The Citroën SM was originally built as a high end GT car with a
sophisticated Citroën suspension system and a Maserati V6, but today due to the magic of dépréciation, they are cheap cheap cheap! The French self leveling suspension
was a regressive system so that if you were a tycoon who weighed 300 lbs or a poor internet blogger who weighs 110 lbs, you would both sit
at the same level...très progressive! Find this 1972 Citroen SM offered here on eBay 
bidding for $4,005 with 4 days to go, located in Woodmere, NY.
The SM was a fantastically complicated "performance" coupe from the French manufacturer, and was built from 1970 through 1975. It was in essence a 2-door (3-door?) version of the legendary Citroen DS, but used an engine borrowed from the recently acquired Maserati brand.
Power comes from a later (1973-75 model year) 3.0 liter 90 degree V6 that was shared with the Maserati Merak. Power was rated at 180 horsepower and with a 3-speed automatic transmission it was capable of a top speed of 127 mph.
This one isn't in perfect condition and shows wear/tear from being a regular driver, but in the world of vintage Citroens, the last thing you ever want to do is to let the car sit for long periods of time.
See a cooler cruise-ready oddball for cheap? tips@dailyturismo.com
The car car guy side of my brain says to buy this. Then fix the little things like the seat and enjoy some weekend drives. Heck I just like looking at it inside & out over and over. In the future if the motor or automatic transmission has a major failure, then change it into a rear wheel drive project!
ReplyDeleteThen the other side of my brain says "You will enjoy driving the Miata more. You can always go to Carlisle and other venue to look at other people's Citroens without having a very thick folder full of maintenance records"
Wish I had the money to just get this into my garage! This one looks to be in very good shape and complete, I know these are easily money pits greater than an old mansion in need of repair but the design and lines of this car just call to me like a Siren song. Maybe its time to check out vintage auto loans from my bank?
ReplyDeleteWow, this sounds like a very decent car. Bidding is surprisingly low if it truly is a rust-free car that has had the systems sorted out. Just might be a bar-goon for someone.
ReplyDeleteLovely cars, by the way. The hydraulics are the same as the DS, and if properly sorted are NOT a source of constant misery. The engines are more of an area for concern, but it the timing chains are OK, and the coolant has been maintained, they are no more risky than many 40 year old semi-exotics.