Citroën Dyane (1974). A remarkable project. 

Auto Motor Klassiek » Casual meetings » Citroën Dyane (1974). A remarkable project. 
Purchasing classics there

I love the romance of going out and literally searching for classics from the automotive past. (Yes, and all without a mouse and keyboard.) So you can suddenly come face to face with a fiery red Citroën Dyane from 1974 from owner Jaap who had secured it 40 years ago. Only now does he dare to tell the story of his childhood sin. At the age of 18, Jaap was a budding car designer by creating a masterpiece with his Dyane. 

By: Dirk de Jong

Jaap explains: “I bought a dilapidated one from a private person Citroën Dyane. Just an old car that was scrapped for its rusted-through chassis. The coach and chassis were separated and with my youthful rashness the idea came up to use a chassis from an Ami Super and rebuild the Dyane. ” Jaap knew better than anyone the Pippi Longstocking principle: I've never done it ... so I think I can. It meant a lot of time and energy in the project, and looking for additional parts to make adjustments to the chassis possible. 

Originality? 

It is clear that originality is not always sacred to Jaap. He also wanted to install a more powerful engine. Not to mention special seats and an adapted dashboard with many round clocks (from other types Citroëns). After some experimentation it became one Citroën GSA X3 four-cylinder 1300cc engine (The double Chevron at full power). During the first test drive on the circuit, the counter already indicated 180 km per hour. So it was more 'flying over' than driving past. 

Citroën know better 

Jaap is aware that not everyone can appreciate their project, because a Citroën Dyane with a chassis of an Ami Super and the engine of a GSA is not commonplace and is very different from a normal Dyane. The lover of original Citroëns would say: Citroën knows what is best, if the construction could have been improved, they would have done it themselves. And yet as a dedicated enthusiast, Jaap uses his trusted formula: Experience Excitement & Fun. 

The hobby life 

In his young youth, Jaap was naturally proud of his racing performance. That violence under the hood and the super sound was 'the end'. Now after 40 years of ownership, his hobby life has taken on a different form and his other children made of steel are all 100 percent original. Can you forgive his youthful sin and still appreciate his boldness and skill in accomplishing this project at the time? 

Also read:
- Citroën Dyane: the Ugly Duck 2.0
- The Citroën 2CV. The Belgian Ducks
- Citroën 2CV borrowed, a wonderful French cart
- History of the Citroën 2CV. Part One. TPV, French and Belgians
- History of the 2CV. Part two: 1960-1974. Differentiation, growth and innovation
- History of the 2CV. Part 3. 1974-1990 (slot)

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18 comments

  1. In the eighties I was very busy with ducks and dyanes and also amis, but only original.A friend of mine, also member of the Eendeei in Rotterdam, had done this trick on his AK400, without changing the appearance, except for the Floor poker then. Nice, but not my thing. A car is only original once, which does not mean that everyone is allowed to know what they are doing with their car.

  2. my aunt has an artificial knee and an artificial hip.
    that woman is therefore not original.
    de citroën is very beautiful and has citroën components. nice is not it!

    anthony.

  3. Shall we read the comments, remember that then there was a youthful enthusiast working on it. Who probably had to get loads of parts from various scrap yards to put everything together. You can think of it all, but I say !!! Well done kid

  4. Great Dyaantje! Plus, with the engine that simply turns it into a fast versatile cart. Plus, now just put the poker on the floor instead of that umbrella on the dashboard. Chapeau!

  5. @bos, if it was French text, your translation from vulgar is correct. In Dutch it is also "flat, vulgar, uncivilized" and more of those low to the ground and cheap meanings.

  6. Finally a Dyane that can deliver a bit of normal performance. To me those carts are just cookie cans, but tastes differ. I have noticed for a long time that the French cars are VERY sensitive to the writer and editor!
    Furthermore, the translation of ordinary is: ORDINARY, and not as some people think cheap or low to the ground!
    Ps, this racing duck has been approved by me (for what it's worth): nothing.

  7. I can appreciate that upgrade. A Dyane super could well be. One point of criticism: an AMI super kept the look of the AMI, with a few thoughtful (Center de Style) adjustments, such as: extra cooling openings in the front and rims, striping, interior. I experience the external adjustments on the red Dyane as vulgar, automotive German / Chinese even.

  8. Nice piece of work!
    Must accelerate devilishly with such a GSA
    block in a light weight.
    Lovely to see others at the traffic light
    to ride the snot :-))

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