The Citroën SM was a French-built, high-performance coupé produced from 1970 to 1975. It finished third in the European Car of the Year honors in 1971 and was Motor Trend’s Car of the Year in 1972. Rarely seen today, the seller has one in a salvage yard in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. It’s in rough shape, but it’s not the only potential gold on the property with more than 100 other vintage cars and trucks in various states of disrepair. This French classic and the rest of the crowd are available here on Facebook Marketplace where the asking price on the latter is $4,000. Thanks, Chuck Foster, for this bodacious find!
Citroën cars were always known for their strides in innovation and safety. The sporty SM coupe used a 2.7-liter V6 engine at first and could be had with either a 5-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmission. If you’re thinking of rescuing this one, don’t expect a title and plan on a delay in picking it up as other broken vehicles surrounding it will have to be moved to pull it out. More than 200 cars are featured in a presentation provided by the seller (that you have to see) although many of them have already been sold. Go here to check out everything.
Something like 100 cars and trucks is still available and the ones that come in multiples include three (3) Ford Thunderbirds, two (2) Chevy El Caminos, three (3) Chevy Corvettes, five (5) Pontiac Firebirds (mostly Trans Ams), a dozen pickup trucks, four (4) Mercedes, seven (7) VW Beetles, a half dozen MGBs, and three (3) Chevy Corvairs. Most of these vehicles have been in the yard for more than 10 years. Delivery may be available and if you come to shop in person, you’ll have to sign a waiver in case something falls on you!
I scrolled through a lot of pages, but all these cars just looked (barely) like parts cars. I can’t imagine anyone with any classic car experience entertaining a restoration on any of these cars.
The Citroen SM is a worthy car, but even a nice example is an exercise in complex engineering and unobtainium parts. No sane person would undertake a restoration on this SM, or any other car in this yard for that matter.
Fortunately Rex we are all partly insane, otherwise why would we put our hearts and souls (and a LOT of money) into building a wreck into a concours car that nobody else would want to own? That’s what makes us different from other people and why we always get along with each other no matter whether you lean to the Left/Right/Centre etc.
Even when running, those Citroens are finicky cars to work on and that one sure needs a lot of work to get it to a running state..more than it’s worth. I’ll take that Volvo 544 next to it, though.
I agree Bob, that Volvo 544 would be the one to have ..Luke a “mini” ’47 Ford or Merc..
I had one in the late 70’s and yes, it was very fun to drive and race around on the dirt mountain roads.
The SM was not a profitable car for Citroen. It almost broke their economy. It will not be an easy sell, taking into account that spare parts are hen’s teeth and no papers.
Ideal car to buy for parts if you already have one.
I spy an AMC javelin back there
I have 2 in the barn and would like to get rid of them. both project cars, if not only parts car, one or the other. Cheap OBO. I’m in Northern California not too far from Sacramento in the foothills.
I like the Volvo, a 544, my 1st car( a 444). I think there’s a B18 badge on the grill indicating a ’62 or newer. They changed very little. Most of the stuff is an iffy sell, maybe 2 people might want the Citroen, but VWs are hot( pun intended) and can’t go wrong with a stash of VW parts. Seeing these “collections” time after time here, tells me, it’s time for this stuff to go. Again, sadly, with a few exceptions, it’s grinder time for most of this.
My dad was a car guy. Got a wild hair “wanted something different”. Bought a 72 SM. Thought he could do most of the maintenance and stuff himself.
Fun car to drive until it broke. Not fun on the wallet. Thought he could tune the six Weber carburetors himself, with no synchronizer! P noticed a little spot of oil underneath driver’s rear wheel . Took it to the only guy in the area that worked on them and that little spot of oil turned into $1,500! He lost his itch for driving something different real quick! Went back to driving this cameo pickup. Lot cheaper maintenance.
French maids, yes! Citroen, no.