Pleasant day out

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:43 pm

Today the central European chapter of the BX Club went for their Spring scrap-attack. Weather was blazing and the BXs were thick on the ground.

Here's Carl (TB2) in the first scrappy in Mulhouse where we found a very low mileage, well looked after 1985 GT that had suffered a rear shunt - that's not it in the photo, just the big rubber spoiler from it that's going on my TRD

After a pleasant picnic in the grassed area of the Carrefour Supermarche carpark we went to meet Remy (BX19GTI1988)

We followed Remy to the 'secret' scrapyard

This was one of the best scrapyards I've been to : friendly management, full of BXs and loads of local punters busy removing bits and pieces. I filled a carrier bag with bits and the boss - friend of Remy - gave it all for free.

Very enjoyable day out! Now enjoying a few bottles of the Meteor Pils that I brought back

The parting photo : CH, F, GB/D

TB2 · Post by **TB2** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:13 pm

Very pleasant indeed! Here's some more pictures... (clickable).

Too bad I only found one of the ~10 parts I needed. But I got a hot lead on some swift 2 rims, and it was a very nice trip!

Tourist · Post by **Tourist** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:32 pm

I'm liking the mk1 with decals on the sides - very nice

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:41 pm

Looks like a great day

I just love your mk1 todd, its the biz

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:43 pm

Seems like a dream day out. BXs look great.

Post by **Tim Leech** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:48 am

What year was the GT todd? and what colour interior did it have matey.

Ta!

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:37 pm

Tim asked

What year was the GT todd?

It was 1985 and the interior was like a black and grey houndstooth - no idea what this is called. The whole car was in good condition - it had 85000kms on it, new spheres, exhaust, tyres, clean interior. I think the rear shunt ended its life prematurely. Not many parts had been taken - the badges and the carbs were away. We had to leave because the scrapyard owner chased us out at midday.

CitroXim · Post by **CitroXim** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:18 pm

That's a dream day out Todd

Your scrapyards look a lot better than ours. No puddles of oil to wade through and reasonable access. Magical...

Post by **Tim Leech** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:28 am

toddao wrote:Tim asked

What year was the GT todd?
It was 1985 and the interior was like a black and grey houndstooth - no idea what this is called. The whole car was in good condition - it had 85000kms on it, new spheres, exhaust, tyres, clean interior. I think the rear shunt ended its life prematurely. Not many parts had been taken - the badges and the carbs were away. We had to leave because the scrapyard owner chased us out at midday.

If you go back again will you let me know as thats the same interior as mine!

Ta muchly.

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:35 pm

I forgot to mention that there was a BX14 in the second yard that had a mere 60k kms on it. The proof that it hadn't had a hard life was shown by the fact it had that nylon like material that was designed to wear out - that grey-ish stuff that I originally had in my yellow one but it had worn out ( probably in 1987, six months after it hit the road!) Anyway, these seats were in perfect condition.

Right, I thought, I'll grab those for the yellow and return it to its original format. Then I saw that these seats were not very versatile: the front seats had no adjustment at all, the rear bench didn't pull forward and the back upright simply folded on top of it, not exactly flat. Also there were no side pieces to the upright. I've never seen such a pov spec BX - but perfect cosmetic condition. What was it doing there? Head gasket? Who knows? Always gutting to see rust free BXs lying in the boneyard.

By the way Tim, what do you need from the GT?

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:34 pm

The proof that it hadn't had a hard life was shown by the fact it had that nylon like material that was designed to wear out - that grey-ish stuff that I originally had in my yellow one but it had worn out

Think I know exactly what you mean -I found vaguely wooly nylon seats in an '87 series 2 diesel I dismantled. They were totally wrecked - thin threads of grey nylon everywhere. Horrible. The seats on a 14 in the UK were often a sort of square patchwork of greys in a canvassy material - but as you describe as per lack of adjustment.

The houndstooth (I always rather fancifully think of these as chevron-like) is in black/grey on some cars apart from the GT/early GTis - it cropped up in 17/19DTR and 14 Previews too. That assumes it's the variety where the sides and bolsters of the seas are trimmed in a black velour-type material - almost like jumbo cord.

I've got a photo somewhere that Vanny sent me years ago of an early GTi in a scrapyard with lovely chevron/houndstooth trim in a pale-ish blue and black which covers the entire seat surface. Perhaps that's the more likely one.
There's a more

Post by **Tim Leech** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 11:15 pm

toddao wrote: By the way Tim, what do you need from the GT?

Not that much matey tbh, but I am still after a manual choke blanking plug in black which is to the right (left on LHD) of the steering column if you can get one, Will happily pay postage to blighty.

Thanks.

TB2 · Post by **TB2** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:19 am

Roverman wrote:Not that much matey tbh, but I am still after a manual choke blanking plug in black which is to the right (left on LHD) of the steering column if you can get one, Will happily pay postage to blighty.

I've see one of those in one of the BX' we've seen. Can't remember which one though. Todd, do you remember? I'm probably going to Strassbourg next week to pick up some Swift 2 rims if Remys friend is willing to sell. The drive goes over Mulhouse anyway, so I can get it for you if I remember where I had found it. Probably on the big, frequented scrap yard...

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:38 am

Mulhouse is on the BXagon route BTW.

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:51 pm

The GT, thus the manual choke that Tim needs, is in the first scrapyard we went to in Mulhouse Ille de Napolean/ Rixheim, Carl. Tim had told me before that he required something but I couldn't remember and time was against us.
Hope you manage to get those wheels Carl. If they're in Strasbourg then perhaps they are with the president of the French BX Club - BX World. Who I believe has a Heuliez Buffalo amongst other things. Take your camera.

How much time will you have for Mulhouse Phil re BXagon? There's a lot of interesting things there apart from the scrapyards : two good musuems, one for railways and one for cars as well as a huge Peugeot Citroen factory ( not really that interesting). At least will you have time to meet up with the central European BXers?