Fantasy Junction

Description

1973 Citroen SM
s/n AC7300SD0766, engine no.
Gold Simiane with Brown Leather Interior

The Citroen SM is a truly fascinating car that epitomizes Citroen’s long tradition of innovation and disregard for convention. Their previous track record included the Traction Avant, one of the world’s first front wheel drive cars, the 2CV, whose main competition was the donkey cart, and the DS, a stunning family car that was aerodynamic, beautiful, futuristic, and offered the first mass produced application of disc brakes as well as a magic carpet smooth ride thanks to its adjustable height oleopneumatic suspension.

The SM was introduced as Citroen’s flagship in 1970. The company had purchased Maserati in 1968, an important piece of Citroen’s plan to build a high performance GT that was related to the DS. Citroen asked Maserati to develop a six cylinder engine, which would be used both in this car and a new small Maserati to compete with Ferrari’s Dino, the Merak. The 90 degree V6 featured quad cams and prototypically Italian noises, and was coupled either to a 5-speed manual or an automatic transmission. The car was extraordinarily aerodynamic, with a Kamm tail, sloping roofline, and attentive streamlining, which gave the car a coefficient of drag of just .26. The front track was wider than the rear track, giving the car a tapered plan form, and the car featured disc brakes all round, which were inboard at the front to reduce unsprung weight. The height adjustable oleopneumatic suspension was similar to that of the DS and offered an exceptional ride. The list of innovations goes on and on, with the first introduction of variable assist power steering, automatically adjusted hydraulic brake bias based on the weight distribution of the car, and many others.

The car was and remains a true revelation. Indeed, Road & Track declared it one of the 10 Best Cars in the World in 1971, and it was awarded the Motor Trend Car of the Year award in 1972, a shocking achievement because even today, the award is typically bestowed on an American car. Indeed, the 1985 Volkswagen GTI was the only other non-American car to win the award until 2003. The SM was good for a genuine 140mph, making it the fastest front wheel drive car in the world at the time, and Popular Science also noted that it had the shortest stopping distance of any car they had ever tested.

Partway through production, the 2.7 liter engine was replaced by a 3.0 liter one, and this particular car is an exceptionally-maintained 3.0 liter example that has had about $25,000 spent on it by SM World in late 2014, the famed shop specializing in the Citroen SM owned by Jerry Hathaway. Prior to that the car was owned by a fellow in Maine who spent several thousand dollars spent on it with Excelsior Motors (David Hume), the East Coast’s premier SM restorer. This work was performed between 2004 and 2012 and included rebuilt cylinder heads, rebuilt water pump with brass impeller, main accumulator sphere, oil cooler lines, restored fuel tank, and new stainless steel exhaust with European headers, an exhaust setup that costs approximately $5000. The car was in Colorado prior to that, at which time it was showing 70,345 miles in 2002.

The car was repainted its original color by Rick Bacon (of TNN’s Power Block TV show), and the upholstery was renewed at a cost of over $5000 using the correct leather from Atelier DS in Italy, the only source for this correct color and grain upholstery that is unique to the SM. The work performed at SM World in late 2014 was extensive and completed with open checkbook instructions to right everything that was amiss with the car. This included rebuilt brake calipers, rebuilt carburetors, new air conditioning compressor and hoses, recovered dashboard, new firewall heat pad, new door and rear deck lid weatherstripping, new bumper seals, overhauled distributor, valve adjustment, new points and condenser, new drive shaft boots with repacked CV joints, lube chassis, new belts, set timing, clean miscellaneous electrical connections, rebuild tachometer, rebuilt clock, install headlight covers, and fit new steering rack boots. The work totaled approximately $25,000 and the car is of course extremely well-sorted at this time.

The above vehicle information is complete and accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time it is posted to this website. Corrections or additional information is always appreciated. All advertised prices exclude government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document preparation charge, and any emission testing charge. Vehicles are subject to prior sale. All advertised to be true but not guaranteed. We assume no liability for errors or omissions.

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Fantasy Junction  •  510-653-7555  •  1145 Park Ave, Emeryville, CA 94608