GSA Birotor

[Sloppysod]

Never knew about this one, did you?
http://www.citroenet.org.uk/passenger-c ... otor1.html

[Hell Razor5543]

Yes, because it has shown up several times on the forum!

[NewcastleFalcon]

One of its previous appearances Stu,

Not often the Citroen GS birotor makes an appearance on the FCF so here's one of its previous outings....

I can see the sense of developing a bi-rotor GS, a generally sophisticated and fairly complex car already...

Was scanning down a Classic Car Restorer in Jersey's stock list and my curiosity was captured by a Citroen GS Birotor (which I misread as "Biro" "Tor"). Firstly I wondered what a biro-tor was! and also why was a Citroen GS priced at £29,950 GBP, which needed further investigation.

https://www.classic-trader.com/uk/cars/ ... 973/136747


Birotor GS
Automobile museum of Vendée
[GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)]

At the time the little wankel was alive and kicking with Mazda as a potential range extender.
https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/ ... -extender/
Regards Neil

[SwissTony]

Here's a few pictures of one in the wild. Took them myself at a Citroen specialist near here 4 or 5 years ago. Clocked it immediately because I used to have a GS/A, and it sure as hell didn't have a radiator...

[Sloppysod]

fair do's, Just got a little excited, should have done a full search first.
Good info though - cheers
Loved both my GS's.

[aerodynamica]

Ah, these are fascinating! They have totally different front suspension arms, hubs and subframe to the other Gs. The front hubs I think are really CX hubs complete with the brake calipers (normal GSs having inboard disks like the 2cv/DS). They also had unique seats and I think the center console was Birotor specific. I think they were all C-Matics too. I recall Stan Platts known in CX circles has one in a shed.

[NewcastleFalcon]

Nice to have a thread bringing the info into one place, and there to be added too.

Probably need some moving pictures, you tube has quite a few. I've heard better voice overs than this but interesting history none the less



Regards Neil

[jml]

One other interesting factor re the Birotor is that, with this engine, Citroen actually developed and built a helicopter ! The rotary engine being especially suited to this application.

Only one was ever built and when the plug was pulled on the Birotor, the helicopter project died as well.

The original helicopter was kept in the Conservatoire - where it is now, I don’t know.

[NewcastleFalcon]

...and that is why if you ever wonder should I start a thread or not, just do it.

I had never come across the Citroën RE-2 before

Some information from French Wiki here.... https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_RE-2



Regards Neil

[mickthemaverick]

Completely new one on me, although I have to say I have driven a few hundred miles with my mate in his rotary engined RX7 and I don't think I'd be happy at ten thousand feet with only the engine to keep me there. Too fragile a setup for my liking!!

[NewcastleFalcon]

...and I don't think I'd be happy at ten thousand feet with only the engine to keep me there. Too fragile a setup for my liking!!

Reading your comment MIck, I read the first paragraph of this link about Mazda rotary helicopter engines, and read into the "gift" something which wasn't there...

http://www.redbackaviation.com/mazda-ro ... r-engines/

It goes...

My lovely wife Shirley and I had been flying fixed wing aircraft for many years. Back in 1972, Shirley bought me a set of plans to build a homebuilt helicopter.

Better than Lead pipe in the Conservatory

REgards Neil

[momag46]

Just a funny thing I found out some years ago. The Birotor only came out in a two tone colours schemes with two versions, both used the same colours but inverted.
Maurice

[NewcastleFalcon]

Linked to earlier in the thread, this is an excellent gallery from a sale listing from a few years ago which is still valid.


https://www.classic-trader.com/uk/cars/ ... 973/136747

Regards Neil

[Sloppysod]

Here's another two Citroens with a Wankle engine, I never Knew. Great engine, just very difficult to seal - shame
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_M35.