My bodged Citroen BX 16v
Discussion
In other news, I found my Youtube password, so here's how the BX looks if you pull away like you just remembered you left the stove on:
https://youtu.be/sa_3AmtXm_0
https://youtu.be/sa_3AmtXm_0
Time for a quick update on the BX. Back on the road as of today, in preparation for a trip up to the Midlands Air Museum on Sunday along with my AX GT. Wife and all the kids in tow, family day out kind of thing. There will be some crossover with my other thread on the AX GT along the way, though it'll be less Marvel Cinematic Universe, and more amateur s
te.
So how's the BX doing? Well, a few weeks back I had a Facebook message come through to tell me someone had seen it in Classic Car Weekly! indeed, they had:
Short story is I know the editor, and he put a request out on Facebook for cars to feature in that.....well, feature. Still, Shows the market is changing all the time, as it wasn't long ago BXs were scrap value. I paid just under £800 for BAH back in 2004, and it was strong money back then!
Yesterday and for a small portion of the afternoon today, I set about some quick jobs before its trip on Sunday. It's not just the Midlands, as next weekend I'll probably take it to Buckinghamshire for the last Citroen do of the year. Then, in October me and S10GTA are taking it to Paris to what is effectively Citroen's museum. I'm trying to squeeze some miles in as it hasn't done many this year, and if anything's about to let go, I'd rather it did it in the UK!
So first up it was onto the ramp:
While there, I switched the tidy(ish) wheels for the scabby spares I have, as the tyres on the tidy ones are 14 years old! They're cracking around the sidewalls, and have gone hard. I'm not up for the wife and kids travelling on them, so I switched for some fresher rubber on the scabby rims. Problem with that is that they're Toyo Proxes CF2, and anyone who's tried driving on CF2s in the wet will know they're bloody awful at it! But they will have to do.
I also sealed up an exhaust leak that's been an MoT advisory for the past 2-3 years, and did a general check over. And that's when my heart sank! I've known for some time that one day I will need to plough some time into the car, and each year I say this will be that year. And then each year, it isn't; I just whip it out of the garage, wind it up to 7000rpm occasionally and forget about the hole in the rear inner arch.
This time, I had a reality check. For the first time, it looks like it needs help:
It's not dead, or terminal, or anything dramatic like that. But it's enough to warrant some fairly heavy work. I've known this day was coming, so I can't say I'm too surprised. On the flipside, I felt sad when I saw it, almost emotional. Normally I just think "Oh bks" when I see something like that, but for this particular car, it's more than that. It's almost a part of me, and like a human it's almost vulnerable. It's not immortal, and the realisation of this is like a gut-punch. There are a few small holes, nothing dangerous but given time they'd become dangerous, and probably end the car. It's not as bad as my Dad's GT was (it had only just been MoT'd!) but it's bad enough to actually say this time "No, it's not going on the road next year."
So like an aircraft, a major is on the cards. There are a number of small jobs to be done, like fitting aircon, refurbishing subframes, renewing fuel hoses etc. Lots of jobs that would be better tackled while it's having a big one. And before that big one, I've got my Dad's GT to finish, the other red early BX to get ship shape (I'll use that to fill my BX void while the 16v is out of action), a Hillman Imp to design and fit a clutch for, a TVR S to fix loads of other bits on.....and a business to run/customer cars to sort.
Gets a bit overwhelming sometimes, but I think I must enjoy it in some small, masochistic way.
Today was better. Some little bits and bobs, like finally changing the locks over to the new set, so now I only have one key again. It means the original BX key is lost, as it's now on a Xantia/Saxo style blade, but those are a bit harder wearing and harder to bust open, so it makes sense:
I also changed the front speakers, which was something I'd been meaning to do for ages. The originals are components, and to be fair they were pretty good for the age/era. An ICE-loving guy I know once said they were pretty exotic given the car they were fitted to! But, I had some Fusion drivers kicking about and judging by the size of the magnets they were going to be much better!:
I can confirm they sound much better too. Still running standard tweeters, but the extra oomph from these has improved the sound a bit. It's still nothing special, but it's strong enough to crank it pretty loud without distortion.
Can ya tell?! ;hehe:
So we'll see how Sunday goes. Hopefully I'll have some cool pictures of the day to cheer myself up knowing that this is the last year it's on the road for what will realistically (because these things always happen like it) be about 2-3 years.
te.So how's the BX doing? Well, a few weeks back I had a Facebook message come through to tell me someone had seen it in Classic Car Weekly! indeed, they had:
Short story is I know the editor, and he put a request out on Facebook for cars to feature in that.....well, feature. Still, Shows the market is changing all the time, as it wasn't long ago BXs were scrap value. I paid just under £800 for BAH back in 2004, and it was strong money back then!
Yesterday and for a small portion of the afternoon today, I set about some quick jobs before its trip on Sunday. It's not just the Midlands, as next weekend I'll probably take it to Buckinghamshire for the last Citroen do of the year. Then, in October me and S10GTA are taking it to Paris to what is effectively Citroen's museum. I'm trying to squeeze some miles in as it hasn't done many this year, and if anything's about to let go, I'd rather it did it in the UK!
So first up it was onto the ramp:
While there, I switched the tidy(ish) wheels for the scabby spares I have, as the tyres on the tidy ones are 14 years old! They're cracking around the sidewalls, and have gone hard. I'm not up for the wife and kids travelling on them, so I switched for some fresher rubber on the scabby rims. Problem with that is that they're Toyo Proxes CF2, and anyone who's tried driving on CF2s in the wet will know they're bloody awful at it! But they will have to do.
I also sealed up an exhaust leak that's been an MoT advisory for the past 2-3 years, and did a general check over. And that's when my heart sank! I've known for some time that one day I will need to plough some time into the car, and each year I say this will be that year. And then each year, it isn't; I just whip it out of the garage, wind it up to 7000rpm occasionally and forget about the hole in the rear inner arch.
This time, I had a reality check. For the first time, it looks like it needs help:
It's not dead, or terminal, or anything dramatic like that. But it's enough to warrant some fairly heavy work. I've known this day was coming, so I can't say I'm too surprised. On the flipside, I felt sad when I saw it, almost emotional. Normally I just think "Oh b
ks" when I see something like that, but for this particular car, it's more than that. It's almost a part of me, and like a human it's almost vulnerable. It's not immortal, and the realisation of this is like a gut-punch. There are a few small holes, nothing dangerous but given time they'd become dangerous, and probably end the car. It's not as bad as my Dad's GT was (it had only just been MoT'd!) but it's bad enough to actually say this time "No, it's not going on the road next year."So like an aircraft, a major is on the cards. There are a number of small jobs to be done, like fitting aircon, refurbishing subframes, renewing fuel hoses etc. Lots of jobs that would be better tackled while it's having a big one. And before that big one, I've got my Dad's GT to finish, the other red early BX to get ship shape (I'll use that to fill my BX void while the 16v is out of action), a Hillman Imp to design and fit a clutch for, a TVR S to fix loads of other bits on.....and a business to run/customer cars to sort.
Gets a bit overwhelming sometimes, but I think I must enjoy it in some small, masochistic way.
Today was better. Some little bits and bobs, like finally changing the locks over to the new set, so now I only have one key again. It means the original BX key is lost, as it's now on a Xantia/Saxo style blade, but those are a bit harder wearing and harder to bust open, so it makes sense:
I also changed the front speakers, which was something I'd been meaning to do for ages. The originals are components, and to be fair they were pretty good for the age/era. An ICE-loving guy I know once said they were pretty exotic given the car they were fitted to! But, I had some Fusion drivers kicking about and judging by the size of the magnets they were going to be much better!:
I can confirm they sound much better too. Still running standard tweeters, but the extra oomph from these has improved the sound a bit. It's still nothing special, but it's strong enough to crank it pretty loud without distortion.
Can ya tell?! ;hehe:
So we'll see how Sunday goes. Hopefully I'll have some cool pictures of the day to cheer myself up knowing that this is the last year it's on the road for what will realistically (because these things always happen like it) be about 2-3 years.
Rensko said:
If you're going to the Conservatoire Citroen in Aulnay-sous-Bois, make sure you book ahead. I tried calling and they were closed all through December and January - even stating that I had come from Australia. No exceptions!
http://www.citroen.co.uk/about-citroen/our-brand/h...
I have friends who have been and they say its pretty darn amazing. Well worth a visit. That said, the museum is only a couple hours drive from London, as opposed to a 23hr flight from where I am...
Yeah as Si said it's all pre-booked etc. I'd like to see someone do it in a couple of hours from London though http://www.citroen.co.uk/about-citroen/our-brand/h...
I have friends who have been and they say its pretty darn amazing. Well worth a visit. That said, the museum is only a couple hours drive from London, as opposed to a 23hr flight from where I am...
That heritage page has caused some controversy, seeing as they've omitted the DS and SM!
LouD86 said:
Looked good last night Kitch as I saw you leaving work for the week. I still love this car, I remember back in 2004/2005 when you took me out to show me how well it did. Was rather impressed then, you certainly steered it well. Nice to see it still being used 12 years later!
Cheers Lou, I actually spotted you this time! I've used it for most of the 12 years I've had it, though it's still only done about 30,000 miles in that time, mostly because I've got other cars I also drive. I drive it a bit slower now gregs656 said:
I saw this yesterday, pretty sure it was while I was sat in traffic on the M3 but may have still been on the 27 - I assume it was your missus driving. Nice to see it in the wild anyway.
We did Fareham to Eastleigh on the 27, and then Eastleigh to A34 on the M3. And then the reverse at about 5pm, so could well have been. Mrs Kitchski was indeed piloting it, initially given the choice of the BX or the AX. Similar kind of situation to being asked which fingernail you'd like removed more. She went BX, there and back The AX GT was with it, had a double date day out in Coventry! Pics to follow later
gregs656 said:
It would have been on the M3 on the way back I think. Never sat in so much traffic there.
The AX passed me by in the figurative as well as literal.
Weirdly I was heading toward Coventry.
I remember thinking on the way back down the A34: "Traffic's bad going south before the weekend, north at the end of the weekend....I hope!"The AX passed me by in the figurative as well as literal.
Weirdly I was heading toward Coventry.
About halfway back down the A34 I realised I'd remembered it right!
Taz1383 said:
Thanks for this thread. I've just bought a 205 gti so I'm in a french mood, it seems.
My mum had a BX, only a NA Diesel, but she loved it. I joke to her I'll get her a GTI, but she wants an NSU Ru80 now...
The BX styling doesn't sit well with me straight away but I think it'd grow on me, and it beats the dullness we see churned out today.
AX is cool too, my brother had one.
Cheers. Keep the 205 8v, only commoners bother with that 16v conversion. They're overrated anyway My mum had a BX, only a NA Diesel, but she loved it. I joke to her I'll get her a GTI, but she wants an NSU Ru80 now...
The BX styling doesn't sit well with me straight away but I think it'd grow on me, and it beats the dullness we see churned out today.
AX is cool too, my brother had one.
Had a good weekend just gone in the BX. The AX had a fairly busy fortnight too, but I'll update that one later.
This weekend included AX and BX activities. We drove to an event called 'Parking With Planes', organised by the Midland Region of the Citroen Car Club. The event is held at the Midland Air Museum, and basically consists driving into the museum grounds, and parking amongst the aeroplanes. If you think long and hard, Parking With Planes is a pretty good name for it.
First time I've taken two cars to an event for quite a few years now, and definitely the first time I'd bundled the entire family into the convoy! Mrs Kitchski was given the choice of the BX or the AX, and chose the BX. She chose wisely; The AX is admirable at long journeys and is much more adept at it than you'd give it credit for, but it's still no where near as good at them as a BX - even a noisy, buzzy 16v version!
So we hit the road. Picture from the AX GT, courtesy of Jack, one of my 7 year olds:
Quick stop at the services, partly so the kids can have a wee, and partly because the boys wanted to swap seats!:
So we arrive at the museum. I knew they had a Vulcan, but also know it was unlikely anyone would be able to park near it. I also knew they had a Starfighter, a Lightning and a Canberra, so kept my fingers crossed I'd get to park up near one of those.
Got lucky:
Special mention for the museum: Looks small, but a good collection of Cold War Jets (the best kind of jets) and lots of content inside. Plus, you're allowed in the Vulcan! I'd recommend it if you're a fan of winged-things.
340 miles covered since Sunday morning, and another 300 mile round trip due on Sunday to the last Citroen event of the year (that's if I take the BX over the AX, which I'm likely to do). I reckon it nudged 40mpg on that trip to Coventry!
Trip to Paris in October and then the BX will officially go SORN at the end of that month. I'd love to say I'll crack on with the overhaul right away, but the reality is that it'll sit in my garage for another year at least while I get the other cars done. Only when I'm done with the other projects will I make a proper start on it. Even as I sit here and write this, I get a quick thought of "Oh, I suppose I might drag it out again next year and put the work off" which is what I normally do, but this time there's an instant gut-clenching moment where I remember that this time, I can't just get it back out and use it. Not unless I want to risk the car, or the passengers. I know one guy who had a rear axle come off the back of a BX. Imagine that happening mid-bend on an A-road! Mine's not that bad at first glance, but who knows how strong it'd be in a year or two.
Getting some miles in while I can
This weekend included AX and BX activities. We drove to an event called 'Parking With Planes', organised by the Midland Region of the Citroen Car Club. The event is held at the Midland Air Museum, and basically consists driving into the museum grounds, and parking amongst the aeroplanes. If you think long and hard, Parking With Planes is a pretty good name for it.
First time I've taken two cars to an event for quite a few years now, and definitely the first time I'd bundled the entire family into the convoy! Mrs Kitchski was given the choice of the BX or the AX, and chose the BX. She chose wisely; The AX is admirable at long journeys and is much more adept at it than you'd give it credit for, but it's still no where near as good at them as a BX - even a noisy, buzzy 16v version!
So we hit the road. Picture from the AX GT, courtesy of Jack, one of my 7 year olds:
Quick stop at the services, partly so the kids can have a wee, and partly because the boys wanted to swap seats!:
So we arrive at the museum. I knew they had a Vulcan, but also know it was unlikely anyone would be able to park near it. I also knew they had a Starfighter, a Lightning and a Canberra, so kept my fingers crossed I'd get to park up near one of those.
Got lucky:
Special mention for the museum: Looks small, but a good collection of Cold War Jets (the best kind of jets) and lots of content inside. Plus, you're allowed in the Vulcan! I'd recommend it if you're a fan of winged-things.
340 miles covered since Sunday morning, and another 300 mile round trip due on Sunday to the last Citroen event of the year (that's if I take the BX over the AX, which I'm likely to do). I reckon it nudged 40mpg on that trip to Coventry!
Trip to Paris in October and then the BX will officially go SORN at the end of that month. I'd love to say I'll crack on with the overhaul right away, but the reality is that it'll sit in my garage for another year at least while I get the other cars done. Only when I'm done with the other projects will I make a proper start on it. Even as I sit here and write this, I get a quick thought of "Oh, I suppose I might drag it out again next year and put the work off" which is what I normally do, but this time there's an instant gut-clenching moment where I remember that this time, I can't just get it back out and use it. Not unless I want to risk the car, or the passengers. I know one guy who had a rear axle come off the back of a BX. Imagine that happening mid-bend on an A-road! Mine's not that bad at first glance, but who knows how strong it'd be in a year or two.
Getting some miles in while I can
Edited by Kitchski on Wednesday 7th September 21:23
Taz1383 said:
Haha. Trust me, I am, and I'm reliably informed the 205 is fast enough with the 8v!
Will be interesting to see for myself, for sure.
They're pretty strong. A mild cam in a 1.9 8v and induction/breathing mods would probably have it as quick as a BX 16v anyway, so they're not a million miles apart to start with. The main difference with the 16v is that it starts off pretty much as the 8v does, only it has a second wind at about 4500rpm that the 8v doesn't. In a 205 they're a 17sec 0-100mph car, so genuinely quicker, but yes I'd agree that the 8v is fast enough. I've driven standard 1.6 and 1.9, and mildly tweaked 1.9's, and the latter was fast enough for me!Will be interesting to see for myself, for sure.
The last big update on the BX 16v, for a while at least.
The first thing of note is that I think it's going to end up on the telly sometime in the next couple of weeks. Some may remember back in the spring that it was used to film a new car show, and may also remember my tampon-throwing response to their use of the car! Well, it seems the show is about to air on the Travel Channel (I know) so we'll see how it comes out. Still trying to work out if I've taken it all to heart a bit too much or not, but my gut reaction at the time it was filmed with strong annoyance at the fact I'd bent over backwards to help them, and they basically used it to take the piss out of. I'm more mellow about it now, but then time has passed. Seeing it on the screen may well reignite my rage, but then I've seen what they've done with some of the other cars they used as verbal cannon fodder, and it's all very mild. Paddy McGuinness is the host, and it was clear on the day they've employed a guy who knows not a lot about cars to present a car programme, so it's a lot easier to laugh anything negative they say away. If James May ripped into my BX, I'd genuinely be heartbroken
Much more important thing of note; I took it back to France! Been meaning to do that since I got it way back in 2004, so it was an ambition fulfilled.
The trip was to Citroen's Conservatoire in Aulnay-Sous-Bois, a grotty rundown cesspit of a town just north of Paris, near the airport. Aulnay was actually home to a large PSA plant until a few years back, and both the AX and Saxo we have in the household were built there. It predominantly produced smaller Peugeots and Citroens, but the first CX right through to the last was also built there.
So, last Sunday morning, S10GTA and I set about the journey:
Rather than bore it along the A26/A1 peage routes from Calais to Paris, we wanted to make more of a road trip of it:
Simon decided we'd be going sans-SatNav. so as soon as we got off the chunnel, we avoided the motorways and headed for the coast:
This was a good idea. The coast route along to Boulogne-Sur-Mer is lovely. Didn't realise what a good view of the white cliffs you could get up there:
That's the road we're off to take:
The only drawback of this beautiful route, was the time it took. in the UK, motorways really do shave some time off a journey. In France, they can make a MASSIVE difference! We exited the back roads near Les Trois Fontaines and dove onto the A16; a not boring peage, full of viaducts and scenery:
We managed to cover almost three times the distance in the same time immediately after! We took the A16 down as far as Amiens, and then began to head cross country again. I have no issue paying to use roads like those. The BX probably didn't drop under 80mph the whole way, and the surface was smooth and quiet.
Having left the A16, our cross country route to Senlis (where we were staying) was easy and event free. And pretty, again:
We had a nice run across the countryside all the way to Senlis. It was one of those drives you remember!
That's part 1!
The first thing of note is that I think it's going to end up on the telly sometime in the next couple of weeks. Some may remember back in the spring that it was used to film a new car show, and may also remember my tampon-throwing response to their use of the car! Well, it seems the show is about to air on the Travel Channel (I know) so we'll see how it comes out. Still trying to work out if I've taken it all to heart a bit too much or not, but my gut reaction at the time it was filmed with strong annoyance at the fact I'd bent over backwards to help them, and they basically used it to take the piss out of. I'm more mellow about it now, but then time has passed. Seeing it on the screen may well reignite my rage, but then I've seen what they've done with some of the other cars they used as verbal cannon fodder, and it's all very mild. Paddy McGuinness is the host, and it was clear on the day they've employed a guy who knows not a lot about cars to present a car programme, so it's a lot easier to laugh anything negative they say away. If James May ripped into my BX, I'd genuinely be heartbroken
Much more important thing of note; I took it back to France! Been meaning to do that since I got it way back in 2004, so it was an ambition fulfilled.
The trip was to Citroen's Conservatoire in Aulnay-Sous-Bois, a grotty rundown cesspit of a town just north of Paris, near the airport. Aulnay was actually home to a large PSA plant until a few years back, and both the AX and Saxo we have in the household were built there. It predominantly produced smaller Peugeots and Citroens, but the first CX right through to the last was also built there.
So, last Sunday morning, S10GTA and I set about the journey:
Rather than bore it along the A26/A1 peage routes from Calais to Paris, we wanted to make more of a road trip of it:
Simon decided we'd be going sans-SatNav. so as soon as we got off the chunnel, we avoided the motorways and headed for the coast:
This was a good idea. The coast route along to Boulogne-Sur-Mer is lovely. Didn't realise what a good view of the white cliffs you could get up there:
That's the road we're off to take:
The only drawback of this beautiful route, was the time it took. in the UK, motorways really do shave some time off a journey. In France, they can make a MASSIVE difference! We exited the back roads near Les Trois Fontaines and dove onto the A16; a not boring peage, full of viaducts and scenery:
We managed to cover almost three times the distance in the same time immediately after! We took the A16 down as far as Amiens, and then began to head cross country again. I have no issue paying to use roads like those. The BX probably didn't drop under 80mph the whole way, and the surface was smooth and quiet.
Having left the A16, our cross country route to Senlis (where we were staying) was easy and event free. And pretty, again:
We had a nice run across the countryside all the way to Senlis. It was one of those drives you remember!
That's part 1!
The next day, we arrived at the Aulnay site in preparation for a visit I'd wanted to do for so long, and was never sure I'd get a chance to. The Conservatoire isn't open to the public (though that may all be about to change as Citroen's marketing team have suddenly remembered they have this thing called 'Heritage', and that Citroen's heritage is actually quite a big and impressive heritage. Unless you've got a DS (don't get me started on the 'DS' brand....)
So, Aulnay:
A bit of reading for those interested in the plant and its history:
http://citroenvie.com/last-citroen-rolls-out-of-au...
And inside Aulnay:
The BX was (I believe) the oldest car that made the trip from the UK. A few of the other guys have some older and more interesting models, but they wimped out and brought their modern versions along I suspect the BX was the only one to nudge a speed in France that S10GTA could attest, but I couldn't possibly divulge. All I can say is that I chose to back off - it was still pulling!
I won't bore everyone with pictures of the inside (I took 600!), but I'll do a public album or something soon and link to that for anyone who's interested. But it had the most important stuff in there:
Along with less important stuff, you know...like history:
The prototype TPV's hidden from the Nazis during WW2. Discovered behind a wall a decade or so ago!:
This is also worth a watch, if you want to know what it's like inside this place:
https://youtu.be/oFcNlBl_cjc
The place is brilliant! It's oozing innovation and history. And to cap it all off, an old bloke I saw smoking outside in a Citroen overcoat. He couldn't speak English, but we deduced that he worked in the factory until it closed and ordered a brand new CX in the 70's and walked with it along the line as it was being built (he still owns it). He was still upset that the plant closed, and said the new range had no passion behind it. No true innovation, or desire to be different if different proved to be better. It was all profits and corporate bullst. This guy was one of the best things about the visit.
There's something about Citroens, and other true French cars (cars actually built in France by the French) where you can sense that the reason they've done something different, is because different is better in that respect.
I had a little moment of clarity when I was driving home. One of those moments that kinda freezes you in time, and it was only a silly little thing. As I drove along, I was fresh with all things Citroen. Me being positive, for once! And it was in that moment that, for some reason, it sprang to my mind that there were quirks about the company and they way they did things that could also irritate. The BX rear wiper, for example. The switch doesn't latch, it only sweeps if you push the button. The reason? Because the aerodynamics of the BX mean that the rear screen doesn't get wet, and the airflow just blows the raindrops over the glass. "Total rubbish!" I thought, as I drove along a French motorway in the pissing rain. I clock the front wiper sweeping the screen, prepare to push the button for the rear wiper and move my gaze in the direction of the rear view mirror. Rear screen is bone dry, obviously. As I pointed this out to Simon, a single drip cascaded down the glass. bd French cars!
Incidentally, I watched something that drove the whole French engineering thing home the other day. Jay Leno's new episode on YT featuring his Panhard. Worth a watch, very cool car, and he nails the whole French design/engineering thing perfectly:
https://youtu.be/zcfVO6-UHgY
So anyway, brimming with French enthusiasm, we left. Nothing could dampen our spirits! Simon's non-SatNav map reading skills had been spot on, and the mood was good.
Was.
It began when we saw this:
The Stade De France. I love football, so this was cool for me. But not at that time, because it was rush-hour last Monday morning, and we were driving into Paris. The directions had massively gone to cock!
We got dragged in as far as the inner ring road, but managed to navigate back out again. The sense of relief was massive as we headed back up the A1, where we came off near a village called Arsy, which is what I was by this point. So we stopped and grabbed some more pics:
From Arsy, things got good again. We decided to head back over to our trusted friend, the A16, and the cross-country route we took was one of the best driving memories I think I'll ever have. Wide, empty French countryside roads passing through pretty villages, sun going down and in my favourite car with a best mate alongside me. It felt like a proper roadtrip!
Hit the A16 all the way back up to the chunnel, and made it there 30mins early:
Sailed straight in! It was so empty, the train was loaded on the bottom floor only, with every other carriage empty. Made getting to the toilet easier at least:
Back into the UK 30mins before we left France, and headed home. BX performed brilliantly, with the only glitch being that the speedo started clicking near Aulnay on the Monday morning. It's 26years old, and spent most of the previous day spinning around and on that frosty morning in Senlis it wasn't feeling like playing ball. That said, it didn't die and as soon as we got going again, it shut up and perfomed fine again.
Brilliant trip, brilliant venue, brilliant memories and the car was brilliant! Erm....brilliant!
So that's the BX done for a while................
........apart from a possible magazine feature coming up. And not a crap magazine either. In fact, it's probably the best one it could possibly be featured in as far as I'm concerned! Watch this space on that one, however after that, it'll be parked up in the garage until I've finished all the other projects. Then the major overhaul underneath can commence.
So, Aulnay:
A bit of reading for those interested in the plant and its history:
http://citroenvie.com/last-citroen-rolls-out-of-au...
And inside Aulnay:
The BX was (I believe) the oldest car that made the trip from the UK. A few of the other guys have some older and more interesting models, but they wimped out and brought their modern versions along
I suspect the BX was the only one to nudge a speed in France that S10GTA could attest, but I couldn't possibly divulge. All I can say is that I chose to back off - it was still pulling!I won't bore everyone with pictures of the inside (I took 600!), but I'll do a public album or something soon and link to that for anyone who's interested. But it had the most important stuff in there:
Along with less important stuff, you know...like history:
The prototype TPV's hidden from the Nazis during WW2. Discovered behind a wall a decade or so ago!:
This is also worth a watch, if you want to know what it's like inside this place:
https://youtu.be/oFcNlBl_cjc
The place is brilliant! It's oozing innovation and history. And to cap it all off, an old bloke I saw smoking outside in a Citroen overcoat. He couldn't speak English, but we deduced that he worked in the factory until it closed and ordered a brand new CX in the 70's and walked with it along the line as it was being built (he still owns it). He was still upset that the plant closed, and said the new range had no passion behind it. No true innovation, or desire to be different if different proved to be better. It was all profits and corporate bulls
t. This guy was one of the best things about the visit. There's something about Citroens, and other true French cars (cars actually built in France by the French) where you can sense that the reason they've done something different, is because different is better in that respect.
I had a little moment of clarity when I was driving home. One of those moments that kinda freezes you in time, and it was only a silly little thing. As I drove along, I was fresh with all things Citroen. Me being positive, for once! And it was in that moment that, for some reason, it sprang to my mind that there were quirks about the company and they way they did things that could also irritate. The BX rear wiper, for example. The switch doesn't latch, it only sweeps if you push the button. The reason? Because the aerodynamics of the BX mean that the rear screen doesn't get wet, and the airflow just blows the raindrops over the glass. "Total rubbish!" I thought, as I drove along a French motorway in the pissing rain. I clock the front wiper sweeping the screen, prepare to push the button for the rear wiper and move my gaze in the direction of the rear view mirror. Rear screen is bone dry, obviously. As I pointed this out to Simon, a single drip cascaded down the glass. b
d French cars!Incidentally, I watched something that drove the whole French engineering thing home the other day. Jay Leno's new episode on YT featuring his Panhard. Worth a watch, very cool car, and he nails the whole French design/engineering thing perfectly:
https://youtu.be/zcfVO6-UHgY
So anyway, brimming with French enthusiasm, we left. Nothing could dampen our spirits! Simon's non-SatNav map reading skills had been spot on, and the mood was good.
Was.
It began when we saw this:
The Stade De France. I love football, so this was cool for me. But not at that time, because it was rush-hour last Monday morning, and we were driving into Paris. The directions had massively gone to cock!
We got dragged in as far as the inner ring road, but managed to navigate back out again. The sense of relief was massive as we headed back up the A1, where we came off near a village called Arsy, which is what I was by this point. So we stopped and grabbed some more pics:
From Arsy, things got good again. We decided to head back over to our trusted friend, the A16, and the cross-country route we took was one of the best driving memories I think I'll ever have. Wide, empty French countryside roads passing through pretty villages, sun going down and in my favourite car with a best mate alongside me. It felt like a proper roadtrip!
Hit the A16 all the way back up to the chunnel, and made it there 30mins early:
Sailed straight in! It was so empty, the train was loaded on the bottom floor only, with every other carriage empty. Made getting to the toilet easier at least:
Back into the UK 30mins before we left France, and headed home. BX performed brilliantly, with the only glitch being that the speedo started clicking near Aulnay on the Monday morning. It's 26years old, and spent most of the previous day spinning around and on that frosty morning in Senlis it wasn't feeling like playing ball. That said, it didn't die and as soon as we got going again, it shut up and perfomed fine again.
Brilliant trip, brilliant venue, brilliant memories and the car was brilliant! Erm....brilliant!
So that's the BX done for a while................
........apart from a possible magazine feature coming up. And not a crap magazine either. In fact, it's probably the best one it could possibly be featured in as far as I'm concerned! Watch this space on that one, however after that, it'll be parked up in the garage until I've finished all the other projects. Then the major overhaul underneath can commence.
Shadow R1 said:
Brilliant write up.
Post a link to the pictures you took in the heritage centre, I would like to see them.
Thanks, I'll get some up soon.Post a link to the pictures you took in the heritage centre, I would like to see them.
familyguy1 said:
agreed, brilliant write up, my late father would of loved to go to the heritage center as has was mad keen on Citroen's, mainly 2CV, dyane's, fourgonnette's (a member of 2CVGB and did the london 2 Brighton for years) which resulted in myself and sister having 2CV's as first cars! Later on he got into the Traction Avant. I remember him having a company car of a BX GTI, at them time (and now) I think that was such a cool and different car.
The other J leno video that is also interesting is the one on the DS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzW_ERSgFRY again shows the innovative french ways of doing things and Jay makes some great points.
Thanks for sharing
+1 for all the 600 pictures inside the heritage center
Cheers, I also enjoy the DS one. I love Jay Lenos garage, watched most of the vids on YT, and now it's on Dave too. A car programme hosted by someone who actually knows a bit about cars - who'd have thought that would work!?The other J leno video that is also interesting is the one on the DS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzW_ERSgFRY again shows the innovative french ways of doing things and Jay makes some great points.
Thanks for sharing
+1 for all the 600 pictures inside the heritage center
TooMany2cvs said:
Good to see I more or less managed to hide in that photo, mate...
You were too quick for me!Rensko said:
Very jealous of that road trip! : (
The tolls in France are insanely expensive. Sounds like avoiding the motorways means a slower, but infinitely more interesting journey!
Also, there aren't many BX's still doing the rounds in France. At the beginning of the year, I only spotted a well loved Mk1 16 TRS in Macon. Xantias have fallen by the wayside as well...
To be honest, we were just driving to something at a distance you could easily replicate in the UK. I think the reason it ended up feeling like one of those epic trips is a mix of the weather (which was good, largely), the scenery, the car (the fact it was 'at home' on the roads it was designed for), and the venue being better than we thought it would be. Even the £40 a night hotel was nice!The tolls in France are insanely expensive. Sounds like avoiding the motorways means a slower, but infinitely more interesting journey!
Also, there aren't many BX's still doing the rounds in France. At the beginning of the year, I only spotted a well loved Mk1 16 TRS in Macon. Xantias have fallen by the wayside as well...
We saw two BXs. One mk1 on the side of the road in a village somewhere, which looked to be in daily use, but tidy. Saw another in Senlis when we went for a stroll around the local council estate
That was a bit more battered!The French don't give much of a s
t, or at least the old school ones don't. They'll keep a car like a BX running until it dies, because they like it. Then when it dies, they'll chuck it away and buy a brand new such & such, and then keep that until it dies. Makes sense, if you think about it. Every time I go to France, I realise we could learn a lot from them!Well, I knew today was coming. It's the day I take the BX off the road. Normally I'd need to distinguish between BX's by stating it was the 16v, but seeing as that was the only BX that was actually on the road in the first place.......
Anyway, it's SORN. Currently residing in a garage, and apart from the quick trip to get it back here in a few months time, that'll be it. Bit gutted, and I know I'll miss driving it, but if I don't stop using it, the rot that is currently there will turn into major rot that either turns into a mammoth rebuild task, or even threatens the existence of the car. My Dad's GT only got through by the skin of its teeth (I expect it'd be a cube by now if I'd have seen just how bad the rot had got) and I don't want the same again. Besides, there are quite a few little niggles cropping up now, and I like my cars to work properly. If they don't, I don't get the enjoyment out of driving them.
Been a good few days for the BX though. Friday saw the editor from Modern Classics travel down to do a feature on the BX. It's a great mag (if you've never read it, hunt it down, because if you like the BX you'll probably like 90% of the other stuff in it), and which is possibly the best mag I could hope for it to be in! The photographer was great and I reckon it'll be a brilliant feature when it's done. It's not a feature on my car in particular, but more a feature on the BX 16v as a model. I went down with my mate Andy (who also happens to be an awesome photographer; Look up Lurntwubber on Instagram or Facebook (here: https://www.facebook.com/wubberphoto/ ) to see the kind of stuff he can cook up.
A couple of his shots:
He also spotted some raw images on the mag photographer's tablet, and said they take it to another level entirely. BX fans are in for a treat come January
The day didn't go without fault though. By 3pm on Friday afternoon, we had issuez:
LHM. LHM that powers the steering, brakes and suspension. Nothing important, then! Just the life-blood of the car.
This occured just as we were getting told to "GET OUT, AND STAY OUT!!!" by the jumped-up mini-Hitler failed-traffic warden security patrol executive (aka ugly little fat man with an inferiority complex) in the Southampton industrial estate we'd been shooting in, without realising it was private land. I nursed the car back to the workshop and within 2 miles of the target we had STOP lamps and the steering was starting to die. But, the BX soldiered on and made it to the workshop.
This event threw my plans for today into doubt. I wanted to get one last drive in it, taking the long way to my destination near Southampton, but the leak was pretty severe by the time it got to the workshop that Friday afternoon. When we left the angry egg-shaped man, it was just a few drips. By the time we arrived back at the workshop, it had evolved into a piss. Just have a look at the green accumulator sphere in the picture! So my plans for today were up the stter, unless I acted or changed my plans. In the end, I went back in on the Saturday, dug out some tunes (forgot just how good Feeder were) and went about finding the leak.
It didn't take long to narrow it down to the supply pipe from the high-pressure pump into the flow-diverter valve. The steering is the most thirsty component of the system, and takes more of a supply of fluid than the suspension and brakes combined! The flow-diverter valve sits just after the pump, takes what it needs from the supply, and just returns what it doesn't. It then feeds the height correctors and doseur valve (what these Citroens use instead of a brake master cylinder - they're fully powered brakes remember, not power assisted like conventional cars).
So, being that the FDV is the first port of call for the pressurised fluid, it's a pretty bad thing to spring a leak! It also required either removing the radiator, or removing the inlet manifold to get to it. Advantage of removing the radiator: You can still run the engine and watch where the leak is coming from. Disadvantage (in my case): Cooling system full of Evans Waterless Coolant, which is very slippy and would need straining and filtering before putting back in, as I'm bound to get loads of crap in it! So the inlet, even though I can't run the car once I have access, was still the way I went:
Found the leak (the union on the left was leaking everytime the pump cut in):
So it needs to be removed:
The pipe I'm going for is the one that runs just over the bell housing, almost above the starter motor. It comes over in a curve, then heads down into the black FDV.
It's a bit gutting that I'm having to remove it, as believe it or not that pipe has gone before. Back in 2008 (ish) me and the wife to be were heading up to Wigan area to see some of her relatives. Around Coventry, I noticed lots of black smoke and oil trails on the rear window. I had a major LHM leak, and had to buy £40 worth of LHM just to get me to our destination!
When we got there, I managed to locate another pipe off one of the top BX guys I know who lived (kinda) nearby. My wife's cousin drove me over to get it, then on our return insisted he'd fit it for me as he had all his tools/grubby clothes there etc. I said it couldn't be done without removing rad or inlet, but he reckoned he could do it. He'd lost some bits of his fingers over the years, and reckoned he could get into the small gaps. He only bloody did it too! Sadly, he died (way, way too young) a few months back, so it was cool to have that pipe on there and the memories that went with it. He was a top bloke.
The reason the pipe failed the first time, and the reason it failed again is because the p-clips were missing off of it. Side by side with my LAST spare:
I swear the one he fitted had the brackets on, but I could be going mad. I might have even removed and refitted it myself since, without the brackets! Who knows, but without brackety, you get fracture.......y:
Probably quite a lot in the way of vibration going on with everything bolted solid to the engine! 1400psi trying to find its' way out too.
So, new pipe on, car running again and today was the day I had accepted as reality. I headed to the garage it was to reside in for a few months, stopping on the way to attempt to grab some nice photos:
I gave up after that one, as once you've seen what other people can do, you realise there's little point dicking around with a £99 Fujifilm point-and-shoot! But, I managed to mix two of my interests together here; Cars, and Disused Railways (the interest my missus wished I didn't have!) I quite like trains, but in the same way as planes or big ships. I like the noise (mostly the noise), the massive engines, the history etc. But, for some reason, I have an even bigger interest in railways, specifically railways that aren't even railways anymore. I think it's more the appeal of trying to see history in a changing landscape. You can easily follow the routes of old railways that aren't there anymore, as many of the boundaries of industrial estates, farmland and even modern housing follow the old routes. I don't really know why I find it so interesting. Maybe it's because it's so quiet and calming!
Anyway, now that I've come out of the cupboard as a person who isn't a trainspotter, but spots where trains used to go before but don't anymore (or just 'Beeching' for short), I can reveal that photo was taken above the MVR (Meon Valley Railway) which used to link up Fareham to Alton (onto what is now the Mid-Hants Railway). Would have been a cracking one for preservation, and a shame it got ripped up. I think one of the main things that interest me about it is the WW2 connections, specifically D-Day (look up Droxford station, D-Day plans on Google).
Anywhoo, it's under that bridge.
And that's about it for quite a while. I'll get some Citroen Conservatoire pics up and update when the article comes out in Modern Classics, but there won't be much more from the 16v front until it comes back out for the 'Underhaul' (overhaul going on underneath the car.
Cheers for reading (well done if you made it this far and are still conscious) and maybe see you on the other BX threads
Anyway, it's SORN. Currently residing in a garage, and apart from the quick trip to get it back here in a few months time, that'll be it. Bit gutted, and I know I'll miss driving it, but if I don't stop using it, the rot that is currently there will turn into major rot that either turns into a mammoth rebuild task, or even threatens the existence of the car. My Dad's GT only got through by the skin of its teeth (I expect it'd be a cube by now if I'd have seen just how bad the rot had got) and I don't want the same again. Besides, there are quite a few little niggles cropping up now, and I like my cars to work properly. If they don't, I don't get the enjoyment out of driving them.
Been a good few days for the BX though. Friday saw the editor from Modern Classics travel down to do a feature on the BX. It's a great mag (if you've never read it, hunt it down, because if you like the BX you'll probably like 90% of the other stuff in it), and which is possibly the best mag I could hope for it to be in! The photographer was great and I reckon it'll be a brilliant feature when it's done. It's not a feature on my car in particular, but more a feature on the BX 16v as a model. I went down with my mate Andy (who also happens to be an awesome photographer; Look up Lurntwubber on Instagram or Facebook (here: https://www.facebook.com/wubberphoto/ ) to see the kind of stuff he can cook up.
A couple of his shots:
He also spotted some raw images on the mag photographer's tablet, and said they take it to another level entirely. BX fans are in for a treat come January
The day didn't go without fault though. By 3pm on Friday afternoon, we had issuez:
LHM. LHM that powers the steering, brakes and suspension. Nothing important, then! Just the life-blood of the car.
This occured just as we were getting told to "GET OUT, AND STAY OUT!!!" by the jumped-up mini-Hitler failed-traffic warden security patrol executive (aka ugly little fat man with an inferiority complex) in the Southampton industrial estate we'd been shooting in, without realising it was private land. I nursed the car back to the workshop and within 2 miles of the target we had STOP lamps and the steering was starting to die. But, the BX soldiered on and made it to the workshop.
This event threw my plans for today into doubt. I wanted to get one last drive in it, taking the long way to my destination near Southampton, but the leak was pretty severe by the time it got to the workshop that Friday afternoon. When we left the angry egg-shaped man, it was just a few drips. By the time we arrived back at the workshop, it had evolved into a piss. Just have a look at the green accumulator sphere in the picture! So my plans for today were up the s
tter, unless I acted or changed my plans. In the end, I went back in on the Saturday, dug out some tunes (forgot just how good Feeder were) and went about finding the leak. It didn't take long to narrow it down to the supply pipe from the high-pressure pump into the flow-diverter valve. The steering is the most thirsty component of the system, and takes more of a supply of fluid than the suspension and brakes combined! The flow-diverter valve sits just after the pump, takes what it needs from the supply, and just returns what it doesn't. It then feeds the height correctors and doseur valve (what these Citroens use instead of a brake master cylinder - they're fully powered brakes remember, not power assisted like conventional cars).
So, being that the FDV is the first port of call for the pressurised fluid, it's a pretty bad thing to spring a leak! It also required either removing the radiator, or removing the inlet manifold to get to it. Advantage of removing the radiator: You can still run the engine and watch where the leak is coming from. Disadvantage (in my case): Cooling system full of Evans Waterless Coolant, which is very slippy and would need straining and filtering before putting back in, as I'm bound to get loads of crap in it! So the inlet, even though I can't run the car once I have access, was still the way I went:
Found the leak (the union on the left was leaking everytime the pump cut in):
So it needs to be removed:
The pipe I'm going for is the one that runs just over the bell housing, almost above the starter motor. It comes over in a curve, then heads down into the black FDV.
It's a bit gutting that I'm having to remove it, as believe it or not that pipe has gone before. Back in 2008 (ish) me and the wife to be were heading up to Wigan area to see some of her relatives. Around Coventry, I noticed lots of black smoke and oil trails on the rear window. I had a major LHM leak, and had to buy £40 worth of LHM just to get me to our destination!
When we got there, I managed to locate another pipe off one of the top BX guys I know who lived (kinda) nearby. My wife's cousin drove me over to get it, then on our return insisted he'd fit it for me as he had all his tools/grubby clothes there etc. I said it couldn't be done without removing rad or inlet, but he reckoned he could do it. He'd lost some bits of his fingers over the years, and reckoned he could get into the small gaps. He only bloody did it too! Sadly, he died (way, way too young) a few months back, so it was cool to have that pipe on there and the memories that went with it. He was a top bloke.
The reason the pipe failed the first time, and the reason it failed again is because the p-clips were missing off of it. Side by side with my LAST spare:
I swear the one he fitted had the brackets on, but I could be going mad. I might have even removed and refitted it myself since, without the brackets! Who knows, but without brackety, you get fracture.......y:
Probably quite a lot in the way of vibration going on with everything bolted solid to the engine! 1400psi trying to find its' way out too.
So, new pipe on, car running again and today was the day I had accepted as reality. I headed to the garage it was to reside in for a few months, stopping on the way to attempt to grab some nice photos:
I gave up after that one, as once you've seen what other people can do, you realise there's little point dicking around with a £99 Fujifilm point-and-shoot! But, I managed to mix two of my interests together here; Cars, and Disused Railways (the interest my missus wished I didn't have!) I quite like trains, but in the same way as planes or big ships. I like the noise (mostly the noise), the massive engines, the history etc. But, for some reason, I have an even bigger interest in railways, specifically railways that aren't even railways anymore. I think it's more the appeal of trying to see history in a changing landscape. You can easily follow the routes of old railways that aren't there anymore, as many of the boundaries of industrial estates, farmland and even modern housing follow the old routes. I don't really know why I find it so interesting. Maybe it's because it's so quiet and calming!
Anyway, now that I've come out of the cupboard as a person who isn't a trainspotter, but spots where trains used to go before but don't anymore (or just 'Beeching' for short), I can reveal that photo was taken above the MVR (Meon Valley Railway) which used to link up Fareham to Alton (onto what is now the Mid-Hants Railway). Would have been a cracking one for preservation, and a shame it got ripped up. I think one of the main things that interest me about it is the WW2 connections, specifically D-Day (look up Droxford station, D-Day plans on Google).
Anywhoo, it's under that bridge.
And that's about it for quite a while. I'll get some Citroen Conservatoire pics up and update when the article comes out in Modern Classics, but there won't be much more from the 16v front until it comes back out for the 'Underhaul' (overhaul going on underneath the car.
Cheers for reading (well done if you made it this far and are still conscious) and maybe see you on the other BX threads
hidetheelephants said:
That's a classic mechanical failure; stress raiser(pipe crimp with circumferential scoring) + cyclic stress(vibration through poorly supported solid pipe mounted on the engine and fluctuating stress from the hydraulic pressure inside the pipe) = bork.
Yup, that's exactly what it was. Weird thing is that I knew about this issue, yet somehow have a pipe fitted with no clamps. And weirder still, as I swear there were clamps on there, because one of them shares a bolt with the pump belt tensioner, and it can be a fiddle to fit properly.Ah well, it has them now. Next pipe will need to be one I make though, as that was my last spare.
K50 DEL said:
What's your time frame for the works starting then..... I love following this car, the 16v is an itch I'd still love to scratch.
Starting the work? Probably a year or so. Finishing? Who knows. I've got so much to do, with lots of other cars and with a business to work (also working on cars). I'm getting through my list, but I don't want to start pulling this one apart until the others are done, as that's a mistake I usually make! Starting too many at once....hermes said:
Similar position with my Fulvia. Every winter I think it'll be THE winter to fix the soggy bottom, but I just keep driving it.
Maybe when I can see the road between my legs I'll stop......
That's how I've been for at least 3 or 4 years. It's not like the bottom is falling out of it, but I can either do something now and have a very tidy, still original-looking BX underneath, or I can wait until it rots away, and then have nightmares trying to fabricate sections of bodyshell that I don't have the tooling to fabricate.Maybe when I can see the road between my legs I'll stop......
I can't see the road yet
Also....Fulvia. Sweet!
Rangeroverover said:
Have you noticed this BX GTi for sale this weekend
http://www.angliacarauctions.co.uk/en/classic-auct...
From the William Hunt collection. Owned since 2011. Complete with the original book pack with service book, assorted invoices and old MoT certificates.
V5 present
MoT October 2017
Recorded mileage 45,000
Estimate: £1,500 - 2,000
No, I hadn't seen that. I do my best not to go looking for BXs for sale! Certainly a rare one as it's a really early GTi with the Sport-spec trim. Those wheel trims are also uber rare, and fetch a few quid used. Estimate is fair, possibly underselling it a bit if it's rust-free. It's only going to go up in value, though possibly not as much as a 16v would.http://www.angliacarauctions.co.uk/en/classic-auct...
From the William Hunt collection. Owned since 2011. Complete with the original book pack with service book, assorted invoices and old MoT certificates.
V5 present
MoT October 2017
Recorded mileage 45,000
Estimate: £1,500 - 2,000
Fastdruid said:
Wow. flashback city. That is almost exactly what my parents had when I was young. Although theirs was an '89 F.
Complete with the "ABS" warning from the days when it was rare and to let people behind know you might be able to stop quicker than they could.
8v I believe though rather than the 16v. Although personally I preferred the "big wing" to the 16v spoiler look.
I think the 'ABS' bit was more about marketing, rather than a warning Complete with the "ABS" warning from the days when it was rare and to let people behind know you might be able to stop quicker than they could.
8v I believe though rather than the 16v. Although personally I preferred the "big wing" to the 16v spoiler look.
Yes, 8v, and an early one at that. The hoop spoiler is the most common type of BX spoiler, and was used first on the Sport right through to the last TXD in 1994. The ph1 16v used it, but the ph2 like mine went for the wrap-around.
threadlock said:
Thanks for the update, Kitchski. Always enjoy your posts. Good luck with the repairs!
Cheers! I'll have plenty more updates on all the other ste I'm running!K50 DEL said:
Seeing those photos of the auction GTi made me remember another BX curio..... Have you ever had one with the rear headphone jacks in the centre console?
Along with the a/c and the C pillar mounted rear speakers they were one of the rarer BX options I believe.
Yup, most mid-higher end BXs had the jacks, along with a 12v power socket (which wasn't the standard 12v size, and therefore useless). C-pillar speakers were standard fit pretty early on as the mk1s only had two small speakers in the dash, and a 'bass box'. They had no speakers in the doors at all, so it was just 4 speakers and the bass box. The mk2 ditched the bass box (possibly because it didn't fit behind the new dash, or possibly because it was sAlong with the a/c and the C pillar mounted rear speakers they were one of the rarer BX options I believe.
t) and had 6 speakers: Two tweeters in the dash, two mids in the front doors and the two tiny ones in the C-pillars. A/C.....yeah, that's probably one of the rarest options, along with leather.My 16v doesn't have the headphone jacks anymore, because I've got the folding armrest/cubby box in the middle. It bolts into the slots the jacks used to sit in.
hidetheelephants said:
Perusing the BX page on bookfarce I see DUG is for sale; do you much know about it? Seeing the propensity of BAH for absorbing a lot of manhours and miles of mig wire I'd sooner buy a good 'un and count on a good few years driving before having to tickle it with the sparkler.
Indeed, DUG is up for sale again. I used to own DUG, so I've got a pretty good idea! The engine is great - one of the sweetest I've driven. The gearbox, drivetrain etc all pretty good. The body is what was letting it down. It needs a full respray, and all the areas that had major rust repair work done years ago (by the guy who started the BXC forum) was painted with Hammerite, rather than something decent, so you can imagine what it looks like now. Current owner says it's been undersealed, but to me that's a bad thing as it's probably just gone on all over the rust.It's still a nice one, but in my opinion about £1500 too strong. I sold it for £1k to Alex Robbins, who ran it as a PH staff car, and he sold it on again sometime later for the same(ish) figure. It's got potential and I can't think of many cars I've owned which deserved a mini-resto more than that one.
BAH isn't too bad, rust wise. It's just a very original car which I ragged into the ground (I bought it when I was 20!) Some models are rust-free almost, but I think the chances of finding a 16v like that are very, very slim now. The youngest BX 16v is 23 years old, and there are 23 registered on the road (22 now, seeing as BAH just came off ticket). Of that 22 cars, how many will be for sale, and of those for sale, how many will be rust-free? I think anyone who buys one, has to go in with their eyes open expecting it to need some TLC. That said, other than the rear legs/subframe mounts, they're really not too hard to work on.
deltashad said:
A good friend of mine had one of these. A wonderful car, the running costs were crippling him so he got rid of it, was a joy to be a passenger in and very quick on the B-roads.
I'd love to see one of these again.
Running costs are pretty cheap, unless you get a run of bad luck and can't pick up a spanner yourself, but then I guess that goes for nearly all cars.I'd love to see one of these again.
When I drove it over to the garage it's staying in, I went through the Meon Valley (hence the railway bridge pic) and had a couple of chances to give it some beans along the roads I used to welly it along just after I bought it. A-B, it just seems to eat countryside roads. I've owned faster cars, and driven MUCH faster cars, but in that one I'll wind it up and go attack a B-road, only to often approach corners faster than I was expecting. I'll often look down at the speedo to get some bearing (the suspension/setup of these old Citroens isolates you a little bit from the sensation of speed) and realise I'm going about 10mph faster than I thought I was. It just doesn't happen in most other cars, and the way it can go swiftly point-to-point across pretty much any road is probably its best party trick. Even 12 and a bit years after I bought it, I'm not bored of driving it in the slightest.
ecsrobin said:
Great write up Kitch 
Allwhite Robin 
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