1949 Citroen HZ Campervan

GeoNomad

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In 1949 Monsieur Jean Baert bought the first Citroen HZ truck off the production line to use as a camper.

According to French law at the time, he had to paint it green to use it for camping sauvage (wild camping).

CitroenHZCamper800.jpg


He used it for his holidays for 25 years, putting 22,597 km on the clock and then locked it in his garage.

In 1999 it was acquired by the owner of the CitroMuseum near Castellane, a passionate collector of every model of Citroen, all in original condition and with very low mileage.

And that is where I discovered it on Sunday afternoon.

For the technical types, the vehicle had a payload of 850kg, and was powered by a 1911 CC 4 cylinder engine putting out 50 BHP at 3800 rpm. Top speed was indicated at 88 kph.

This vehicle is the great grandaddy of my Citroen C15D, Romahome camper. Maybe I should paint mine green, so I am less conspicuous under the trees, here.

Peter
 
nice to see it all original ,but it is such a shame that it is not being used for what it was meant for even if its only now and again .i dont know about anybody else but there is somthing sad about a lovely old viehcle locked up in a museum
 
I understand where you're coming from but...If it had been used continuously it wouldn't be in the museaum for us to admire. It would have gone the way of all those old cars I drove into the gound. Perhaps take it out just once in a while?
 
Citroen

Two years ago at Waldegraves Caravan Site in Essex we saw a van identical to this but in red.

Ironically it was parked next to some enormous American RV's and whilst I love all things MH the little Citroen packed a mighty punch. Truly beautiful!

If I ever see it again I will be more nosey!
 
There was one very similar on ebay recently - sweet looking van, i'd have one over a VW anyday.
 
every thing produced in that year is exceptional :dance::cool1::banana::wacko:
 
It probably is better off in a Museum. The quality of the steel that was used was pretty poor and rusts as soon as it sees rain. The old HZs do have a certain class about them rather like their better known rivals, the Split Screen VW.
I'll make no bones of it, I'd love to have both of them and a Merc Bull Nose while you're asking :D

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According to French law at the time, he had to paint it green to use it for camping sauvage (wild camping).
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Wish that we did something similar with all the Statics on British campsites
 
A thing of beauty!

At a country show last year-not sure where some bloke was selling crepes out of one, I asked him about his van, I'm sure he said it was newly built??
 
Yorkshirepudding said:
I understand where you're coming from but...If it had been used continuously it wouldn't be in the museaum for us to admire. It would have gone the way of all those old cars I drove into the gound. Perhaps take it out just once in a while?
Click to expand...
yes i agree if it had been used continualy from new it may not be arround now . but as it is it could be used now and again and looked after , i was watching an classic rally the other day some of the old mk1 lotus cortinas and escorts among others ,30 some years old worth thousands of pounds thrashing arround a forest track ,being used for what they were intended ,they have been doing the rounds of the rallying life for years and will continue to give others pleasure. so i am shure doing the classic shows with an enthusiastic owner would actualy keep it in better condition than sat dormant .but then again i am one that likes to see a classic car used sympatheticaly
 
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