CITROËN H-VAN
Citroën’s post-war commercials are utterly charming, but they’re a potential minefield for the uninitiated. Here’s what you need to know
Thanks in part to its modern, monocoque construction, production of the H-Van lasted from 1948 all the way to 1981, so they’re not hard to find. But how do you track down a good one? With lots of legwork and a willingness to travel. That’s the advice of Dewi Prysor and Maxime Webber at Anglo French Imports (a-f-import.co.uk, dewi@af-import.co.uk) who regularly source H-Vans and other classic French commercials from overseas. ‘HY Vans aren’t rare!’ says Dewi. ‘ What’s rare is finding one that isn’t too far gone and in original condition, and you can only assess that in person.’
Most were built in France, which remains the best place to find the original suicide-door models. ‘There was also production in the Netherlands, which supplied nonsuicide door variants,’ advises Dewi, ‘and a few were made in right-hand drive in Slough.’ Quite a few have also ended up in Germany.
‘People in the UK sometimes forget that they have a strong following in France,’ says Max. ‘Some guys won’t let a French van go abroad, and genuine sellers will usually want you there in person for the sale.’ A face-to-face transaction is key, which will also protect you against scams. Says Max: ‘There are unscrupulous guys who know that people will send money abroad for a “bargain”. We get contacted a lot by people who have come unstuck after buying blind. They get caught up in the romance of it all.’
The country of origin needs to be confirmed carefully, and remember that the south of France isn’t necessarily a kind environment for vehicles. ‘ We’ve also seen adverts for French-registered vehicles in the UK that openly lie about where the vehicle has come from,’ says Dewi.
While dry-climate vehicles from the US can be worth investigating, the few original exports you’re likely to find in the States will mainly date from before 1964, when the so-called ‘chicken tax’ subsequently prevented the import of commercial vehicles. Considering the extra driveability offered by the H’s 1967 upgrades, the US isn’t necessarily the best source for a usable van. It’s just as common for American buyers to source from Europe, often crossing the Atlantic to view the vehicle themselves.