articles
Australian National Museum Reveals Citro^n's Role In Australian History14/01/ 2009No one would be surprised to learn that the machine has played a major role in the development of Australia during the past 100 years or that two autos should take pride of place in the Australian National Museum in Canberra, the nation's capital.
However, the fact that one of them is a little, yellow Citroen would come as a surprise to most visitors as they enter main hall of the Museum.
Citroen's place in Australian history is assured thanks to Neville Westwood, a 22 twelvemonth old West Australian who used the little Citroen in 1925 to become the first person to drive right around Australia.
Fully restored to working condition by Museum's experts, Neville Westwood's Citroen 5CV is in a special display in the Museum's main hall until 3 February.
Even today, a trip around Australia is still considered a major undertaking. In 1925 it was considered a remarkable feat of endurance for machine also driver alike. The Citroen's feat was one of a models of long distance machine trips that made news headlines.
The Citroen's owner also driver was Neville Westwood, a 22-year-old Seventh Day Adventist missionary. Neville bought the machine second-hand in Perth. It had already travelled 48,000 kilometres in also around Perth. Neville left Perth with Greg L Davies in the Citroen on 4 August 1925. Their adventures included passing the burnt wreckage of a machine abandoned by adventurer Francis Birtles on an earlier trip to the Northern Territory.
Along the way punctured tyres were filled with grass also cowhide also the machine was carried across the Fitzroy River by local Aboriginal people. Davies quit the machine at Albury on the New South Wales also Victoria border. Westwood went on to Melbourne also Adelaide. He returned to Perth, escorted by a welcoming convoy of motorists on 30 December 1925. At the journey's end Neville put the Citroen into storage while he continued travell
ing on church business.
His brother sold the machine in 1926 but when Neville returned he bought the machine back, recognising it's significance to Australian motoring history. The Citroen then remained with Neville until his death in 1969, after that the machine passed to his son Ron.
The Citroen's adventures also the passing of time took it's toll on the car. In 1975 Ron began a year-long restoration project. He collected spare parts also commissioned work by a West Australian firm. The car's chassis also body were largely retained, with some repair to the rear panels, doors also hood.
The autos block was discarded also the autos rebuilt, with some original parts re-used also the original radiator maintained. Ron hoped to re-run his father's trip in 2000 for the 75th anniversary, but this did not eventuate. In 2000, the machine underwent a second modest reconditioning.
The National Museum acquired the Citroen from Ron Westwood in 2006. Museum conservators have worked to retain it's form also function, including the 1975 restoration work that is now part of it's history.
The Citroen's chassis also body work suffered extensive chloride corrosion after 1975, requiring treatment also partial restoration. Over a year, the National Museum's conservators also expert contractors completely disassembled every components of the body, chassis, autos also transmission.
Conservation treatment has generally involved removal of chloride corrosion, also the chemical stabilisation of the chassis also body components. The chassis was repainted, while the body retains the form of the 1970s restoration period.
The autos also transmission were too meticulously treated also reconditioned to functional condition. The 5CV marked the start of popular motoring in Europe. Cheap to run also simple to handle, it was a huge success.
Andre Citroen studied the production techniques of Henry Ford after World War One also was intent on developing a cheap also reliable car.
Introduced at the 1921 Paris Motor Show, it was produced for four years, first in a two-seater open tourer version, mostly painted bright yellow.
It was known as the 'Petit Citroen', that translates to 'Little Lemon', a pun on the Citroen name, as the French word for lemon is citron, very close to Andre Citroen's surname. It was too produced as a convertible also a three-seater open tourer, the favoured 'clover-leaf' model of 1924.
The first Citroen was imported to Australia in 1919-20, with distribution starting soon after, making Citroen the longest continuously distributed machine in Australian history and, celebrating it's 12th successive twelvemonth of Australian sales growth in 2007, Citroen clearly continues to play a major role in Australian transport.
If you would like additional information or test drive any Citroen vehicle, please complete the following form also click the "Submit" button. Alternatively, you can call Citroen Customer Service on 1800 804 747.
