H Reg BX 16v 113k Free to good home Southampton area

Matt H · Post by **Matt H** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:15 am

That really doesn't look that bad...

Let's hope the rust isn't any worse than it looks on first inspection.

Could probably make a nice car for someone

Hairbear · Post by **Hairbear** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:45 pm

Just to show she was once genuinely red :

And was bought to replace a lovely GTI:

Later followed by my favourite, a dark blue XM 3.0i V6 Auto Exclusive

Many thanks to Rich for hopefully saving the 16v - I never realised there were so many faithfull BXers out there.
I am feeling really guilty now and wonder where these and all my older BXs are now.

Cheers all
Hairbear

Hurricane · Post by **Hurricane** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:49 pm

Well done Kitch, glad to see it's been saved, hopefully it will turn out good.

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:08 pm

Cheers all

Had some progress today. Got back from work and couldn't resist having a closer look just before it got dark. Rolled it back down my drive (which is on a hill) and started it up. Performed some Citrobics and noticed the front struts are sticky at the top, hopefully just a greasing needed there.

The misfire then came back and eventually got really bad. Then it ran out of fuel! I got some more fuel, still wouldn't start! Jacked the back end up to make the car level....still nothing.
Decided to quickly check the basics (it was pitch black by now!) and straight away found the plugs and leads soaking wet! Must be condensation or something, as no water can get in there unless you wash the engine.

Anyway....misfire is now cured

Runs happily, although exhaust is v.loud. Needs a service and the plugs look unhappy, but leads good.

Managed to get some more pics:

Overall today I'm feeling positive. The rust around the screen isn't holy, just unsightly so by removing and re-fitting the screen (something I won't be doing!) it would be possible to neaten all that up at the mo.
The sills look quite solid too, and the rear exhaust hanger is there.
I even tried polishing it on the bonnet edges, and it responded quite well. The front bumper is a bit sunbaked and blistered as are parts of the rear spoiler, so they'll never be mint but otherwise it's not too bad so far. Rear door does need replacing though....it's knackered.

Other things I've noticed are the foglamp switch is not a foglamp switch

One of the heater cables has snapped and it needs a new knob too. Cooling system seems ok, but heater is cold...suspect blocked matrix, so I'll try a flush first. Oil pressure etc seems fine and once the misfire had cleared it didn't really smoke.
Other thing I noticed was one of the rear cylinder gaitors seems moist. Never ventured into that area before.

As things stand, I'm feeling more positive about getting it roadworthy again though. Breaking was a last resort thing.

Only thing I can't work out if I do go ahead and start the repairs, is whether to spend little time and effort, just get the basics done and ask reletively little for a valver, or whether to try and go to town with it...risking lots of my own money in the process!

One thing's definate, if I was trying to make money I'd definately get more by breaking it....that much is certain. And quite a bit more.

So I'm probably a bit of a fool for planning how to go about fixing it up once I've moved house

chriscarterstevens · Post by **chriscarterstevens** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:00 pm

kitch,

keep me updated by any means you like, ive been after a valver for a while, not neccessarily a minter, once you have it up together, some bank of england vouchers could change hands no doubt.

potentially, if its ok with you, you may have found it a good home, as im well and truly infected with the bx bug.

feedback appreciated

chris

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:24 pm

Hi Chris, no problem.

I've had some interest already before I'd even started work on the thing! It must come across as a good'un if people are inquiring as this early stage.
I'll keep some sort of progress blog going, so that if anyone is/will be interested, they can keep up to date on the car's progress and see exactly what's being done.

So far, I'm trying to find a door for the O/S/R. A couple of BXC members have kindly offered assistance although both are logistically......not quite so close! But if I have to travel, so be it.

I've also found a brand new crossbox for £25 or so, which isn't too bad although I'm keeping an eye out for a second hand one, as they're not exactly prone to rotting all that quickly.
And so far I've got most of the service bits together at work ready for it, so really the next stage is to get it running fairly happily and get it in for an early stage MOT....see what's what. Only then will I know what plan of attack there is for it.
If the news isn't too bad (and it may well not be...it's done less than 1000 miles since the last, although that was 8 years ago!) then I'll crack on with the service and other bits. I'll have to sort the exhaust before the MOT to give it any type of hope though....it sounds horrific at the mo

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:27 pm

I've just noticed it's got red pinstripes fitted too, not black! How odd!

Matt H · Post by **Matt H** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:02 pm

Hmmmm... That looks very nice.

Good news on getting it running right. One problem down, only about 30 more to go

. Not that it is any use to you whatsoever, I actually have a full 16v exhaust excluding the backbox... I'm only 160 miles away from you

Oh, and Kitch... I like the ever expanding signature

Matt H · Post by **Matt H** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:15 pm

...and as for the paint, I've seen, and dealt with worse... This is the same bonnet, although we changed every other panel!

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:44 pm

Matt H wrote:Hmmmm... That looks very nice.

Good news on getting it running right. One problem down, only about 30 more to go . Not that it is any use to you whatsoever, I actually have a full 16v exhaust excluding the backbox... I'm only 160 miles away from you

Oh, and Kitch... I like the ever expanding signature

Ha! Thats typical! I'd like to get a genuine backbox for it ideally; the curly ones look so pants!
I'm secretly relieved the backbox isn't the issue....I can keep my spare oval as a spare!

I've started the polishing on the front edge and front wings. Those, at least, will come up a decent red again although if the wing comes up mint, it's being swapped with the one on my original valver which has a little dent in the top. Sucks for the next owner I know, but that car may be written off 4 weeks after I sell it (last valver was!) and I know I'm keeping my car for the duration. I'll just take it into consideration with the price

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:13 pm

Making slow progress until I've moved house, but the car is moving forward.

Booked the MOT today for the 4th March next Wednesday. Wanted to get a proper fail sheet so I know what work will need doing. Had to bodge up the crossbox with some putty and tape, which still isn't good but then a replacement will only do looking at the state of it:

One thing I'm starting to feel confident about is the shell though. The bits of bubbling around the screen so far look to be about the worst of it, which is always nice. The rear underside is actually in really good condition, and the saddle tank strap is still in one piece!

Notice the moist rear cylinder gaitor is actually a gaitor with a thwacking great hole in it, so it needs replacing. Looks fairly good overall, although the spheres are nearly solid!

One odd issue the car does have so far is the plugs and leads have got wet again! The car returned to it's misfiring state this evening and once again I had to remove and dry the plugs and leads. I can't work out where it's coming from; there are no waterways or seals near them, other than the o-rings under the rocker cover which prevent oil entering the plug area.
Could it just be excessive damp? I suppose theres alot of condensation being given off each time I warm the car up.
I cleaned the leads and plugs, and this time treated them to a WD40 type spray. Once it'd been running 2 mins after, the problem seemed to vanish.

I even managed to sneak a quick run up the end of the road and back

First time I've driven it running on four cylinders! Seems to pull very strongly even in it's slightly weakened state, so I've got a good feeling about it once it's had a service and a bit of use. Gave it a bootfull once warmed up and he biggest cloud of smoke and muck erupted out the tailpipe, but afterwards there was very little and the car seemed happier to idle....the old Italian tune-up will always work

So no major change, but things still looking as up as they were last time. I've given a portion of the bonnet a decent cut now and I'm definately confident the body panels at least will come up decent red again. Only the paint on the skirts and bumpers are a bit of a let down as it stands.

Matt H · Post by **Matt H** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:11 am

Good luck with the MoT... and the house move!

Strange how the plugs are getting damp, but I find that sort of thing does tend to happen on a car sat around for so long.

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 6:40 pm

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's just condensation and the run to the MOT station will sort it. It's been sat outside for a few winters now, especially with the recent cold snap we had.

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 8:51 pm

That's what I'm going to do with my valver - book it in for a test and wait for the three volumes of the fail certificates! Doesn't look too bad though Kitch, be interested to see what's amiss.
How's the new house? Complete with nursery I take it?

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:12 pm

Yeah I think it looks good for one thats been stood a long time. I'm asking them not to be lenient....I want to know exactly what it's like!

Not moving to new house until next week mate, when I'll have two red BX's on my drive next to each other