Resurrecting a derelict french spaceship, Neglected Citroen SM

After following up on a lead from a friend, I find a neglected French supercar languishing on the side of the road! watch as I bring it home and bring it back to life!

[@davidperez-ll5bf]

WOW this was an amazing episode. You did it again Alexander. You truly lucked out and found another treasure. I enjoyed this episode so much and thank you once again for another amazing content.

[@karenkouns577]

Agreed, now Alex. How about taking us to the car show when it's ready?

[@GuyWithTheDogs]

Great episode. And YOU are the only person in the known universe who would buy a car like that and who would then, in an incredible act of serendipity, know the guy who needed your keys in exchange for his. Zoltar is still looking after you. 🙂

[@sportshighlightsheaven4693]

For sure

[@ArtfulShelley]

He IS highly lucky. :)

[@MartsGarage]

What a stroke of luck that the only other SM guy in that entire area was Scott at CWM. He's a super helpful guy and it was great that your hunch paid off. Love the SM. I was thinking of Scott as soon as I saw it.

[@jfwartwelch6082]

Me too !!

[@bbrut3332]

Me too 🤣

[@noddynoodle7060]

Me three

[@Markybug-Keira-Cody]

@@noddynoodle7060 me 4

[@waynegouin939]

Me five. I should have finished the whole video before commenting. Got excited!

[@anetzband1383]

I am not a "car person" but I LOVED this episode. It was fascinating watching you bring that finish back to life, and then to discover the actual keys with your friend. Another WOWIE moment. I'm liking the time spent on this kind of video even as I'm still bummed that I'll never see you in your shop. At least we have memories and old videos to rewatch. So happy for all of you.

[@pomskylifenova7344]

For sure

[@carmelitabeaverhausen1322]

DITTO

[@pattya1679]

I agree!

[@deenasmusicbox]

This was an EPIC EPISODE Alexander! I loved your ‘Indiana Jones’ work on finding the keys that led to a lucrative parts source. I will admit that I had to pick my jaw off the ground when the engine turned over!! WTG!!

[@woodsend8133]

I too had to pick up my jaw! Absolutely fantastic.

[@williamelkins1613]

To find one that runs and drives is unheard of. What a find. Out of this world engineering. Speechless.

[@jennycorey8968]

I saw this Citroën in a movie way back in the 70s and fell in love with it then. Now I remember why. It's good to know an 80 year old woman can still get a thrill from a beautiful car.

[@rootbox]

Whoo-hoo look at you, 007!!!

[@phillee2814]

That is a genuine treasure. You'll need new accumulator spheres all around (even though they appear good, the damping goes and there will be a shortage of brakes) for certain, to get the suspension/braking fixed up to full quality (they are linked, so brake force is automatically adjusted according to wheel loading, which was WAY ahead of its time) and the suspension is hydraulic, not pneumatic. As the suspension and braking are linked, it is necessary to fix both to make it properly roadworthy - it will handle and brake far better for a set of spheres, and corners dead flat, instead of leaning out as we are used to - even the steering input adjusts the suspension pressure (the power steering is on the same system). In the event of an hydraulic failure, you will get two full brake applications before it all goes, as one accumulator is reserved purely for that. There are tiny seals on each joint in the pipework, and it is good to keep a few of those around (I even had spare spheres for mine, but they were daily drivers that I relied on, so could not afford to wait for spares). I think yours takes one sphere on each corner, one centrally, and an emergency/reserve one to store emergency pressure for brakes. They just unscrew but make sure the suspension is down and the engine switched off before removing them - you will need a chain or strap wrench. I don't know about the SM, but on the models I've worked on (DS, CS, CX, XM and C5 [not all mine]), the rear spheres are a pain to access. I have had a number of Citroens, so know the system moderately well - you will need some of the green hydraulic fluid (LM2, from memory, and it is probably overdue for a change - the shop annual should cover that, and you should follow it religiously, as each part of the system needs to be exercised in the right order to push out the old fluid and draw in the new), probably quite a lot - I'd get 10 litres for a full service on that, with a little left over for emergencies (carry it in the car, as it is hard to get). It runs at insane pressure, and more normal brake line flaring tools are NOT capable of doing the job, as the "flare" is actually a bulge in the pipe a short way along it, which a seal is forced against by the pressure in the system. There is a specialist Citroen tool for those lines, which is not expensive but is hard to find. The windscreen may be a problem - they are even in the UK. You can change a wheel even without a jack - just put the suspension to full height (only intended for maintenance), chock the suspension under end with the punctured wheel, then put the suspension back down, which will lift the punctured and chocked wheel! For a front, put it in park and chock the rear wheels, as the parking brake is on the front wheels. or a rear, the parking brake will suffice - use it, as the system seizes up if it is not exercised. This is the suspension system that was licensed by Rolls Royce, Bentley and Mercedes Benz for their top-of-the-line models. It is still the best there is, albeit slightly upgraded over the years (more electronic control with g sensors and laser-gyros to maximise handling from the XM on, and from the C5, it even stores pressure to return the ride height as you unlock it). The more basic (and maintainable, with no electronics) system on that does have a rather wooden feel to the brakes, as the "pedal" barely moves at all. The parking brake (the other pedal) operates separate small pucks on the same front disk rotor as the normal brake, but mechanically and relatively weakly. Nice job on the paintwork, and I look forward to seeing the interior come back to life! That is a rare car even in France, where it would draw similar or greater attention to an E-type Jaguar in one of its rarer versions!

[@cliffordkinnear9705]

Wow!! And I thought I was super detailed in my posts!!!!! Bravo Sir!!!

[@cliffordkinnear9705]

Yes, it's technology borrowed from the aerospace industry, the suspension, power steering, and brakes are all hydraulically actuated and electrically controlled, or electro-hyd. controlled. Just an all around cool set-up, that must be maintained correctly as you stated above. I would love to have this car!!!

[@phillee2814]

@@cliffordkinnear9705 Yes, you soon learn to do it right, usually after the jet of LM2 from a tiny leak cuts a neat hole in whatever metal it is pointing at (if you are lucky) or the wiring loom (if you are not). DAMHIKT. It's actally more advanced than in aviation. as the spheres are pressurised with nitrogen, the pump pressurises the fluid with the spheres giving cushioning bacause gas is compressible, and the same circuit powering the brakes so that when you hit a bump on braking, the compression of the suspension increases (briefly) the pressure to the brake caliper, with the reverse happening after the bump or when hitting a hole. Applied proportional braking per wheel. Level sensors keep the pressure at whatever is required to avoid nose dive under braking or body roll under cornering, again keeping the braking power directly proportional to the wheel loading. Pitch and roll are not somethaing that an aircraft needs to worry about on the ground, nor is the bump response on the sort of runways used by complex jets. Steering angle sensors came in on the CX, to preempt body roll, and on the XM these were enhanced with electronics to both make it more proportional and give performance, standard, and comfort levels of proportionality. The C5 added a self-learning capability, which adapts to your driving style, and although it retains the ability to shift it through settings manually, that just sets a new start point for autolearning. And they were doing it beffore any aircraft had it fitted. Aircraft still just have ABS and different levels of autobrake, applied when the weight-on-wheel sensors show a landing has occurred. Relatively simple, as is preferred by the aviation industry.

[@flyboy5736]

It will be cleaned up and sold soon anyway so the real restoration will be done by someone else.

[@mescko]

The suspension spheres on this car are the original splittable type, they can be opened up and new diaphragms fitted and there is a fitting on the outer half that allows them to be recharged with nitrogen per factory. The sphere on the pressure accumulator is a modern replacement, you notice that it is smooth. These units are sealed and cannot be rebuilt/recharged. The last I heard new replacements were no longer available, though I could be wrong. It's too bad that one was replaced and not rebuilt. And there was a single small jack stand supplied with the car for tyre changing--there are notches in the bottom pinch weld where it fits.

[@tony64t]

I believe it’s a manual transmission. The pedal on the left is the clutch pedal. The suspension, steering, and braking are all hydraulically operated. Anyone want to see this car in action, should look at the first 15 minutes of the original Longest Yard, starring Burt Reynolds’s. That’s definitely the car of my dreams!!

[@CathyMiller0711]

Wonderful episode. Alexander Archbold is the only one who could interest in me in watching vintage car restoration. This one is a gem. If George Jetson needed a car, this would be it. So shiny! Cool features like the hydraulics. Love it.

[@clark9992]

One thing to remember when parking next to tall curb: when your car lowers, you might not be able to get in or out that door. Scott posted some videos of him repairing his sm. It might be good to give them a watch. Also he has a "Citroen guy". Maybe he would be willing to put you in touch, if you need a part or something.

[@RhapsodyFav287]

For someone who's not a car person, you sure make your car episodes interesting. 😁

[@BUD100ify]

Good for Scott....he is the resident Citroen expert and genius car restoration. "Cold War Motors"

[@davidcraddock7011]

your luck with the keys is phenomenal

[@CuriosityIncorporated]

Sitting is a junked cars ignition!

[@lindapeterson2684]

Now this is the type of car restoration I like to see Alex do….so much fun to see the before and after….

[@CollaborativeDog]

Ahh!! I'm not a car person, but that version of the Citroen is one of the few that make me swoon.

[@magickmoi1261]

It started. Great job locating the right keys 🔑

[@danielulz1640]

A literal miracle.

[@needfortweed8734]

Ah yes. The joy of working on French cars. I have not done such advanced works on cars like Alex has done, but I remember my old Peugeot 205 (LaCoste, thankyouverymuch. Yep. It even came with a crocodile logo). Had to change the water pump on that. The engine looked cool, but we had to do some weird stunts to get to the pump...

[@ValleyOakPaper]

French engineering, say no more. 😂

[@callumduncan6728]

to a person new to the SM the steering may feel broken if you let go of the wheel it will forcefully almost violently self centre at any speed, it is also super sensitive with less than 2 full rotations lock to lock so take your time to learn the steering once you adjust to it it is sublime , many can not get used to it , it is that different be very careful when aligning the front end , one wrong adjustment and it gets undrivable really quick mark all the splines so you always can return to a base setting its easy for a normal alignment shop to get lost in the settings alignment shops may say oh we have done this exotic and that exotic, but they have never come across a system like the SM so tread extremely carefully lean heavily on the forums or experts like SMworld or andrew brodie in the uk ,excelsior motors in kentucky

[@Haakonisak]

As a Norwegian who have owned a Citroën with air suspension i found a really neat thing about it. If you are stuck in a snowditch just lower it all the way down to pack the snow, then lift it to the top, and voila, you can drive out of there like nothing.

[@debsylvania]

I love your "new" Citroen! That paint job is beautiful and wow, what a fluke to find a guy that you could trade keys with! Amazing that it started up and boy does it sound wicked! The upholstery is very elaborate, isn't it? It will take a skilled upholsterer to tackle that job. I'll bet you can't wait to turn heads while you tool around in this beauty!

[@Gigi-000]

I think that is one of your coolest cars ever!! Compared to some of the problem some of the other cars had this is nothing! She’s a keeper!

[@robinvanzelst828]

A true classic you have there my friend. Only 5,500 manufactured and most of those were sold in Europe where they are as rare as hen's teeth and you just happened to chance upon one sitting on a nearby street in your country! I call that extreme good fortune. A car design way ahead of it's time with the lowest drag co efficient of any of it's contemporaries, they even incorporated the first rain sensing wipers (though not the same design as modern systems) The same suspension system was bought by Rolls Royce and used under license in their cars as the ride was so smooth. I would LOVE a fully restored SM though I do not have the funds sadly. I really enjoyed your video and hope to see the next ones showing progress to a full restoration, thank you for sharing

[@secondchairmm]

This car looks so cool and I bet it is a blast to drive!! What another awesome car find! Thanks for sharing and I can’t wait to see it in another video.

[@laurapaintner7705]

You are just like the little boy who is always bringing home stray puppies. I love that you can do that and Melissas face when you do it.

[@danielulz1640]

Possibly the best wife in the world. I think that we should nominate her for sainthood.

[@vickimaddox8711]

This car is the coolest. It's looks really sharp on the road. Great find!

[@neilperry2224]

I love these cars and they are expensive to restore and the most expensive part is the pnuematic system and spheres. Designed by Robert Opron I believe but I could be wrong.

[@beverlyparrott3890]

Another cool car. Boy, that is shining like a new paint job now. Glad you found the keys. The engine works. What a find.

[@The_Smith]

And you thought I was teasing when I said the garage wasn't going to be big enough . . . ;) Wow, that paint came back nice.

[@CuriosityIncorporated]

And it’s full already!

[@carolc4173]

I'm not normally that interested in car restoration, but this was a very fun video. Lots of intrigue and how about the crazy way to find the keys! It was amazing at how well it cleaned up, very satisfying. And a fun promo by Alex at the end LOL.

[@foxgloved1]

We had a 74 VW camper bus and it was a fun vehicle to go camping in it actually made it to the top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire, boy but was it scary coming down making a lot of stops to cool the brakes 😅

[@Hanzyscure]

You didn't use the transmission as an engine brake ?

[@cathycartier484]

WOW!!! Another amazing find that looks totally unique . I've never seen one before except in the movies . This was a great episode because it builds up the excitement for the big reveal once you are done tinkering . You work so hard on your projects and your pursuit of finding the parts you need is very interesting and I'm so glad that you include all of that in your videos . You make us feel like we're part of your adventure . Thank you , Alex...............................................................................and the very best part is your joy and smile when you accomplish what you set out to do . There's only one problem ; it's the fact that you already need a bigger garage , lol .. Take care , be well and prosper .

[@danwood1047]

There’s one in Zoolander.

[@_JanetLouise]

That was Great! Fun to see how you step by step solve the issues. Very Cool Car.

[@murlthomas2243]

Absolutely loved this episode! What a fluke to find the keys with someone you know! And a local parts source!

[@lindakovacs7904]

Love that everyone learns so much information from your descriptions ! It amazes me what you end up binging home and Melissa' s expression pretty much covers it all. ! Your admiration for the unusual is fascinating . Bet you are never bored . What a special family you are so fortunate to have , they are just super cool. . They are always finding out so much with your creative inspirational explorations . Thank you for another smile time ! It is sweet that you get so happy about the massive amounts of work your projects include. I bet your vehicles smile knowing they are in your capable hands. . I think I got almost as emotional that you got the right keys and it started as I think you felt , man you are meant to find these cars .

[@robertmartin317]

Get in touch with Scott at Cold War Motors. He has one and might be able to help in finding newer parts. He has also restored the DS model. Great find and have fun.

[@GuyWithTheDogs]

The last ten minutes of the video...were kinda important...

[@robertmartin317]

@@GuyWithTheDogs I'm watching this in stages as life gets in the way. Have a nice day and greetings from sunny Italy.

[@daniellaris3772]

Had to smile when you said you contacted Scott at CWM as I was going to suggest him to you after you did a video with Jim at Strong's Garage. Lol

[@gsmith1681]

Curiosity Inc and Cold War Motors are by far my favourite channels. Small world huh? Keep on posting Alex and Scott.

[@gweniawilliams6815]

It turned out better than I thought it would

[@judyb3822]

I love Georges’ accent. Good for him to turn you on to that car .The car fits right into your car aesthetics . I like it also because it’s a little different .You have got an awesome group of cars . You should be very proud of all your finds .

[@timothyharrison8953]

When I was a kid my dad exposed me to one of these when they were new. It's still one of my favorite cars of all time. An Italian powered French car, what could possibly go wrong!? The DS21 is also one of my favorite cars.

[@duplessis2006]

better than a French powered Italian car

[@annelord3685]

@@duplessis2006 I like your thinking.

[@patriciabernard8386]

I had to leave my living room smart TV to go to my computer to leave a comment---that's how motivated I was to tell you this was one satisfying episode---better than all the other car restorations. I like that it isn't that old and that fun up and down funky motion. You had the drama going in comparing the dull paint to the restoring wax job. Then there was the drama of finding the keys and then not knowing if the engine would turn over. You had it all goin on for this one.

[@CuriosityIncorporated]

I’m so glad you liked it!

[@cliffordkinnear9705]

CI (Alexander) that IS my Dream Car!!! I love all the technology in the chassis, the HP engine, and finally the interior and exterior design elements! It's a beautiful car! The Citroen company started out as a foundry. Citroen made large parts for smaller parts to be machined and manufactured at the Citroen factories. Citroen first manufactured gears, all types of gears. That's why its emblem is made up of two upside down chevrons or gears meshing into each other. Make sure you drain out all that really bad gasoline, the gas tank, fuel lines, fuel pump etc. The Maserati engine does not like nasty gas sticking up the valve stems in the valve guides, also change the oil, make sure the oil has zinc in it or add the zinc to the oil you buy.

[@haffrods7055]

Alex, the thin spot on the door panel can be redone by just using SEM Landau Black aerosol. In the video it looks tan on the edge. It is the same sheen as the vinyl/leather. Great for spraying vinyl, plastic, metal, etc.

[@Cecilia-fc3sg]

Oh I LOVE this car! Bet it could be fun to drive! Great episode!

[@dorothyd.6506]

Wow, what a treasure! I hope this car is a keeper. I love it. And you look good driving it. It suits you and your unique personality, Alexander. Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm. I really enjoyed your experience of tracking down your new jewel, your amazing key finding adventure and your restoration of her original beauty. And lastly, I loved your cinematic portrait of you zooming her across the screening like an elegant crimson flash❗ This episode is one of my favorites! I hope she becomes one of your favorites and finds her forever home with you. What a beauty!

[@Chr.U.Cas2216]

Dear Mr. Archbold. 👍👌👏 Simply fantastic! Congrats multiple times for this purchase! The design really still looks futuristic, almost like a kind of space ship. I have never seen a SM in red, usually they are gold metallic, silver metallic or black. This red paint looks amazingly well on this car. Fortunately you have been able to restore the paint. Your car looks pretty solid and rust free. Unfortunately a lot of SM have been scrapped because of heavy rust issues and also because Maserati owners want the engine for their cars. By the way: Nearly unbeliiiiievable and great, that the engine started right up. From what I could hear, I guess, that it doesn't run on all 6 cylinders yet. Also pretty unbelievable and great is the fact, that the hydraulic still works. Consider yourself to be very lucky all in all. I bet that it is Scott N. (Coldwarmotors) who had the right keys in his spare part Citroen. Otherwise I would have suggested to meet respectively go to this Citroen "specialist" because he repairs/restored and owns some Citroen and knows people who do similar. Knowing the community always helps when owning a rare vehicle. Maybe in the future you will even buy a Citroen DS 23 (nicknamed "The Goddess")? That's one of my favourite vehicles. Thanks a lot for making teaching explaining recording editing uploading and sharing. Best regards luck and health to all of you.

[@hippydippy]

Wowza! What a cool car & fun episode. Look's like something "The Jetson's" would have drove. The way it cleaned up, swapping for the right keys, started & drove that easy was amazing as well. Cool that it had the hefty manual too. Can't wait for more episodes on it!

[@newfiedogmom]

Mr. Archbold ,you have picked another winner! Congrats from Newfoundland.

[@karenmilligan5597]

You're the man, Alex. I like your Lil space car and I am very impressed how you hunted those keys down. 🔑👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@robertbarkey3194]

Scott knows alot about those Cars ok n your friends with Scott n Jim n the guys

[@twannaaijen]

Alex, I am watching you since the beginning of your channel and this is the moment I was waiting for!! I have the pleasure to be working and driving hydropneumatic citroëns for 11 years now ( since I got my license) and its really something very special. Maserati combined with Citroëns soul is the icing of the cake you can get. I hope you can create loads of memories with it, these cars are truly alive

[@avivahernst1942]

Many years ago we had a babysitter whose husband was a Citron mechanic. We were driving in his Citron (the seats were overstuffed and it was like sitting in sofa at home) on the Bay Bridge going from SF to Oakland when we had flat tire. This occurred on a blind spot on the freeway. Very scary. The driver hit the hydraulic switch and the back of the car went up. He ran out and took out the spare and changed the tire. Then lowered the car. It was so fast - could hardly believe - maybe 5 min and we back driving again. Love this car.

[@bwofficial1776]

It's spelled Citroën. The hydropneumatic suspension they developed was one of a kind. If a tire went out the car could drive on three wheels, a feature that saved France's President Charles de Gaulle from an assassination attempt that shot up his car. Then the car could raise itself up and lift the flat tire so it could be changed without a jack. The suspension could be raised for poor roads or lowered for highways. The suspension was so soft Rolls-Royce licensed it because they couldn't come up with anything better. Rolls-Royce didn't take the auto-centering steering with one turn lock-to-lock or the pressure-sensitive brakes that Citroën had on their cars.

[@Katiedid1975]

OMG, wish you could have seen my face when you got the car started! What a find, so happy for you.

[@yarrowbumblefoot8877]

I actually cheered out loud when the engine started! Great video!

[@dutchen39]

Loved this episode! It was fun to see you have fun with this car. It suits you for sure. So glad you are enjoying this summer with your family and being out in your garage fixing up your cars. 😊

[@OutBoardTink62]

That Citroen is so cool did George Jetson use to drive that???,LOLL!

[@jd9351]

Wow! Congratulations. What a beauty. Best of luck with this incredible machine.

[@TravelingNana]

Love Georges accent!

[@keithmcintyre6403]

I was going to say, Scott's has a parts car, but now I know the rest of the story... Nice find.

[@callumduncan6728]

its really important to be very careful with the engine valves, they were sodium filled and if the original valves are still in it they HAVE TO BE REPLACED with solid ones the valves may fall off at any time, if it does it will destroy the cylinder head, because this has happened so many times over the years that replacement head castings are completely unobtainium so the car becomes a boat anchor so be CAREFUL . its a really good that u know scot he knows his stuff , these cars have many pitfalls like the oil cooler lines just disintigrate really it needs a careful recommission by somebody that knows them(ideally scot or at the very least his guidance ) please please please dont fall into the trap of saying oh its running its fine , just those two things i have mentioned are catastrophic there are more , this is a super car , and a good one will be worth a lot of money , as the attrition rate has been so high over the years their are not many left, especially with a rust free body like that one , you have a diamond but you have to be careful i wish you luck also disconnect the belt to the ac and dont reconnect it till the compressor has been checked over , if the compressor fails it can shock load the timing chains wich at first will seem like nothing went wrong but will let go later on causing engine damage that shaft off the back of the engine was never designed to drive the ac , alternator and hydraulic pump (run the belts on the looser side so they slip first and dont transfer shock ) so every thing has to be 100% to ensure that shaft has an easy life , the hydraulic accumulators (basicly pressure reservoirs) need to be fully charged so the hydraulic pump never demands to much from that shaft . those lower sill covers under the doors are just sheet aluminum , if you have them shipped they will arrive damaged as they are that flimsy !!! scott could whip up a set in his sleep . you need to put heavy ppf ( special windshield quality stuff ) over the front glass as it is also unobtanium so if it cracks , you will search the earth for another remember this is a more complicated car than most super cars , if you treat it right it will amaze you but also if you dont it will bite you badly !!! . I hope i didnt scare you , but you are the caretaker of one of the best cars ever made , check out what jay leno says about them , he daily drove one for many years despite the choice of cars he has in his garage that alone says it all SM world in California is your best bet for parts they have solved most of the weaknesses' and are well worth a look . it seemed like the engine had a slight miss , that is probably the distributor , wich is a prima donna marrilli unit, that requires constant attention and infinite patience ( if you want it reliable make it electronic bin the points ) theres more so do your research. when i was younger i saved many of these but saw many destroyed through poor maintenance the braking is amazing, it drops the rear suspension as you brake to stop wieght transfer , it feels like your landing a plane every time you brake an amazing feeling, the stopping distance is good even by modern standards and a was outstanding back in the day indeed many were rear ended as they could stop so much sooner than 70s cars !!!!!. as you can see the dice is loaded against these cars so if you can keep a good one they will be worth a large amount of money in the future

[@cliffordkinnear9705]

I'm glad you bought it because you'll fix it up nice and maintain it correctly. This car was truly ahead of its time. Also your SM has the VERY RARE all plexiglass front grille with the european spec. light assemblies!!!! These SM's are very rare in North America.

[@mr_jake.y8348]

Nice you got a good one my friend.

[@danielulz1640]

Nothing short of amazing!

[@marilynpowell6881]

My uncle used to have one of these cars it was white, I was fascinated how the car rose up!! My dad has had a few Citroën Picasso's and the suspension is really wobbly, almost makes you seasick!! So that's not changed over the years. Thoroughly enjoyed your video I love seeing cars brought back from a wreck. Thanks xx

[@johnhicks913]

What a great find, this a genuine collectors car. Quirky it is, but so different too.

[@jsidorable]

The joy that you feel from finding and resurrecting these gems is contagious. Such a fun video...👍👍

[@OnEstFou]

Bonjour from France, what an amazing find, congrats!

[@aksez2u]

That key exchange is an example of THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING! And perseverance... and problem solving! The 3 P's of success LOL 🤣 Good Job!

[@paulhardman2515]

I saw a totally restored version at a cars and coffee this last Saturday! Very unique car! Seems you found a solid example. I really enjoy the diversity of topics your channel covers. Especially the car content!

[@jg6579]

I love these cars. Jay Leno has had one for 35 years and it's gorgeous,!

[@vickismallwood2082]

Fantastic find it’s out of this world. Lol you never disappoint Alexander.

[@cindiegrimm5983]

How cool is this?!!! I'm glad everything just kinda fell into place and still worked. You will next be exploring those old bikes?? Maybe Melissa would enjoy the sidecar? LOL

[@lawrente]

How fortunate to find the keys AND the car runs. Things are working in your favor. Fantastic!

[@marciacahoon3512]

What a fun episode! loved seeing you clean and shine it up and bring it back to life! Cant wait to see the inside get a re-newal too! The seats are so cool! Reminds me of the design aesthetics some of the space shows we saw in the 50’s or 60’s.

[@donaldtucker4914]

A neighbour in Germany bought one of these in the 1970s but made the big mistake of driving over a railway crossing with the suspension on the low setting. It ripped the bottom out of the car and killed it. It was just 2 months old. I always remember seeing it on the street before it got damaged. It was like nothing before or since. A great find for you. Here in the UK it would be worth a fortune.

[@fastnbulbouss]

Quite a gem you got there. And in pretty good working order. You probably know by now that if you get a flat tire with that car, you don't need to stop....it drives on 3 wheels. It won Car Of The Year Award in1972, in Motor Trend magazine.

[@1cutebyrd]

I love the zooming by the camera test drive. Glad you're enjoying life! Great vehicle!

[@robertthomas7176]

car is in great shape... Scott at Coldwarmotors would love this car! edit... I wrote that before finishing video. You read my mind.

[@catty2chatty]

Very cool looking car! So glad you were persistent in looking for the keys. Saved you a lot of money. You're going to run out of room in that garage, hehe.

[@ibakedit5850]

My favorite car of all time! When I was a kid in Jamaica my neighbor had a mint green one and a family friend in Toronto had a very beautiful grey one which he donated some years ago. What an amazing car!

[@davidcraddock7011]

really nice find. Citreon's grew on me over the years

[@kurthuck2630]

At first I thought that it was such a DOG! Then after buffed out and ran, THAT IS SO COOL!

[@davidhowie6507]

Nice one Alex. I can already see you and Melissa tootling along some sunshine filled avenue with a picnic in the boot. A beautiful car that's found a new custodian. Hope you have many adventures with it. 👍

[@sherylbentley3724]

Very cool car !

[@NitrousDiecast]

Its an interesting car!

[@redneckbryon]

Good thing you know Scott and he actually had the keys. Definitely a very unique and complicated car.

[@jean-pierrecayol4897]

Alex, congrats! They are not that many left and you will find plenty of experts to talk to in France. Yes the back is funky, note that the space between the front wheels is much wider than that in between of the rear wheels. Good luck for rescuing this beauty! 🙏👍

[@brucebyrnes5996]

Love these cars! Enjoy watching the video today. Car is in pretty good shape. Looking forward to more videos on the S M.

[@Nancy_S]

I love your vehicle videos!

[@valentinerichardbarker8765]

Big Citroens are fantastic cars when everything is working properly, because they are so different from everything else. But they are an absolute DIY nightmare to work on, for exactly the same reason. Good luck for sorting it out, if you manage to finish it it'll be a really great car. But I don't envy you!!!

[@mrpaul5726]

Great Detective Work with the keys, I love that goofy car too.

[@jfv65]

What a great find. The SM is a super collectible car! Maserati engine. It's like TOP Citroën you can have. I think it has the Euro style front lights as well. The driving erperience of a Citroën like this is like NO other brand.

[@janeschiffler5347]

That is the most amazing story about the keys! What are the odds? Great car Alexander!

[@sandylee9564]

Alexander YOU are the Car Whisperer.......they seem to know they are in good hands and come alive for you with just a little love and care. Nice job.

[@mythrusthelema]

One of my favorite cars I hadn't seen a SM before, though a DS with it's funky rear turnsignals is cool. The fact that it's a Coupe is a major plus. Dude you came out smelling of roses with this one. 😍

[@driftwoodpile]

Citroen made some amazing cars back in the day. Very ahead of the times. These have a ridiculously small lock to lock ratio on the steering wheel like 1 1/4 turns. I saw my first DS in person the other day and got a good look and some pics. WHat a piece of art they are!

[@johnlang5010]

You had us on a roller coaster with those keys! Still recovering.

[@bryndishuldaasgeirsdottir6373]

You are obviously one of the luckiest person on this earth, of course you happened to know someone who had bought another citroen from the same guy, and switching keys with him just did the trick…. Such things only ever happen in the movies … You are definitely born under a lucky star! And I have come to expect such things happening where you are concerned. Congrats on yet another stunning beauty of a car! Just love it, and thanks for a vlog filled with real life magic 💫

[@drfalcon4102]

Now is the time to get to Know, Scott from Coldwar Motors,, Strongs Garage knows him quite well, he has a couple of parts cars, and Loves these things

[@CuriosityIncorporated]

I know Scott :)