Discovered in Southern Washington, this black plate California special is a unique and very cool French find. The Citroen ID21F Safari is a quirky, but neat machine with styling that is unmistakable. Last registered in California, this Citroen has been parked roughly 35+ years . The good news about this unique machine is that it is quite complete with little rust to be found. Needing a lot of attention to either be revived or restored, this Citroen is currently up for the opening bid price of $500.00. Be sure to check out this neat wagon here on eBay out of Kirkland, Washington.
The engine compartment is partially dismantled with the radiator removed. Many of the engine components are crispy with rust and mild pitting. It would appear that all of the major items are included, but there is always that possibility of a small item or two that could come up missing on assembly. No effort has been made to revive the engine, and the brake system is bone dry having leaked out at some point in time. The front brakes are locked up, and there is an aluminum under tray that was eaten up by the leaking brake fluid.
From what little we can see of the interior, I would venture to say that it aged okay. There is some peppering of rust in the rear storage area, but the foot well of the fold up cargo area seats is rock solid.
Despite a few primer touch-up areas, and a couple of dents and dings, this Citroen has aged fairly well. You can see multiple dings in the passenger rear side door, as well as a bend on the passenger side front door. The driver side is almost without issue, besides the lower section of the driver door. A slight wave from being clipped, the driver door is otherwise in fine shape. Despite the low rust, there is some rot to contend with. There are a couple of small holes on either side of the front floors, and there is rot that has developed on the lower part of the channel for the rear suspension. A mouse appears to have inhabited the area fueling the rot, but thankfully the walls, and the structural integrity is still rigid. A great opportunity for a restoration, you can rest assured that you would certainly be wheeling in a very unique French station wagon. Are you a fan of these ID21F Safari’s?
Quirky and cheap. With styling not to many people’s taste. This would be a labor of love to bring back to life. There was a reason it was parked. Sometimes languishing in a barn for decades is the best thing. Imagine riding in those back jumps seats…back in the day…such a thrill!!! Pass
That has to be one of the ugliest cars I’ve ever seen! Wow what were the French thinking!?
Believe it or not, that styling was introduced by the French in the mid-1950’s!! What a departure from the big, hulking American cars of the same era!! Quirky? Yes! Unique? You bet!! Totally ahead of its time? Absolutely!! Love this wagon – would be fun to bring back to life and drive to the local Cars and Coffee!!
You will find out tout suite!
This car has been built after 1967.
A glimpse at the wheels show the give buts instead of the previous central but.
That means toi that the hydraulic fluid is the minéral green fluid which is obviously a bonus.
Classic example of how to make a $25,000 car here – simply dump another $75,000 into it. I don’t know where the barn photos were, but it sure wasn’t urbane polished to perfection Kirkland Yuppieland.
USA models did not get LHM (mineral green fluid) until late in the 1969 model year. This car has LHS (glycol fluid) similar to brake fluid. Notice that the spheres and the hydraulic pump are painted black.
I would never get tired of throwing bricks at this thing .
If I ever win twentyelebentybillionmillion dollars on Powerball I will buy every Citroen (lemon in english) and give them all to Somalia.
Actually, the French word for lemon is citron. Citroen is the family name of the companies founder.
Thanks Prof, I’ll put that up on my fridge so I don’t forget.
didn’t chevy chase drive one of these in a vacation movie?
European Vacation
From the front they remind me of a 1958 Packard.
And the Black R plate indicates it was first registered in CA in 1966 as well.
This would be a great will this thing run? For the guys of Cold War Motors up in Alberta Canada. They dig these old Citroens that & late 50’s Dodge Chry or Ply. tanks that they pull out of the junk yards in Alberta.
Worthy of a gallon of your favorite flamable liquid and one lit match! Lol
Floaty Citroens are ace. Much better value than the scabrous tri-chevy.
Very cool. I hope someone brings it back. I always thought the wagons would look more sleek with rear fender skirts similar to the sedan.
Love that Maserati engine some of them had, that’s the only one I would have considered getting.
That was another car, The Citroën SM
The SM engine compartment is definitely more full than this one.
VIVA l’FRANCE!! a Very MagiQal Machine . . alwAys had a thing for the ‘Shooting BrakeS’ would just put some plain Drivetrain in it and soar above the Clouds +*+*+* Devotamente, gF NM/FL USA
Seller states “sought-after single headlight front end”. Anyone know what make this more desirable than the dual headlight version?
It is just that they are rarer. They were built from 1959 till 1967.
You can find many sedan of this “single headlight” version (sedan were built 1955-1967..and they look better, in my opinion) , but station wagons (“safari”) are indeed very rare. Most of the station wagons you will find will be post-1967 (dual headlight).
I prefer the dual headlight ones (built 1967-1975).
Regarding the “unique central bolt” on the wheel, (this is about Jean Lecointe comment, above) , this can can indeed be (and it sure is) a 1966 model, since the central nut has been replaced by a more traditional “5 bolts” in 1966.
Great car, ahead of its time, with a unique look that some of us may not like….very interesting seats in the cargo, a rare option on those cars.
Not a bad parts car for some enthusiast, but to sink a ton of change into this, would be foolish. I’d have to think the hydraulic suspension alone would be a nightmare.
Despite the reputation the system is not that complex. 4 suspension units plus 4 suspension spheres, a master accumulator and an accumulator sphere. Levelling sensors on the back for the self levelling side of things.
I Started on a Sat morning – removing a wheel at a time to do the suspension units followed by the master accumulatator and its sphere. Then on the Sunday I used new cupro-nickel piping and connectors with a flaring tool and replaced the whole of the OE Steel suspension and brake plumbing. Byt 17:00 I had the engine running and was adding LHM to the reservoir waiting for the susension to self-prime and then level up. Took an hour to get that sorted then its just a case of a wheel off at a time again and bleed the brakes. Another hour saw that sorted. I didn’t need to touch the level sensors. So by Sunday night I had the car up and floating, starting and stopping The only special tools needed were the flaring tool for the pipes and a chain strap wrench for the spheres.
Were the parts hard to find? Expensive? I think those are the issues worrying any would-be restorer.
HI Howard
The hydraulic in the DS is not that complicated.
It is surprisîngly reliable.
All parts are available in France and driving a DS or ID is an unforgettable expérience.
Such amazing cars! Fun and reliable. I grew up with many Citroens. Used to deliver newspapers from those rear jump seats in our 71 DS21 wagon. Not for everyone, but these cars were and still are so far ahead of anything else on the road. I prefer the four headlight LHM cars 69.5 and up.
Wei! (is that the correct spelling?) A VERY Qool ‘Alternative’ would be an SM Shooting Brake ..
Sort’v a Custom Coachbuilt Variant of a 1973 Citroen OPERA Berline ~
https://www.ikonoto.com/blueprints/1973-citroen-sm-opera-27l-ie-ga/
Hi Kurt,
Parts were no worse than an equivalent era Ford. and inthe UK and EU at least are easily available. Rather than replacing a shock absorber and spring you replace a suspension unit and sphere. Works out roughly the same per pair. There is an on-cost in that you have the master accumulator and spere as well – in all honesty mine may have been OK but as it had stood for a long while I thought – what the hell, do the lot. The test for an OK master is to set the ride height to max and then listen for the clicks coming from it. There should be around 5 to 10 seconds between clicks as the system is running. Less than 5 seconds and its time to look at replacing the accumulator. Cupro-nickel brake pipe is the same cost regardless of model. I bought new unions but I could have saved money and re-used the old ones by cutting the ends off of the old steel pipes. The only thing that was expensive was the flaring tool that made the double flair unique to Citroens – that cost me £20 but its a one off cost if you are into the hydraulic Citroens.