Here’s a most unusual GS that was listed for sale on eBay in the UK and on Bring a Trailer. As one reader commented, it “Lost its brakes and careened wildly through a Pep Boys store, hitting every shelf of tacky accessories on it’s way through and tipping over the dumpster in the alley out back.” While others chided; “Built with pride in France, tastefully modified in England!” and “Further proof that the English have no respect for the French.”
And while yes, it is tacky to the Nth degree, it reminds us that there actually was a low-production, factory-built GS pick-up offered. It was available for a short while in direct competition with Peugeot models. Here is a picture of the original:
From Julian Marsh’s Citroenet.uk website.
Extremely rare today we don’t think this is one of them, but it is interesting nevertheless.
The tailgate on this car functions like normal GS Berline lifting up from the bottom and including the centre part of the back bumper. The tailgate should drop down instead of up. And the back panel to the passenger compartment looks to be homemade.
Nevertheless, somebody went to a lot of effort to make this pick-up. It too bad they lost any sense of taste along the way.
The seller claims that this 1974 Citroen GS has just 25,890 miles on the odometer, starts up fine, brakes are good, has fully working hydraulic suspension,and the lights, indicators, horn, washers, all still work. The key barrel is bad, windows are stiff, and paint is faded, but if you are going to get of the excessive bling on it, those are the least of your worries!
A least the £2,800 ($,3,500 US) price is reasonable, and we bet you you aren’t going see another!
Find it here on eBay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Citroen-gs-service-pick-up-very-rare-truck/232229312528?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D41415%26meid%3Dcfd41839bf2c480cac66743e03a28ec9%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D252286565376
I noted that there was an article in Citroenvie! about a GS pick-up truck for sale in the UK and it ends with: “and we bet you aren’t going see another!” That is not true as I have seen and taken photos of another one but the owner requested that I did not publish the photos anywhere. It is a right-hand drive pick-up, first registered in 1978 and has a 1222cc engine. It is does not have “bling” items added to it and is finished in Blue Regate paint. Apart from the conversion, it looks very much like my own 1978 GS Pallas that is the same colour. The car is a “Pol Ferie Pick Up” and this name is even on the rear number plate of the car I have seen. I have been told that a few of them were made. I did not inspect how the tailgate worked but it may drop down as the release button on the tailgate/trunk lid was not present.
The September 2017 edition of “Classic & Sports Car” magazine [that may be sold in USA/Canada?] had an article in it featuring our GS Pallas C-matic and it was compared with a Vanden Plas 1500 [Allegro]. Interestingly, the photo-shoot was about 3 years ago.