A JRS project thread - 1968 Citroën ID19

[JRS]

Ah, I've learned something. This whole time I thought that ID19 was just the code for the Citroen DS, I didn't realise that the ID19 was a lower spec model which was released later!

So there is a DS19 and an ID19. Interesting!

So it doesn't have the all-in-one suspension/braking/steering/clutching hydraulic system then?

Does it have the headlights which turn with the steering rack?

It has the suspension and the headlights. It doesn't have the semi-auto gearbox or the one-finger PAS.

So originally there was the DS19. The ID19 was introduced as a cheaper model below it after a couple of years. As engines gained in power and size those numbers went up - DS20, DS21, DS23. The IDs went to ID20 before the model was rebranded as the D Spécial and the D Super. Later there was a D Super 5 which had the DS21 engine and a 5 speed 'box.

Having test-driven a D Super 5 I'm not sure I particularly rate the later gearbox. Just seems like cramming the extra cog in didn't do a great deal for the quality of the gearshift compared with ours. And it's not as if it made the car much more long-legged.

 

[Akagi]

My head is spinning.

Thanks for the explanation!

I thought a Citroen DS was a Citroen DS was a Citroen DS until now!

 

[JRS]

Today's mildly surreal moment.

Rang a specialist parts place to enquire about some stuff that we need, the lady on the end asked for the reg number to see if the car was one that they knew of. She didn't recognise the plate, but as soon as I said about the car having been originally exported to Egypt she knew it straight away - she knows the guy who sold it to the previous owners ~25 years ago.

It's a small world, the classic car world smaller, the DS/ID world smaller still!

 

[JRS]

It was all going a bit too easily. Car now isn't starting - cranks, fuel seems to be getting up to the carb, but no start. And I'm looking at the coil wondering if I'm missing something, because it appears to be wired in backwards?

The ballast resistor is connected to the ignition switch one side, but from there is going to the negative post on the coil. I thought they went to positive? As far as I know it'll run with the coil wired backwards, just with a weaker spark than you'd otherwise get. And eventually the coil would take damage. I fired off a message to the seller asking if he knows when the coil was put in, but I think no matter what I'm going to have to accelerate plans to get this thing converted to electronic ignition.

 

[cuke2u]

https://mgaguru.com/mgtech/ignition/ig104.htm

 

[JRS]

Cheers for that @cuke2u. I think that reinforces for me that this coil is indeed in backwards.

 

[vanpeebles]

I’ve got a computerised dizzy on the mgb, one of the best things i ever bought!

 

[JRS]

I’ve got a computerised dizzy on the mgb, one of the best things i ever bought!

I'm a big believer in getting rid of points+condenser setups whenever possible

 

[JRS]

Running again

***edit***

Running again within 12 minutes of me getting home. Lo, I am unto a God.

But it's definitely now accelerated the plans to go electronic for ignition. It's just better. I'm all for leaving classic stuff vaguely stock, but points+condenser setups belong firmly in the past.

 

[JRS]

My #winning streak continues. Got the turn-y driving lamps connected back up at the front.

So there's a lever on the steering rack that operates on a rod that pushes on another lever that drags a rod-and-cable that pulls on the housing of the offside light. With me so far? Another cable connects that gubbins to the nearside light. That cable was slackened off and the first control rod disconnected when the car was put in storage before we acquired it. Figured it would be a straightforward job, just reconnect everything and wait for dark to do a fine alignment.

Someone who had been there before me had other ideas...

The battery tray sits over the top of the lever that's connected to the steering rack. The battery tray was also pretty badly mullered. I had to yank the battery and get various implements of prying under it to bend it back up into good enough shape that the lever and rod wouldn't foul on it.

It was also quite warm today. And I'm only really in shape if 'round' counts as a shape

Multiple pints of water in and sweat out for about an hour and a half. But now the driving lamps do indeed move with the steering Once it's dark tonight I'll line everything up properly - the main lamps are height-controlled with the suspension to keep them pointing at the correct level on rough terrain, 9/10ths certain that their alignment is good so hopefully just need to tweak the driving lamps at the 'steering straight ahead' starting position.

Initial wonky gaze




Well, that's not good...



Closer to decent



Reattaching stuff




Lamp goes left...



...and right!

 

[Akagi]

Excellent! One of my favourite features of these.

 

[JRS]

I just ordered a whole ruck of parts.

Headliner. Side trims. Rear light lens. Gear lever aperture rubber. Sill covers.

Just over 400 quid after shipping. Or a little over half of the money I'd negotiated off the purchase price. And pretty much all of it absolutely required (the sill covers could be said to be a luxury, though they do serve a practical purpose beyond the aesthetic). The headliner is going to make a huge difference to interior temps and comfort, the light lens will replace one that is utterly buggered, same for the gear lever aperture. And one of those side trim pieces is currently AWOL so having that back on will make a real difference to how the car looks. Then I can look at fixing some of the paint issues (chips, scratches etc).

My current goal with the car is to have it presentable enough and driveable enough that it can be in regular use from September. From there on out...well, we'll see. Electronic ignition for starters. Maybe one of those electric power-assisted steering kits for classics.

 

[JRS]

Driving the car yesterday, it felt like I had fueling issues. Stumbling off idle was bad enough, the surging worse Got it to where it would run at least vaguely right, then took off down the A38 for an exploratory.

The engine sort-of laid over when I shifted to third, so I backed out of it and then gradually re-opened the taps. Wound it up to ~65mph in third then went for top. Wound it up some more STAYING UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT AT ALL TIMES OFFICER *looks around shiftily*. Sat cruising at somewhere between full and flank speed. Came off at Branston, it seemed to be running pretty okay at that point so I went to the supermarket for provisions. There was a fun moment there - I get back to the car, and a chap comes bounding over. "I haven't seen one of these in real life before!" Told him about the project, he had an admiring look-around, then went on his way. I fired back up, figuring that if it stumbled at all as I came out of the car park that I'd head back through town instead of risking the A38. Pulled out, seemed fine. Drove down to the A38 island, seemed perfectly fine. Drove around to the A38 exit, fine. Accelerated to join the A38 and whoosh - she took off like there had never been anything wrong. Banged through the gears up into top, full speed ahead, cruising at warp factor 1.

I figure I had fuel starvation going on. Stumbling off idle could easily be a fuel supply issue. Running into a lean condition would also explain the surging. Or maybe there was just some crud in the carb and the run at speed cleared it up. Gonna pull the fuel filter out and replace it anyway since I have replacements.

 

[JRS]

Definitely got those fueling issues sorted. Car now performing even better than it did on the initial drive home when we picked it up.

Meanwhile...

Before...



...and after

 

[Joe T]

 

[Diddums]

I'm thoroughly enjoying this thread, keep it up dude!

I know you were talking about ditching the points for an electronic ignition, Did you get it sorted? And do you have any plans for an EFI at all?

Oh and how's yer paps enjoying it?

 

[JRS]

I'm thoroughly enjoying this thread, keep it up dude!

I know you were talking about ditching the points for an electronic ignition, Did you get it sorted? And do you have any plans for an EFI at all?

Oh and how's yer paps enjoying it?

I cleaned up the points, but the whole dizzy looks old and the rotor arm in particular is pretty hammered. I can't see us putting any effort into repairing the existing setup more than my tidying of it so we'll probably go electronic in autumn. EFI...I've seen a setup that I'd love to put on it, one of those self-learning jobs with a throttle body and injector unit that bolts right where a carb would normally be. We'll see.

Pa drove the car a few times to get the feel of her and to show her off to his mates, then he and ma buggered off on their hols so he won't be driving her again until early September. Gives me time to go right through and iron out any showstopping bugs, and also do stuff like replacing the cacked or missing trim and get her looking purty

Sadly, rain has mostly stopped play right now. Going to nose her into the garage so I can get at the fuel filter, that'll be about all I can do today.

 

[JRS]

Made a start on the side trim today, replacing the missing one on the left front door. 3M double-sided spoiler tape is my weapon of choice, it's relatively easy to work with and sticks like a limpet once it's cured and flowed.

The old one had apparently been drilled and screwed on - not how the factory did it (they used adhesive tapes like I am). One of the screw holes that had been drilled in the door was mullered and standing a bit proud of the surface of the door skin, so I ground that back and tidied the area then washed the door down to get any grease or other contaminants off. Lined everything up, pushed trim on, applied pressure along it to get the adhesive flowing. Going to see what it looks like in the morning, so pics to follow then. For now, it's beer time.

 

[JRS]

Wandered outside with my beer because it seemed like a nice evening. Unfortunately, the mossies think it's a nice evening as well so I didn't stay out very long! But here's a couple of shots of the new trim piece in place:




The door needs tidying anyway (paint mainly) so that trim may not be on there for good. But at least it makes the car look a bit less unfinished while we decide what we're doing there. If the weather isn't horrendous tomorrow I'm going to try and sort the alignment on that front wing panel, because it's nowhere near correct. All the panels and doors (with the possible exception of the roof skin) can be peeled off and realigned, you're supposed to start with the rear wings and work forward. I'm happy with where the rear wings are, and the doors line up nicely with them and the door seals, so I'm going to shift that front wing forward a little and down at the trailing edge. That, combined with getting the bonnet alignment better, should have it about right.

 

[tom_nieto]

Really pleased this is going well so far. Glad it just needed an Italian tune up to get things running smoothly!