Citroën Traction Avant

The pre-war Citroën passenger car has so far been the one of the most fascinating and complex project we have ever worked on. While it is not a particularly expensive vehicle, the 9-seat Familiale version makes it a relatively rare find. Very few of these cars have survived, as the extended body and a few engineering flaws by André Citroën’s team caused the bodies to crack and break just a couple of decades after production.

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A Rare Finnish Survivor

This particular car came from Finland, where it was originally sold before the war, and is the only one of its kind in the country. The owner is a well-known figure in Finnish automotive circles, a Citroën expert who also spent years living in Paris. He also has an extremely rare pre-war Citroën TA coupé, restored in Paris, which was at one point wintering with us. This gave us a chance to inspect the quality of French restoration work, which, while authentic, lacked the paintwork standard we believe we can achieve.

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The Scale of the Damage

Our first decision after seeing the car in Finland was that we would not take on the job — it was simply too complex and the car was in too poor condition. However, the owner was determined, citing the car's undeniable historical importance. Thanks to his exceptional enthusiasm, the car eventually arrived in our workshop.

It quickly became clear that the body was practically broken in half and sagged about 5 cm in the middle. The sheer scale of the work meant almost the entire lower 30 cm of the body would need to be rebuilt. “We’re basically building a new car,” noted our sheet metal specialist. “We can reuse the roof, pillars, part of the rear section, a piece of the front, and the door frames.”

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Structural Rebuild

We began by mounting the car on a massive body jig and taking full measurements. The original factory dimensions and body repair manuals, sourced by the owner from France, proved invaluable.

Because the body was so weak that it had no solid reference points, we built a “spine” from heavy steel beams, securing it to the jig. The various sections of the body were then “hung” from this frame, allowing them to be moved, measured, and fixed in place. Once the measurements were correct, we locked all critical points firmly to the jig — and, as if by magic, the doors began to fit perfectly in their openings again.

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Historical Significance

During body cleaning, we found numerous bullet holes — some neatly repaired with gas welding, others left exactly as they were after the shots.

It became clear that this car had actively taken part in Finland’s defensive battles, making it an object of significant historical interest. Before starting repairs, we photographed and documented every battle scar. Such marks are rare on most vehicles, and we considered it vitally important to preserve this piece of history.