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The Engine Compartment before Restoration Summer 2003 It's not beautiful, but not too bad either The car has not been used for years but it seems not too rusty It's oily everywhere, that's good, it's supposed to protect against rust A lot of tree leafs!

Restoration Program Summer 2003 - Removal of both front fenders - Removal of the hood - Removal of the grill and grill covering panel - Removal of bumpers - Preparation to restart the engine (fluids, electricity, ignition, starter, alternator...) - Restart the engine - General checkup - Compression ratio measurement - Removal of everything in the engine compartment (see the body section) - General cleaning of the engine and gearbox - Replacement of all timing chains and exhaust valves (mandatory) - Replacement of all engine gaskets included in the "engine gasket set" of the french SM Club - Replacement of the clutch assembly - Reassembling and installation of the drivetrain in the car once the body has been restored

Goals, Doubts and Dreams Summer 2003 - The goal is not to have every part like new - I hope to not have to completely disassemble the engine or gearbox - The problem is that I don't have any information about the maintenance history of the car. I would never have bought a car like that, but here in Québec, SMs are not easy to find

Restoration 2003-2004 The first step, during summer 2003, was to make space around the engine compartment by removing both front fenders, the grill and hood. Access is a lot better without these parts. Then the goal was to restart the engine, which didn't run for years. After a general checkup, replacement of all fuel hoses, maintenance of the ignition distributor (mainly by restoring the capacitors wiring) and two long cleaning sessions of all carburetors, the engine was able to run again. The car reached its normal height, that's good news. Hydraulics seem in pretty good shape, that's good news also. The compression ratio measurement shows good results, between 900 and 950 kPa for a nominal value of 900 (9 bars or around 130 PSI). This is encouraging, so it should not be necessary to take the engine apart. After having the engine running again, I start disassembling to remove everything in the engine compartment. By the end of 2003, I take advantage of parents being here to remove the engine, gearbox and both front half-axles. Half-axles have been very difficult to remove, we used a hammer, a blowtorch and a crowbar to painfully remove them. I start by making space around the engine The engine works, and we have lift off ;-) The car works well enough to drive it out and then back in the garage in the right direction Beginning of the disassembling operation The engine and gearbox removed That's not very pretty in there Now I don't have much space around the car After all hydraulic piping removed, the front unit is empty I then separated the engine from the gearbox, and removed the starter, exhaust manifolds, brake calipers and discs...

March 23, 2005 I ordered many parts to the french SM Club, like valves, timing chains and engine gasket set. I will be able to start working on the engine. Anyway, I will probably give the engine to a professional to install and adjust the valves and chains. I start by cleaning everything, then I send parts to zinc plating (mainly bolts and nuts) and as soon I will receive the required parts, I will organize the reassembling phase with a professional. The engine is on its stand... ... with more than 30 years old stain The same engine after... ... hours of painful cleaning

July 13, 2005 While waiting to go ahead with the engine, I switch to the gearbox: first cleaning with gasoline, first pass with a gross metallic brush, second pass with a softer brush and then finishing with a towel full of degreaser. I found a degreasing product with an orange scent, much more pleasant than the previous product I used, which was spreading an awful scent all over the house for a few days! I spent hours cleaning this gearbox. I even tried to use acid for a few parts but finally I think that brushing does a better job, at least for aluminum. Same work for the gearbox... ... with even more stain and rust than the engine The same gearbox after hours of cleaning also... ... and with some zinc plated parts reassembled I already have hundreds of zinc plated parts ready for reassembling. I started with the gearbox, the result is beautiful. For bolts and nuts, depending on the result after zinc plating, I keep the original parts or I replace them. I bought more than 4000 bolts, nuts and washers ;-)

October 18, 2005 I go ahead by reassembling brake discs and calipers. To put back the brake discs (new), I borrowed a comparator to measure the rotation defect... ... it's ok, the rotation defect is 0.1 mm, it's within the tolerance Then I put back the calipers, with their new brake pads, because discs are new also I will have to tighten the caliper bolts when hydraulic pressure will be available, for the calipers to reach their perfect position Then I go back to the engine. I remove some parts like the valve covers and oil pan to do a deeper cleaning. I put everything back with zinc plated bolts. It's now clean but it's not over, the actual mechanical intervention is still to come. The engine is now clean enough Clean is one thing, but the most important is that it has to work properly ! I will be soon ready to give it to a specialist The engine and gearbox shine, it's encouraging!

May 5, 2006 Early May 2006, I load the engine in a trailer and I bring it to the specialist who will work on the distribution and do a general checkup. May 2006 again, here are the results of my paint and restoration work for the past months. It gives an idea of the overall progress. The radiator has been remanufactured by a specialist, with closer circuits, which will make it more efficient. The A/C condenser is new but not original. The battery holder is new and gorgeous There is some progress and it's nice. Notice the north-american exhaust manifolds, they are different on the european models because of the depollution system I'm quite happy of the result of my paint work. It was not easy, I even repainted a few parts because the initial result was not good enough The Sikkens paint cans I had made with the RAL8017 color code gave good results also on the steel sheet parts that were in good shape. Other parts are just too rusty, so no paint for them A first set of zinc plated parts in 2005. I will probably paint some of them in black color, like they were originally This second set is even more beautiful. When I'm discouraged, I come and stare to these parts to then come back to cleaning, brushing or sanding ;-) My little stock of new parts. They are coming from the french SM Club and from Western Hemispheres (in California, and which sells, among others, Citron Pieces parts) Other parts like the zinc plated engine flying wheel and some aluminum water pipes, which are very nice after brushing

December 10, 2006 By December 2006, mechanical work on the engine finally begins. Here are the only pictures I had the opportunity to take during this work, engine heads have been removed and sent to a specialist. Here are the right cylinders, they are ok Here are the left ones. The middle piston is quite ugly Here is the main timing chain housing. A special hole has to be made to improve the tensioner lubrication, this engine didn't had this improvement made in the past It's nice inside each housing. The oil pump is in good shape also. Bad news came from the camshafts. Both exhaust camshafts are in bad shape and will be replaced by used but good ones Here are the camshafts to replace. As they were in bad shape, the associated valve tappets are in bad shape also and will be replaced The upside down engine to check the lower parts It's nice, we'll not touch anything As planned, there were some bad news: 2 camshafts, 6 valve tappets and 3 valve springs had to be replaced. One engine head has been replaced in the past. But the overall condition of the engine is good. It confirms the good results of the compression ratio measurement done before taking the engine out of the car. Of course I would love to replace all pistons and everything around them, but it would cost a fortune and it's not really necessary, my goal is not to have a new engine.

January 20, 2007 By January 2007, I bring back the engine to my garage, the mechanical work is completed. The engine is back near the gearbox. I suddenly lose some precious space in the garage Of course, it's not over for this engine, plenty of parts wait to be back on it, like manifolds, cooling pipes... A new cleaning will be needed also Here are the main parts that have been replaced It's a big step forward for this restoration. The engine was supposed to be in good shape and it's now pretty much confirmed, I didn't have so much bad news. I was lucky to know the Citroën specialist in Québec, Mister Claude Guillot, who worked on this engine with the friendly Dominique Vincent, known also as a 2CV expert. Thank you Claude and Dominique and thanks also to the VEA club that allows me to meet these two Citroën specialists.

March 26, 2008 At the end of 2007, I decide to close every possible circuit and put oil everywhere to keep the engine in good condition, because I'm far to be ready to put it back in the car ;-) I start by opening the cylinder head covers, this is a bit dry there I put oil everywhere here, and also inside the cylinders Then I start closing the water circuit, especially with various plugs I had zinc-plated Then I work on the water pump turbine... ... which I put back, hoping I made no mistake I put back most of the water circuit parts Here I put back the intake manifold Finally, I close the front side of the engine (plugs and plates)