1938 Citroen Traction Avant Sedan

Launched in 1934 and officially known as the 11CV, its common name is the Traction Avant. In France, the Traction Avant was once known as 'Reine de la Route' or Queen of the Road. The car's styling stood out by its low profile and stance, due to the absence of a chassis, thus visually distinguishing it from its contemporaries.

The series had numerous variants in horsepower and body style and was made through 1957. This Berline 11 has a 122-inch wheelbase and is powered by a 1.9-liter 4-cylinder engine. Distinctive features include the unitized monocoque body, front-wheel drive, and four-wheel independent suspension. This car also sports a unique coal burning variation, installed to adapt to petrol shortages in wartime France.

During the German occupation of France in World War II, gasoline was scarce, expensive, and often unavailable. Several companies offered systems for a vehicle to turn solid fuel (wood, coal, charcoal) to gas. This Citroen Traction Avant has been converted by Fap Elgazo Tarbes who developed the Gasogene system, whereby cars could be powered by the fas from burning coal. The stock carburetor and intake manifold were removed and a mixing system was installed. The large cylindrical container under the right front fender is filled with coal and ignited. After 10 minutes, methane gas flows into the left container to be cleaned. Gas is then fed through a filter to the mixing system.

The coal system reduced horsepower by 20% which reduced top speed to about 55 mph (depending on how well the coal was burning). The range was about 30-40 miles before it was necessary to add more coal. Approximately 2,000 cars were converted, but only a few conversions survived.

This example was acquired by the Lane Motor Museum in 2006.