Citroën GS
1979 CITROËN GS 1220 PALLAS The winter months are traditionally quiet ones for classic cars. They get put under a blanket, somewhere nice and warm, waiting forlornly for spring, and more favourable weather. That’s pretty much been the story for my Citroën GS, which was transferred to a nice, warm barn in Cumbria while the nasty Siberian winter did its worst. But in true Citroën style, all it really wanted to do was get out and be used.
As it happened, the main job I wanted to get done on this car never happened. There are a few bits of frilliness around the edges, which I’d like to sort out sooner rather than later. The main areas of rust are the front valance, and the driver’s door bottom – which although not serious, detract from the overall appearance of the car. So, if anyone can recommend a classic-friendly bodywork specialist either near Whitehaven in Cumbria, or within shouting distance of CCW Towers in Cambridgeshire, please do give me a shout.
And far from keeping the car under wraps and unused, I found myself out and about in it on sunny winter’s days more often than I’d imagined. I’d kept my road tax and classic car insurance (hagertyinsurance.co.uk) ticking over, which meant I was free to use it as and when. Luckily for the sake of its bodywork, you don’t get many sunny winter’s days in Cumbria, so there weren’t too many winter forays in the GS. I’m sure the car thanked me for taking it out, though.
The GS was as delightful as ever whenever I did take it out for a run. Despite never being left on trickle charge, the battery never failed to turn it over and into life – even when left for weeks.
My most recent run involved a trip to join the local ‘Tractor Trundle’, where local farmers take their classic tractors on a tour of the area. You’d think it would be a nightmare to be stuck behind, but it was good fun, and these guys don’t hang around.
One of the stopovers was in St Bees, the most-westerly point of the famous Wainwright coast-tocoast walk. It’s a beautiful spot, and the most gorgeous village you’ll come across. The streets are tiny, so seeing the tractors, some of which are bigger than my house, steaming through them was a sight to behold.
Did the GS behave? Of course it did. It still drives like a new car, with the most amazing combination of ride comfort, braking and handling. It’s also tiny, which makes navigating the dry stone wall-lined lanes of Cumbria a doddle.
Happily, it’s coming out of semihibernation during the Easter break, and heading south for the summer. I’ve a list of classic car shows I want to visit this year, and the GS is the perfect car for these days out. I’ll let you know how it gets on during its leg-stretching drive south on the A1... I can already sense that it’s getting excited. So am I!