Handwritten note dated 28 August 1963 to Paul Magès regarding stiff gear shifting on a DS

In this document

Reporting of stiffness

An internal memo, dated 28/8/63, is addressed by a correspondent identified only by a first name ("André", according to the signature) to Paul Magès. He reports that Mr. Valter ("after a drive") noted, on the service DS — likely a "90S" according to the marginal annotation — a stiffening of gear shifting under certain conditions p. 24.

The author believes that "this car should interest you" and offers to make it available to Magès p. 24.

Two pending technical questions

The memo then raises two subjects, underlined in red in the document:

• a) "1st synchronized on DS = D 73"
• b) "Self-centering steering = D 79"

The author asks if these two improvements are "advanced enough to consider their series launch, in such a near future" p. 24.

Annotations and follow-up

A supplementary note, in different ink, specifies that Mr. Walter explained the phenomenon observed after being alerted, without appearing surprised. He is tasked with reproducing the anomaly and verifying the effectiveness of an "unblocking" or a "reduction of stiffness" by operating the clutch lever by hand p. 24.

A final mention, dated 10/9/63, reports Mr. Walter's response: "it changes nothing" p. 24.

Context

This memo is part of the daily life of the Citroën design office in the early 1960s, a period when the DS, launched in 1955, underwent continuous developments in its mechanics and hydropneumatic suspension — a field of which Paul Magès is the recognized inventor.

The mention of a "synchronized 1st gear" and "self-centering steering" refers to classic automotive improvement topics of the time (gearbox, power steering), without the document allowing for more to be said about their precise technical content.

Archivist's perspective

This handwritten note, brief and sometimes difficult to read, illustrates the rapid circulation of information between test drivers and engineers within the design office: a field problem (stiff gear shifting) is transmitted directly to Magès, with a concrete proposal to make the vehicle available.

It seems that this document belongs to a larger set of correspondence from the summer of 1963 dealing with incidents on the DS steering, as suggested by the possible connection with the SNECMA note on a DS 19 steering accident or the handwritten observations criticizing this report. Question b) of the memo ("self-centering steering") could thus echo these contemporary concerns, without the link being explicitly established in the text itself.

The laconic and negative response from Mr. Walter, added after the fact, gives this small memo the value of a living trace of the testing and development work conducted around Magès.