Chassis

A rolling chassis consists of the frame, the wheels, the engine, the brakes, the transmission, the axles, the steering and the suspension.

The chassis of the 7.5hp is riveted from cold pressed U-profiles from 3mm-steel. To avoid torsions of the long profiles, a trapezoid shape was chosen.

Two kinds of chassis were manufactured:

Chassis Engine Approx. production period Approx. serial nr.
Type C2 (short chassis) Battery ignition March 1922 until September 1922 1 to approx. 5000
Magneto October 1922 until September 1923 ca. 5000 to ca. 18000
Type C3 (long chassis) Magneto October 1923 until Mai 1926 ca. 18000 bis 76000

 

Chassis Type C2

End 1921 until September 1922:

Official serial production started in march 1922 in the new works at Levallois, specially built for manufacturing the 7.5hp. It is nevertheless possible that the very first cars have been assembled at the main factory at Quai de Javel.
First Citroën logo
The first about 3500 cars (until summer 1922) were equipped with a bonnet with three airvents and with a combined radiator with riveted lower mounting brackets. The Citroen logo on this mask shows blue Citroen-chevrons on a nickel plated ground.

Separate radiator 
For production reasons from middle 1922 on the radiator was made from a radiator element and a separate nickel plated shell.

 

Chassis Type C2 [L67]

Picture 1-1: Chassis Type C2 (First version, engine with battery ignition).

 

Specifications:

Frame 4 traverses, rear open
Wheelbase 2.25 m
Ignition battery (DELCO)
Brakes separate
Number of spring leafs front 5, rear 7
Wheel dimension 700x80
Pitch circle diameter 100mm

 

Engine with DELCO-Batteriy ignition:

Picture 1-2: Engine bay, seen from the right side

 

Picture 1-3: Engine bay, seen from the left side

 

October 1922 until September 1923:

[L] As the small additional sheet on the harvest 1922 catalogue shows, the model 1923 was equipped with a magneto ignition. The exact reason for this change is not documented in any official bulletin. It is generally assumed that the reliability of the battery ignition did not fulfill the expectations.

 

 

 

Picture 2-1: Chassis Type C2 (Second version, engine with magneto )

 

Specifications:

Frame 4 traverses, rear open
Wheelbase 2.25 m
Ignition magneto
Brakes separate
Number of spring leafs front 5, rear 7
Wheel dimension 700x80
Pitch circle diameter 100mm

 

Picture 2-2: Engine, starter side

 

Picture 2-3: Engine, carburettor side

 

Chassis Type C3

October 1923 until May 1926:

On the 1924 model the frame was modified. The chassis became longer, was now overslung over the rear axle and its rear was cloed by a fifth traverse. The wheelbase was raised by 10cm to 2.35m. This frame was used until production end without major modifications.
All chassis were equipped form june 1924 on with the newly introduced Michelin Confort ballon tyres and the corresponding rims. From 1. June 1925 on, the cooling system was improved by a ventilator (from serial number 58517 on).

Picture 3-1: Chassis Type C3 (Top view)

Specifications:

Frame 5 traverses, rear closed
Wheelbase 2.35 m
Ignition magneto (RB)
Brakes separate (from 1926 on coupled)
Number of spring leafs front 6, rear 8
Wheel dimension 700x80, from middle 1924 on 715x115
Pitch circle diameter 100mm (later 130mm)

 

Picture 3-2: Engine with cooling fan