red750 Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 When France was occupied by the Germans in 1940, major French factories like Citroën were forced to produce equipment for the Nazis. Citroën president Pierre-Jules Boulanger knew he couldn't just refuse to produce anything, but he also knew there's no way in hell he's going to just roll over and build trucks for a bunch of Nazis. Pierre had a plan. John Reynold's book Citroën p2CV describes Boulanger's sabotage efforts. Of course, he instructed workers to set a nice, leisurely pace when building trucks (likely Citroën T45 trucks) for the Wehrmacht, but that's fairly obvious. What was brilliant was Boulanger's idea to move the little notch on the trucks' oil dipsticks that indicated the proper level of oil down just a bit lower. By moving the notch down, the trucks would not have enough oil, but German mechanics would have no idea, because, hey, the little notch on the dipstick says it's just fine. Then, after the truck has been used for a while and is out deployed somewhere crucial, whammo, the engine seizes up, and you've got a lot of angry, stranded, vulnerable Nazis, balling up their little fists and madly barking curses in German. It's such a fantastic act of sabotage: it's extremely cheap to implement, it's subtle, there's no way to see something amiss is happening as the trucks are being built, and it delivers its blow away from the site of the sabotage and when it will cause the most inconvenience and trouble. That's some mighty good sabotaging, Pierre. Happy 100th Anniversary, Citroën. The Free World thanks you. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man emu Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 And the drift begins .... It's interesting that the French word for "dipstick" is "jauge" and the English for a measuring device is "gauge" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmccarthy Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 And the American word for dickhead is dipstick. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomadpete Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 Wow. You gents have set a new record. Successful thread drift on the very first reply to a normal, sensible, interesting post! But then again......... Since OME actually brilliantly sabotaged the thread, does his post still relate to the OP title????? Oh why is life so full of confusion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man emu Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 My innate humility prevents me from claiming that I have brilliantly sabotaged the thread. I agree that the initial post had sense and interest to a high degree. Something that is not quite so "normal" here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmccarthy Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 As a co-drifter I must admit that this was one of the most interesting threads I have seen for a while, and I admire the ingenuity of the saboteur. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomadpete Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 But sadly, now I'll never buy another Citroen......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yenn Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 It is appropriate that it is a Frenchman who did that sabotage. Remember the word comes from France, where they sabotaged machinery by putting their clogs, or "sabots" in the works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willedoo Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Wow. You gents have set a new record. Successful thread drift on the very first reply to a normal, sensible, interesting post! What would happen if someone started a thread called Thread Drift. How do you thread drift from thread drift? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man emu Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 I thought there was a Drifter thread already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmccarthy Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 We need a drift sight to identify thread drift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomadpete Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 How much drift would a drifter do, if a drifter could drift threads? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacesailor Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Grandsons into Drifting. Looking for a cheap Android tablet for engine management. must be doing well at it as he's building a competitive car, and putting all his money into it. spacesailor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmccarthy Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Burnout tyres $5 each at our local tyre shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man emu Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 I like to drift for flathead on a run-out tide. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red750 Posted March 7, 2020 Author Share Posted March 7, 2020 This thread has been well and truly sabotaged. Someone is clogging up the works. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacesailor Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 IT'S working Beautify I really enjoy the inputs from such a diverse group of (learned) people. Thank you all. spacesailor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russty Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Grandsons into Drifting. Looking for a cheap Android tablet for engine management. must be doing well at it as he's building a competitive car, and putting all his money into it. spacesailor If your request is genuine (& I suspect it is), I have an ASUS Eee PC 1000H for sale for $50 plus post if it is any use to you. Thanks, Russell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacesailor Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Thanks Russty I'll pass it on to him. spacesailor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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