"Madame Ples" - Citroën GS Club 1299

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Hloni
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"Madame Ples" - Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by Hloni »

So I have been searching for a new cab, NOT a 'project', but more of a turn-key, and I stumbled across this online at a ridiculous price.
Called the guy, but he had posted it for an old friend so couldn't answer some of the questions I had after asking uncle google a few questions.
So rang owner, he could barely hear me (age), agreed to meet next day, and off I went into The Cradle to look at this.
4321 4320

Love at 1st sight. Runs like a beaut, the guy is passionate, and is just trying to "get rid of stock" - just too many licenses to be paid annually. "Everything works" he tells me. Yet to drive her as carb was giving issues - diaphragm gone, so he's busy building new one for me. I didn't even talk him down on his price. He's not trying to make money - this is a practical give-away as it comes with COMPLETE spare motor that's running - came out of another that's in the yard but scrapped. Bugger, you might wanna have a look at this a/c my boet :D

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I love the cockpit!! :hangloose:

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This is so original it's not even funny :drunks:
Yet to give her a name, so any French suggestions will be appreciated. Something African in French due to where this car has been living - Cradle of Mankind.

Wikki says http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_GS
"Good aerodynamics enabled the car to make the best of the available power, but the car as launched nevertheless drew criticism that it was underpowered. Citroën addressed the issue with the introduction in September 1972, as an option, of a larger 1,222 cc engine. Claimed power increased from 55 bhp (41 kW; 56 PS) to 60 bhp (45 kW; 61 PS), but it was the improved torque that really marked out the more powerful engine, and which enabled the manufacturer, with the larger engined versions, to raise the second gear ratio and the final drive ratio, increasing the vehicle speed per 1,000 rpm from 23 km/h (14.3 mph) to 24.5 km/h (15.2 mph)"

Here's how they sounds on the tube:
Last edited by Hloni on Thu Nov 28, 2013 11:35 am, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by jolas »

What a cool car Hloni - congrats 8)
by fig » Mar 26, 2018
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Re: Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by Hloni »

Biggest need for now is new tyres. This baby fits 155R15 (originally came out with 145R15). Now, Jeppe Tyres has them, but at R1300 EACH *weeping*

165R15 won't find under the arches!!!

Space savers, what size are they and what's the going rate of space savers of 145/80/15 or 155/80/15? I'm sure I can run space savers as the car won't go above 100km/h.
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Re: Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by riaanj »

Hloni wrote:Biggest need for now is new tyres. This baby fits 155R15 (originally came out with 145R15). Now, Jeppe Tyres has them, but at R1300 EACH *weeping*

165R15 won't find under the arches!!!

Space savers, what size are they and what's the going rate of space savers of 145/80/15 or 155/80/15? I'm sure I can run space savers as the car won't go above 100km/h.
Try here: http://www.errolstyres.co.za/tyres they have 155/80/15 from R664 to R1497 and they deliver!
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Re: Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by Hubcap »

How about calling it "Madame Ples" after the famous fossil from the Cradle - Mrs Ples. Car comes from my valley !
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Re: Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by Hloni »

Hubcap wrote:How about calling it "Madame Ples" after the famous fossil from the Cradle - Mrs Ples. Car comes from my valley !
I'm likking Madame Ples idea.

Who is this Mrs Ples by any chance? Don't own a telly, so no National Geographic for me :)
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Re: Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by Hubcap »

Mrs. Ples is the popular nickname for the most complete skull of an Australopithecus africanus specimen ever found in South Africa. Many fossils of this species, which are considered to be the distant relatives of all humankind, have been found in the Sterkfontein area, in what has been designated the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, which is situated approximately 70 kilometres southwest of Pretoria. Mrs. Ples was discovered by Robert Broom and John T. Robinson on 18 April 1947. The cranial capacity is about 485 cubic centimeters. The catalog number for Mrs. Ples is STS 5.


Archaeologists at Sterkfontein cave, where Mrs. Ples was found.The nickname Mrs. Ples was derived from the scientific designation Plesianthropus transvaalensis (near-man from the Transvaal), initially given to the skull by Broom; the nickname itself was coined by young coworkers of Broom.

The sex of the skull is not completely certain and so Mrs. Ples may in fact be Mr. Ples. In addition, X-ray analysis of the roots of the teeth of Mrs. Ples has suggested that it was a sub-adult, so a designation of Miss Ples or Master Ples is also possible.

Some experts have suggested that a partial skeleton, known only by its catalogue number of STS 14 that was discovered in the same year, in the same geological deposit and in proximity to it, may belong to this skull. If correct, this would make Mrs. Ples the South African counterpart to the famous Lucy fossil.

The fossil has been dated by a combination of palaeomagnetism and uranium-lead techniques to around 2.05 million years.
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Re: Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by Hloni »

Taking delivery this weekend. Still struggling with 155/80/15 tyres for now.
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Re: Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by Hloni »

Been trying to clean-up engine bay with engine in place, what a lot of work. Oil build-up over the years, so some elbow grease needed.

Sourcing CORRECT tyres (155R15) still an issue. Big issue with 165R15 is they wont fit under the arches without grinder and mods :( http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/tireca ... -165-80r15
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Re: Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by Hloni »

Looks like I've found me new rubber! 155R15 @ just under R1200 a piece from Strydompark. Will put on all 4 corners. They can also source 165R15, nice tread pattern for classics.
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Re: Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by Retrobug »

That is one cool looking steering wheel! 8)
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Re: Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by Hloni »

This is the tyre
vredestein sprint classic.jpg
And this is what it says about the tyre:
The Sprint Classic from Vredestein completes the classic image of your classic car.

The Sprint Classic was specially developed for enthusiasts with an eye for detail and design. While the unique tyre profile and contour remain unchanged, a stylish sidewall marking has been added. However, beneath this classic exterior lies the most advanced technology.

The high-quality design ensures that the ‘Sprint’ element in the name is fully justified: for the larger sizes the Classic has a W symbol, allowing speeds up to 167 mph (270 km/h).
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Re: Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by jolas »

More pics of Mrs Ples please :twisted:
by fig » Mar 26, 2018
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Re: "Madame Ples" - Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by Hloni »

Well, the old girl has a new set of rubber on her, so I have been driving her on the N1 a bit (Malibongwe/Bayers stretch) as I work part time evenings in Cresta and live in Sharonlea. Still looking for a real job I must add!! The girl purrs right nicely I must admit at about 100kph and does about 4000rpm at that speed. Oil pressure sits about 400kpa.
What I am struggling with for now is getting the brake, number plate and reverse lights working. Funny enough, this series uses only THREE fuses. 2X 16 Amps and X1 10Amps. The other lights working on these circuits work alright by the looks of things, but yet to come right with the 3 lights.
Engine smokes a bit once it has warmed up, especially when I come to a halt at robots and pull off. Tomorrow I'll pull out the plugs and see if any are fouled with oil and ascertain if one needs to replace rings or whether this is a fueling mixture issue. Previous owner installed an electric pump, and it might be a bit to strong for the 30DGS Weber carb. Remember, this engine is an aircolled boxer too, so I might be knocking on Bugger's or Armand's door - whoever is willing to tinker with it 8)

4373
Still working on cleaning up the wiring. But the interesting this is the fan on top left. This pulls warm air into cabin when you press a button :mrgreen:
Cool air is 'forced induction' through the wheel wells, but there is also a 2nd fan for circulating air, and in particular for defrosting the windscreen.

One of the most fascinating technologies is the windscreen washer. It 'pulsates' rather than 'squirts' water, so you get water at each stroke (which you control inside) rather than just have water squirting non-stop (I remember Pine mentioning something about how he squirts BEFORE wiping, and I think HW2 was fitted with a similar system) i.e. squirting and wiping are independent.
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Re: "Madame Ples" - Citroën GS Club 1299

Post by Retrobug »

You know you're a real car nut when you squirt independently! :shock:
:lol:
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