Australian assembled 1964 Citroen ID19 "Parisienne"
image from web car sale site
another 'sad' ID19 "Parisienne"
Table of Citroen ID Models Assembled in Australia
"Parisienne" models 1961-1966
Assembled at West Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria
Note: * Imported ("Safari" price about 20-30% higher)
(some cars assembled in 1966 were sold on into 1967)
(all were Front Wheel Drive)
compiled from website valuation sites info
Year | Model | Engine | Transmission | Body | New Price | Number Assembled |
1961 | CITROEN 1D-19 "Parisienne" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Sedan | $3,290 | 200 |
1961 | *CITROEN 1D-19 "Safari" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Wagon | $4,390 |
1962 | CITROEN 1D-19 "Parisienne" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Sedan | $3,040 | 200-250 |
1962 | *CITROEN 1D-19 "Safari" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Wagon | $4,390 |
1963 | CITROEN 1D-19 "Parisienne" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Sedan | $3,396 | 350 |
1963 | *CITROEN 1D-19 "Safari" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Wagon | $4,380 |
1964 | CITROEN 1D-19 "Parisienne" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Sedan | $3,396 | 200-250 |
1964 | *CITROEN 1D-19 "Safari" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Wagon | $4,880 |
1965 | CITROEN 1D-19 "Parisienne" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Sedan | $3,476 | 200-250 |
1965 | *CITROEN 1D-19 "Safari" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Wagon | $4,880 |
1966 | CITROEN 1D-19 "Parisienne" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Sedan | $3,476 | 200 |
1966 | *CITROEN 1D-19 "Safari" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Wagon | $4,780 |
1967 | CITROEN 1D-19 "Parisienne" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Sedan | $3,476 | |
1967 | *CITROEN 1D-19 "Confort" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Sedan | $4,479 | |
1967 | *CITROEN 1D-19 "Safari" | 4cyl 1900 | 4sp Manual | 4D Wagon | $4,780 |
1967 | *CITROEN DS-21 "Confort Safari" | 4cyl 2200 | 4sp Manual | 4D Wagon | $5,990 |
* imported models
"Parisienne" was a model assembled in Australia to meet the 'local content' rules. This gave advantages in duty to be paid.
go to Summary of ID19 "Parisienne" Specifications
March 2008, Aussiefrogs Forum discussion on number of Australian assembled Citroens
Paul Smith: Editor CCCNSW Magazine wrote on aussiefrogs Forum:
in answer to question on Citroen production from West Heidelberg, Victoria
I don't think anyone knows the accurate Australia production figures.
Reynolds says -
No production records have survived, but it is known that during this period around 1779 Citroens were sold in Australia. As most of these cars were likely to be home-built it follows that the output of Australian built Deesses probably averaged 200-250 a year with a total production of about 1400.
ButtercupBob replied:
I think Reynolds might be a bit below the mark......
By Reynolds numbers there would have been 380 non local built Dees sold in aus in the years late '61 to early '67. I think that is very much too big a number. I'd put it at less than 150 imported Dees in those years.
Similarly I've heard estimates of aussie production at around 300 per year with a peak of around 350 in '63, and probably no more than 200 in '66. The '66 cars were being sold well into '67.
I think we will never know !
Paul Smith: Editor CCCNSW Magazine replied on aussiefrogs Forum: The only car assembled here was the ID based 'Parisienne'. It was CKD from UK parts, with the roof being of aluminium because the fibreglass rooves got damaged in transit too easily. The roof was body coloured.
It was a mixture of bits - the indicator trumpets are stainless, and the interior is two tone vinyl (locally sourced). Rubber mats in the front, no foam under the rear carpet. Interior armrests on all four doors. The cars had a pendant brake pedal (up until 65 according to Reynolds), but always had ID brakes (not the DS trolley valve system). No P/S, single cylinder pump and an oil bath air cleaner. The front bumper is like a French car - ie the number plate holder slopes, not vertical like in the UK.
Unlike the Slough ID, the Australian car has a proper dash, not a great lump of wood with holes cut in it!
The colours were unique to Australia and I think the cars might even have had Dunlop tyres.
Mort Subite made these observations:
And thank goodness we got a proper dash - even if it was just hard metal.
Id check the gospel on the two tone interior seats though .... single colour vinyl interior (door cards too) was the Australian made standard with thinner seat padding than the domestic range.
Two tone seats I feel were generally fitted to export cars from France.
The patterns being the same regardless of the thin aussie seats or the plumper export seats.
The rubber floor matting matched the box section rubber and was 'fitted' by being glued to the frame - unlike other D removable carpet 'squares' that ended up moving under your feet if the clips broke.
As pointed out the ID Parisienne was a model with stainless trim, but all vinyl interior and manual steering as favoured by Australia car market of the time...
Production figures about 4,000..?
ButtercupBob made further observations:
The CKD kits were not UK sourced, but were direct from France. electrical components were french, including the large round headlights (SEV Marchal or Cibie) and starters, generators and ignition (SEV Marchal, Paris Rhone or Ducellier) The oil bath air cleaner was french ("export dusty environments spec"), not locally sourced as described in some books.
I'm not convinced by the reason commonly given for the aluminium roof...... less transport damage. It may be that the aluminium roofs were shipped without the steel rim attached, and so could be stacked very closely. Yeah that would mean less damage, but more importantly they could ship 50 roofs in the volume of 2 or 3 fibreglass ones.
It may be that aluminium was easier to paint with regular paint.
Certainly a problem with aluminium roofs is the electrolysis corrosion at the crimped joint of the aluminium and the steel retaining rim.
Once the seal decays, so does the roof edge. As a result good aluminium roofs are becoming rare.
In my experience aussie vinyl trim was supplied (randomly) in 2 tone during the early years then later (after '63) they were generally 1 colour. The 2 tones were usually red/black, red/white, blue/white, salmon pink/white, pale blue/white. The 1 colours were red, blue, salmon, pale blue, light tan, black. The local vinyl was of better quality, and our seats were a little firmer than the french ones. No doubt there are exceptions to all this.
The rubber floor mats were locally cut from mats for another brand, maybe GM or Rootes, as the moulded patterns don't match the floor plan very well. I don't believe the mats were stuck down at all from new.
The aussie spec changed very little over the 5 years. Of course the 1st to 2nd front change for the '63 model was significant, and at that time the brake system was "standardised". We even got the 400mm single bolt wheels through '66 while french Dees went to 15".
Overall they were a great compromise of Dee elegance and good engineering with aussie raw and tough simplicity. Really a great car for our conditions.
Bob
Mort Subite followed up with:
Fair enough too - thankfully I wasn't around to see any of these cars new, all I have to go on is what has washed up over the years on the used car sales, concourse and show days and the like.
Ive seen several Parisienne's with whats seemed to me as glued down rubberised textured floor matting in a light grey/blue fleck and dark grey/black fleck that matched the side members, perhaps it was a choice by a dealer to glue things down, or maybe the rubber has just melted/disolved into the floors... likewise with the single colour seats - I've only seen all red trim all black trim and all grey trim that I would say is all original and not a re-trimming exercise - and to qualify that has been on approx 6 cars (again all fitted with the "mushroom" brake pedal, not pendant style). These things might have been owner modifications after all, but the cars were all generally all the same set up / trim spec.
I guess theres no real way of knowing for sure unless you were one of the proud owners from new and there are some surviving photos. Might be an indication that these local cars were just as much of a conglomeration of bits as the imported cars from ID to DS, DSpecial to DS23 EFI then there were the wagons - they seem to make no common sense at all. Its a DSeries, make of it what you choose might be a better way to consider any restoration.
Summary of ID19 "Parisienne" Specifications
As compiled from above comments
Rubber floor matting in front
locally cut from mats for another brand, maybe GM or Rootes
No foam under rear carpet
Pendant brakes (ID not DS style)
Single cylinder pump
Oil bath air cleaner ("export dusty environments spec")
Front bumper French style (number plate holder sloped) not Slough
Metal dash (not timber as in Slough models)
Stainless trim - eg indicator trumpets
All vinyl interior (locally sourced)
vinyl randomly two coloured and
single colour vinyl (including door panels) after 1963
The 2 tones were usually red/black, red/white, blue/white, salmon pink/white, pale blue/white.
The 1 colours were red, blue, salmon, pale blue, light tan, black.
The local vinyl was of better quality, and our seats were a little firmer than the french ones
Electrical components French (including the large round headlights (SEV Marchal or Cibie)
and starters, generators and ignition (SEV Marchal, Paris Rhone or Ducellier)
No power steering
Thin seats rather than the plumper export
Aluminium roof
1st to 2nd front change for the '63 model was significant
at that time the brake system was "standardised".
We even got the 400mm single bolt wheels through '66 while french Dees went to 15"
Seen also in half a dozen "Parisienne" models
glued down rubberised textured floor matting in a light grey/blue fleck and dark grey/black fleck that matched the side members
all red trim, all black trim and all grey trim that I would say is all original
all fitted with the "mushroom" brake pedal, not pendant style
Might be an indication that these local cars were just as much of a conglomeration of bits
as the imported cars from ID to DS, DSpecial to DS23 EFI
An ID 19 owner in Victoria emailed: I noticed the aussiefrogs thread:
For the record, mine has the touch-button
brake, and two tone upholstery,
amongst other deviations from the various claims.
"Addo" an ID 19 owner in Sydney has emailed me the following images of his 'sad' ID 19 "Parisienne"
On Aussiefrogs, 8th oct 2008: For sale: D19 1963 black, registered, rare Australian made
Canberra car originally, garaged currently. New Michelin tyres on the front, new stainless steel exhaust $2500
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