History: 7C
Traction Avant 7C production figures and serial numbers
1934
Serial numbers: 050 001 to 056 700
52 056 is a roadster exported to belgium.
52 067 is a faux cabriolet exported to belgium.
Production: 6700
1935
Serial numbers: 056 701 to 071 400
Production: 14076
1936
Serial numbers: 071 401 - 093 000
81 686 is a roadster exported to belgium.
Production: 19580 of which 237 Cabriolet and 59 Faux Cabriolet.
1937
Serial numbers: 093 001 - 100 000 and 200 001 - 204 300
Production: 11019 of which 395 Cabriolet and 79 Faux Cabriolet.
1938 Serial numbers:
Production: 6245 of which 71 Cabriolet and 21 Faux Cabriolet.
1939 Serial numbers: 210 501 - 218 600
Production: 8120 of which 27 Cabriolet.
1940 Serial numbers: 218 601 - 219 800
Production: 1133
1941 Serial numbers:
Production: 154
Engine numbers
Engine numbers for 7C start with a F and have white engine plates.
The full Traction Avant 7C history
1934
Pre production
The car with serial number 50 000 and engine number FB 0017 is presented for type approval which is granted on August 30th 1934. The 7C is introduced on the October 1934 Paris Autosalon. The 7C replaces the 7B completely, the 7B being not powerful enough. The first 7Cs are largely identical to the 7B. The 7C employs an engine that uses the same bore as the 7A (72mm) and the same stroke (100mm) as the 11 and thus using the same crankshaft as the 11 making the 7C cheaper to produce. The 7C is available as Berline, Cabriolet and Faux Cabriolet.
Production
Characteristics for the 1934 7C when launched:
Mechanical
Front axle:
The 1934 7C features friction shock absorbers mounted on the front of the cradle on torsion bar extensions as on the 7A and 7B. The brake drums are 5 stud 10" forged ones as on the 7B.
Steering:
The steering is the first type of Gremmer steering with a one bearing steering box.
Engine:
72x100mm, 1628cc, 36 hp @ 3800 rpm, topspeed 100 kmh. The 7C features a flat back water pump as on the 7B. All 7C engines have their date of manufacture cast into the block below the exhaust manifold as well as 72x100 on the cylinderhead between the second and third sparkplug. The carburettor is a Solex 30 THD (30 HTD in mountain area).
Engine mounts:
The early 7Cs have Floating Power engine suspension as on the 7B, but this is replaced by the Pausodyne suspension in November 1934 (serial number 51 001 onwards). The Pausodyne system is especially designed for the Traction Avant. The suspension point in the gearbox cover is fitted with a cylindrical silentblock.
Gearbox:
The gearbox has one selector shaft housing, visible on the front of the gearbox cover. On later cars you can see two of these housings. Until November 1934 the bottom bearing housing on the front only has 4 bolts instead of the later 5.
Rear axle:
The rear axle is round with twin locating bars. on the very early cars this is still directly bolted to the body as on the 7A and 7B, but soon a seperate tube is employed as found on all later Traction Avants. The 7C features leverarm shockabsorbers as on the 7A and 7B. Rear brake drums are 5 stud 10" forged ones, and are secured in the same way as the front drums.
Exhaust:
The exhaust on the Moteur Flottant cars is hung differently with one flexible mount in the centre of the silencer. This exhaust system also has a flexible section and different supports. With the Pausodyne suspension the flexible section disappears. The exhaust passes through the right jambonneau.
Fuel tank:
The fuel tank has a 45 liter capacity and has 2 filler openings, one on either side of the spare wheel.
Exterior
Bumpers:
The bumpers are the same curved ones as on all Traction Avants until 1952 with the difference that the 7C doesn't have overriders (just like other pre war Traction Avants).
Horns:
The early 7C has it's horns on the front bumper as on the 7A and 7B. From November onwards the horns are mounted behind grilles in the wings. First these are secured to the back of the horn grille with a rubber ring in between. Due to the extra strain this puts on the wings this is later replaced by fitting the horns on a bracket on the bumper supports. These horns are still located behind the grilles in the wings.
Grille:
The grille is made from copper and chromed. All 1934 cars have the chevrons behind the grille. On some cars the bars and grille surround are seperate pieces.
Front wings:
The wings have a less high cut front point and look very small but are larger then those found on the 7A.
Width (measured along headlight support): 68 cm
Height (measured from headlight support straight down): 29,5 cm
In November these wings are replaced by ones with small round grilles behind which the horns are mounted. The grilles are painted the same color as the wings but chromed or enamelled grilles are an option.Width and height of the wing are still the same.
Headlights:
The headlights are 200mm in diameter headlights and have flat glass. The headlight supports are completely closed.
Bonnet:
On the 7C the front shutters open at the front, on early cars all the shutter handles are still on the rear of the shutters, on later cars the front shutter handles are on the front.
Windscreen surround:
All 1934 cars have a chromed steel windscreen surround. Later cars have an aluminium surround.
Wheels:
All 7s have 5 stud wheels allround. Hubcaps are secured without the center bolt. The hubcap is pressed into a ring on the wheel. Tyre size is 140x40.
Body:
The 7C starts with the moleskin roof but from November onwards (serial number 51 000) this is replaced by a full steel roof. Other features are twin air inlets below the windscreen, no bootlid, flat floor without reinforcement dents and no raingutters as on the 7A and 7B. On the Cabriolet, there is no dickey seat lid handle. The dickey is opened by a lever on the hood tray.
Doors:
The doors don't have the alu trim strip and the rubber knobs are mounted in the doors, while on later cars these rubbers are mounted in the body.
Rear wings:
The rear wings are the same as those on the 7B. Each wing has a hole with a curved edge for a rear light 29 cm above the bottom of the wing..
Rear lights:
Two round rear lights are located in the rear wings. The lights have a pressed steel profiled edge and flat red glass with a small "lump" in the center.
License plate holder:
The illuminated license plate holder is mounted in the middle above the rear bumper, mounted on brackets secured between the body and the dress panel between the wings. The license plate is lit by painting the digit negatives on transparent plastic, with two lights behind the plastic in the holder.
Spare wheel cover:
The spare wheel cover is made up by several pieces. One piece is put on the body, after which the wheel is placed on the body and secured. Then the outer piece is put on the wheel. A chromed steel ring with a spring in it keeps the 2 pieces together. The hubcap is put on last securing the cover to the wheel.
Interior
Floor:
The floor is flat without reinforcement dents.
Dashboard:
The dashboard has a central placed combined speedometer (130 kmh) with white digits on black background. The oil pressure meter, fuel gauge (45 liter), amp meter and clock have black digits on white background and white meter hands. It also has 2 glove compartments. The lights are operated by a switch to the right of the speedometer and a ring on the steering wheel. The horns are operated by a knob in the centre of the steering wheel. The gear selector surround has arabic digits and is the same shape and size as the light switch surround. The gearlever has the same shape as on all later Traction Avants.
Front seats:
The early 7C has front seats with bars covering the seat. Later cars have plain cloth covers with small "buttons" and a chromed bar on top of the backrest.
Rear seat:
The rear bench is upholstered the same way as the front one. Because these cars don't have a boot lid, the rear back rest can be opened, hinging at the top and secured with 2 leather straps.
Door panels:
The door panels are from the same material as the benches and early cars have a curve stitched into them, filled with wood. Later cars have plain cloth door panels. The front doors have a small pocket for roadmaps.
Here are the changes year by year:
1935
Early 1935 the body gets raingutters above the doors and an reinforced floor. The front bonnet shutters now have their handles at the front. On the Cabriolet the dickey seat lid now has an exterior handle.
April-May: The front axle is replaced by the improved "Stade 1" one.
The friction shock absorbers on the front axle are replaced by telescopic ones mounted on the rear of the suspension arms.
The driveshafts are replaced by Glaenzer-Spicer ones.
The steering box gets a second bearing.
The round tube rear axle is replaced by the cruciform type.
The lever arm shock absorbers on the rear axle are replaced by telescopic ones.
May: The combined light switch on the dashboard and steering wheel is replaced by a commodo, 2 levers on a unit connected to the steering tube.
The ignition key stays where the dashboard light switch was and a special backplate of the same shape as the switch and the gearlever gate opposite is fitted.
June - July: Along the tops of the seats, a chrome bar is fitted (serial number 61 000 onwards), and there are now 2 sun visors.
July: The front axle is again replaced. This time by the "Stade 1 bis" one.
September: The backplate behind the ignition key dissapears as well.
October: All cars finally get a bootlid, this had been optional for a short period.
With the bootlid, the fuel tank now only has one filler opening.
The spare wheel cover is replaced by an one piece one.
The grille is now made from brass, painted and the chevrons (flat with double edges) are mounted on top.
The front wings get much bigger. The height (measured from the headlight support down) is increased from 29,5 cm to 34,5 cm. The centre of the grilles for the horns are now 14 cm from the bottom of the wing (was 9 cm).
Headlights no longer have flat glass.
The rear license plate is on the left rear wing.
One rear light is mounted on the license plate holder, the other in the right wing, both 19 cm (was 29) above the bottom tip of the wing.
A third type of Glaenzer-Spicer driveshafts is fitted.
December, the gearbox cover is altered and fitted with a conical engine suspension rubber.
1936
In the beginning of 1936, 6 cars are built using old bodies without a bootlid. The cars from the first series in 1936 (serial numbers 071 401 to 080 000) built before May 15th are largely identical to the late 1935 cars. A new air filter makes the engine less loud.
February: The hand brake handle gets the shape it will keep untill the end.
May 15th: From serial number 080 331 onwards a new front axle with the crémaillière (rack and pinion) steering is fitted. This alteration makes the steering much lighter and more direct, both big problems on the old steering. The steering now also has a much longer life.
May - June: The round pedals are replaced by square ones. The exhaust no longer runs through the right jambonneau.
June: The speedometer is moved behind the steering wheel and the twin air inlets are replaced by a single one. The new speedo has a black background with white digits and reads up to 130 km/h. The clock is mounted in the middle of the dash, being either mechanical or electrical.
1937
There is a jump in serial numbers to make room for the 11A numbers. Early 1937 the forth type of Glaenzer-Spicer driveshaft is fitted.
June: The (horn) grilles in the wings disappear. The horns are now mounted on the gearbox. The right rear wing loses it's light, now only one rear light fitted on the licenseplate holder.
September: The forged brake drums are replaced by cast ones.
October: The clock is mounted inside the speedo. 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.
1938
On the Salon of October 1937 a big change is made to the Traction Avant appearance. The new Pilote wheels are introduced.
January 10th: Bigger wings are fitted in anticipation of the new wheels.
January 15th: The famous Michelin Pilote wheels are fitted. 500 cars with the older Stop wheels are made in 1938 nevertheless.
March 1st: From serial number 205 350 onwards a device is introduced which prevents the changing of gears without using the clutch.
November: Around serial number 210 000 just in time for the winter, some form of heating is introduced. This consists of a tube which leads air heated by the radiator to the drivers left foot.
December: The oil pump is replaced by a better one
1939
The Faux Cabriolet (Coupé) is no longer available. Between January 1st and February 25th no 7Cs are built. On February 26th (serial number 212 001) a big change is introduced. A new 1628cc engine is introduced with the same power but better fuel consumption, aiming the 7C more towards the cheap end of the market. This new model is aptly named 7C Economique.
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.
The cars get improved sound deadening.
1940
The 7C ECO is still built but at a reduced rate. No changes.
1941
Between January and June the last 154 7C ECOs are built. After this the production of the 7 ECO is stopped because of the war and never again resumed.