My own barn find - Peugeot 505
Discussion
Funny you should ask that. The project has been on hold for two years until early spring this year. I had trouble re-registering it since we lost all related paperwork, but since it lives in a quite corrupted country, it cost me 250 GBPs to make the car officially mine without the need to prove anything. Yeah, I know - pistonheads and their third world problems 
Second job was to make it running again by cleaning fueling system, removing the fuel tank and cleaning it of pulp that was once diesel fuel. There was also about 1.5 kilos of sand in there, which wasn't really a great surprise. I also found out that the lump was actually a lowly XD2S instead of XD3T, which I thought before; the same found in Sierras of that age. Then we put in new battery, and got the engine running. Turned out the radiator thought it was actually colander, and lost all water in a matter of minutes (I only put water in it for the first start). I wasn't impressed and glued it up with so called cold welding residue.
Otherwise it was trouble free, and I did some miles in it before realising that I hated the rattly cement mixer full of mad cats and nails, that some idjit called the engine. Actually, I never wanted the diesel from the start, but first experience has proven it to be unbearable. A week ago I've driven it to my friend's garage for close inspection, but even without it I knew the suspension was all borked.
Then I went about to local scrapyards to find a suitable engine. My first thought was of early Audi V8 engines since I know them well, preferably a 32V 3.6 over 4.2 for it's sweeter, lazier torque range (great low-down and mid-range, sufficient top end). However, since I know them well, I also knew their imminent design flaws, so I had my reservations. Most of the engines for sale, though, were dismantled, and I obviously wanted it to be complete.
One day, I stumbled upon a freshly delivered-from-Germany Audi A8 D2 equipped with 298bhp ABH engine in a scrapyard dedicated to Audis and Mercs, just being dismantled. It's quite a complicated design, however, relieved from many of the initial faults. I was quite excited and wanted to get it, despite the odometer showing 172K kilometers (106, 000 miles), which is quite a bit for that engine. One of the scrappers asked me that they could put it directly in my A8, and I said there wasn't any A8's in my stable, but an old french barge. He then joked that I should put in a larger lump, 'like this old bugger', and kicked the nearby engine block, complete with heads and all needed, extracted from a 1995 S500 W140.
Turns out they struggled to sell that M119, which I always admired as an engineering marvel, but knew little about. Perhaps cars equipped with it are too reliable to break, I thought. And 'no replacement for displacement' is always what I thought. 5 litre 324bhp Le Mans legend is what to go for, isn't it? So I spent a couple of evenings reading PDFs and internet stuff about it, and made a decision. I now own a german lump and a french rustbucket. Good.
Two days ago I bought a 3.23:1 E34 525 gearbox and open diff to go with it, after understanding that the original 'box won't do, and today contacted the excellent people at Bird's Garage for Quaife differential, which must be a necessity, considering the projected torque. The new 'box should be capable enough to cope with it.
After all those buys, I'm left a bit empty pocketed, so the plan now is to put the engine in it, couple the gearbox, shorten and balance the propshaft, and make it running. Then I'll address the suspension issues and be done with it for a while. I'm a school teacher nowadays, albeit in a very expensive private school, so I don't want to put ambitions ahead of the budget. See if it works, delivers and be happy with it. Then sort out the rusty bodywork, which isn't really bad apart from the sunroof, and perhaps supercharge it.
But that's then, and I'm now, looking forward to all this nice work to be done. No pics, sorry.
Second job was to make it running again by cleaning fueling system, removing the fuel tank and cleaning it of pulp that was once diesel fuel. There was also about 1.5 kilos of sand in there, which wasn't really a great surprise. I also found out that the lump was actually a lowly XD2S instead of XD3T, which I thought before; the same found in Sierras of that age. Then we put in new battery, and got the engine running. Turned out the radiator thought it was actually colander, and lost all water in a matter of minutes (I only put water in it for the first start). I wasn't impressed and glued it up with so called cold welding residue.
Otherwise it was trouble free, and I did some miles in it before realising that I hated the rattly cement mixer full of mad cats and nails, that some idjit called the engine. Actually, I never wanted the diesel from the start, but first experience has proven it to be unbearable. A week ago I've driven it to my friend's garage for close inspection, but even without it I knew the suspension was all borked.
Then I went about to local scrapyards to find a suitable engine. My first thought was of early Audi V8 engines since I know them well, preferably a 32V 3.6 over 4.2 for it's sweeter, lazier torque range (great low-down and mid-range, sufficient top end). However, since I know them well, I also knew their imminent design flaws, so I had my reservations. Most of the engines for sale, though, were dismantled, and I obviously wanted it to be complete.
One day, I stumbled upon a freshly delivered-from-Germany Audi A8 D2 equipped with 298bhp ABH engine in a scrapyard dedicated to Audis and Mercs, just being dismantled. It's quite a complicated design, however, relieved from many of the initial faults. I was quite excited and wanted to get it, despite the odometer showing 172K kilometers (106, 000 miles), which is quite a bit for that engine. One of the scrappers asked me that they could put it directly in my A8, and I said there wasn't any A8's in my stable, but an old french barge. He then joked that I should put in a larger lump, 'like this old bugger', and kicked the nearby engine block, complete with heads and all needed, extracted from a 1995 S500 W140.
Turns out they struggled to sell that M119, which I always admired as an engineering marvel, but knew little about. Perhaps cars equipped with it are too reliable to break, I thought. And 'no replacement for displacement' is always what I thought. 5 litre 324bhp Le Mans legend is what to go for, isn't it? So I spent a couple of evenings reading PDFs and internet stuff about it, and made a decision. I now own a german lump and a french rustbucket. Good.
Two days ago I bought a 3.23:1 E34 525 gearbox and open diff to go with it, after understanding that the original 'box won't do, and today contacted the excellent people at Bird's Garage for Quaife differential, which must be a necessity, considering the projected torque. The new 'box should be capable enough to cope with it.
After all those buys, I'm left a bit empty pocketed, so the plan now is to put the engine in it, couple the gearbox, shorten and balance the propshaft, and make it running. Then I'll address the suspension issues and be done with it for a while. I'm a school teacher nowadays, albeit in a very expensive private school, so I don't want to put ambitions ahead of the budget. See if it works, delivers and be happy with it. Then sort out the rusty bodywork, which isn't really bad apart from the sunroof, and perhaps supercharge it.
But that's then, and I'm now, looking forward to all this nice work to be done. No pics, sorry.
Thanks chaps, as available, I will. My goal is to make it a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting everyday performance analogue car, and I'd be happy with it being slower or not stickier to the apex than anything else equipped with 300+bhp. This is a car to put in an occasional large powerslide on a roundabout on my way to things. And a smile on my face. No more.
Edited by Veeayt on Tuesday 4th April 18:07
My father had 505 gti going back to the late 80's. It was 1 of only 3 fitted with a KAT bodykit (owner of KAT being the guy whi did the tickford capri and designer of the aerial atom). It was a fantastic looking thing and very rare, LSD etc ... exactly as the car in the picture but a dark metallic blue A949TGE if I remember.
crostonian said:
Good luck with the project and a lovely story too. Always had a soft spot for the 505, one of my favourite toy cars as a kid was a red Corgi 505 like this;
Exactly what came to my mind when I read the story. This was my favourite toy until I got the Sierra Ghia.Great story OP. Following with interest.
Really good story.
Those tweed seats remind me of the state we had when I was kid, my mum said not so long ago how good it was to drive.
Couple of years ago I acquired a saloon GTI and ran it for about a year, wasn't completely to my taste, but the styling and build quality was impressive, the weight and strength of some of the panels and the way things were screwed together was, was a surprise especially when you think of all the jokes about old french cars.
Something endearing about someone restoring an old thing back to life through limited funds and experience and lots of care, a great antidote some questionable 'Classic retro re-vamp' with meteroic price tags
Those tweed seats remind me of the state we had when I was kid, my mum said not so long ago how good it was to drive.
Couple of years ago I acquired a saloon GTI and ran it for about a year, wasn't completely to my taste, but the styling and build quality was impressive, the weight and strength of some of the panels and the way things were screwed together was, was a surprise especially when you think of all the jokes about old french cars.
Something endearing about someone restoring an old thing back to life through limited funds and experience and lots of care, a great antidote some questionable 'Classic retro re-vamp' with meteroic price tags
I currently have a 1986 Peugeot 505 V6 with 5-speed manual here in Nigeria. A PRV engine, ZN3J, 2.8 liter factory engine that comes with 505 V6.
Your thread reactivated the idea I once had to convert it to V8, even though the V6 makes the lion a fun to drive. I have other newer Lions, but I love the 505 V6 very much.
I attached the picture of my baby.
Ikenna, Lion King.
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/LjkQcKDg.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/LjkQcKDg" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/LjkQcKDg.jpg)
Your thread reactivated the idea I once had to convert it to V8, even though the V6 makes the lion a fun to drive. I have other newer Lions, but I love the 505 V6 very much.
I attached the picture of my baby.
Ikenna, Lion King.
Edited by Ikenna351 on Saturday 8th April 23:07
Jasmeister said:
My father had 505 gti going back to the late 80's. It was 1 of only 3 fitted with a KAT bodykit (owner of KAT being the guy whi did the tickford capri and designer of the aerial atom). It was a fantastic looking thing and very rare, LSD etc ... exactly as the car in the picture but a dark metallic blue A949TGE if I remember.
My oh my, I like that very much!I remember my uncle had a 505 estate when I was little, also being taken to tennis lessons in one. This was shortly before MPVs became widespread, so it was that, the Merc, or the ubiquitous Volvo for 7-seaters for large middle-class families.
I remember my uncle's one had head gasket issues, not sure what engine it was.
But they seemed cool cars at the time, and even better now.
Jasmeister said:
My father had 505 gti going back to the late 80's. It was 1 of only 3 fitted with a KAT bodykit (owner of KAT being the guy whi did the tickford capri and designer of the aerial atom). It was a fantastic looking thing and very rare, LSD etc ... exactly as the car in the picture but a dark metallic blue A949TGE if I remember.
TGE - that would have been registered in Glasgow 
StescoG66 said:
Jasmeister said:
My father had 505 gti going back to the late 80's. It was 1 of only 3 fitted with a KAT bodykit (owner of KAT being the guy whi did the tickford capri and designer of the aerial atom). It was a fantastic looking thing and very rare, LSD etc ... exactly as the car in the picture but a dark metallic blue A949TGE if I remember.
TGE - that would have been registered in Glasgow StescoG66 said:
Jasmeister said:
My father had 505 gti going back to the late 80's. It was 1 of only 3 fitted with a KAT bodykit (owner of KAT being the guy whi did the tickford capri and designer of the aerial atom). It was a fantastic looking thing and very rare, LSD etc ... exactly as the car in the picture but a dark metallic blue A949TGE if I remember.
TGE - that would have been registered in Glasgow 
Ikenna351 said:
I currently have a 1986 Peugeot 505 V6 with 5-speed manual here in Nigeria. A PRV engine, ZN3J, 2.8 liter factory engine that comes with 505 V6.
Your thread reactivated the idea I once had to convert it to V8, even though the V6 makes the lion a fun to drive. I have other newer Lions, but I love the 505 V6 very much.
I attached the picture of my baby.
Ikenna, Lion King.
That looks very smart! Such classic lines.Your thread reactivated the idea I once had to convert it to V8, even though the V6 makes the lion a fun to drive. I have other newer Lions, but I love the 505 V6 very much.
I attached the picture of my baby.
Ikenna, Lion King.
Edited by Ikenna351 on Saturday 8th April 23:07
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