1973 2.7 5-speedChassis # 00SB9323
Posted: November 15th, 2014, 12:17 amJapan
Miles: 51,000 KM
All together, 134 SM's were officially imported in Japan. Around 30 of them are believed to have survived to date, 20 of which around Tokyo and a dozen around Osaka in Western Japan. This is the story of one of them, belonging to an atypical Japanese....As young, I used to drive a Honda S800 roadster. When my wife gave birth to our first child, I had to give it up. I had to
look for something roomier, more comfortable and yet having a good road holding.. So, why not a hydropneumatic suspen-
sion? The GS Club 1220 displayed at the nearby Citroën dealer would perfectly make it. That was in the early 70's and
possessing a GS was a considerable financial investment in itself and a very special choice on the soil of the Rising Sun.
But I very much appreciated the difference . After serving me loyally for five years, the GS had to be abandoned with regret. For the professional reasons, I was being transferred to France with my family, to live in that beautiful country for almost six years, long enough to learn the French way of living and improve my French.
The necessity to own a car in Paris made me quite naturally return to the Citroën dealer and obviously my choice had
been fixed on a GS. This time, there was a variety of choice, but I selected a GS Pallas gris paladium.
Finally came the time to leave France to return home to Japan, change our habits, the Japanese life being more difficult
different, and surely more strict. But again on the soil of Japan, I remained loyal to the make of double chevron and two
BX's successively found their place in my family. Today, still loyal to the hydlaulic suspension, I get around daily in a Xantia
V-SX.
The time passing, I found myself on the eve of my fiftieth spring. A birthday which would allow me to make a fool of myself:
buy myself an SM. Certanly an expensive birthday gift, but half a century ought to be an exceptional occasion! As soon as
the decision was made, I started investigations. I started to call everywhere, looked at small advertisements, asked my relatives, etc. In fact it was at one of the nearby garages that I found the belle, carburetted, green dress, for the second
time in my life, I fell in love.
That took place in February, 1999. In general, I do not have much problem to maintain the mechanism, since, by chance, my garage is an enthousiastic Citroënist, and they take very good care of my vehicles. As for the spare parts, there is
Internet which works very well --- I am a bit sparing of my SM, but I have to tell you the speed limit is quite restrictive in Japan and moreover, the traffic is always very heavy so it is very difficult to attempt to pull the maximum out of the Maserati motor.
HISTORY OF MY SM
Metallic green, 2.7 litres, carburettors, 5 speed manual transmission.
Serial number 00SB9323, built probably towards the end
of 1972 and imported by SEIBU Motors, the exclusive importer and distributor of Citroën at the time. Like the SM's of US market, she is fitted with four round and fixed headlamps but unlike the US SM's, the headlamps are protected by glass. She was first registered in Tokyo on 3 June 1973 and maintained scrupulously by her first owner until 1998. When he passed away she was sold on. Her second owner in Western Japan, being victim of the economic crisis that raged in the nation, had to abandon her in the beginning of 1999. I thus had a chance to become her third happy owner. She then had 51,200km on odometer.Thanks to Internet, the parts suppliers such as Andrew Brodie and Citroën Concours of America, and in particular, Mr.
Tamura of Osaka who is perfectly familiar with the mechanism of SM, within one year, she was back on road again.
The main modifications made are essentially related to the auxiliraries, such as Japanese rotary compresser of aircon,
a Japanese very powerful alternator and an electronic ignition. A digital thermometer was added to the instrument
panel--- since it becomes very hot in summer in Japan, I have to watch the water temperature very carefully.
In the summer of 2000, she was fitted with the European headlamp units and resine wheels, which definitely improved
her look
Miles: 51,000 KM
All together, 134 SM's were officially imported in Japan. Around 30 of them are believed to have survived to date, 20 of which around Tokyo and a dozen around Osaka in Western Japan. This is the story of one of them, belonging to an atypical Japanese....As young, I used to drive a Honda S800 roadster. When my wife gave birth to our first child, I had to give it up. I had to
look for something roomier, more comfortable and yet having a good road holding.. So, why not a hydropneumatic suspen-
sion? The GS Club 1220 displayed at the nearby Citroën dealer would perfectly make it. That was in the early 70's and
possessing a GS was a considerable financial investment in itself and a very special choice on the soil of the Rising Sun.
But I very much appreciated the difference . After serving me loyally for five years, the GS had to be abandoned with regret. For the professional reasons, I was being transferred to France with my family, to live in that beautiful country for almost six years, long enough to learn the French way of living and improve my French.
The necessity to own a car in Paris made me quite naturally return to the Citroën dealer and obviously my choice had
been fixed on a GS. This time, there was a variety of choice, but I selected a GS Pallas gris paladium.
Finally came the time to leave France to return home to Japan, change our habits, the Japanese life being more difficult
different, and surely more strict. But again on the soil of Japan, I remained loyal to the make of double chevron and two
BX's successively found their place in my family. Today, still loyal to the hydlaulic suspension, I get around daily in a Xantia
V-SX.
The time passing, I found myself on the eve of my fiftieth spring. A birthday which would allow me to make a fool of myself:
buy myself an SM. Certanly an expensive birthday gift, but half a century ought to be an exceptional occasion! As soon as
the decision was made, I started investigations. I started to call everywhere, looked at small advertisements, asked my relatives, etc. In fact it was at one of the nearby garages that I found the belle, carburetted, green dress, for the second
time in my life, I fell in love.
That took place in February, 1999. In general, I do not have much problem to maintain the mechanism, since, by chance, my garage is an enthousiastic Citroënist, and they take very good care of my vehicles. As for the spare parts, there is
Internet which works very well --- I am a bit sparing of my SM, but I have to tell you the speed limit is quite restrictive in Japan and moreover, the traffic is always very heavy so it is very difficult to attempt to pull the maximum out of the Maserati motor.
HISTORY OF MY SM
Metallic green, 2.7 litres, carburettors, 5 speed manual transmission.
Serial number 00SB9323, built probably towards the end
of 1972 and imported by SEIBU Motors, the exclusive importer and distributor of Citroën at the time. Like the SM's of US market, she is fitted with four round and fixed headlamps but unlike the US SM's, the headlamps are protected by glass. She was first registered in Tokyo on 3 June 1973 and maintained scrupulously by her first owner until 1998. When he passed away she was sold on. Her second owner in Western Japan, being victim of the economic crisis that raged in the nation, had to abandon her in the beginning of 1999. I thus had a chance to become her third happy owner. She then had 51,200km on odometer.Thanks to Internet, the parts suppliers such as Andrew Brodie and Citroën Concours of America, and in particular, Mr.
Tamura of Osaka who is perfectly familiar with the mechanism of SM, within one year, she was back on road again.
The main modifications made are essentially related to the auxiliraries, such as Japanese rotary compresser of aircon,
a Japanese very powerful alternator and an electronic ignition. A digital thermometer was added to the instrument
panel--- since it becomes very hot in summer in Japan, I have to watch the water temperature very carefully.
In the summer of 2000, she was fitted with the European headlamp units and resine wheels, which definitely improved
her look