Citroën Type C 5HP

Sources[1]

While the French government encouraged, by means of tax benefits, car manufacturers to invest in cyclecars, André Citroën preferred to turn to small cars. The 5HP was the first Citroën to enter the small car sector, then monopolized by Peugeot and Renault.

Despite its resemblance to the Type A designed by Jules Salomon, the 5HP was in fact the work of engineer Edmond Moyet who a few months earlier had made a very similar vehicle for Amilcar, the "CC".

The genius of André Citroën was to promote this car to a female audience, which was very unusual at the time. All the 5HP advertising documents represented the car driven by a young woman.

With the 5HP, Citroën allied itself to mass motoring. This is emphasised by the fact that the 5HP could also be bought on credit, a new method for the time, thanks to a consumer credit company, founded by André Citroën.

After a slow start in 1922, the success was such, that, from 1924, it accounted for nearly half of Citroen's sales and became the first European popular automobile. The selling price of the 5HP "Torpedo" in 1922 (8,500 FR) was about 60% of that of the 10 HP (13,900 FR).

The initial commercial name: 5HP became 5CV in 1925 on the occasion of the change of calculation of the power of engines: from HP (Horse Power) to CV (Cheval Vapeur).

A network of 5000 agents was built up between 1919 and 1925. Exclusive subsidiaries and dealers were located all over the world: Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Spain, Belgium, North Africa, Australia South America, etc. Factories were built in Spain, Italy, Poland, Algeria, Belgium, and England from 1925 in order to avoid customs taxes on imported products (such as Mac Kenna taxes in England).

Launched in May 1922, the "Torpedo" (tourer), was a two-seat version, which in 1923, became available in a more luxurious "Cabriolet" (convertible) version. In 1924, a three-seater version of the "Torpedo" initially with a "folding seat", then with two seats at the front and one at the rear, was introduced which got the nickname "Cloverleaf".

"Bubsy" arriving at Sidney – Dec. 1925.

The 5HP was a model of reliability and frugality compared to the competition; it was extremely robust evidenced by the journey of 17000 km in 5 months around Australia in 1925 of Bubsy, a "used" Torpedo with two students on board: in extreme conditions without any engine problem.[2][3]

Unfortunately, although the 5HP was a success, it was insufficiently profitable, and in order to prepare for the introduction of the "all steel" B14, André Citroën personally took the decision, against general opinion, to end its production in May 1926. A C4 "all steel" version was envisaged but was abandoned because of excessive cost.

Today, the 5HP is the typical 20s vintage car. Its success is due to the fact that it was already an immense commercial success in its time and also that it is possible to rebuild it very easily from period parts and re-fabrications.

Of the 83000 5HP built, many have been converted into utility vehicles, tractors, etc. It is estimated that about 3000 (4%) survived.

Source[1] [4]

Datation per chassis no per modelplus production stats per year and model

Controls on Torpedo T2 1922

... and on Cabriolet C3

The little Citroën was ahead of the competition: it was equipped with a differential and an electric starter, allowing the car to be advertised as especially suitable for lady drivers sensitive to ease of driving. The weight of 543 kg is essentially that of the engine, gearbox, and rear axle . The maximum speed was 60 km/h (37 mph) with a fuel consumption of 5 l/100 km (56 mpg imp; 47 mpg US).

The 5HP chassis were assembled in the Levallois factory (Paris suburbs), and the assembly of the car was in the Javel factory; Right-hand drive versions were available for the French market (there was still a demand for this) and for export (England, Commonwealth, Sweden, Argentina, Australia).

The body was of a wooden structure, on which the body panels were nailed. It was the last Citroen with a wooden body. The car had only one door, on the passenger side, it opened forwards. The hinges were invisible (except for the "Cabriolet") and the vibrations were absorbed by a double cone lock avoiding accidental opening of the doors.

Pre-production vehicles had a bonnet with 3 air vents that was quickly followed by a 16 air vents version. It had one of the most handsome radiator masks. In 1922, for technical reasons, the radiator was separated into a cooling element and a nickel-plated outer casing. Initially the first Citroën badge on the radiator was blue chevrons on a nickel-plated base; later the colours were swapped.

The four-cylinder, 856 cc (52.2 cu in) engine had a bore of 55 mm (2.2 in) and stroke of 90 mm (3.5 in), generating an output of 8.2 kW (11 bhp) and was cooled by thermosiphon. From June 1, 1925, the cooling system was improved on all models by a fan ( previously fitted only to the Cabriolet ).

There was a single Solex carburetor. The ignition initially by battery, coil and distributor was replaced around March 1923 by a magneto ignition.

The gearbox had three unsynchronized ratios plus a reverse gear; the straight-sized sprocket tended to "sing" especially in 1st and 2nd gear (not in 3rd, direct drive), and became noisy when the gears were worn or when the bush between the primary and secondary shaft was loose. This excessive play caused the primary train to become misaligned from the second train, causing the sprockets to operate on the end of the teeth, hence additional noise and premature wear.

As on contemporary cars of the time, the accelerator pedal was located centrally between those of the clutch and the brake.

There was no braking on the front wheels but braking on the transmission was controlled by the foot brake and on the rear wheels by a hand brake lever. Braking was not the strong point of the car; it was necessary to anticipate and balance the action of the two braking systems at the risk of breaking a rear wheel shaft. Many 5HP have been modified to couple the transmission brake and the rear brakes and this modification was finally offered in series on the last 1926 models.

5HP engine with Solex carburetter

Engine with RB magneto

To avoid distortion of the U shaped side members, the ladder frame was trapezoidal and reinforced by cross beams.

The suspension consisted of four inverted quarter-elliptical leaf springs. Friction dampers became fitted, at the rear from 1925 on the heavier "Cabriolet".

At the end of 1923, the short chassis Type C.2 was lengthened by 10  cm from 2.25 m (7  ft 5 in) to 2.35m (7  ft 9 in) and re-inforced by an additional crossbar which protruded from the rear deck and supported the rear of the body. This became the long-wheelbase chassis Type C.3. The extension of the bodywork had become necessary to allow the construction of the new "three-seat" version of the "Torpedo" as well as the "Voiture de Livraison" (delivery car). The lengthening can be noted by the long distance between the spare wheel and the rear wing. This chassis was produced without modification until the end of production.

The rear axle was of the "banjo" type with a round or oblong (oval) shape. The teeth of the rear axle pinion were of the "Citroën chevron" type. An helical-cut, easier to produce, and more robust became available, as replacement parts, in 1928.

Initially, the 700x80 beaded edge Michelin "Cablé" tyres were inflated at "high pressure", (4 to 5 bars), hence a mediocre road holding and comfort. They were replaced in June 1924 by 715x115 beaded edge Michelin "Cablé Confort" (balloon ) tyres inflated at low pressure (2.5 bars), initially offered as extra equipment, and then fitted on all cars in June. 11-12x45 wired on rims appeared in 1927 with " Confort Bibendum " tyres, low pressure (1.5 to 1.75 bars). and were fitted as replacement of original beaded edge rims.

The equipment level of the 5 HP being relatively basic, many component suppliers took the opportunity to offer multiple solutions to improve driving comfort or performance such as luggage rack, petrol gauge (OS), water thermometer (Boyer-Meter), speedometer, and watch (Jaeger, OS), shock absorbers (Houdaille, Repusseau), front brakes (Poulet, Acmos), engine improvements (Super-Culasse Desprez, Transformations F. Crespelle, Ruby-Ricardo cylinder head).

Vehicles imported to England or assembled there were retrofitted with side lamps, rear-view mirrors, windscreen wipers, and speedometers by the importer in Slough (London).

Source[5]

In 1922–23, the 2-seater Torpedo T2 and the 2-seater Cabriolet TL were mounted on the short chassis (C2). In October 1923, these bodies, as well as the "Delivery Car" VL and the "3-seater Torpedo " T3-1 will then be mounted on the long chassis (C3). In October 1924, the Torpedo T3-1 is replaced by the "3-seater Torpedo Cloverleaf" T3-2 with room for a single passenger in the rear.

5HP C2 Torpédo 2 seater original version – Oct.1921

5HP C2 T2 Torpedo2 seater

Torpédo 2 seater T2

Source[6]

Production: Short wheelbase Chassis C2: May 1922 to September 1923 ... then Long wheelbase chassis C3: October 1923 to Spring 1925

5HP C3 T2 Torpédo 2 seater 1924

Its back end gave the "Torpedo" a sporty look but it also added the nickname "Cul de Poule"(hen's bottom).

The original (C2-1922/23) body colour was yellow than with the introduction of the long chassis (C3-1924/25), colours available were: Bordeaux red, blue, or Havana (brown). The comfortable bench seat was covered with leatherette initially (C2): black, then (C3): red, black (for blue cars), or brown.

The floor covering was a brush carpet. Door storage pockets were fitted in the door and alongside the driver.

The spare wheel was mounted on the driver's side. The door hinges were not visible. At the rear of the car was a chest, accessible from the top, and closed by a lid. On the boot lid could be fitted two supports to fit a trunk of dimensions 40 x 80 cm.

The running boards were made of aluminium reinforced with long grooves. They were black in colour, the top of the grooves was polished. The wings and bodywork were made of the black painted metal sheet. The headlamps (bowls: black paint; rims: nickeled) were connected by an adjustable nickel-plated crossbar.

The polished and machined aluminium dashboard was simple, with only an ammeter and a headlight/ignition switch.

The pivot point of the movable windshield was placed in the top third section.

The convertible top was openable around a single axis and covered with a waterproof fabric. The hood irons were bent ash. All-weather equipment (side curtains) was provided.

The flat-profile wings, called "flat wings" (ailes plates) were replaced for the 1926 model by "round wings" (ailes rondes): very few such cars were made.

Citroen 5HP Torpedo T3-1

"Torpedo 3-seater a Strapontin " (with "folding seat) T3-1

Source[7]

Production: Long wheelbase chassis C3: October 1923 to end 1924.

5HP C3 T3-1 Torpedo 3-seater a Strapontin – Catalog 1923

The body, based on the 2-seater "Torpedo" but with a rounded rear end was enlarged to be more spacious than the Torpedo T2. The spare wheel was mounted on the driver's side. Its door was enlarged by 7  cm compared to model T2 The boot compartment was located behind the driver's seat. It was accessible from above and closed by a lid.

The driver's seat was fixed. The passenger seat-mounted on two cylindrical rails could be moved back and forth. At the front, under the dashboard, was a folding jump seat that could be mounted when the passenger seat was in the rear position.

Body colour: Bordeaux red, blue, or Havana. A small number were painted green (moss green). Seats and interior fittings: leatherette red, black (for blue car), or brown. The floor covering was a black brush carpet.

Door storage pockets were fitted in the door and alongside the driver.

This model had a limited production (only 8000) because the customers did not like the discomfort of the folding seat. This model has since been improperly called "Faux Trefle" (false clover leaf) by collectors.

5HP C3 T3-2 Torpedo 3-seater Trefle

"Torpedo 3-seater Trefle " ( Clover leaf ) T3-2

Source[8]

Production: Long wheelbase chassis C3: Early 1925 to June 1926.

5HP C3 T3-2 – Catalog 1924

This model replaced T3-1. At the front, were two individual seats; the third seat was placed at the rear, in the centre, hence the nickname "Torpedo Trefle". A passage between the front seats allowed access to the rear seat.

Two small compartments were placed to the right and left of the rear seat. They were accessible from above and closed by a lid.

Body colour: dark beige until December 24, then became Bordeaux red, Canon blue or Havana. Seats and interior fittings in leatherette: red or black for red cars; black for blue cars; brown or black for Havana cars. The floor covering was a black brush carpet.

Door storage pockets were fitted in the door and alongside the driver.

The spare wheel was fitted at the back.

5HP C2 cabriolet TL Oct 1922

5HP C3 Cabriolet TL – Catalog 1924

"Cabriolet" ( convertible ) TL

Source[9]

Production: Short wheelbase chassis (C2): March 1923 to September 1923 ... then Long wheelbase chassis (C3) : October 1923 to June 1926.

The "Cabriolet" was a more luxurious and comfortable version than the "Torpedo". The rear end was identical to the "Torpedo".

Body colour: yellow or Havana (C2- mid-1923), then (C3-mid-1923/26): Bordeaux red, Canon blue, or Havana. Seats and interior fittings: leatherette: red or black for red cars; black for blue cars; brown or black for Havana cars. The floor covering was black brush carpet.

The hood closed hermetically; it was made of black imitation leather, with a fabric liner, and metal hoops. The roof could be opened and closed from the inside. On long wheelbase chassis, the hood became available in red, brown, or black imitation leather.

Door storage pockets were fitted in the door and alongside the driver.

On the short wheelbase chassis, the lid of the luggage compartment was larger than on the T2 model; which did not allow the fitting of the external luggage rack; Customers having complained, the long-wheelbase chassis reverted to the smaller lid.

Inside, behind the seats, there was a hatch closed by a lid giving access to the trunk.

A T-shaped door handle was mounted on the outside. The hinges are visible.

A comfortable bench seat offered enough space for two people. On the first models, the passenger seat was slightly narrower for ease of access.

On the short-wheelbase chassis, the dashboard was polished machined aluminium; on the long-wheelbase chassis, it was replaced by mahogany varnished with inlaid cabinetry friezes on the dashboard and inlays on the strips below the windows.

The two side windows could go down into the interior of the door and were operated by a strap as on the railway cars of the time. These windows could also be kept clipped in the high position when the hood was open.

The windshield was in two parts, the upper part opens towards the front in order to give more fresh air and some visibility in case of heavy rain.

5HP C3 VL

• 
  Toy 5HP Torpedo T2
• 
  5HP C2 T2 Yellow
• 
  5HP C2 T2 1923
• 
  5HP C3 T3-1
• 
  5HP T3-1 Canon blue
• 
  5HP C3 T3-2 1924
• 
  5HP C3 T3-2 Beige
• 
  5HP C3 TL 1924
• 
  5HP Cabriolets TL 1924
• 
  5HP TL Bordeaux red
• 
  5HP TL Havana
• 
  5HP TL Havana
• 
  5HP TL Bordeaux red
• 
  5HP VL Havana
• 
  5 HP C3 VL Voiture de Livraison 1924

• Reynolds, John (1996). André Citroën – The man and the motor car. John Reynolds. Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-905778-32-4.
• Bernard Laurent, Citroën 5HP, Éditions Bernard Laurent, février 2006.
• Mohacek, Bozi. ""A brief History of Andre Citroen and of the 5CV Citroen Model C"". www.svvs.org. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
• Willy Schafroth. "Citroën 5HP". citroen-5hp.ch (in French, English, and German). Retrieved 4 September 2019..
• Paul Blank. "The First Car Around Australia". classicrally.com.au. Retrieved 2019-09-04..
• First Car Round Australia- www.pioneertacks.com – Bubsy arrives in Perth on 30/12/1925 on YouTube.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Citroën Type C.

• Type C links at Citroën World
• Citroën Type C 5CV history and specs
• Citroën Type C specification
• Amicale 5HP Citroen 45640 Sandillon
• Forum Amicale 5HP citroen