Photo: Eric Berg/Facebook
Unlike most French automakers, Citroën did not race much outside the World Rally Championship and some long-distance events for the slow 2CV. But it seems someone built a Citroën-based sports car on U.S. soil in the 1950s. It survived to this day, and it may finally get the restoration it deserves.
I'm talking about the Citroën-Seidlitz Special, a one-off, barchetta-style race car built by Carl Seidlitz. Although somewhat based on the 2CV, the Seidlitz looks nothing like a Citroën. Completed in 1956 over a tubular chassis, the Seidlitz features an aluminum body that mimics the shape of iconic 1950s sports race cars.
The overall muscular shape, the tall fenders, the oval front intake, and the off-set flying buttress all remind of the Jaguar D-Type and Ferrari Testa Rossa racers of the era. The Citroën-Seidlitz is a thing of beauty really, even though it needs a thorough restoration.
So what's the history of this car? Well, it's a big foggy, mostly because it isn't a factory race car, but a lightweight track experiment built in a private shop. Info is rather slim, but it seems that the sleek barchetta was entered in various events at Riverside and Pomona in 1957, driven by its creator, Carl Seidlitz, and Pete Woods.
Records suggest four entries in 1957, with a ninth-place finish as the best results. The Seidlitz was entered in the smallest displacement class, as it featured the tiny air-cooled, flat-twin from the 2CV. The mill is described as a 0.5-liter, which could mean it was an enlarged version of the stock engine.
That's because the 2CV was available with 0.37- and 0.42-liter mills. They were rated at 9 and 12.5 horsepower, respectively. This wasn't exactly suited for racing, so a bored and stroked version makes sense for extra oomph. The Seidlitz went against similar low-powered roadsters from Crosley and Panhard, usually rated at 25 to 35 horsepower.
That's obviously far from impressive, but the Seidlitz Special appears to be extremely light by design. Thanks to an aluminum body, the tubular chassis, and the extremely small engine, it could tip the scales at only 500 kg (1,102 pounds), resulting in a competitive power-to-weight ratio.
The race car was recently listed on Facebook Marketplace with a "highest offer over $35,000 gets the car." It seems someone bought it so maybe we will see it restored to its former glory soon. The Seidlitz Special doesn't look all that bad given its age, but the aluminum body needs to be fixed and painted, and the wheels restored or replaced altogether.
The interior is complete but in need of a makeover, while the engine appears to be in a similar state. It requires a lot of work, and things will probably get expensive. Still, as a one-off, the Citroën-Seidlitz Special deserves a new life.
The overall muscular shape, the tall fenders, the oval front intake, and the off-set flying buttress all remind of the Jaguar D-Type and Ferrari Testa Rossa racers of the era. The Citroën-Seidlitz is a thing of beauty really, even though it needs a thorough restoration.
So what's the history of this car? Well, it's a big foggy, mostly because it isn't a factory race car, but a lightweight track experiment built in a private shop. Info is rather slim, but it seems that the sleek barchetta was entered in various events at Riverside and Pomona in 1957, driven by its creator, Carl Seidlitz, and Pete Woods.
Records suggest four entries in 1957, with a ninth-place finish as the best results. The Seidlitz was entered in the smallest displacement class, as it featured the tiny air-cooled, flat-twin from the 2CV. The mill is described as a 0.5-liter, which could mean it was an enlarged version of the stock engine.
That's because the 2CV was available with 0.37- and 0.42-liter mills. They were rated at 9 and 12.5 horsepower, respectively. This wasn't exactly suited for racing, so a bored and stroked version makes sense for extra oomph. The Seidlitz went against similar low-powered roadsters from Crosley and Panhard, usually rated at 25 to 35 horsepower.
That's obviously far from impressive, but the Seidlitz Special appears to be extremely light by design. Thanks to an aluminum body, the tubular chassis, and the extremely small engine, it could tip the scales at only 500 kg (1,102 pounds), resulting in a competitive power-to-weight ratio.
The race car was recently listed on Facebook Marketplace with a "highest offer over $35,000 gets the car." It seems someone bought it so maybe we will see it restored to its former glory soon. The Seidlitz Special doesn't look all that bad given its age, but the aluminum body needs to be fixed and painted, and the wheels restored or replaced altogether.
The interior is complete but in need of a makeover, while the engine appears to be in a similar state. It requires a lot of work, and things will probably get expensive. Still, as a one-off, the Citroën-Seidlitz Special deserves a new life.
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