You may well have seen this frothy pink, pale blue, white and silver catering van parked outside Jamie Oliver’s restaurant! The Citroën H light van in an amazing colour confection with a white interior, registered simply OLIVER. It heralds his ‘Traditional Ice Cream & Smash Ups’ according to the lettering on the sides of the van, which is topped off with an ice cream cone positioned on each side of the windscreen. The model is presented in a special Jamie’s Italian Ices windowed sleeve with a legend on the back giving a fascinating history of his unique restaurant style and ethic.
The Citroën H was produced by the French motor company between 1947 and 1981, during which time the styling changed little. The familiar corrugated body had no separate frame and the vehicle featured four wheel independent suspension and front wheel drive. The flat low welded floor had tremendous strength, had a standing height of 6 feet and was accessed from a sliding side door. Often referred to as a panel van, most of the 473,000 produced were sold in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Many of the components were the same as those used on the Traction Avant, Citroën 2CV and even the DS. Only three body styles were available – the standard closed van, a pick-up version and a stripped down body which went to coachbuilders who turned it into other variants, including a cattle truck.