Thread: Favourite Aussie-made vehicle?

Originally Posted by JDNSW

I can't say the Citroen DSpeciale, as it was imported after Australian assembly stopped.

John

Easy ... Make it a Citroen ID19 ... I'm driving one of my '63 Aussie assembled ID19's around today...

seeya,
Shane L.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Worth thinking about! In 1960 the ID19 was Australian assembled. Consider a few comparisons with the then most popular car in Australia, the Holden FB:-

Engines - ID19, hemihead pushrod four, wet sleeve, development of 1934 engine, 69BHP
Holden, pushrod six, 75BHP, development of 1920s engine. Neither engine had a full flow oil filter.
Transmission - ID 19, four speed, synchro on all gears, overdrive top, FWD. Holden, three speed, synchro on top two, RWD, both column shift.
Brakes - ID19, 11" inboard front discs, drum rear, full power (not power assist) dual braking system, adjusted between front and rear according to load. Holden, unassisted 8" narrow drums all round, single circuit.
Suspension - ID19, four wheel independent, self levelling oleopneumatic, adjustable height, equal wishbones on roller bearings front, trailing arm on roller bearings rear, sway bars front and rear. Holden, unequal wishbones, coils front, leaf springs rear, no sway bars.
Steering - ID19, rack and pinion, power optional, collapsible steering column. Holden, cam and roller, no collapsible column.
Tyres - ID19, radial 165x400. Holden, crossply 6.40x13.
Body - ID19, controlled collapse rate front structure, fuel tank enclosed within crossmember and completely protected; drag coefficient similar to the best cars today, smooth underbody. Holden, conventional, styling ignored drag.
Standard accessories - ID19, heater, windscreen washers. Holden, 0
Both cars were unbelievably spartan by modern standards! But the only changes required to the ID19 to meet safety standards into the late seventies were antiburst door locks and seat belts - the Holden needed a complete redesign.

Mind you, the ID19 was about 30% more expensive than the Holden, but it was much roomier, towed better, and had a bigger boot. But it looked different, and most mechanics were frightened of them. Fuel consumption was about the same, but the ID19 had a much bigger fuel tank.

John

The locally assembled cars were even more spartan than that.





These are my two drivers here (well there on club permits either way). The early ones had no power brakes, still massive inboard disks, but a big HEAVY standard brake pedal. None of the locally sold cars had power steering.



I don't know about the steering column colapsing, but the steering wheel itself is designed to do that.

This is how sparse they are, most had no boot light, no "door pins" for the interior light (you have to find the dash switch in the dark), no heater fan (it's air guided up by the engine driven radiator fan for the demister), rubber floor mats, no power steering, "pump" action windscreen washer (about as useful as tits on a bull), no synchro on first gear (early ones), no brake assisntance (early ones), no reversing lights, no radio, no gauges, no "warning" of any sort of overheating, oil pressure etc, the only warning light (not gauge) is the hydraulic pressure .... which would be kinda obvious when your crashing along the ground with no supsension and no brakes either way. They will cruise at an indicated 90mph from the weeny little 3bearing 1911cc 4cylinder engine though.

The later cars had door pins for the interior lights, a boot light, my '63 aussie made seatbelts made in '62 .... maybe they were a dealer fitted option (front and rear), full power "button" brakes....

The locally made vinyl trim is remarkable though. That still the original 51 year old seats in that picture above. The ( locally sourced ?) rubbers are garbage though, every body rubber on the car is like glass. When you slam the doors you can hear the window seals shatter some more.

seeya,
Shane L.