Technical aspects of the Citroën DS19

The engine is that used for the Light Fifteen, but with Inclined o. h. valves in hemispherical combustion chambers in an alloy head, higher compression-ratio and, on the British version, a Zenith-Stromberg carburetter. The plugs are recessed in tunnels in the Lancia Aprilia-like valve cover and fired by twin Marchal coils, fed with I.t. current from a contact-breaker, there being no room for a conventional h.t. distributor.

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The seven-cylinder swash-plate hydraulic pump for the high-pressure power system is belt-driven from the crankshaft. The low-pressure pump for the “brain” which controls the clutch is incorporated in the belt-driven water pump.

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The drive goes through a single dry-plate clutch, engaged by spring pressure but withdrawn hydraulically.

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The servo disc front brakes have automatic adjustment for wear and their segmental pads can be easily renewed. The parking brake operates the pads by cable. Automatic balance is provided so that when passengers weigh down the back of the car a greater proportion of braking power is applied to the back wheels.

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Suspension is by transverse parallelogram i.f.s. and trailing link i.r.s. Anti-roll torsion-bars couple front and rear oleo-pneumatic suspension units, self-Ievelling being prompted by a trimming-valve connected to the torsion-bars.

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The roof and facia are of plastic, the rest of the bodywork being conventional pressed steel. That there is no need for an unsightly air-entry at the front of a car is emphasised by the narrow inlet on the Citroën which feeds air to the radiator, which is behind the spare wheel, and to the inboard disc brakes.

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The range of suspension movement between parking and jacking positions is approximately 5 in.