Denne varevogntype - med sit unikke udseende - let genkendelig med de riflede sideplader, kantede former og udstående forlygter - kunne opleves på de europæiske landeveje lige fra 2. Verdenskrig og langt op I firserne. De anvendtes I årenes løb til utallige formål - som distributionsvogne, af håndværkere, politi, brandvæsen. Efter at have udtjent sine kommercielle opgaver endte mange deres tilværelse ombygget som mobilhomes. Altid var det dog det helt unikt lave gulv, der var modellens force. Hvem husker f.eks. ikke Citroën HY som "salatfad" I Olsenbande-filmene.

Nedenstående beskrivelse er venligst hentet hos "Les Amis du type H"

H as in Height

Even before World War II, Citroën spoke of a new utility vehicle that would replace the existing TUB van. They wanted to add more capacity -- in weight and in volume -- and additionally the TUB has one flaw: if the van was not loaded, the rear end was unstable.

The TUB having aged, it seemed easier to create an entirely new model, a more modern one.

The specifications set forth by Boulanger:
- a unibody vehicle, with front-wheel drive, incorporating elements of the 4-cylinder Traction, with a good rear suspension and above all, making use of as many existing parts as possible from the other models.

Pierre Franchiset is the real father of the H-van -- he worked at Citroën designing and overseeing production of bodies; he's the one who thought up the H almost single-handed, and who followed every detail of it through to full-scale production. He directed the project, he gave the vehicle its essential personality, and he made the first prototype.
During the war, the preliminary studies for the H were kept hidden from the occupying forces, since there was a ban on anything to do with new models. The conditions were far from ideal, as there was no gasoline to be had, and no raw materials. Once the war ended, the H project came to fruition very quickly.
It was made entirely from corrugated sheet metal, Franchiset having realized that he could use .5mm material as long as it received a boost in strength and rigidity via corrugation -- a principle used in aviation design well before the H. From the standpoint of solidity, the H was exceptional!
There were Yoder hinges everywhere, on side panels, the panel hiding the spare tire, fuel tank, doors, interior motor cover, front bonnet, etc. These hinges were made from formed sheet metal, and were used on the Tractions and later on the 2CV as well.
There were not a lot of prototypes as in the case of the 2CV, just two. There were also no reduced-scale models made; instead they began directly at full-size and made the first prototype.
At the outset, this first prototype had a pivoting side door, but which could encounter problems with the curb, making it difficult to get out of the van or to load things in and out.
The second prototype had a sliding door. It was easy to modify this vehicle as it had nothing but straight lines....

The prototypes were given a coat of paint, to keep them from rusting, and it was metallic gray. It's certain that there were quantities of this gray paint at that time -- Tractions were produced in metallic gray. The H-van was born in this same way.
It was born gray and it died gray.
To bring the H-van to market in such a short time, it was obvious that several systems (mechanical, a widened axle from the 15-Six, dashboard, door handles, etc.) would be borrowed from the Traction Avant. Even the little 2CV, also wearing metallic gray livery, lent a few things (seats, headlights, etc.) They share in common the same solidity, simplicity, genius.
The H-van -- in contrast with its predecessor the TUB, which had separate chassis and body -- features monocoque (unibody) construction, and of course, front-wheel drive.
Every piece is studied to reap the maximum performance at the minimum cost: the two-piece windscreen (if one half broke, one didn't have to replace the whole thing), fabric replaced door panels, the rear window was very small in size, ... Citroën economised even in the name itself, as the vehicle came eighth in a series of studies and was therefore called "H", the eighth letter of the alphabet, without the need to look any farther.
It's said that the H was ready for the Salon of 1946 but Pierre Boulanger (head of Citroën at the time) refused to exhibit it since he didn't want to do as certain others had, seducing the public with a model that couldn't yet be produced in large numbers.
In 1947 Citroën presented the Type H, 11CV, 1200 Kg cargo capacity.
The "H" bomb from the "Quai de Javel" exploded at the Paris Salon de l'Automobile in October 1947, in a cultural climate of poverty and ingenuity. Everything is recycled, used cars (American military vehicles and a few sedans) are rare and expensive, utilised down to the last scrap of metal, and then fixed up to work yet again. Utility vehicles are scarce and are often modified passenger cars transformed into vans or small trucks. Even if some artistic types succeeded in making small miracles, most of these vehicles were very home-made.
The Type H van is officially announced for sale on 1 June 1948.
The press ignores this, distracted by the momentary glories of the 34th Tour de France -- the first to occur after the war, and an event which impassions the crowds much more than the launch of the Type H.
But the big ol' "Tube", as it is nicknamed because of its predecessor (the TUB, for Traction Utilitaire de type B) has no rivals, and even has rear-view mirrors as standard equipment!
It comes to life without asking a thing of anyone, and with nothing but word-of-mouth advertising.
The years go by and the Type H endures, those who own it already promoting it to potential owners and those who own it no longer go out and buy a new one!
Citroën gives it little attention, with a minimum of advertising, just the occasional ad here and there, and the public is quickly sold on the vehicle.
Peasants, farmers, undertakers, merchants, bakers, gardeners, carpenters, second-hand dealers, florists, butchers, everyone has had at least one during his or her career. The H-van worked for the postal service, for the police, for hospitals, for government agencies, and served actors, holiday-makers, thieves...
At Citroën they say: "to each his H", always the same and always so different.

There were two version of the gasoline motor (1600cm3 9CV and 1900cm3 11CV) and three Diesel (Perkins 1621cm3 7CV, Indenor 1816cm3 7CV and Indenor 1946cm3 8CV).
Flatbed versions were available for coach-builders and aftermarket body specialists (it is impossible for us to list all the specialists who offered the H-van in so many flavors during its long years of life).
According to rated carrying capacity and to body type, the commercial classification changed -- H, HY, HZ, HX, HW. There were also special equipment packages for emergency vehicles and ambulances with hydropneumatic rear suspension.
Citroën offered the van in 14 colors, although some of these were reserved for government vehicles.
Gray remains the most typical color but one could choose white, red or blue.
A completed van needed the work of 300 people for its completion, whether it was assembled in France, in Holland, in Belgium or in Portugal.
Thirty years later a smooth-skinned youth (C25) snatched its place in the line-up, but not its legendary fame, its personality, its character.
The story ends on 14 December 1981, at Aulnay. The last van carries serial number 473289 and fittingly, it is gray. Nearly a half-million H-vans were built over 34 years, a record!
But in truth, the history is not over on 14 December 1981, because the H-van is tough to kill -- both physically and also in the memories of those who owned and appreciated it.
It continues to drive about calmly, doing its work, carrying advertising posters on its side panels, wearing its gray work clothes, or continuing life as a camping van.

Extract from a 1970s marketing piece:

The ten features of the H-van:

• maximum accessibility
  perfectly rectangular doors
  
• easy access to mechanicals
  the motor is right at hand
  
• comfortable seats
  you're as comfortable as in your own car
  
• new suspension
  brings everything together
  
• road holding ability
  Citroën's legendary front-wheel drive
  
• steering
  as easy as a small car!
  
• robust build quality
  legendary
  
• flat floor deck
  only 35cm (14 inches) above the ground
  
• price
  compare to all others
  
• operating costs
  breaks all records for economy
  
  

 e-mail: lesamisdutypeh@yahoo.fr