We are late finding this one, as the auction is ending in just 3 hours, but we had to feature it because Citroen SMs do not come along very often. With their quirky French styling and Maserati engine, there are few cars with more character. Find this one here on eBay out of San Jose, California with bidding at $11k.
That’s right, a Maserati V6 is powering the front wheels of this luxury cruiser. This particular car is claimed to only have had a couple of owners with the last one keeping it for 38 years. They racked up 69k miles, but over the years the car was replaced by modern machinery so it was left to sit in the garage.
Neglect caught up with this Citroen so the previous owner decided to part with it. The bad news is that it is not currently running and is going to need a lot of work to get back on the road. The good news is that it appears to be very original, even sporting its original paint. The interior looks decent and luckily this car is equipped with the five speed manual. Just pray that there are no major problems with that engine or hydraulic system. Notice the brake pedal.
They may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but we love ‘em. They are very smooth riding grand tourers with enough power to keep up in traffic. There are plenty of specialists out there and most of the the major faults can be rectified. Be sure you really love them though before pulling the trigger because this one is going to need a lot of time and money. If done right though, the end result will be well worth it.
via eBay
About Jesse
Damn, this thing was for sale for $6000 a couple weeks ago on craigslist…
Looks like a dealer got to it first. Should have sent the link in so a fellow barn finder could have picked it up. Oh well…
No, a dealer did not get to it first. I had it on Craigslist and no local buyers came up, so I put the car on eBay. Simple as that.
Thanks for letting us know Serg. Looks like you did better listing it on ebay!
by the look of pic its an auto not 5 speed look at the pic of gear lever ”d” n and R anyway its sold and good luck to the new owner hope they enjoy
American models are all Auto with the larger engine than its European model and has different fixed lights euro model the lights turn with the steering!!!
Very strange to drive first off but great when used to them
Sold many at http://www.classics-cabriolets.co.uk
I have to disagree with you guys. The shift gate is just strange on these, which shouldn’t be a surprise. Plus, that is clearly a clutch pedal right next to the hydraulic brake button.
That is completely incorrect. US models came as auto and 5 speed. This car is a 5 speed.
LOL.. this car is not an automatic. It’s a 5 speed.
This car is a manual. And it has a button for the brakes. Said button lies in the same location as a pedal would be, I’m no expert on these cars but said brake button was on of those quirks as was the suspension and if it was a euro model (I think) it would have been equipped with a single spoke steering wheel. Great driving car and when sorted, fairly reliable… I said when sorted, as sorting is quite expensive.
This car got notoriety to me in the movie “The longest yard” w/ Burt Reynolds when he gunned it in reverse and the backend lifted up a lot. Not my cup-of-tea though.
I had forgotten what a rat’s nest of hydraulic lines and tanks these things were. I’ve heard that finding parts for and repairing these things brings a new definition to the word “hassle.” I always thought they were interesting, bizarre, not exactly my kind of car, and very… well, French.
It sold for $11,200. Hopefully the next owner will keep us updated on their progress. It will be interesting to see how much work it actually needs.
These usually sell inexpensively over here for how exotic they are, mainly because there is a small market due to the general belief that they are prone to mechanical and hydraulic problems that take lots of $$$ and highly specialized knowledge to fix. There is also the idea that they are a quirky design.
On the other hand, people who have actually owned these cars have a very different view, and generally like them a lot. You don’t hear many reports supporting the assumption that they are prone to complex problems that require lots of $$$ to fix. Strangely, these cars are often the butt of jokes by people who have no experience with them. Too bad these interesting cars have such a bad rep over here. OTOH, that probably allowed someone to get a real buy on this car.
I owned a 1973 Citroen SM for 12 years in the same color combination, but with the larger USA-only carburrted 3.0L with 5spd manual. The Citroen mechanicals were never a problem. The Maserati engine and its internals were always a problem. Made a tough decision to sell, since my family owned a new 1973 Citroen SM (and it always had engine trouble) that I always believed was due to poor Citroen dealer knowledge/maintenance. Surprised this non-running SM went for so much money, with rust bubbling, too.
Look out for camshaft problems, scored pistons from sitting and then trying to start, dual igntion and point failure, improperly set timing chains (primary and two upper bank) and oil leaks.
If you live in California, Kentucky, or New York State, you have Citroen pros to save you and your car.
@ R1326
Sorry to hear that the Maserati engines in your cars were problematic, but it appears from your comment that questionable Citroen dealer service was a big factor in that. I guess maybe not all automotive takeovers automatically end up with the service being what it should be, especially when exotic Maser engines are involved.
I have heard SM owners say their cars were reliable, including the engines, but they tended to be in the big states on each coast—CA and NY—, which are the good states you mentioned for SM ownership. And it’s good to hear that your Citroen components were reliable.