Traction 7C 1938

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KM: 45 304 Kms
YEAR: 07/1938
COLOUR: Noir

The only pre-war car of the museum.

MODEL:

Why the Traction was called: the super modern Citroen.

  1. Front wheel drive, which means “Traction avant” in French.
  2. Monoshell construction, integral all steel body.
  3. Independent front wheel suspension; Torsion bar springing.
  4. 4 cylinders with detachable barrels
  5. rubber-mounted engine on the floating power principle.
  6. Brakes: 4 drums, hydraulic on the 4 wheels.
  7. Improved aerodynamism.

Floating power engine: 1,628 cc, 36 hp at 3,800 rev per mn. Overhead valves operated by push-rods and rockers.

Gears: 3 + reverse (second and third synchronised).
First year with the Pilote wheels.
Maximum speed: 100 km/h.
The 7C has a smaller body than the 11B.
Price at the time: 255,000 old Francs.

HISTORY:

In March 1995 I discovered this Traction in the magazine “Citroen Revue” under the title “To drive a new Traction” (please find enclosed). At the time it only had 35,000 kms on the clock. The well known Traction specialist, Philippe Chauvet, had obtained the car from her first owner, a Mr Dupont. Mr Dupont had stored the car during the Second World War in the centre of France in order to return it following the war to Paris. When I contacted Mr Chauvet, he had already sold the car.

I found it again 13 years later in a photo in a small advertisement, with a further 9,000 kms on the clock. After prolonged negociations, a deal was agreed to the price of 18 000 euros (later I heard that the car was at 15000 euros in some advertisement!).

I left by train to go to Paris. The car was still in the same state of conservation: exceptional! I returned at the wheel of what is going to be the grandma’ of the museum. We covered 900 km of Route Nationale, without any mechanical problems, in a Traction smooth and gentle, without mishap or any unexpected noises. An excellent journey.