Is the Citroen SM ever not a project car? Even when in peak running condition, these French exotics require a fair amount of upkeep and even more owner loyalty to keep running reliably. However, we still see so many of them appear as project cars that it makes you wonder if they will soon be taken off the road entirely as owners age out of the hobby. This 1973 Citroen SM listed here on eBay has an opening bid of just $500 and no reserve, but also no takes at the moment. The seller doesn’t provide much info, other than to say it does not run.
I still have scenes from the Bury Reynolds’ flick, The Longest Yard, baked into my brain that shows him hurtling an SM around downtown city streets. It always struck me as being the most uncomfortable high-speed scene ever, as the car looked miserable being driven in that fashion. The SM certainly had the chops, however, with a 2.7-liter Maserati-built DOHC V6 engine that kicked out 170 b.h.p. The engine was certainly the stuff of sports car quality, but in the SM, it was clearly intended to deliver a driving experience more aligned with grand touring than outright speed. SMs can rust out fairly easily, so when looking at a car like this that’s been stored outdoors and is sitting on its belly, you’ll want to assess the undersides carefully.
You could find an SM with the 5-speed manual, which made that throaty Maserati mill all the more tantalizing, but most are equipped with the automatic (see: grand tourer versus sports car persona.) The seller doesn’t tell us much about this car or its history, but an SM is one of those vehicles where you have to acknowledge the gap in a fully-sorted example versus one like this: the price difference is huge, and that’s because there is no middle ground. From the complexity of the hydropneumatic suspension to the high-end materials used in the cabin to simply how unpleasant it is to work on a cramped engine bay with a motor that doesn’t like to sit wedged inside – well, there’s no Citroen SM “project” that represents a weekend’s worth of wrenching to bring it back to life.
The SM was certainly an engineering marvel back in its day, from the smooth-riding suspension to the self-centering steering and the ridiculously short spin of the wheel lock-t0-lock, it handled like nothing else on the road. It was not fast but it was thoroughly sporting with that Maserati powerplant. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder but there is clearly nothing like it on the road. The SM has tantalized wide-eyed enthusiasts for years, but you need to be fully committed (you can read that sentence one of two ways) to bringing a project-grade example like this back to life. Do you think the SM experience is worth it?
I always wanted to be able to come on Barfinds and say….. Hey, I owned one of these… Now I can… Ok, well, it was the Matchbox version unfortunately. From 1971. ( I still have it) It was one of my most favorite cars as a little kid and I still like the looks of them today.
Bery nice write write up. I hope this one gets saved.
I forgot to mention one thing not many people know this, but the towing capacity of my Citroën was terrific. Here’s a photos my travel trailer I owned. Pulled it for many trouble free miles!!!
That is the French version of a Trans-Am with a trailer hitch. I love it, thanks for sharing.
I have owned a 1973 SM with the 3’0 engine, 5 sp for 45 years. I purchased from Jerry Hathaway of SM World. Unfortunately Jerry is no longer with us and someone else took over his shop with little knowledge of SM’s like Jerry.
The SM’s are little different from the Citroen DS. Both have reliable engines, and very reliable braking, steering and suspension systems once you know how they work.
The problem with all classic cars is the fact that most of the experienced mechanics have passed to HIM. The new young mechanics only want to plug into a computer to tell them what is wrong with the car. It is time to educate and make young mechanics interested in classic cars.
These were and are great cars!
Roy the Citroholic
Great article, Jeff. It’s so true, that many cars are perpetual projects – no sooner is one thing sorted but another problem crops up. Usually it’s something out of left field that I don’t know anything about, too! I love the SM but I wouldn’t buy one unless it was sorted, in use, and close to someone who knew a thing or two about Citroëns.
The fact that much of the advanced technology in this car was introduced on the 1955 Citroen DS is simply remarkable. It was still advanced when the SM was introduced in 1970.
The original “Longest Yard” movie made this car a star.
Excellent write-up Jeff. Great line: “you need to be fully committed…”.
In my small growing-up town, the only “foreign” cars were compacts, and beyond Volkswagens, there weren’t even very many of them. So to me this Citroen might as well have been from outer space. And when my Motor Trend magazine arrived and I read it had been named 1972 Car of the Year, I thought they had lost their mind. I didn’t understand them then, and I’m not sure I understand then now.
Driveinstile, I’m glad your SM has treated you well. And vice-versa.
Thanks Bob. I have a confession though, I kind of stole the idea from you from a while back. I think it was a model of a Tbird you’ve had for years.
I am tired of hearing that Citroen suspension and other fluid/air suspension is complicated. It is not. I have had and restored several cars with hydrolastic suspension and it is not complicated. Quite the opposite. And the Citroen hydropneumatic suspension pressure vessels are easily acquired as rebuilt units or repaired and super easy to install. Rant over. Anybody who has ever watched Wheeler Dealers or Car SOS will also have seen how these Citroen suspension components are easily restored.
I recently saw a video on the internet about European headlights vs American headlights. Somewhat informative if not completely accurate.
I’ve always seen the SM with plastic from fender to fender, covering the headlights and license plate across the entire front. Never cared for the ones with just the center license plate covered. Found out from that video that back in the sealed beam days of American headlights, American laws prohibited headlights being covered by plastic. If you see an SM with wall to wall front plastic coverings, that’s the European version but if you see one as in our Barn Find example, that’s the American version.
Interesting, huh?
Always liked the body style and “premises ”
of the SM. But after doing a brake job on a DS21. (Including rotors) I’m not much of a Citroen fan any more. I appreciate the reasons for almost everything done/used/built in to a Citroen. But the thing that really interests me now days is the engine. Naturally, I would have to find the “proper” car to stuf it in. But it could be a fun project. None of the systems on the car are overly complicated, just that everything is so jammed in there it’s just very tiring to work on. So the fun is gone.
Where is this car?
Coldwarmotors has one of these. Scott has recently been restoring the front headlamp units and the work involved in just that area alone !
I have a citroen DS21 – not running. All Citroen’s are weird and wonderful. They are cars like no other. Unfortunately they also rust like no other.
These look like they belong in a 70’s movie about the future.
Whatever you do – do n o t expect a SM to be an easy project. This V 6 – engine is not half as reliable as an ID / DS – engine; timing – chains are very fragile, difficult to replace ( engine has to come out ). It needs excessive maintenance – just like a racing – car. There were not produced many SM’s – therfore, spares are rare and very expensive – if to be had.
They improved the timing – chain – tensioner on later models – and they had good reasons to do so…
There are injected enigines as well; depending on the model – year. The gear – box ( auto ) is Borg – Warner, which should not cause too many proplems.
A driveable SM is heaven – but is means to go through hell to make it driveable….