Citroen SM: PH Carpool
Coolest car ever made? Our proud owner makes the case...
Car: Citroen SM
Owned since: May 2015
Currently owned : BMW 330d touring, Caterham Supersport race car, Alfa GT Junior (restored)
Previously owned: Austin 1300 GT, Opel Manta Berlinetta, Opel Manta GTE (In white, with the side skirts) Capri 2.8S, Citroen CX Safari, Lancia Delta (NOT HF or Integrale), Fiat X1/9 and a Volvo 144GL
"At the risk of showing my age, I fell in love with them when they first came out. I was nearly old enough to drive and they just blew my mind. Style, engineering, style, image, style, adverts, oh and style! Totally out of reach for most of my adult life, it only became a realistic possibility in the past five years or so. However, when I started looking around and testing a few, the word 'disappointment' sprung to mind. Having almost attained Shed status and being a wonderful combination of French electrics, complex hydraulics and a notoriously unreliable Italian engine, to say that most were not well (i.e. expensively) maintained would be one of the motoring understatements of all time. However, they have a following. This can be translated into 'a small and very eccentric group who will go to extreme lengths to research, manufacture and purchase the items needed to maintain and run these magnificent vehicles. Often at the expense of family life and personal relationships'. You know who you are and I salute you.
"So, to cut a long story short(ish), in December 2014, I bought an Alfa GT Junior which ended up having a full restoration, early 2015 I received a call from Tony at Foskers who had sold my 308 GTS (I still miss it) about a Citroen SM that I simply must go and see. Despite my protestations re. my wallet being emptied by the Alfa restoration, I arranged to see this SM to get it out of my system once and for all.
"After several emails and plenty of pictures, things added up. A proper owner, loads of info and history, body restoration with pics, all the proper mods had been done to make it moderately reliable. Had been a long term project of David Yeo and Andrew Brodie. The seller was based at Dunsfold where he had a vintage Italian motorbike business and I arranged to go and view the car. I couldn't have chosen a better day! Gorgeous sunny drive down there from Cambridge and when I turned up, the car was simply stunning. However, every single SM I had driven was, to not put too fine a point on it, crap! So obviously, I needed to drive it to be able to say no.
"Now don't get me wrong, driving an old Citroen with that suspension and steering is unlike anything you have ever driven before. Sharp turn-in, no body roll and steering feel are not phrases that feature in its lexicon. But, I was in love. The price was attractive and the car came with a spare set of front and rear leather seats, admittedly in need of a lot of TLC. So, why did I buy?"
"I must admit I went into this realising that an SM (a most suitable name) can be a veritable money pit. But I felt it was worth it. But in short...
"Be afraid. Be very afraid. I mean just look at that layshaft coming off the front of the engine driving all that, that stuff. All seemed fine for the first couple of hundred miles, but there was a very slight misfire at steady throttle and the A/C needed a re-gas, or so I thought. I took her to the very excellent B&L Autos in Welwyn Garden City who specialise in all things old Citroen (workshop full of DSs and SMs in various states of work), where they had to replace the A/C pump.This actually was a blessing in disguise as the original 'European' pump could cause the timing chain to break! So this was replaced with a US pump, which also meant changing the pipework.
"The misfire was cured by replacing coil packs, spark plug leads and cleaning the triple Webers. Welcome to the world of SM ownership! But I think this section can be best summed up using a quote by Donald Rumsfeld, 'there are known unknowns.' "
Things I love:
"Its eccentricity. I mean, what were these guys on when they came to the final design and how much Absinthe had they drunk and what drugs were they on? "Boss, we've had this great idea for that new model you want, its a 2+2 coupe, 16 feet long, front-wheel drive, front mid-engine V6 Maserati power plant, full hydraulics with hyper direct self-centering steering, French electrics, Opron's designing it and he's been up all night on acid" I love the way it drives, the ride quality is the best, period.
"The noise once it passes 4,000rpm. I must admit, I love the reaction it creates, the best one so far has to be a big smiling thumbs up from two traffic cops on a French Autoroute. I love the fact that you have to change the way you drive and that it was a totally illogical purchase. I think it looks quite good as well."
"This one's tricky! I wouldn't go as far as to say I hate anything, but ideally, I would have liked a European spec car as opposed to a US one. The European ones have the mad triple front light arrangement with the swivelling headlamps, but apparently, they're like glow worms and as I am using the car, the better lighting of the US cars is a slightly better bet. OK I'll admit it, I am kidding myself, triple headlamps rule. Besides that, I have no reservations. Although with the reputation that SMs have, I'm sure there will be times when I loathe her. I feel this relationship will be somewhere off the hot/crazy graph."
Costs:
"Sorry, I don't see the relevance of this question, it's an SM! The work so far has not been cheap, the main cost being the new A/C pump, however it sailed through its MOT. Upcoming will be a new front O/S wheel bearing, tracing a broken wire re. instrumentation and a replacement steering rack as the existing one has a slight leak. I'm looking to install a new 'correct' stereo and have just finished reconditioning the spare leather seats which will be installed next week. Fuel is not bad, it must be run on 'super', but I get about 25 mpg. Insurance is about £300 p/a and there is no road tax. The rest is a known unknown!"
"My initial thoughts were not far enough! My feelings with classic cars is that they must be used, not only for the pleasure they give, but also they run better with regular use. About 12 years ago I managed to buy a pristine low mileage 328 GTS, being stupid and brave, I tracked it quite a few times, there was no doubt that after this, it was a much better drive. This formed my mindset, but I doubt if the SM will see a track!
"Anyway, I've driven it to a few of my races, spectating at Goodwood Festival, but the big one was to the French Alps. Leaving Cambridge on a hot sunny day, I had to pick up a friend in London, where the heavy traffic resulted in a climbing temp gauge and then the big red Stop light coming on, this you obey without fail in an SM. However things cooled down and I took the risk of carrying on to Folkestone for the train. Lo and behold, she ran true and the rest of the trip ran like a dream, I think she was excited at going back home...
"As for the future, winter will consist of some TLC, but next year will have some European trips, especially Le Mans."
What next?
"Well the seats have been reconditioned so will be going in shortly. I replaced the existing rear speakers (there is also one speaker in the driver's footwell) and need to install a suitable head unit. It must look period correct, a unit from Tadpole would be ideal, but they are a tad pricey. That probably covers the things I wish to do to the car. But the main thing is to enjoy the car."
Want to share your car with PHers on Carpool? Email us at carpool@pistonheads.com!
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Genuinely revolutionary car, miles ahead of its time. Self-levelling headlamps? Check. Swivelling headlamps connected to steering? Check. Speed sensitive steering? Check. Speed sensitive wipers? Check. Fastest FWD production car in the world at the time? Check.
They also have the coolest gear 'gaiter' arrangement ever, and there is no chrome on the car....it's all stainless steel.
Crazy amounts of want here!
for the shear amount of bravery pills required to even contemplate buying/owing a SM - well done that man!
You are doing a service to those of us without the funds and/or testicles* to attempt it.
- please note I refer not to the physical items, so I regard this as a non-sexist term.
Couldn't a Chinese entreprenneur be encouraged to make a high quality knock-off? Maybe they already do...
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