By Peter Kristensen….
A few weeks ago, I received a text from Henry saying he had a surprise for me and that I should show up at the November gathering of the D.C.-area Citroënistes. I knew he had been tinkering with the two DS’s he got last year so my curiosity was piqued.
The DS’s had been “rescued” in 2023 and later that year Henry repurposed the parts from one of them and was actually able to start up the other one. The last I saw of the white 1967 DS Pallas Citromatic was when it puttered to a spot awaiting a next project of sorts.
Sure enough, when I arrived that Sunday morning it was “a” 1967 DS Pallas that he drove to the café where we meet up, but there’s more to the story.
After the gathering of the Citroën enthusiasts, I went to Henry’s place to get a closer look. Seeing the patinated DS brought back to life and on its new home turf at the barn, I instantly fell in love with it.
The making of the short film “Justine – the Sleeping Goddess”
To celebrate, Henry and I decided to shoot some video clips of the 1967 DS against the spectacular fall foliage. He knew of some scenic forested locations nearby, and off we went for the film shoot. We contemplated how we could make the film interesting, what would the story be? One thing all car enthusiasts have in common is the joy of driving, freedom, adventure, and the feeling of escape and having no boundaries. Looking at the car with its rusty doors, mismatched interior, and its smells and sounds, one thought came to mind: “If this car could speak what stories could it tell, what adventures did it have?”
We were inspired by the 1983 film Christine by John Carpenter about a nerdy guy who buys a car that turns out to have an (evil) mind of its own and does not want to be scrapped and sent to a junkyard. Imagination aside, cars do form a personality based on their looks and history.
A Citroën DS is filled with personality, especially due to its hydraulic system used for suspension, brakes, power steering, and in the Citromatic version also for the clutch and gearbox. Seeing an old DS rise and then drive is spectacular. Even more so when seen in slow motion.
We named the film “Justine – La déesse endormie,” referring to the name DS, which in French is pronounced “dee-es”—the same pronunciation as the word “déesse” meaning goddess.
Video: watch the 7 min short film “Justine – the Sleeping Goddess”:
What you see is not actually what you get
In reality, this particular DS 21 Citromatic is not entirely the same car as the one rescued last year; that car turned out to be rotten underneath. What Henry did was salvage its panels, doors, fenders, hood, and trunk lid, and then mount them on one of his running DS’s. Henry’s wife named the car Justine.
Not the first patinated 1967 DS in the DC area
There is something special about patinated cars that makes people smile and wonder about their history. As Henry’s car came to life and was shown around, we were reminded of a different 1967 DS that roamed the D.C. area in the 90’s. That car belonged to John, and was one he got for free in 1991 and that he drove every day for 18 years. It had around 500,000 miles on the odometer when he eventually retired it in 2010. It was called the “Rat Car” and it won “Best DS” at the Citroëns at Carlisle one year.
About the making of the short film
Now that you’ve seen the short film “Justine, the Sleeping Goddess,” here are a few clips of the film in the making. I have to say, the DS suspension system is made for a rugged field.
And the stories of the rescued DS’s come to an end
While the chassis of the two DS’s rescued last year were too far gone (both cars broke in half behind the back seat), many of their other parts are being put to good use in other cars today. The panels of the white ‘67 DS are on Justine, which has become the avatar of that car. The engine of the rescued white ‘67 DS and the 5-speed gearbox of the ‘72 red DS’ 5-speed manual gearbox are now in a 1970 black DS that Henry bought from Bruce a few years ago. At Henry’s, car parts are playing musical chairs. The gearbox of the black 1970 is now in a station wagon that Henry got a few years ago from the late Pete Lee, but that is another story…
Alas, this concludes the three-part series of the two DS’s rescued from southern Maryland.
At least, I think it does…
Please enjoy watching the short film “Justine, the Sleeping Goddess” and check out the previous Citroënvie stories about their rescue and a closer look inside them as well as their history.