Traction 11 Commerciale 1956
This car was completed on 12 May 1956, and was originally owned by two Breton farmers René and Emile Toinen (alas, both now deceased).
They lived at Plouisy, near Guingamp, in Brittany, and for the first 30 years of its life, the car did little other than trundle into the village for the weekly market. When we visited them some years ago, we had a very jolly afternoon, making but a small dent in the 2,500 litres of cider they brewed annually!
I saw the car in 1990, looking rather forlorn, but still just about running, at a garagiste at Jugon-les-Lacs. I had no particular intention of buying a Traction, but stopped, as you do, to have a look. A week later I brought it back to England and, after a bit of re-fettling and repainting, it has been on the road here ever since.
The Commerciale is based on the long wheelbase (extra side window) Familiale version of the Normale saloon, with the addition of a hatchback boot. It was marketed as being ideal for farmers to bring their animals and produce to market, although what they made of the pale grey cloth upholstery can only be imagined.
This particular car has been slightly messed about with, in that it is fitted with a DS19 4 speed gearbox, but keeps the original 1911cc engine. This is quite a common conversion to get over the fragility of the original 3 speed box and to give the car longer “legs” for modern traffic conditions and for climbing mountains: