The following buyers guides are based on CCA's experience in 25 years of buying, selling, inspecting and repairing Citroens. The values listed are based on CCA's sales experience in Southern California - automobile prices can be very regional and therefor these values should only be used as a guide.

E-mail us at ruudman@citroen-ca.com if you feel we overlooked something that should be added to our buyers' guide.

Hunting for a Chapron-built D or SM cabriolet or coupe? Good luck - less then 1,650 of the custom-bodied Citroens were built by Henri Chapron. This number includes the 1,325 factory convertibles built between 1960 and 1971, the 307 custom D-series Chapron cabriolets and coupes built between 1958 and 1974, and the 16 SM Mylords and Operas built in the early 1970's. In addition, there were several hundred DS Prestiges modified by Chapron for the factory.
Fortunately, although relatively few Chapron D-series were built, the cars were mechanically identical to the run-of-the-mill D sedans. All technical innovations such as the turning headlights, LHM hydraulics and five-main bearing engine, were incorporated into the Chapron cars. Any cars built for the US market (several factory convertibles and 2 1967 Lemans) complied with the US DOT and EPA standards (brake fluid hydraulics until mid-1969, taillights etc). About a hundred of the earlier Chapron factory convertibles were built on ID platforms, any post-1965 conversions however, were exclusively built on the top-of-the-line DS21 Citroens. The factory cabriolets were uniform in their finishing and trim, the Chapron custom coupes and cabriolets, on the other hand, were frequently finished to the customer's taste. Wooden dashboards, different wheel covers, several levels of outside trim and even bullet proof glass (on the Majesty and Lorraine) were offered as options.

There is really no such thing as a worthless Chapron parts car. Even the rustiest, most decrepit-looking Cabriolet will probably sell for $5,000 to $8,000. This is because a restoration of a D-series Chapron is not all that difficult as long as the car is relatively complete. The Chapron's rear body can easily be transferred to a donor D-series frame. The Chapron's front body panels are identical to the standard D and are therefor readily available
Although any Chapron is worth buying at the right price, the following will help you decide if that price is in your favor.

Mechanicals & hydraulics:
The mechanicals and hydraulics on the Chapron D-series are identical to the standard version. To help you check the car for potential mechanical problems see the Citroen DS Buyers Guide.

Body:
Like most cars manufactured in the late sixties and early seventies, the D-series aren't protected as well against rust as today's cars. Unfortunately, due to the hand assembly of the Chapron cars, they are even more rust prone than the non-Chapron D-series. The quality of the Chapron welds on the rear panels seams was terribly inconsistent, some bad enough to be a rust problem. Check for telltale signs around the top of the trunk cover, the edge of the door jambs and the fender line where it connects to the rear body.
Although the trunk seal on the standard D-series was far from perfect, the Chapron trunk seal was virtually an invitation for rust. Check the trunk-seal gutter and especially the trunk floor for rust - I have seen several otherwise decent-looking Chapron cars that had no trunk floor.

Miscellaneous:
1. Check the fit, operation and condition of the convertible top. A replacement top can cost $2,500 and up.
2. Make sure the car has all the Chapron trim. I have seen one trimless 1967 cabriolet passed off as an ID when none were made past 1965. All the post-1965 Cabriolets came with middle-body-line and lower mouldings and a triangular kick panel in front of the rear wheel. The custom Chapron coupes and cabriolets had even more extensive mouldings and kick panels, and flamboyant hubcaps. To find replacements for any missing Chapron trim will be extremely difficult if not downright impossible.
Keep in mind that relatively few Chaprons ever crop up for sale. Rarely are they bargains and most are usually priced towards the high end of the scale.

Now that you have a pretty good idea what to look for, let's try to determine your Chapron's worth. We tried to make the following chart as accurate as possible, however prices should only be used as a general guide.

We use the following rating system to figure out in which category your car falls:

'Restorable' Probably doesn't run but car is complete and can be restored.
'Good' Car is regularly maintained but could use some upgrading.
'Excellent' Car is in near-showroom condition.

'Factory' Chaprons	Restorable	Good	Excellent
'61-'62 ID19 Cabriolet	$15,000 to $25,000	$25,000 to $40,000	$40,000 to $65,000
'61 to '62 DS19 Cabriolet	$18,000 to $28,000	$28,000 to $44,000	$44,000 to $70,000
'63 to '65 ID19 Cabriolet	$15,000 to $25,000	$25,000 to $40,000	$40,000 to $65,000
'63 to '65 DS19 Cabriolet	$18,000 to $28,000	$28,000 to $45,000	$45,000 to $70,000
'66 to '67 DS21 Cabriolet	$25,000 to $35,000	$35,000 to $60,000	$60,000 to $95,000
'68 to '71 DS21 Cabriolet	$25,000 to $38,000	$38,000 to $65,000	$65,000 to $100,000
'70 to '71 DS21 IE Cabriolet	$30,000 to $50,000	$50,000 to $75,000	$75,000 to $115,000
'59 to '65 DS19 Prestige	$8,000 to $14,000	$14,000 to $25,000	$25,000 to $40,000
'66 to '69 DS21 Prestige	$9,000 to $15,000	$15,000 to $28,000	$28,000 to $42,000
'70 to '72 DS21 Prestige	$10,000 to $18,000	$18,000 to $30,000	$30,000 to $45,000
'73 to '74 DS23 Prestige	$12,000 to $20,000	$20,000 to $32,000	$32,000 to $46,000
Chapron Citroens
'58 to '62 Croisette	$15,000 to $30,000	$30,000 to $48,000	$48,000 to $80,000
'58 to '59 Paris	$15,000 to $28,000	$28,000 to $45,000	$45,000 to $75,000
'60 to '64 Caddy	$20,000 to $30,000	$30,000 to $58,000	$58,000 to $90,000
'65 to '67 Caddy	$22,000 to $34,000	$34,000 to $64,000	$64,000 to $95,000
'60 to '64 Dandy	$15,000 to $28,000	$28,000 to $40,000	$40,000 to $65,000
'65 to '67 Dandy	$18,000 to $30,000	$30,000 to $44,000	$44,000 to $68,000
1968 Dandy	$24,000 to $32,000	$32,000 to $46,000	$46,000 to $75,000
'60 to '65 Concorde	$15,000 to $26,000	$26,000 to $38,000	$38,000 to $64,000
'66 to '67 Concorde	$18,000 to $30,000	$30,000 to $42,000	$42,000 to $68,000
'63 -'65 Palm Beach	$20,000 to $34,000	$34,000 to $48,000	$48,000 to $70,000
'66-'67 Palm Beach	$22,000 to $38,000	$38,000 to $50,000	$50,000 to $80,000
'68-'70 Palm Beach	$20,000 to $40,000	$40,000 to $65,000	$65,000 to $95,000
'65 to '67 Leman	$15,000 to $25,000	$25,000 to $40,000	$40,000 to $64,000
'68 to '70 Leman	$20,000 to $30,000	$30,000 to $44,000	$44,000 to $68,000
1972 Leman	$25,000 to $34,000	$34,000 to $52,000	$52,000 to $85,000
'65 to '67 Majesty	$9,000 to $18,000	$18,000 to $34,000	$34,000 to $48,000
'68 to '69 Majesty	$10,000 to $25,000	$25,000 to $38,000	$38,000 to $52,000
'69 to '73 Majesty	$12,000 to $26,000	$26,000 to $40,000	$40,000 to $58,000
SM Mylord	$18,000 to $40,000	$40,000 to $75,000	$75,000 to $120,000
SM Opera	$12,000 to $34,000	$34,000 to $65,000	$65,000 to $95,000

The above prices are meant only as a guide. The estimated prices on certain models reflect the more sought after years (1970-on Chaprons are more sought after than 1966-69 which in turn are more valuable than pre-1965 models). Some models were produced in larger numbers than others (only one 1972 Leman was built versus 23 of the 1963-64 Concordes.)