Wanted: GTI/16Valve

[stuart_hedges]

I'd still like to know exactley where the £7K went, and further, if you've spent £7K on a car worth £1K, selling it is silly.

People do funny things. The previous owner of my car dropped a fortune on it - not quite seven grand, but certainly a couple. He'd just made a decision to change cars.

[Philip Chidlow]

I certainly did a 'funny thing' and sold a valver that I'd recently bought for £850 and spent £1100+ on it for less than £1400. Nuts. (As everyone was keen to point out )...

In my mind if the buyer ends up with the car of his/her dreams and it cost that - well it's cheap by comparison to say younger more run-of-the-mill jobbies. As for the seller - if the immediate need was great enough then I guess the amount spent on the car was immaterial. Still lost less than if he'd bought a C6 a year ago

[roy.hassell]

Hi to you all. Perhaps a liitle explanation as has been asked for is needed on the cars history. Firstly, let me tell you that my wife and I both used to drive individual 16Valvers from approx 2001 to date. I may bore you all to death sometime in the future as to what I did to my own 1990 G582TKO Metallic Grey 16Valver. But for the moment let me tell you it ceased breathing in April '08. It developed a small LHM leak and by the time I had parked up outside the showroom of my Citroen Dealer to get a replacement hydraulic pipe, it was on FIRE ! Don't know how, but it caught big time, 3 fire extinguishers didn't touch it and the Fire Service was called. 2 hoses, breathing apparatus, the works, flames above the roof line -- quite dramatic. Now before you ask for pictures, I can hear the calls from here, perhaps I should tell you that I am sixty years of age, no digital camera ( on order now ), no camera phone, and just about finding my way around this computer. So now on to the 16Valver in question. 1992 J736 UTF Solid Red. I used to have a superb, perhaps unique, helpfull Parts Manager @ Viking Citroen, Peter Wright, highly flexible on pricing for parts which enabled me to pour obscene amounts into both cars. I was on a mission for years. The labour was carried out by my local man at below trade rates so god knows how much Citroen themselves would have charged ( i.e. Full Retail for Parts & Labour ). I think it would be easiest to say what wasn't replaced/pulled apart. And that amounts to, Drive Shafts ( except gaitors ), Gearbox ( except oil ), Bottom of Engine ( Head Only ReBuilt ), Wiring Harness & Lights, Bodywork ( except Windscreen ), Interior, & Fuel Tank. Now just think about that. Everthing else was REPLACED ! The Bodywork had stone chips, sure, but it was straight and shiney with no dings or scratches. The interior was not showing any wear, even the drivers side carpet, no rips, nothing. And everything worked as it should. No it wasn't Concours, it wasn't meant to be, it was my wife's daily driver and she only covered about 20K in ownership. All of this was documented with bills in a file which was passed to the new owner and perhaps if he should feel inclined you may persuade him to continue the story as I believe he reads this Forum. So guys/gals if you have any specific questions feel free to ask. This might not be the best time to bring it up but I have boxes of bits, including Electric Mirrors, Rear Light Clusters, 4 matching Head Restraints, ECU Unit, ABS Control Unit, set of 4 non original Alloy Wheels but correctly sized with tyres, and loads of kit all for sale ! By the tone of some of the posted comments I can appreciate some of you won't touch me with a barge pole but that of course is your choice but if there is any interest, just ask. Thanks for reading this far.

[andmcit]

It's gut wrenchingly awful watching your pride and joy burn to a crisp
despite your best efforts to try and stop it burn away; I know, as I
watched my Xm go the same way a few years back. Sad, very
frustrating and genuinely traumatic if you love the car.

Moving on, I'd be very interested to know more about the alloys
you mention available! Any pics*/spec/price would be very appreciated!
please pm me...

Thanks, Andrew

* I realise you may not have a camera or PC up and running but I thought
I'd ask anyway!

[toddao]

Hello Roy, it's good that you provide some more details. The idea that 'we wouldn't touch you with a barge pole ' is ridiculous - it's not like that here!
Sounds like a lovely example of the marque and lets hope the new owner gets onboard here too. Problem is, now you're plugged in to the forum it's going to get you tempted to get another one!

Are you familiar with the PM system of messages - I would be very interested in those bits and I will be not so far from you around mid/late July. My early valver needs feeding. I'll send you a PM..

[Philip Chidlow]

Absolutely! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us.

[MULLEY]

Roy, dont worry about us, we might moan, question or just plain take the mick or even dare i say it critical

Its was your car, you can spend what you like & its jolly decent of you to take the time & trouble to even bother explaining yourself when you dont have to.

Sounds like the buyer really wanted your car, & these cars are only worth what someone was prepared to pay for it, so if he wanted to hand over thousands thats their business only, lucky you!!!

I hope someone will want one of my beasts if i decide to sell. Mind you i didnt spend quite as much on them as you did

So, got any other citroens lurking in your garages?

[docchevron]

It developed a small LHM leak and by the time I had parked up outside the showroom of my Citroen Dealer to get a replacement hydraulic pipe, it was on FIRE ! Don't know how, but it caught big time,

That'll be the fuel line perished then, or the injector O ring seals, quite a few valver / 8V's went the same way...

perhaps I should tell you that I am sixty years of age,

Driving a valver at 60, dude, you're a legend here now! Fair play to you, I wish to be driving mine at 60, if you can still get fuel and oil then....

and just about finding my way around this computer.

You're doing better than me then. My computer has a life of it's own entirely seperate to me I'm sure...

I used to have a superb, perhaps unique, helpfull Parts Manager @ Viking Citroen, Peter Wright,

Helpful and Citroën parts manager are mutually exclusive, so yes, definitley unique!

So guys/gals if you have any specific questions feel free to ask.

I think you've done a sterling job of answering everything sir.
Althoug I'm now confused as to whether I fit into the guy or gal catagory.....!

I wasn't trying to rubbish you, or discredit you, really I wasn't, I was just very intrigued as to the full story here, which I now feel we have.

ECU Unit,

2 row or 3 row?

By the tone of some of the posted comments I can appreciate some of you won't touch me with a barge pole but that of course is your choice but if there is any interest, just ask. Thanks for reading this far.

Nonsense. We may have heated discussions on here, but it's not personal, really. You should hear the way I speak to my friends, and these are people I actually know and get on with very well!
I'm an arsehole to most people, dont take it personally, it's just the way I am....

By the way, Thank you for sticking at this and clarifying your side of the story, many would have said nothing.

[roy.hassell]

For those of you who have posted replies, I thank you. This is my first experience of entering a forum so helping me to understand where you are coming from is appreciated. The ' Red One ' as it was affectionally known was one of 6 cars that I own. So upto April this year my stable consisted of 1986 BMW 628CSi ( The Classic Coupe ), 1990 BX16Valver, 1992 Cavalier 2.0L CDi Saloon, 1992 BX16Valver, 1996 Volvo 850 T5 Saloon ( Auto ), 2000 BMW 528iSE Saloon ( Auto ). Yeh I know they are not all Citroens but variety is the spice of life and you can only learn by trying. Since passing my test at the tender age of 17 I have had ( some owned, some company cars ) in excess of 60 cars including my first ever company car in 1977 which was, by my choice and insistance, a Citroen CX2400 Super which at that age was the phase one. I got nicked, only a fine and three points in those days, for speeding in that one on the M11, I saw plod just in time and had my foot off the pedal but still got me for 126mph, just prior to that it was past thelast marking on the speedo which I believe was 130. Funny car that, the longer you kept your foot nailed to the floor the faster it went, only supposed to do about 115 but there you go, never did find out where it topped out Apart from that and the two 16Valvers I hace had both 16 & 19 TRS's, my wife having had 2 x 2CV's, one of which was a Dolly. By my reckoning I personally have driven in excess of 150,000 miles in Citroens. Late breakfast is about to be served so will get back later with answers to those specific questions posted.

[mnde]

I'd still like to know exactley where the £7K went, and further, if you've spent £7K on a car worth £1K, selling it is silly.

People do funny things. The previous owner of my car dropped a fortune on it - not quite seven grand, but certainly a couple. He'd just made a decision to change cars.

£7K spent since 2001 is easy to understand.

I have spent over £11K on my GSA in restoration & servicing costs over the same time period...

Mark.

[docchevron]

I wasn't suggesting that spending £7K is not believeable, my valver owes me over £20K, I just wondered as to where the money went really.

It's telling of a cars providence to know where it's had money spent and where it hasn't. Roy answered the question and sated my curiosity.

[roy.hassell]

As you all know by now, computers and me don't mix and this is one big learning curve ! So at the moment I am scratching my important little parts trying to work out how to post a full set of photos and description of work carried out onto the forum. Any offers of an explanation of how to do it in simple english with no big words would be gratefully received.
In anticipation, Roy.

[roy.hassell]

I hope this helps you to identify it. It is a Motronic unit with the original Bosch label still on it showing part number 0 261 200 140 on which someone has also written L130/1 in pen. It is a 2 row unit which I purchased for £150.00 + vat as a reconditioned unit as new ones were no longer available when the one on my 1990 16Valver gave me problems. The car had a RP number of 4804, VIN VF7XBEJ0002EJ4361, engine number 002653. Some parts on the engine such as inlet and exhaust manifolds, and a New Original Citroen Crankshaft ( cost about £500 ) and has only covered about 40K miles, with extremely regular Duckhams Oil & Filter Changes, should be available in the near future. A 16Valve Rear Bumper, complete, is available now ! By all means pm me if you wish, see, I'm learning the system.

[grecian]

in reply to Docchevron:

Roy wrote:
perhaps I should tell you that I am sixty years of age,

Driving a valver at 60, dude, you're a legend here now! Fair play to you, I wish to be driving mine at 60, if you can still get fuel and oil then...


I'm a bit more than Roy and I'm still enjoying 24 valves (but not Citroen); boring, an old fart, but a very fast boring old fart with a big grin