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Color Codes May 15, 2007 - Body, exterior: "Beige Tholonet" AC 085 - Body, base color: gray AC 092 - Hydraulic devices: green AC 502 - Grill: "Gris nacré" AC 095 - Air filters: gray AC 140 - Various metal sheet parts: "Brun chocolat" RAL 8017 (industrial paint reference)

Parking Space May 15, 2007 After the 2CV, I had to find a second indoor parking space for rent to store this SM. When she arrived in Canada, I found a temporary space for the winter period but since spring I had the opportunity to fond a space at the same place I already put the 2CV, it's obviously more practical to have both cars stored at the same place. On this picture, I just parked the SM, engine is still hot. IM usually back the day after to put a cover on When I take on of the two antique cars, I leave my everyday's car here

The Official Technical Verification May 15, 2007 In Québec, there is no periodical technical verification for regular vehicles. However, there is a mandatory one for cars coming from another province of Canada and, of course, for imported cars like this SM. The inspection, as it is called, must be done by a SAAQ approved workshop. SAAQ stand for "Société de l'Assurance Automobile du Québec" or Québec society for automobile insurance. The SAAQ manage vehicle registrations, driving licenses and driver insurance (people only, not their vehicle). So, by May 2007, around one month after having the car out of its winter garage, I'm ready to try passing this inspection. I worked a lot on the car to make it drivable but there is one particular modification I made specially for the inspection, it was adapting the headlamps, which must be white, not yellow, as I was told. In fact I'm not sure that it's really mandatory but I do the modification anyway because I prefer white headlamps. I had to take off the headlamp glasses and then take off each headlamp. High beams have very nice reflectors inside but it's not as nice for the low beams. I was surprised to see that the low beams from my other SM were in a better shape, so I decided to install them. They are not only in better shape, they already have the correct white color. For high beams, the bulb cap has to be removed to be able to remove the yellow insert glued on it. For low beams, there are 3 different attachments, they seem difficult to remove and I think there can brake easily, so I'm happy to avoid trying modifying them by now. White headlamps give a brighter look, I think Removing the headlamp glasses has been the first difficulty, they were stuck on their rubber seals I took the opportunity to polish the headlamp chrome trims, I was able to get them back very shiny but it was a hard job Once this modification done, I check everything and I discover that the turning lamps don't work anymore. They were working a few days earlier. I quickly think about electrical contact problems in the fuse box, so I "play" with fuses by removing and putting them back, turning them, everything O can think of to get them back to work. But my problems is getting worse. Turning lamps are back but now I don't have ignition any more and some headlamps don't work anymore either. I finally use a electrical contact cleaner and I replace all fuses. It's working but it's not reliable for sure. Other doubt related to the inspection, a very annoying noise coming from the front of the car. I don't know if it's a suspension or steering problem. I'm pretty sure that the inspection will fail but the inspectors will tell me what this noise is and so I will be able to fix it. There is also a distribution noise. Valves will require tuning and timing chains will need tensioning (it's part of the regular servicing if this car). It's not too much a deal but when the engine is hot and on idle, it's making a annoying noise. I'm pretty sure that this problem will not cause the inspection to fail, they check that the car is safe, not that it's perfectly tuned. I ask my antique car club for a place to go for the inspection. I'm suggested to go to a Chrysler dealer, why not, inspectors are know there to be friendly and a bit used to antique cars. I take an appointment and I go (one week later). Almost every mechanic in this garage are very surprised to see this car arriving. The mechanic in charge of the inspection is interested in the car, this will facilitate the procedure. He mainly checks the brakes and every electrical equipment. Brakes are ok and almost all electrical equipments worked well, I'm lucky. The only exception is the windshield washer pump, which I didn't really check. Funny moment: when he didn't find a brake disc in the front right wheel, the inspector came to me to ask if the car had only one brake disc for both front wheels ;-) I explained to him that this car is equipped with inboard brake discs and he didn't even go to check their condition. So everything went surprisingly well and the SM received its official conformity sticker, that should be on the car for one year I believe. Immediately after the inspection, I go to the SAAQ to make the good news official. To go to the inspection, I asked for a "transit", it's a paper we put on the rear window of the car as a temporary and limited licence plate. I now have a valid licence plate so I can remove this temporary paper, my pleasure. Talking about licence plates, I discovered two days before the inspection that I didn't put the correct plate on the car. I put the licence plate of my other SM ;-) In fact, as my other SM used two different bodies, I mixed the three licence plates I have for my two SM. Anyway, It's now fixed.

2007 "Citroën Rendezvous" in Saratoga Springs June 17, 2007 By June 2007, the SM in not mechanically perfect but she's working pretty well, so I can enjoy this car and take part to some meetings, from my local club and others. By June 16th, I take part to to the 2007 Citroën Rendezvous in Saratoga Springs, in the New York State (USA). I think that's the biggest Citroën cars meetings in the US, this is big for sure, friendly and there are some beautiful cars. Saratoga in a 3 hours drive from Montreal, it's not too much. I go to the meeting thinking that a fuel injected SM will be noticed because this particular model has never been imported into north America. I had a great day, the car worked well and the weather was great (it was very hot), except difficult fifty kilometers when driving back to Montreal under rain and storms at night. Cherry on the sunday: meeting participants can vote for their preferred cars, in many categories, one for each Citroën model (Traction Avant, 2CV and derivatives, early DS, late DS...), and guess what, my SM has been votes to be the preferred SM this day (at least ten SM's were there I think). Of course, this unusual model caught attention but the resin wheels also had great success and make some SM owners jealous ;-) Overview of the meeting in some pictures... ... but it's not easy to render the size of the meeting   My SM, which brought many questions along the day Replica of a 2Cv customized by the fire department of the city of Cogolin, in France That's a hot drive! Another hot drive based on a 2CV H type vans are useful to escape the burning sun. It was their 60th anniversary Parts and accessory vendors are often very interesting... ... but pay attention to prices Gathering for some gifts

Front Licence Plate August 20, 2007 By August 2007, while being in France for vacations, I search for a decorative licence plate for the front grill. It's not very easy to find a licence plate vendor able to manufacture a plate with the "I" letter, because this letter is not used for licence plate numbers. Then, I need to find a plate without the Europe or French symbol, because this symbol takes space and makes it difficult or impossible to put all required letters. After a short search, my father found two different suppliers. One for an empty plate and another to emboss the letters. Everything goes well but the letters are not very well centered on the plate. Too bad, for a first try we'll say that it's ok, I'll try to have a better one next time. The background color of the plate is white, too bad also because it was black in the seventies, but it's better and nicer than nothing. I got used to having no plate at all, but holes from previous plates were obviously ugly Here is a funny plate to hide the holes Letters are not perfectly centered, but it's better than nothing It's nice looking, isn't it?