Topic: Anybody ever owned one of these?

[azuredesign]

I have driven a couple and understand enough about them to get in deep trouble.
I would appreciate any anecdotes from personal experience.
Thanks!
Ben

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SM-/160964559207?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619&forcev4exp=true#ht_500wt_1182

[MoMo]

I never owned one but I did know a Citroen dealer, who swore by it as being the best car ever made.  I have seen and sat in one but that's about it, impression left was wish I had the money...Larry

[wardenerd]

Wheeler Dealers did one on their show and the show  usually discusses the problems and indiosincracies of the vehicle.  They were very positive about the vehicle as I recall.  I think it is on you  tube.

[70CB750]

I liked the DSr version better actually - Fantomas anybody? 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citro%C3%ABn_DS

[simon#42]

certainly one of the most complex cars ever made , i worked on a few over the years and was even stupid enough to change a clutch in one once . the d.s. is nicer , they look great and drive like a magic carpet but i still wouldn't touch one !

[azuredesign]

The complexity of the drive train is what has dampened my enthusiasm historically. I took an automatic one for a spin in the late 80's and easily blew off a new Corvette on a twisty section of the beltway around Boston. I was surprised as I didn't think the car had as much power as the Vette, but it worked really well close to the redline, and handled great for a fairly big car.

We owned a late 60s or early 70s GS and While it was cool to pump up the suspension etc, it didn't really have enough power to cause much excitement.

[mick750F]

   Years ago..back in the late 80's I walked into a Jaguar repair shop next to the wood shop building I was in. The guy who owned the repair shop was independent but had worked at Jaguar and Volvo dealerships as a mechanic. He worked almost exclusively on Jaguars (he could list part numbers off the top of his head and probably could have disassembled and reassembled a Jag with his eyes closed) but would work on anything else he found interesting. The day I met him he had a beautiful late 60's XKE roadster, a couple of mid 50's XJ coupes and a Citroen SM in his shop. I slobbered all over the XKE and the SM. He had taken the SM in as a favor for one of his Jag clients and learned to regret it as soon as he started working on it. I was quite intrigued by the inboard front brakes...I'd never seen them before.

   That visit was the beginning of a working relationship and a friendship. I refinished, rebuilt or replaced the wood bits in a number of Jags over the next few years...some of them Concourse show winners.

   I'd love to own one someday...beautiful design and interesting engineering.

   Go for it Ben...you know you want it. If you buy it I know someone who would just hate to work on it...but do the job right.

Mike

[azuredesign]

Gee Mike,

That certainly is an enticement, thanks!

I thought Jags were a pain in the keester, but I guess these things are even worse! We'll see what happens with this SM.

See you soon( and for more than .1 second in a video), I hope!
Ben

[mick750F]

   Auction has ended Ben...when can I come over for a test drive? 

Mike

[BobbyR]

I remember reading a test report on them, and I actually saw quite a few on the street as a kid. The report in the 70's said that on a wet skid pad the emergency turning was only 5mph less than the dry pad. A friend of mine is an importer of foreign car parts and especially vintage models. If you need a part I can ring him up or give you his number.

[azuredesign]

Hi Bobby and Mike,

Thanks for your support. No it wasnt my bid that took her home. I talked myself out of it, which was just as well as the cost overruns on some home renovations we are doing just came in at 40k so.. like everything else that is for sale, there will always be another!

[mick750F]

   For some reason this reminds me of something once said by a guy I knew years ago who had a bit/pile of money at the time, loved odd/unique/obscure cars...his Facel Vega comes to mind...but he rented an apartment rather than own, which he could easily have done, several times over. When confronted with this his reply was..."You can sleep in your car but you can't drive your house." He was quite a carouser back then...

   So remember this Ben next time you're sitting at home wishing you could just pop out to the store in your house.

[azuredesign]

Thanks Mike,

I will ponder that sentiment as I also consider Bill Cosbys train of thought concerning why there is air.

I remember the Facel HK500 as being an odd car. I was offered a non running one when I was in my 20s. But I already had a non running car, and at that time 2 non running cars did not make sense to me. I would like to think I am wiser now. Beautiful bodies with very distinctive roof lines and usually a big Chrysler v-8, although I think there were some 4 cylinders as well. Kind of the much more handsome son of the Allard, and the brother of the Jensen.