They are French, and their name is pronounced Citro-ennn.

Local mechanic Graham Dunstan’s specialty has been the Citroen car since he started his apprenticeship in Lismore in the 1970s.

In a rare occurrence this week, two of these classic cars have found their way into his Milano Motors workshop on Junction Street. 

His expertise in doctoring Citroens has made him a sought-after mechanic for collectors of these now-rare cars. But once they, were all the rage.

“I was 19 when I started my mechanic apprenticeship in Lismore and we used to have five or six of these cars turn up every morning from all over – Grafton, Tenterfied and the Gold Coast,” Graham said. "So, I learned a lot about them.”

What makes them so special? Graham said he loves their unusual shape - they are built for aerodynamics.

But the biggest unique feature is the hydro-pneumatic suspension (there’s a song in Grease that talks about this)– that makes the car go up and down.

Graham demonstrates and starts the car and pulls a lever near the driver’s seat - and the back end body of the car lowers down over the wheel into the ‘service position’.

“It’s so you can change the tyre,” Graham said. “You chock up the car and then, you pop off the rear guard by removing a bolt.

“In France, the idea was to be able to drive it in a paddock, by having the car body move up higher gives more clearance between the underside of the car and the wheel.

“When I was younger, not many mechanics would work on them at the time, because they were so complicated. People were working on HQ Holdens, which are pretty basic cars. 

“The suspension freaked them out and they didn’t want to know about it.

“I love the Citroen’s uniqueness and how they are built for comfort– they are well thought out in terms of the engineering for the day – the suspension makes the ride hard to beat.

"Other cars are rough, but you get in one of these and it is like riding on air - they are built for comfort, but they are not a speed car. 

Graham said over the years, the Citroens disappeared.

“Some were crushed, some sold,” he said. “Now people are bringing them back because they are worth money and people are buying them.

“They can be worth $40,000 to $70,000 depending on the models. I gave a 1972 one here with air conditioning and fuel injection, the other one is just the carburettor engine.”

Now, Graham is teaching other mechanics about the Citroens because there’s not too many people left who know how to work on them.

“There’s one mechanic in Penrith, and one in Sunshine Coast, and me – that’s about all,” Graham said.