1923 Citroen B2 Torpedo, Luxe, Tourism Luxe, Torpedo Sport or...?

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Craig Little lives in a citro-dilemma: "In an attempt to clearly define what type of B2 Citroen I own, I have been pouring over the book 'Citroen 10 HP' by Bernard Laurent and Revue Technique Automobile’s Citroen 1919 -1926 in the 'Les archives du Collectionneur'. With minimum ability in French and in far away Australia, the task is not easy. Given many variations in name and details in the original, and add in local Australian content in the form of  bodywork and choice of instruments and it all gets very difficult indeed. 

What I need is some informed assistance, by which I mean genuine familiarity and knowledge and not that kind that simply comes “Off the top of my head”. which will lead me nowhere. If it helps, the chassis is typical B2 as illustrated in the aforementioned books and original hand book … with the exception that the rear axle carries finned brake drums of almost 300 mm exterior diameter compared with drums of around 230mm diameter on other examples I have seen. The engine has the designation B1184 DB which has been suggested to me is early.  But does the DB signify anything? And what about that finely sculptured four bladed fan? I cant find another quite like it. Then there’s the four spoke steering wheel which has the to-date, unique feature of ergonomic lumps in the rim opposite the end of the spokes. 

The body is an original Australian take on the French of the period. Built by Richards & Sons in South Australia, who were responsible for a number of period Citroen bodies here. Their choice of American instruments (Oil and Ammeter) probably relates to a cost savings in the use of instruments common to what was stocked for bodies built for other makes. The Ruby Ricardo head can be ignored in the equation, as I chose to fit that in the process of the engine rebuild. Also the  generator. That’s new,Volkswagen. I fitted it with with a partial alloy casing, to take it to the diameter of the original. … to get things going. And it works, just great.

To put it in context, when I got it, the Citroen, it  was complete down to the last nut and bolt, but very tired and ripe for restoration. This it emerged, amounted to everything from new body frame to complete engine and transmission rebuild. The story that came with it was that it was believed to have belonged to a professional Kangaroo shooter who had kept it going long beyond the useful period of its contemporaries. A retro fitted dipstick complete with .303 British rifle cartridge as a handle seemed to bear this out. That’s about it unless I have overlooked something I am not aware of. If you actually know more about it than I do, I would be very grateful to find out." 

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