Citroën Traction Avant 11B and BL 1937-1957

© Copyright: J.Cats.

The 11B and BL are introduced in 1937 as successors of the 11A and AL. From now on changes always concern both types and therefore both are explained on the same page. A 11B with serial number 118 000, engine number DL 01768 and type 4M PV B78 is presented for type approval which is granted on January 26th 1937. A 11BL with serial number 360 500, engine number DK 01335 and type M PV B78 is presented for type approval which is granted on February 4th 1937. Traction Avant 11B and 11BL production figures and serial numbers Year Type: Total # built Serial numbers 1937 11B 9841 (Cabriolet: 253) (Faux Cabriolet: 51) (Commerciale: 2) 118 001 - 127 300 11BL 25149 (Cabriolet: 552) (Faux Cabriolet: 77) 360 501 - 386 000 1938 11B 12018 (Cabriolet: 219) (Faux Cabriolet: 37) 127 301 - 139 200 11C 1189 290 000 - 291 200 11BL 36526 (Cabriolet: 671) (Faux Cabriolet: 81) 386 001 - 422 400 1939 11B 12916 (Cabriolet: 291) 139 201 - 152 350 11C 1478 291 201 - 292 000 11BL 27473 (Cabriolet: 558) 422 401 - 450 000 1940 11B 1863 152 351 - 154 300 11C 542 292 001 - 293 500 11BL 4415 450 001 - 454 500 1941 11B 329 (Cabriolet: 1) 154 300 - 15? ??? 11C 350 293 501 - 293 5?? 11BL 2038 454 501 - 45? ??? 1942 11B 1 (=Familialle) 15? ??? - 15? ??? 11BL 3 45? ??? - 45? ??? 1945 11BL 3566 45? ??? - 457 600 1946 11B 1 15? ??? - 154 770 11BL 10 931 457 601 - 469 600 1947 11B 1697 154 771 - 156 600 11BL 19348 469 601 - 488 200 1948 11B 7425 156 601 - 163 950 11BL 20 091 488 201 - 508 800 1949 11B 14012 163 951 - 177 700 11BL 22834 508 801 - 531 500 1950 11B 16959 177 701 - 195 500 11BL 24586 531 501 - 556 200 1951 11B 17180 195 501 - 212 100 11BL 25344 556 201 - 582 200 1952 11B 23298 212 101 - 236 600 11BL 29463 582 201 - 612 000 1953 11B 32346 +2186 Familiale 236 601 - 270 800 11BL 25048 612 001 - 636 000 1954 11B 24327 +3632 Familiale 270 801 - 299 999 400 001 - 403 600 11C 2460 293 563 - 295 000 300 001 - 301 000 11BL 15922 636 901 - 652 800 1955 11B 23778 (Familiale: 2960) 403 601 - 427 300 11C 3948 301 001 - 304 940 11BL 15007 652 800 - 667 400 1956 11B 14596 (Familiale: 1901) 427 300 - 441 990 (Familiale: 427 620 - 441 580) 11C 2164 304 941 - 307 180 11BL 8372 667 401 - 675 905 1957 11B 2616 (Familiale: 643) 441 991 - 444 600 11C 686 307 181 - 307 861 11BL 1248 675 906 - 677 500 Note: serial numbers refer to the sales made during that year. The production figures (total # built) refer to the number of cars built in the factory during that year. This means these two figures don't necessarily have to match, and they often don't. The full Traction Avant 11B and 11BL history 1937 January - February: Last 11AL (serial numbers 358 801 - 360 500) and 11A (serial numbers 116 600 - 118 000) are delivered. March: One Commerciale prototype is built (with symmetrical doors and 6 stud wheels). April: One Commerciale prototype is built (with symmetrical doors and 6 stud wheels). June: The (horn) grilles in the wings disappear. The horns are now mounted on the gearbox. On the cylinderhead between the second and third sparkplug there is now "11" instead of "78x100". September: The forged brake drums are replaced by cast ones, now with 5 studs. Wheels are the 5 stud stop wheels with hubcaps with a small edge as fitted to the 7. October: The gear lever gate doesn't have a clear plastic cover anymore but is simply painted. The comodo is replaced by the famous 1 lever switch, also fitted to the 2cv, and is available in different colours to suit the different interiors (mainly convertible). The grille is now made from steel and is painted. For the 11B, the crank hole is enlarged from round to ovale (11cm). November: The clock is mounted inside the speedo. December: New cast brakedrums for the 11BL (around serial number 375 000) and 11B (around serial number 125 150). Towards the end of 1937 the Familiale and Limousine rear doors are changed. They are now identical to those of the 11B Berline. This gives the body more strength and is cheaper to produce. 1938 Early this year a small number of cars is built without the Pilote wheels, serial numbers 386 001 - 387 600 for the 11BL and 127 301 - 127 500 for the 11B. January 17th: The famous Michelin Pilote wheel is officially introduced. To accommodate these wheels, the wings are enlarged by 5 cm. Wheels are now 165x400 (185x400 for the Familiale and Limousine). To accomodate the larger wheels, the crownwheel and pignon are now 8x31. February: The clutch gets a device which only enables changing gear when pressing the clutch. Externally this can be seen by the second selector shaft housing that is now visible on the front of the gearbox cover. June: The right rear wing loses it's light, now only one rear light fitted on the licenseplate holder. April: A new model is launched: the Commerciale. This is a Familiale with no strapotins (small seats between front and rear bench) and with a 2 part bootlid, the upper part containing the rear window. This makes it a car capable of carrying big loads. The interior is in simili which can be hosed down when necessary, the right front seat has a foldable back rest, and in the rear there is a small closeable opening for the disposing of animal urine. With the car is also a three piece floor for making a flat loading surface. A 11C with serial number 290 000 and engine number DB 04323 is presented for type approval which is granted on April 27th 1938. This month, all long wheelbased cars (Familiale, Limousine and Commerciale) get the Pilote wheels as well, a few months later then the short wheelbased cars. November: Just in time for the winter, all cars finally get some sort of heating device. A tube which transports air heated by the radiator to the driver's left foot, which can be shut off. December: The oil pump is replaced by a better one 1939 The Faux Cabriolet (Coupé) is no longer available. January: The rounded gearlever surround is replaced by the rectangular one with roman digits. The ignition key is now fitted to the center of the dash as on the later cars. The chevrons on the grille are no longer flat with double edge, but look more full. February: The cars get improved sound deadening. March 10th: There is finally some improvement in performance. A new engine, aptly named Perfo is introduced. With a different carburettor (vertical instead of horizontal), different cylinder head with different valves and an increased compression the power is increased to 56 bhp @ 3800 rpm. The air filter is replaced by a tubular one. All of this gives the cars a topspeed increased by 10 km/h without increased fuel consumption. The introduction of this new engine corresponds with number 428 601 on the BL and 143 001 on the B. The speedo is also altered and now reads up to 150 km/h. 1940 The Cabriolet is no longer available but all other models are still produced. A series of 150 cars 11B is fitted with large Pulman seats and bench (no tubes over the front seats) similar to those fitted in the 15 Six. 1941 The war is now really showing in production. Tyres cost much extra! Still all models are available and 1 11B Cabriolet is built to special order. 1942 The 11B is no longer available although 1 Familiale is built to special order. Only 3 11BL Berlines are built in June before the production is stopped. 1945 Most cars built this year are built using old stock. The cars are delivered without spare wheel. Their appearance is identical to those from 1939 with the exception that the headlights are painted (even the front ring) as well as the bonnet handles, and the door panels are made using cardboard. No 11B production. Any Traction Avant can be easily identified as pre or post war. Pre war cars have a edge in the rear screen aperture. On post war cars this is no longer present without exception. 1946 Only the 11BL production is running although one 11B is put together for the Paris Salon autoshow. In may the cars get the louvred bonnet instead of the one with shutters after which the Pilote wheels are replaced by Michelin BM (Bonne Marche = Well Running) wheels which are fully closed. The bumpers get overriders and the doors get aluminium trim strips. The carburettor is modified and cars are now delivered with 5 wheels again. The knobs on the dashboard are now of the oval type with a letter engraved. 1947 Only a small amount of changes. From January 14th onwards the rear view mirror is relocated from the top of the windscreen to the bottom. From March onwards the 11B is in production again. From August / September onwards the wings get wing tip protectors. The interior of the 11B is identical to that of 1939 but until October there is no clock. 1948 All cars are now fitted with the grey striped cloth and the wing tip protectors are replaced by AXO ones with "waffle" like surface. The headlight rings are chromed, as well as the bonnet handles. The 11B get's a grille with a larger crank hole, like that on the 15 Six. 1949 From now on cars can be delivered in primer, mostly for export but also for people who want another colour then the only colour in the catalogues; black. July: The speedo back plate with white digits on a black background is replaced by a beige backplate with black digits. December: The small front seats with a tube above the back rest and the bench are replaced by the Pullman seats and bench which can also be found in the 15 Six although the cloth is the grey stripe and not the pluche as on the 15 Six. 1950 From February onwards, the compression is raised to 6.5:1 and there is a manual ignition advance / retard mechanism on the dashboard. In May, the engines are fitted with the Solex 32 PBIC carburettors for better fuel consumption and equal performance. The air filter is replaced by a Vokes one (or Miofiltre on some cars). In August, some cars are fitted with a Zenith 32 carburettor with the same performance. Between March and May the production of the Michelin wheels is interrupted and cars are fitted with Belgium made Lambert Nivelle wheels which are easily recognisable with their 14 ovale holes. 1951 In January the dipstick is replaced by a more practical one. In the spring the black 3 spoke steeringwheel is replaced by a black 2 spoke one. 1952 The Traction Avant is modernised. Here are the changes: April: The master cylinder is placed inside the left jambonneau. Only one flexible brakeline on the rear axle. The pedals are modified. No more bars on the dashboard. Lower part of the doors covered in simili and new headlining. Hubcaps painted light grey. Horizontal front license plate holder. On the 11BL these change appear from 594 000 onwards and on the 11B from 218 630 onwards. May: 4 holes in the wheels. Indicators! Bare dashboard. On the 11BL these changes appear from 595 000 onwards and on the 11B from 220 400 onwards. June: Windscreen wipers on the bottom of the windscreen. New dashboard with integrated windscreen surround. Plastic covered wiring. On the 11BL these changes appear from 597 900 onwards and on the 11B from 221 800 onwards. July: The speedo back plate with black digits on a beige background is replaced by a grey backplate with white digits. Enlarged window surrounds (excluding the rear screen). On the 11BL this change appears from 598 500 onwards and on the 11B from 223 000 onwards. On July the 15th the larger square bootlid appears on the 11BL, July 21st on the 11B. From July 23rd onwards both models are fitted with straight bumpers. Between August and December, 3 11BLs are fitted with the old, small boot. 1953 May: Softer engine suspension springs. July: The Familiale is reintroduced, being 8 places with it's longer wheelbase and 3 strapotins between the front seats and the rear bench. Differences from the normal 11B are: 3 spoke steering wheel to cope with the larger steering forces encountered on this long car. More upright driving position with the front seats moved further forward, rear parcel shelf is smaller which means the rear bench is moved further back and a shorter rear seat cushion. This is done to compensate the room taken by the strapotins. 8x31 crownwheel pignon (instead of 9x31) to be able to pull better with high loads / uphill. 185x400 wheels and tyres like on the 15 Six. The engine performance on all cars is increased from 57 to 59 hp @ 4000 rpm. 1954 The bootlid hinges, fuel filler lid and wiper arms are now chromed. The black steering wheel is replaced by a grey one, the light switch is now grey as well. April: The Commerciale reappears. This is basically the same car as the Familiale but the rear window opens with the bootlid in one piece. This one piece bootlid is also the large difference with the pre war Commerciale which had a two piece bootlid. There is also a removable flat floor provided giving an impressive loading surface, and doors and seats are covered in plastic which can be hosed off. For the Familiale there are 2 modifications available. One blanks of the strapotin tray to make it a Limousine. The other is a separation wall with window for taxis and such. One Ambulance is built for demonstration purposes. 80 11Bs are modified for the French army. 1955 The Familiale and Commerciale now have 12 inch drums at the rear, same as the 15 Six. Twin rear lights on all Traction Avants. May: A new engine, the 11D is introduced. This engine also powers the DS which is introduced this year as well. This engine can be identified by the inscription "11D" between the second and third sparkplug (previously: "11"). There is a side mounted oil filler neck and a new airfilter. Compression is raised to 6.8:1, the camshaft is modified as well as the rockers, pistons, conrods, crankshaft and the sump. This new engine which still is 1911cc, gives 60 hp @ 4000 rpm. It's not the power increase but rather the wide torque range of the engine that gives it it's new refinement. July: New carburettor, rubber boots on the driveshafts. 1956 With the introduction of the DS, the Traction Avant is only left for those who don't dare to switch over to the more complicated DS, which is why later the ID will be introduced. 1957 The last year of Traction Avant production. The last car, delivered July 25th is a 11 Familiale, sold to the same dealer that bought the first Familiale in 1934. Citroën Traction Avant index Cats Citroën Net Index