Citroën H Van

The Citroën H Van, Type H, H-Type or HY was a light truck (or delivery van) produced by the French car maker Citroën between 1947 and 1981. It was developed as a simple front wheel driven van after World War II. A total of 473,289 were produced in 34 years in factories in France and Belgium. Most of them were sold in France, Belgium and The Netherlands.

Names

Most Type H were sold as model HY so many people know it only by this name. There were also models H (early ones), HX (lesser load capacity), HZ, and HW (more load capacity). For some time, they were also sold as model 1600.

Technical

The engine, gear box and many smaller parts are well known from other Citroën models: Engine and gearbox are nearly the same as in the Traction Avant and later the DS, only mounted with the engine to front. Head lights and speedometer were identical to the 2CV for a long time.

The distinctive corrugated or 'rippled' swaged body work was inspired by German Junkers (Aircraft) of the 1930s, (the three engined Junkers Ju 52, being the last to use this construction), the ribs added strength without adding weight, and needed only simple, low cost press tools. Perfect for a cash strapped post-war Citroen. The flat body panels were braced on their reverse side by 'top hat' box sections, at right angles to the ribs. A similar idea is still used in multilayer cardboard.

Other

• An H-Type was used as the Broom Waggon in the film version of Belleville Rendez-vous.

• An HY was used by the murderer in the French horror movie Haute Tension, also called High Tension

• HY's were used in the Danish Olsen Gang movies as prisoner transports and by the gang themselves. They also appeared in the Norwegian productions of the movies.

• Portuguese show "A Loja do Camilo" depicted on one episode an Citroen H Van, which Camilo uses firstly as a mobile store and later as a mobile restaurant.

• The H-Type's most regular and prolific TV/film appearance is in the long-running French drama series 'Louis la Brocante' (1998-present), a sort of Gallic 'Lovejoy', where middle-aged antiques dealer Louis Roman (played by Victor Lanoux) drives an immaculate beige HY throughout picturesque scenes of small-town/rural French life as his virtual sole transport throughout each 90-minute episode. The van also appears in the background of many scenes even when Louis is not actually using or driving it.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Citroën HY

• Encyclopédie illustrée du type H Citroën en miniatures
• Le forum du type H
• Citroën H Van Showmobile for Company Promotions
• The Citroën H Van Register UK website
• H Van at Citroenet
• Table of common modifications
• H comme Huitième (In french)
• HY Parts Citrotech
• CITROËN WORLD: HY links
• Le Camion (in Dutch)
• Citroen HY Team Holland (in Dutch)

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