Ivan Frank: "The list of my beloved Citroens goes as such:

My first Citroen purchased at 22 years old was a brand new 1959 ID 19. I bought it at the Carl Bartz's Dealership. It got sold after my divorce.

A 1960 ID 19 Deluxe followed. (It was one of the 3 sold in Colorado) It was purchased brand new from dealer Carl Bartz. The car was sold with a translucent roof and no heater. It got hail damage in a storm in 1962. However I repainted the car, and drove it a lot...

In 1957, I purchased a ID19, after the car caught on fire. I towed it back home from Ogden Utah in 1960. Of course I fix that one also and drove it...
From then on, I became recognized as a successful Citroen mechanics.

Then a ID 19 1963 came along, followed by a 1964 DS19 Convertible Chapron..

Then a 1962 was purchased from a used car dealership. The car was pretty much given away as the dealer believed something was wrong with it. It was sitting so low to the ground! After a quick investigation , I discover that,the height lever was in the down position. I bought it, drove it out of the lot, and place the suspension lever to road height... The car was fixed! Imagine a car bought for almost nothing since it was “broken”!

Then an Ami 6 break. Just because it was different, but proved to be extremely useful... I have some dear memory of that little car..
Then a 1969 ｽ DS D 19 Pallas. D for manual shift

Then a 1970 DS21 station wagon citromatic which I still own.

Follow by a 1972 DS21 Sedan
And “recently”, in 1986 my new acquisition is A 1972 SM came along. 

I still owns it.

My Citroën Garage

Around 1963, I starting getting paid to work on other people's Citroens. The request came from other Citroen owners who saw how well my cars ran and performed as compared to theirs.
I also started to help Carl Bartz doing car shows, promoting the cars, and performing maintenance on the car being sold.

Soon our friendship morphed into an association.

So when Carl Bartz retired, I naturally decided to take Carl's Citroen's business.

I brought all my Citroen's customers into the new business in 1964.

We sold Citroen until 1973, the last year Citroen sold car in the USA. I estimate selling around 30 cars a year during that period.

Home made emblem that Ivan has added to his work clothes.

Stamp under is name

1964, The birth of a Citroen Dealership

Apart from working on customers' cars. I started to sell new cars. The new cars were sold through the two Citroen agencies in the US. (New Jersey and Los-Angeles were the two arrival ports for Citroen cars from France)

To become a Citroen dealer, one had to make a financial investment such as ordering 3 Citroens and purchasing 1500 dollars worth of parts. Also a Citroen mechanic from the agency in California had to inspect and verify that that the applicant had the knowledge and ability to perform maintenance on the cars. In my case, it took a one day visit from the Citroen official and my authorize seal was granted!
My first 3 cars were sold sight unseen. I already had lined up 3 customers who paid for them while the car were not yet on the showroom floor!
So with my friend, we went to California to pick up the cars and brought them back to the buyers.
The Denver Citroen Dealership “Classic Cars” was started!

Here an extraordinary picture. It represents the first 2 cars of the 3 that Ivan
sold to start his new dealership in Denver. He and a friend went to Los Angeles to pick up the cars and drive them back! When delivered to the customer they already had a few miles!. But Ivan, being a good salesman, was offering the first revision for free....

Here is the Official Citroen Dealership in Los Angeles in 1956

This picture from 1956, is a few years before Ivan trip to pick up is first cars. The building formed a L at the angle of 12615 Beatrice Rd and Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles. Divided in three sections. From left to right: the administrative section, the spare parts sections and finally the Shop.... During this time Citroen was also representing Panhard in the USA.
As numerous Citroen exported, those were shipped without headlights. Seal beams were installed upon delivery in the US to comply with the regulation.
To the left a 2cv fourgonnette. Those were nicknamed Truckettes in the US. All 2cv, truckettes exported came for the Belgium factory. So they are all the “weekend” version that were exported...

Here is the Official Citroen Dealership in Los Angeles in 1964

Global view of the building. The added building to the right is an extension, built to stock the spare parts shipped from France and create a stock...

This was an emotional moment for Ivan. This is his first visit to the Citroen official dealership. We are in 1964. Ivan just acquired his first 3 new Citroen (2 DS sedan and 1 station Wagon) to start Classic Car Dealership. He will also take with him the $1500 of spare parts necessary as par as the initial contract.
Ivan took those pictures. You will recognize several DS, one Ami 6 an export model with its specific rear bumper.

So many new Citroen ! ID, DS, 2cv and even a Ami 6 station Wagon.... most of them are white...

Not only in France do some DS lose their blood ! It looks likes one of them was in need of serious operation!

Citroen lovers will immediately recognized a ID 19 new sold only from may to September 1964

Ivan sold many DS Cabriolet. He was also offering the one made by Chapron. He stills owns several advertising brochure regarding the Cabriolet versions.

IVAN:

Of course, I kept all the advertising and marketing promotional materials that Citroen gave me or that I purchased during that period. In my personal garage, you are still passing under a huge lighted Citroen sign....

Many artifacts remains such as the promotional sale kit. This would help the buyer choosing the specific details of the car such as the paint color or the fabric of the seat... Of course all those fabric samples are still in it...

Interesting enough, I never went to France. Andre Citroen and Andre Lefebre are my heros, but I never made the trip to see where the Citroens were born. However I have quite an extensive library on those men and the history of Citroëns.

Edoaurd : During our conversation, details of his knowledge transpire by anecdote such as

The “chevron” gear were designed and created by a wood worker. Andre Citroen noticed it and created a way to machine them. He also immediately saw the potential of such gears.
The biggest “chevron” gears was made for Titanic and used on the steering system assembly!
The “chevron gear” were mainly used in heavy machinery: Lathes and the sort. The advantage of it was the lack of side load, this would prolong the life of the bearings!
Other interesting fact. It is reported that the first thing Charles Lindbergh saw when arriving in Paris was the Eiffel tower with the thousand of light saying Citroen on it. He actually landed next to Andre Citroen backyard. The runway was lit by Citroen cars, and Andre Citroen was the first “official” to welcome him in France.

Edoaurd: Ivan and I are two generations apart, yet he has become a close friend . So if you happen to drive in Denver, and breakdown with your Citroen, a friendly hand is not far away.

Epilogue

It is easy for me, publisher of citrowagon, to rewrite the history. Nearly 40 years after the facts, I wonder why Citroen pulled out of the US market?
Was Citroen selling cars to expensive (like Jaguar or Mercedes who have remained?), or of a lower craftsmanship (such as the early Japanese of the 1960's)...
The answer is more likely not there. I heard rumors that Citroen stop importing because of the new catalytic exhaust USA regulation for all model after 1973... like if Citroen was unable to create/adapt such exhaust... exhaust that will be on the CX sold in Suisse the following years... It is absurd!
Anyway this story leave a bitter taste. A feeling of accomplishment. If Citroen had not pursued the purchase of Maserati or lost effort in the Wankel adventure, Citroen would maybe still present... But those are easy talk, 40 years after the facts.

Here is the first garage of Carl Bartz, when he was representing different imported Brand. Ivan did not know him them. The first Citroen sold in Denver came from there. Today it is still a garage, but unbranded, they only perform maintenance and are not selling new cars.

Here is the second garage of Carl Bartz. On the picture you can see a DS for sale. The garage has remain mainly intact. It use now has a cabinet for Architect (Anderson, Mason and Dale)>>

Finally, this building was used by Ivan for Classic Car. Located at 621 Ouest, 8^th Avenue in Denver, the building still exist, but is not a dealership or garage no more! It is used as a vulgar storage building.

And the building of the Citroen Dealership in Berverly Hills? Warning, dear reader... The picture that will follow may come as a chock...

Yes the Germans won... It is now a dealership for Porsche and Audi...

No more hydraulic suspension...

Farewell DS and ID