1985 Citroen BX 19GT overhaul
Discussion
Just over three years since the last update, so what's occurred?
Well, I bought a TVR Chimaera...and a DS (well, a D Super 5), and an SM (but I might have mentioned that already).
I also started a YouTube documenting all the stuff I used to document on here (and more, to be fair). While I feel a little bad that I 'abandoned' some of these threads, to reality is that other than the BX 16TRS, not a lot else changed, and the methods of getting the pictures to attached were too clunky (they were always too big, or they glitched, or something - it's just taken me 20mins to get the images to work on here!)
More crucially, the GT is still with us. So what's new? Well, in 2020 something happened with the world, so despite the GT being 'good to go', it didn't go anywhere.
2021? The same.
2022? It was back! I went and fetched it back in April to bring it back to the unit and prepare it for its return to action. There were a few niggles that needed putting right (there still are, in fairness) but top of my list was to apply some stickers. Obviously.
These were a set of original Citroen 'Accessorie' side strips that my dad found on eBay years ago. It was finally time to put them on, before giving the car the clean of its life and making it look as pretty as could be. Why?
Because Classic & Sports Car magazine had been in touch, as they wanted to run a buyer's guide on the BX model (being that, officially, 2022 is the BX's 40th year (it's the 39th in the UK, mind!))
So, stickers adorned and tyres caked in tyre goo, the scribe and his photographer made their way down here and we spent a couple of hours driving about for some shots for the August 2022 issue of the mag.
Since August 2022, the article has been uploaded to their website, meaning I can show you a few bits of it!
(they asked me to make it roll a bit!)
You can read the entire article on their website, here: Classic & Sports Cars BX buyer's guide
You can even take it seriously, as I helped them write it!
No sooner had the magazine hit the newsagents, it was time to visit Festival of the Unexceptional, and rather than take any of my own chod, I felt it only right to give the GT its longest run yet (about 200miles each way, in one day). It did a grand job, and though I don't really have any pics of it myself (I was too busy trying to make videos) I noticed on Google somebody uploaded this:
With FotU out the way, the next job for the GT was for YouTube. No, not my channel; A much larger, successful channel by the name of Car Gurus! They wanted a BX to compare with the new C5 X (yeah...I don't either), as the BX was technically the start of that segment of Citroens, and the C5 X is likely to be the last.
They borrowed the GT for the day, and then back in Sept/Oct time, the video was released. The fella who drove it really seemed to love it, and his enthusiasm in the video is pretty much as he was in real life about it (despite the niggles I pointed out, like the throttle electing to jam open sometimes, if you floor it).
The main video is here:
And, while searching for that, I found this (which I didn't know existed!)
As for the future, I'm not sure. My dad, truth be told, doesn't use it much and doesn't seem too bothered by the idea of having an old car sat in the garage anymore (he's not really a 'petrolhead'), and he's seemingly too nervous to use it as he's used to his new SUV with its keyless entry and reversing camera and other such muck. After all that work, it's a bit of a kick in the grits, but it can't be helped if it's just not what it was to him, but we'll see. It doesn't help that I now work alone here, so don't really get the time to sort out some of the little niggles, niggles which I drove to Lincs with, but he's too anxious to drive it 5 miles with. Thing is it's nearly 40 years old; It will never be faultless.
Anyway, there's the trip down memory lane, and the update thereafter! Cheers!
Well, I bought a TVR Chimaera...and a DS (well, a D Super 5), and an SM (but I might have mentioned that already).
I also started a YouTube documenting all the stuff I used to document on here (and more, to be fair). While I feel a little bad that I 'abandoned' some of these threads, to reality is that other than the BX 16TRS, not a lot else changed, and the methods of getting the pictures to attached were too clunky (they were always too big, or they glitched, or something - it's just taken me 20mins to get the images to work on here!)
More crucially, the GT is still with us. So what's new? Well, in 2020 something happened with the world, so despite the GT being 'good to go', it didn't go anywhere.
2021? The same.
2022? It was back! I went and fetched it back in April to bring it back to the unit and prepare it for its return to action. There were a few niggles that needed putting right (there still are, in fairness) but top of my list was to apply some stickers. Obviously.
These were a set of original Citroen 'Accessorie' side strips that my dad found on eBay years ago. It was finally time to put them on, before giving the car the clean of its life and making it look as pretty as could be. Why?
Because Classic & Sports Car magazine had been in touch, as they wanted to run a buyer's guide on the BX model (being that, officially, 2022 is the BX's 40th year (it's the 39th in the UK, mind!))
So, stickers adorned and tyres caked in tyre goo, the scribe and his photographer made their way down here and we spent a couple of hours driving about for some shots for the August 2022 issue of the mag.
Since August 2022, the article has been uploaded to their website, meaning I can show you a few bits of it!
(they asked me to make it roll a bit!)
You can read the entire article on their website, here: Classic & Sports Cars BX buyer's guide
You can even take it seriously, as I helped them write it!
No sooner had the magazine hit the newsagents, it was time to visit Festival of the Unexceptional, and rather than take any of my own chod, I felt it only right to give the GT its longest run yet (about 200miles each way, in one day). It did a grand job, and though I don't really have any pics of it myself (I was too busy trying to make videos) I noticed on Google somebody uploaded this:
With FotU out the way, the next job for the GT was for YouTube. No, not my channel; A much larger, successful channel by the name of Car Gurus! They wanted a BX to compare with the new C5 X (yeah...I don't either), as the BX was technically the start of that segment of Citroens, and the C5 X is likely to be the last.
They borrowed the GT for the day, and then back in Sept/Oct time, the video was released. The fella who drove it really seemed to love it, and his enthusiasm in the video is pretty much as he was in real life about it (despite the niggles I pointed out, like the throttle electing to jam open sometimes, if you floor it).
The main video is here:
And, while searching for that, I found this (which I didn't know existed!)
As for the future, I'm not sure. My dad, truth be told, doesn't use it much and doesn't seem too bothered by the idea of having an old car sat in the garage anymore (he's not really a 'petrolhead'), and he's seemingly too nervous to use it as he's used to his new SUV with its keyless entry and reversing camera and other such muck. After all that work, it's a bit of a kick in the grits, but it can't be helped if it's just not what it was to him, but we'll see. It doesn't help that I now work alone here, so don't really get the time to sort out some of the little niggles, niggles which I drove to Lincs with, but he's too anxious to drive it 5 miles with. Thing is it's nearly 40 years old; It will never be faultless.
Anyway, there's the trip down memory lane, and the update thereafter! Cheers!
Moderator edit: no advertising please
Great to see the written update to this Kitchski - been following you on YT for a while now.
It's never struck me before, but I'm sure my Dad's GT Digit didn't have the round side repeaters. Same year - C65 CNF it was. I know a lot of the bumpers were more the typical BX, without the rubbing strips, nor did it have the prominent front fogs or the boot spoiler.
It's never struck me before, but I'm sure my Dad's GT Digit didn't have the round side repeaters. Same year - C65 CNF it was. I know a lot of the bumpers were more the typical BX, without the rubbing strips, nor did it have the prominent front fogs or the boot spoiler.
Swervin_Mervin said:
Great to see the written update to this Kitchski - been following you on YT for a while now.
It's never struck me before, but I'm sure my Dad's GT Digit didn't have the round side repeaters. Same year - C65 CNF it was. I know a lot of the bumpers were more the typical BX, without the rubbing strips, nor did it have the prominent front fogs or the boot spoiler.
From memory - and I could be wrong - I think side repeaters became mandatory in 1986 but there would have been some sort of crossover point where some cars in the same year had them and some didn't. There always seem to be a few hybrid cars that come out of the woodwork around similar build dates.It's never struck me before, but I'm sure my Dad's GT Digit didn't have the round side repeaters. Same year - C65 CNF it was. I know a lot of the bumpers were more the typical BX, without the rubbing strips, nor did it have the prominent front fogs or the boot spoiler.
I owned a BX 16TRS in about 1994-5 for about 15 months. Think it was 3-4 years old when I bought it. Had a electric sunroof so headroom was tight - I'm 5'11". Very comfy & decent sized boot.
The back was driven into twice when I was stopped at traffic lights; as if bright red paintwork made it invisible.
Last car I had with a carburetor. Jet occasional jammed when attempting to start but a rap with a light hammer in the right place sorted that each time.
Part-exchanged it for the first of 3 2-litre Nissan Primeras.
The back was driven into twice when I was stopped at traffic lights; as if bright red paintwork made it invisible.
Last car I had with a carburetor. Jet occasional jammed when attempting to start but a rap with a light hammer in the right place sorted that each time.
Part-exchanged it for the first of 3 2-litre Nissan Primeras.
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