Mat's BX Blog

Tell us about life with your BX, or indeed life in general!
Post Reply
User avatar
Vanny
Merseyside resident
Posts: 3581
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 11:48 pm
Location: BXProject
My Cars: BX 16v Ph2 - Jazz
BX 16v Ph2 - XPO
x 77
Contact:

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Vanny »

I'm refusing to take my rear bumper off, i know how big the hole was last time i looked . . . god knows what its like 4 year on!
User avatar
electrokid
1K Away
Posts: 1764
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:14 pm
Location: Woking

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by electrokid »

as I reckon it looks pretty good for 20 years and 220k miles:
Ah - that's what it's meant to look like :lol:

I does look good :D

I took the rear bumper off and had a good fettle a couple of years ago - but it needs doing again.
1992 BX19 TGD estate 228K Rusty - SORNed
2002 C5 HDi SX estate
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

Today saw me attaching the wing support bracket. I was going to Sikaflex it on, but the metal on the inner wing ad a small hole once I ground off teh remains of the old bracket, so seeing as I was welding that on I welded the bracket in place too.

Image

Crude but hopefully effective, and nobody will see it there. It's hot dip galvanised, so should last well!
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
Vanny
Merseyside resident
Posts: 3581
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 11:48 pm
Location: BXProject
My Cars: BX 16v Ph2 - Jazz
BX 16v Ph2 - XPO
x 77
Contact:

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Vanny »

How are you outside working in this weather? I've been in the loft today and it was stupid cold up there, wouldn't like to try and wield any tools in the garage. Its also pitch black in the garage, stupid snow has covered up the moon roof :(

Ah well
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

It's a bit nippy but so long as I keep moving and am concentrating on something I'm fine. Welding generates heat anyway! Had to bring any aerosols inside the house to warm up.

It helps that it's a job I don't HAVE to do right now, I'm doing it because I find it satisfying. If I needed it for work the next day the temptation would be to do a rush job, which is much less enjoyable.
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
electrokid
1K Away
Posts: 1764
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:14 pm
Location: Woking

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by electrokid »

That strut looks to be where the mudflap support rod is on mine - and your exhaust support hasn't rusted through yet - it's doing very well :D
Had to bring any aerosols inside the house to warm up.
Before use, I usually put aerosols in the kitchen sink with some hot water - even in summer !
1992 BX19 TGD estate 228K Rusty - SORNed
2002 C5 HDi SX estate
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

I confess I did have to weld the exhaust mount last year - although it hadn't rusted through, the stiffening plate which is spot welded to the shell had cracked. I just seam welded all the way around it, which would have been easier if I'd taken the bumper off. I just hadn't realised what a breeze it was to remove!

All repairs now primed and sealed, and I'll be spraying the inside of the wheel arch with underbody wax tomorrow.
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
Wooscary
BXpert
Posts: 684
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 1:48 am
Location: Hulme, Manchester

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Wooscary »

mat_fenwick wrote:Today saw me attaching the wing support bracket. I was going to Sikaflex it on, but the metal on the inner wing ad a small hole once I ground off teh remains of the old bracket, so seeing as I was welding that on I welded the bracket in place too.

Image

Crude but hopefully effective, and nobody will see it there. It's hot dip galvanised, so should last well!
Ahh so that's what's supposed to be there. I don't think mine has that on either side!
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

The original doesn't look anything like that though - it's a vertical thin piece of steel with the lower edge tapering upwards towards the wing. As Electrokid said, that's where the OE mudflaps fit to, but mine are just attached to the bumper. The 'shelf' behind the exhaust mount collects a massive amount of mud, so is worth blasting clean when you get chance.
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
Wooscary
BXpert
Posts: 684
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 1:48 am
Location: Hulme, Manchester

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Wooscary »

Ah, yeah, I was aware that there should be something there, and that when the nearside one fell off, because it has slightly wider tyres on (185s rather and 175s?) the arch relaxed to the point where it skimmed the tyre wall. But I'd never actually bothered before this happened to study them.

That whole area probably needs a good clean, and encouraged by your words on the ease of bumper removal, one day it might even get done.
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

Wheel arch now coated in underbody wax.

Image

Wheel is now back on, and interior trim refitted. On to the next area for attention!

I've got the day off work tomorrow, so am planning to do a bit of green laning and find an abandoned village deep in the hills. Should be fun...
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
Caffiend
Reluctant BXpert
Posts: 1222
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 1:39 pm
Location: Hertfordshire

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Caffiend »

Happy birthday!

Have a great day
Diagonally parked in a parallel universe
1991 TZD hatch (Triton Green)
1992 Hurricane
User avatar
Tim Leech
Over 2k
Posts: 15563
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Derbyshire
My Cars: Various
x 139

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Tim Leech »

Happy birthday love!
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

Thanks! I had a fun day out, driving an easyish green lane locally - this was the trickiest part, although looks very easy in the photo.

Image

One of the gateways was incredibly narrow; there was only a couple of inches on the other side. I kept the post on the driver's side nearest to minimise chances of scraping.

Image

Then we found the ruined village:

Image

Image

That was followed by cinema, and dinner in an excellent Italian restaurant in Llandudno (Romeo's). Back to the daily grind tomorrow unfortunately, but at least I finish early on Fridays.
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
User avatar
mat_fenwick
Moderator
Posts: 7326
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
Location: North Wales
x 19

Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

Had an enjoyable day out in (relative) civilisation. Getting a lift in Vanny's 16v was fun, and was the first time I've been driven in the back of a BX for about 20 years! Once I was back home I felt spurred on to actually do something on mine, so decided to take a look at the passenger footwell.

When I'd dried the carpet after the roof leak I noticed the area around the bung was rusty, and although not holed was fairly flaky.

Image

Sure enough, once prodded it soon became holed.

Image

I assume the only purpose of the bung is to drain out coatings when the shell is dipped during manufacture, so figured it would be no problem to cut out and just replace with a simple plate.

Image

So a suitable piece was cut from my rapidly dwindling stock of galvanised sheet...

Image

...and welded into place.

Image

Followed by a coat of paint, and it's time to call it a day for tonight.

Image
Image

1993 1.9 TZD Turbo Estate
1996 3.9 V8 Discovery
1993 VW LT35 campervan
1985 Hyundai Stellar V8
2016 Hyundai iLoad
Post Reply