Seattle Citroën
1965
UPDATED
4/2023
Citroën sold 1063 cars in the USA in 1965*. Almost all of these would have been DS's.
* According to a 1981 United States Trade Commission report
USTC, Dec 1981
ID19 TURN SIGNAL SWITCH. For 1965 models, USA ID19’s and wagons would finally get the same turn signal switch that DS19’s in the USA were using (P/N DW 522 05b). This switch has a black (or perhaps dark gray) knob and was still unique for the USA since it still had no internal flasher and no passing flasher function. I think that Canadian cars matched USA cars for turn signal switches.
Bringatrailer.com
For 1965, ID19's finally receive the same turn signal switch that USA DS19's were using
TAIL LIGHTS. In November of 1964 (which means most 1965’s), the tail lamps on USA DS19’s and ID19’s changed from the Lucas twist-off lamps to Lucas lamps where the lens was held on with two Pozidriv screws. I think that Canadian cars received this change at the same time.
A summary of sedan rear tail lights can be found HERE.
Greg Long
Lucas twist-off lamps used before Nov 1964
Chris Dubuque
Lucas lamps with lenses held on with screws for 1965 and on
COLD WEATHER PACKAGE (-15C). Citroën had cold weather options available for the DS/ID since the early 1960's, mainly consisting of a supplemental heater and a cable-operated flap to block air flow to the radiator. By the mid-1960's they were calling these options the -5C, -15C, or -20C cold weather options, each with different details.
There are a few scant pieces of evidence that suggest Canadian cars received the -15C option as standard equipment in 1965, such as that contained in two Montreal Gazette newspaper articles; HERE and HERE.
Based on existing cars and the some admittedly weak documentation, we think that all Canadian DS's, ID's from 1965-1972 had the -15C option as standard equipment.
nuancierDS.fr
Rear seat heater behind rear backrest
nuancierDS.fr
Cable-operated flap in radiator duct
nuancierDS.fr
Knob and chain under dash to operate flap
In addition to the -15C option, Citroën claims to have incorporated a unique production process in 1965 for DS's intended for the Canadian market. This was in response to complaints that DS's were not well suited to the harsh climatic conditions in Canada. This special process included something they called a "..graphite undercoating..." allowing them to claim that cars for Canadian market were now "...fully rust-proofed..."
I guess it didn't work...
For the wagons, the auxiliary heaters are very rare and there seems to have been a number of different versions. Someday I would like to have a complete story of the -15C wagon heaters in Canada, but until I do, you can see some of them on the fantastic nuancierDS.fr website, HERE and HERE.
ID19 REAR VIEW MIRROR. ID19's and wagons in the USA and Canada started out with a unique rear view mirror that was larger than the Euro version and had a DAY/NIGHT function. The use of a special mirror for North American cars was probably due to a SAE rear visibility requirement. This mirror was sourced in the USA and we think was port-installed, once the cars were on North American shores.
By 1965 Citroën finally offered their own rear view mirror for ID19's and wagons that met USA/Canadian requirements. This mirror was listed in the parts books and is identified by DM 551-3a (still unique for North American cars, Euro 1965 ID's/wagons used DM 551-3e). Frankly, it looks just like other mirrors used on DS's in this era but due to the unique part number, something must have been different! But this mirror only lasted a year and by 1966, they changed it again!
USA rear view mirror on 1965 ID's/Wagons
PALLAS LEATHER INTERIOR OPTIONS. USA and Canadian DS's and ID's sometimes had different color and upholstery options that were offered in Europe. The whole subject of USA color / interior options requires further study, but one difference we found is that for 1965 DS19 Pallas models, USA cars were available with black exterior and brown leather interior, a combination not available in Europe.
In Europe, almost all 1965 Pallas models had cloth interiors. The only way you could have a 1965 Pallas with leather was to have the body color gray (Gris Palladium - AC108) and then you could get brown leather (cuir naturel).
A surviving example of this is Chris Middleton's 1965 DS19M Pallas. This car, undergoing a restoration in this photo, was originally sold by Sagner's Motor Mart in Portland and is still wearing its original colors and interior:
Black body - noir AC200
Gray roof - Gris Argent AC141
Brown leather interior - Cuir Naturel
We were later able to confirm this combination with a 1965 Pallas brochure that was unique to the USA and presumably Canada.
Chris Dubuque
Chris Middleton's 1965 Pallas - black, gray roof, and brown leather interior
