened mine out it worked well. It used these slide valves (called "height correctors") with mechanical linkages to the front wishbone and rear trailing arms to self-level the suspension. A crude active-suspension of sorts, which is kinda neat considering its age. Cranking the ride height up to 4x4 levels, and then dropping it in the weeds was a neat party trick too. Felt like I was in a French Dr. Dre video
(there was never quite as much booty shakin' going on, though)
