Dspecial restoration 1975

[blahblah]

Beautiful looking car! With the H4 connectors, it's possible to buy new crimps and connectors - I think I have some in the garage if you're interested. it's a good opportunity to fit some relays for high beam/spots so you can make the most of those brilliant headlights with higher rated globes...


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[mberry]

Nice day yesterday so I started working on the headlight assemblies they are quite dirty I managed to clean two sets of front glass and sand back one of the headlight housing, I need to choose the best glass out of the 2 sets I do have. They are all chipped and scratched. I will be replacing the headlights with H4 after market and will need to modify the connectors.
My new Hydraulic Pump arrived on Friday from Citrotech and it looks amazing you can fill the quality it’s a fully rebuild unit expensive but worth it once you see it.
I haven’t picked the colour for the headlight housing as yet but that grey rose colour looks close to the original.

I have a big tub that I fill with bleach, I then soak them for about a week depending on how bad they are. Sometimes take then out and give them a scrub and put back in. Give them a final sand with a couple of grades of wet and dry, they normally come up really well.

 

[David S]

Don't forget, if you are reassembling a late model D, the fuses for the inner lamps are an add-in fuse holder on each side where the guard harnesses hook into the main harness. They are easily lost and then your inner headlamps are not fused, which is not really a great idea. Rewiring with relays is sensible as it reduces the load through the switch, but don't forget the fuses.

 

[Caisson]

Hi Philippe, more good work on the D Special. Everyone seems to have an opinion on the light buckets.
The lady in red has white. Not as original, but I thought maybe a nicer contrast. Nobody ever informed me that it is the wrong colour or looked askance. The worst I have seen is silverfrost which is horrible. Good you have the pump back in good time. David

 

[Le Parisian]

Phillipe,
H4 connectors can be had as a generic part from any auto store (you already knew that) but you can buy a more D specific conector from most of the Euro suppliers these have the correct wire colours and bullet connections so basically plug and play
Wiring connector for headlamp bulb - suitable for use with our H4 headlamps
https://www.citroworld.com/en/webshop//h4-bulb-connector-2D5427352

For painting the headlight buckets I used Anchor brand aerosol paint, a clear plastic primer and Moss Vale Sands as a decent colour match to original. Original are of course a moulded plastic so as such there is no definitive paint colour match, but the colour tends to a light grey/beige, Gris Rose is too pink IMO.

The Anchor paint is acrylic based and gives a nice satin finish, mine have been painted for several years now and still look like the day they were painted - no cracking/crazing/flaking etc. Appears to be a relatively permanent solution if your light buckets need paint to restore - any paint system will need a plastic primer!

Cheers
Chris

Thank you Chris I do like the color you choose mossvale sand and I thing it will match the gris grumaire BTW where did you buy the cans????
I ve purchased 2 x H4 connectors and bulbs on Ebay and I do have the citroen brass connectors so I will make up a set. again thanks for the info

 

[Le Parisian]

Beautiful looking car! With the H4 connectors, it's possible to buy new crimps and connectors - I think I have some in the garage if you're interested. it's a good opportunity to fit some relays for high beam/spots so you can make the most of those brilliant headlights with higher rated globes...


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Thanks for the offer but its already organised and thank you for the compliments much appreciated, cant wait to drive her on the road

 

[Le Parisian]

I have a big tub that I fill with bleach, I then soak them for about a week depending on how bad they are. Sometimes take then out and give them a scrub and put back in. Give them a final sand with a couple of grades of wet and dry, they normally come up really well.

Sounds like a good idea I do have some huge plastic containers so I will give it a go probably easier then scrubbing like a maniac I will add the plastic washer bottle as well. Thanks for the tip. BTW which colour paint did you use on your buckets? I must admit I’m still undecided about which colour to use with the gris Brumaire. ???

 

[Le Parisian]

Don't forget, if you are reassembling a late model D, the fuses for the inner lamps are an add-in fuse holder on each side where the guard harnesses hook into the main harness. They are easily lost and then your inner headlamps are not fused, which is not really a great idea. Rewiring with relays is sensible as it reduces the load through the switch, but don't forget the fuses.

I’m well aware of the fuses in line see below that was an cheap add on from Citroen they will need refreshing before refitting and you’re right easily over looked. Thanks

 

[Le Parisian]

Hi Philippe, more good work on the D Special. Everyone seems to have an opinion on the light buckets.
The lady in red has white. Not as original, but I thought maybe a nicer contrast. Nobody ever informed me that it is the wrong colour or looked askance. The worst I have seen is silverfrost which is horrible. Good you have the pump back in good time. David

Hi David
I do appreciates everyone input in regard to the plastic headlight buckets you can never have too much information.
Humm!!! You’re right about the lady in red, having white buckets and definitely the wrong colour I should have negotiated the price down………..
The pump is magnificent cant wait to fit it, Im sure she will be quite and wil get the car up twice as fast.

 

[Le Parisian]

1975 d special

Finally got the headlight buckets back from the spray-painter happy with the colour finish and got some bits and pieces painted ready to go back in the car and also waiting on more bits from overseas and more delays ahead I will be in Victoria over the next 2 weeks
So be patient

 

[Caisson]

Looking good, Philippe. You deserve a break after all the work on this car. Hope you had a relaxing easter too.
David

 

[Le Parisian]

1975 Dspecial restoration

Here is an update of the work done on the D this weekend.
The new HP pump from citrotech is now installed and running nice and quiet.
The digital clock from citrotech is in and I just love it, nice and sooo easy to use, expensive one but worth the money.
I’ve refitted the lights into the plastic buckets and added the H4 connectors and tested both the harness and all of the light circuits not without problems of course.
I’ve bought the aftermarket rubber seals for the headlight glass from overseas and as usual they are rubbish and honestly unusable I ended up using a rubbery foam product from Bunning.
and currently making an harness for the break pad warning light.

 

[forumnoreason]

Question Phillipe! where do the clamps for the fresh air hoses sit or attach to? I can't figure it out!

 

[Le Parisian]

Easy they fit at the end of the air hose, the end where the filter is fitted and locatedclose to the fan housing, I think they just there to make is easy to fit the hose into the fan housing

 

[GreenBlood]

Question Phillipe! where do the clamps for the fresh air hoses sit or attach to? I can't figure it out!

Easy they fit at the end of the air hose, the end where the filter is fitted and locatedclose to the fan housing, I think they just there to make is easy to fit the hose into the fan housing

On the second nose cars they are secured with a bracket to the guard, 2 x M5. Whilst the third nose car retains the hoop I don't think they still use the bracket, although there is still provision on the thrird nose guards - captive/welded M5 threads.

Phillipe,
Your car just gets better, the clock looks to be a prefect repro and should keep good time or a long time :wink2:

 

[Le Parisian]

On the second nose cars they are secured with a bracket to the guard, 2 x M5. Whilst the third nose car retains the hoop I don't think they still use the bracket, although there is still provision on the thrird nose guards - captive/welded M5 threads.

Phillipe,
Your car just gets better, the clock looks to be a prefect repro and should keep good time or a long time :wink2:

Hi Chris
thank you for the compliment hoppefully the C5 is going well for you
Interesting I have had many D 3rd nose and all of them had the clamp fitted beside the fan housing and without that bracket even the one im currently working on.

 

[GreenBlood]

Hi Chris
thank you for the compliment hoppefully the C5 is going well for you
Interesting I have had many D 3rd nose and all of them had the clamp fitted beside the fan housing and without that bracket even the one im currently working on.

The X7 is pure luxury, quite a different car to the early series, I have a few beeps but I'm putting them down to the battery being borderline - it'll get the once over by DS Motors or Euroserve once funds allow - hope your new purchase is living up to expectations :wink2:

Yes, I've not seen the bracket used on third nose cars, I guess as the vent tube has to make a sharp turn into the fan enclosure? Though as I mentioned there is provision - perhaps that being for the base model cars that didn't get the snail fan enclosures in Europe?

Cheers
Chris

 

[Le Parisian]

The X7 is pure luxury, quite a different car to the early series, I have a few beeps but I'm putting them down to the battery being borderline - it'll get the once over by DS Motors or Euroserve once funds allow - hope your new purchase is living up to expectations :wink2:

Yes, I've not seen the bracket used on third nose cars, I guess as the vent tube has to make a sharp turn into the fan enclosure? Though as I mentioned there is provision - perhaps that being for the base model cars that didn't get the snail fan enclosures in Europe?

Cheers
Chris

Hi Chris I can see the bracket would help to negotiate the sharp bend of the hose by just pivoting the hose into the fan housing, thus the reason for it.
I’m very happy with my new C5 love the GPS, reverse camera and the front sensors makes a huge difference one set back being the display is not touchscreen, with only 17500 Km on the clock the car runs quietly and smoothly pity I can’t use the sunroof it’s just too cold at the moment and I’ve also discovered there is a washer for the headlights??, the turning headlights makes it feel a little like a DS.

 

[gsowner84]

Well done Philippe. Marvelous work as per usual.

Regards, Syd

 

[Caisson]

All beautiful philippe. Those rose brown parts. Nice nice original detail. Must be getting close now.
I am thinking of going to the french car day in July, will you be there? David