1963 CITROËN DS 19 GT BOSSAERT

Lot 84
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Estimation :
120000 - 180000 EUR
1963 CITROËN DS 19 GT BOSSAERT
Serial number 4247187 - Only surviving coupe Original engine preparation One of the rarest DS in the world Frua drawing - Good condition French registration The extraordinary story of the 19 GT is above all the story of a man who was at the origin of the project. Hector Bossaert, a mechanics enthusiast, saw in the DS a potential that few customers were interested in. Originally from the North of France, Mr Bossaert started to work on small mechanical preparations. He even goes so far as to sell kits that allow him to increase the power of his engine in no time. Thus, at the end of the 1950s, he made modifications to DS and ID engines and his reputation in the field led him to go even further and create his own coupe based on a DS 19. This project was born in 1959 with the help of Pietro Frua who drew up the stylistic plans for what would become the GT 19. Shorter by more than 45 cm than the sedan, the GT also has a 7 cm lower ground clearance. The front end doesn't change much, but the rear end gets some characteristic wings. And it's this rear end that really makes this coupe an atypical thing, taking up the codes of transalpine sedans and coupes. Finally, the GT has a plexiglass rear window and chevron crests turned a quarter to the right as a nod to the model. In the cabin, the DS spirit is almost non-existent and one finds oneself seated behind a flock of Jaeger-type dials that are certainly nicer than the "classic" DS dials and a speedometer graduated at 200 km/h. With an engine preparation, the 4 cylinder of 1900 cm3 of the 19 will go from 75 to more than 100 hp, propelling the GT to nearly 170 km/h, a record! The upholstery is typical of the top-of-the-range DS, all stretched leather and extremely comfortable, but it is true that the rear seat is very close to the front seat because of the shortened wheelbase. 10 or 11 coupés were built by Mr Bossaert's company "Gété" in Meteren and only 1 cabriolet. Today only one coupe and the only cabriolet remain, making these rarities at that time real mirages. The DS 19 GT was built by Bossaert in 1963. It arrived in a restored state and was very well preserved by its owner. The car is painted in burgundy with aluminium rims matching the bodywork. The GT has all these characteristic aesthetic elements, notably the name "19 GT Bossaert" in gold lettering on the rear trunk as well as the two pairs of chevrons turned to the right on the rear quarter windows. In the interior, the sublimely patinated interior still presents very well and does not lie on the qualities of French manufacturing of the time. We offer you the opportunity to acquire a car unique in the world but very well known to Citroën enthusiasts, exhibited at Retromobile in 2016, a real UFO on the road that will show you a completely different aspect of the mythical DS.
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