Vintage Citroen SM garage

Vintage Citroen SM garage

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hiscocks

Original Poster:

322 posts

189 months

Sunday 11th March 2012
quotequote all
I went to a garage owned by a chap I met at the most recent Citroen C6 meet. It's called BL Autos in Hertfordshire.

A couple of chaps from the C6 club/forum said they would be there for a chat and so forth. I had booked my C6 in for a gearbox oil change (it's a sealed unit but it's definitely a good idea to change the oil because it was filthy!)

What followed was an amazing morning looking at and driving some amazing cars, not least of which was a dream SM in light silver. I was very nervous at first but it's easy when you settle into it... the brakes I was used to, but the steering is so fast. I loved the feel of the gear change and it felt like it really needed to be 'driven'.

Here are some snaps I took, anyway.

Sorry for all those who aren't interested in cars!

Properly saving for an SM now... I put down a £10 deposit on one recently imported from Connecticut (3L manual on carbs)

ped











Others here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chiscocks/sets/721576...

Swervin_Mervin

4,573 posts

244 months

Monday 12th March 2012
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cool

BIRMA

3,845 posts

200 months

Monday 12th March 2012
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I am seriously considering getting a Citroen SM, there looks to be quite a few on the market at the moment the other car I am also looking at is the Alfa Romeo Montreal I'm going to drive both to decide which one to get, neither are cheap to run.

slomax

6,870 posts

198 months

Monday 12th March 2012
quotequote all
Am I correct in thinking that the cam chain/belt is in the middle of the cylinders? Ie the cam chain is neither at the front or back, but buried between the pistons?

I might be making it up, but I'm sure I recall hearing that somewhere. If true it's a bit silly, haha.

They are fantastic looking cars though. Droooool.

BIRMA

3,845 posts

200 months

Monday 12th March 2012
quotequote all
That workshop looks like a bomb has gone off in it how does anyone work in there? Better not let the Health and Safety people see that!

hiscocks

Original Poster:

322 posts

189 months

Monday 12th March 2012
quotequote all
BIRMA said:
That workshop looks like a bomb has gone off in it how does anyone work in there? Better not let the Health and Safety people see that!
That's just the end of the room. Quite tidy otherwise. A proper workshop with proper passionate mechanics.

benjj

6,787 posts

169 months

Monday 12th March 2012
quotequote all
slomax said:
Am I correct in thinking that the cam chain/belt is in the middle of the cylinders? Ie the cam chain is neither at the front or back, but buried between the pistons?

I might be making it up, but I'm sure I recall hearing that somewhere. If true it's a bit silly, haha.

They are fantastic looking cars though. Droooool.
The cam setup on the Maser engine is its real Achilles Heal. As far as I can remember one of the cams drives the water pump, another the pneumatic relay pump (or something). Essentially it is wildly out of balance.

I'm sure I've got it wrong somewhere but geting the thing balanced is a real art. Brodies does a lot of it I think very successfully.

Amazing cars.

hiscocks

Original Poster:

322 posts

189 months

Monday 12th March 2012
quotequote all
It was Mr. Brodie who took me out in the silver SM, actually!

benjj

6,787 posts

169 months

Monday 12th March 2012
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Lucky you.

I am quite tempted by their Maserati engine transplant into my DS.

Imagine it isn't £200 all in though.

Johnboy Mac

2,666 posts

184 months

Monday 12th March 2012
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Great stuff. SM fanboy here.

BIRMA

3,845 posts

200 months

Tuesday 13th March 2012
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hiscocks said:
It was Mr. Brodie who took me out in the silver SM, actually!
Have you seen the one here on Pistonheads that's for sale? Looks like everything has been done to it, be it a little on the expensive side but is probably as good an example as you can get.

hiscocks

Original Poster:

322 posts

189 months

Tuesday 13th March 2012
quotequote all
BIRMA said:
Have you seen the one here on Pistonheads that's for sale? Looks like everything has been done to it, be it a little on the expensive side but is probably as good an example as you can get.
Yeah it looks lovely. I woudl happily saw my nots off to own it

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3507173.htm

Simes205

4,618 posts

234 months

Tuesday 13th March 2012
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BIRMA said:
hiscocks said:
It was Mr. Brodie who took me out in the silver SM, actually!
Have you seen the one here on Pistonheads that's for sale? Looks like everything has been done to it, be it a little on the expensive side but is probably as good an example as you can get.
What a lovely day out.

I am right in thinking that Andrew Brodie has a DS with an SM engine installed?

hiscocks

Original Poster:

322 posts

189 months

Tuesday 13th March 2012
quotequote all
Rings a bell.. I'll see him again next weekend. There are pics of him showing me how to hustle an SM on my Flickr page

benjj

6,787 posts

169 months

Monday 19th March 2012
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Simes205 said:
BIRMA said:
hiscocks said:
It was Mr. Brodie who took me out in the silver SM, actually!
Have you seen the one here on Pistonheads that's for sale? Looks like everything has been done to it, be it a little on the expensive side but is probably as good an example as you can get.
What a lovely day out.

I am right in thinking that Andrew Brodie has a DS with an SM engine installed?
I'm not sure, quite possibly. The firm I know are called Peacocks. Link here for how they do it:

http://www.citroen-dsm.co.uk/v6_conversion.htm