More Saturday NEC pics

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Mon Nov 07, 05 11:21 am

Hmm, it's not often you see the words "dream car" and "Citroen" in the same sentance, "nightmare" and "poxy" are the usual one's! Great pics though, almost feel as if I'd been there...

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Mon Nov 07, 05 11:22 am

That Jag actually has TWO superchargers in there. One each side. The thing is so wide I am not surprised you couldn't see the other one from that side.

The Citroen SM was one of my dream cars when I was a teenager. One used to drive past me as I walked to school every day. I used to stand and watch if he was stopped at the lights and if he noticed me he always span the tyres a little as he pulled away.

That Maserati engine in the car always sounded very sweet. An I right in remembering that it was a 3L V6?

The car is featured in the opening sequence in the original version of "The Mean Machine" (known as The Longest Yard in the US) where Burt Reynolds gets arrested and sent to jail for driving a "Maserati" (as it is refered to in the film) like a mad man though various stunt set pieces the quality of which still stands up well today.

I think that was the first time I ever saw that camera trick where the action was filmed with a long lens from quite a distance away so that people looked like they were jumping out of the way almost too late because of the lack of depth of field.

It's a fantastic chase sequence and one of my all time favorites.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Nov 07, 05 2:21 pm

Dave,

Youre right, can just see the air filter in the pics. Not suprising tho, seems hardly worth having just the one!

just copied this bit off the 'net so you see for yourself what engines were available (well, all 2 of them) in the citroen. Dunno what happened in '74, maybe France was on strike again.

1970
May: SM presented on the Geneve motorshow.
Specification:
Maserati 90 degree V6, 2670cc 87x75mm 170 DIN hp @ 5500 rpm 2 overhead camshafts per head, 4 in total, 3 Double choke Weber carburettors
DIRAVI speed dependant powered steering
195/70 VR 15 X tires and powered disc brakes all round
Fully independent and self levelling suspension
Topspeed: 220 km/h, making it the fastest front wheel drive car at that time.

1971
SM logo behind the rear window replaced by citroen (chevrons) sm.
September: Michelin RR (roues resin) glassfibre wheels optional. These weigh 4.2kgs while the steel wheels are 9.4kgs.
October: Automatic Borg Warner gearbox available with 2.7 liter engine.

1972
July: All SMs get Bosch D-jetronic electronic fuel injection, delivering 178 DIN hp. It's basically the same system as on the DS. New tires 205/70 VR 15 are fitted. Topspeed is now 228 km/h.

1973
October: 2.7 automatic replaced by carburettor 3.0 automatic.

1974

1975
January: The last 3.0 automatic is produced.
July: The last 2.7 injected SM is produced, and with the the last SM.

So was it the Mean Machine that had an SM being broke in two behind the drivers seat and carry on driving, thanks to its front wheel drive? remember seeing it but not too sure of the film.....

PS saw the new 'Longest Yard' on the plane couple of weeks ago, great film IMO.

Rebel · Post by **Rebel** » Mon Nov 07, 05 3:51 pm

wasn't it one of the bond movies that had the car split in two behind the driver? think it was a roger moore bond one

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Mon Nov 07, 05 4:15 pm

The car remained intact and he got away from the law in Mean Machine.
But he dumps the SM into the river (to the tune of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Saturday Night Special) and later gets arrested while sitting in a bar getting drunk.

If you don't know that very cool tune here is a sample.
http://www.lynyrdskynyrd.com/audio/mp3/ ... t_spec.MP3

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Nov 07, 05 4:53 pm

Big Skynyrd fan Dave, love the old stuff so yes, i know the tune.

Still sure theres a film where an SM gets split in two, and yes, Rebel, think i remember the Bond film but dont think that was an SM.

Hmm, that'll puzzle me for a while...

Holly · Post by **Holly** » Mon Nov 07, 05 5:18 pm

View to a Kill was where Roger Moore had the car come in two, it was a Renault 11 IIRC.

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Mon Nov 07, 05 6:19 pm

Those Maserati engines were OK but made no power, sounded good an all but dissapointing to drive, the 3.0 is the same engine they stuffed in the Merak.

BUDGIE · Post by **BUDGIE** » Mon Nov 07, 05 6:23 pm

Made 190 hp, give me a pantera anyday

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Mon Nov 07, 05 6:26 pm

190 and no torquem that was the problem. Interesting set up for the cams, they used quad, two per side and they were chain driven with the chain running in a gear in the centre of the cam rather than at the front! not the easiest of motors to time up I assure you.

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Mon Nov 07, 05 8:11 pm

think we are on the same wave length budgie,,,,but i have always thought them sm,s look the part, dont the front headlights swivel with the steering??????/

BUDGIE · Post by **BUDGIE** » Mon Nov 07, 05 8:20 pm

Yeh, that rings a bell, think they did dunc.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Nov 07, 05 8:23 pm

hi robtwin, i was a bit dismayed with the am/chopp stand too, the two bikes that were on a stand together, were british ones, i have seen them before a couple of years back at saltburn american car show,

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Mon Nov 07, 05 8:56 pm

Yes the headlights swilled with the steering.

Post by **MattH** » Mon Nov 07, 05 9:03 pm

Great pics Rob, I got to see very little of the show, other than the model cars stands. I did find 2 Dodges that havent been mentioned so far though, this one and a 4 wheel carryall version, great fun I suspect.