My old BX's being used as they were intended!

messerschmitt owner · Post by **messerschmitt owner** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 9:24 am

My first BX was a blue one - D328PUS

Jaguar XK150 Citroen BX D328PUS by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

I did this to it six weeks into ownership - of course, the stationary Volvo 340 I drove into in the fog on the M62's outside lane wasn't repaired.

citroen BX d328PUS after accident 2 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

citroen BX d328PUS after accident by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

My next BX was F390 OSP

citroen bx f390 OSP 2 by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

seen here at Carter Bar

citroen bx f390 OSP by messerschmitt owner, on Flickr

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 10:46 am

I reckon that the little Messerschmitt and trailer is just about the right capacity for the BX.
In Germany all car papers specify the maximum (braked) towing weight which for any BX is 1100kg ( un-braked trailers only 500Kg). Seeing as the lightest 'regular' car trailer is approx 500Kg ( and most are 700Kg) that would mean a car weighing only 600Kg is all that is within limits!
That Jag must have weighed at least 1500Kg without trailer?
The BX unfortunately wasn't designed to tow car trailers and only relatively light trailers and caravans..

Lovely old Jag. Where's that now?

Post by **Tim Leech** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 10:52 am

wooops, I take it that was the end of that BX then? looks a bit of a mess....

messerschmitt owner · Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:29 am

the BX was repaired - was a great car - took me from 45,000 miles all the way to 190,000 before sold (on clutch one - despite some heavy tow jobs - it was only a 17RD).

The trailer and Heinkel weighed about 600kg all in. The trailer was hand-made to cope with the bubble cars and came in at 170kg all in.

I pulled the 150 out of a garage it had been in since the mid-1970s. It is now fully restored. It went all of half a mile before being unloaded again.

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 12:54 pm

I didn't want to play TÜV inspector - I think I've been in Germany too long!

Before moving here I never thought about such things. Then I tried to tow a car on a trailer with my BX Break which led to overheating up a particularly nasty hill and my attention was drawn to the towing weights on the rego documents..

It's a Heinkel and not a Messerschmitt? The post war fruit of the shamed German aviation industry!

messerschmitt owner · Post by **messerschmitt owner** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:15 pm

Todd, it is actually a Heinkel Ireland - Dundalk's finest!

The Messerschmitt is like a plane cockpit, but not a plane cockpit (to paraphrase a VW advert).

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:03 pm

toddao wrote:The post war fruit of the shamed German aviation industry!

Just O/T for a moment. Not sure it was shamed (unless you count slave labour!) - on a technical front anyway. I have a thing about secret aircraft projects and Messerschmitt designed my favourite; the P1101.

Back O/T must have been a job and a half to get that BX repaired!

messerschmitt owner · Post by **messerschmitt owner** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:26 pm

Philip Chidlow wrote:
toddao wrote:The post war fruit of the shamed German aviation industry!
Just O/T for a moment. Not sure it was shamed (unless you count slave labour!) - on a technical front anyway. I have a thing about secret aircraft projects and Messerschmitt designed my favourite; the P1101.

Back O/T must have been a job and a half to get that BX repaired!

it wasn't too bad - new front wings, new radiator, inner wings pulled out, new crossmember, a new bonnet, lights and bumper and a wee bit of paint.

The BX kinked the chassis of the 340.

Post by **Tim Leech** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:36 pm

Both scottis registered cars I see too.

messerschmitt owner · Post by **messerschmitt owner** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 3:47 pm

Roverman wrote:Both scottis registered cars I see too.

Shhhhh, don't tell anyone, but I am from Scotland originally!

The first was bought from Citroen Glasgow - a one owner car - purchased in 1990, the second a one-owner car, bought from a friend who worked in a garage in Montrose. My third was also a Scottish reg car - a dark maroon K-plate (I may have a pic somewhere of it too) ex-motability diesel auto.

Fourth was a Gloucester registered F reg GTi 8v - but it had four owners before I got it.

Matt H · Post by **Matt H** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 4:33 pm

Love the period pictures...

I remember seeing a BX 1.9 n/a towing a BX 16v once... Somewhat overloaded by the sound of it

messerschmitt owner wrote:Fourth was a Gloucester registered F reg GTi 8v - but it had four owners before I got it.

That's nothing, mine's had 12

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 4:42 pm

Not sure I'd fancy towing an XK150, especially the wrong way around!

My BX has towed a Bond Equipe on a trailer, but I reckon that was 1500kg in total, so that was a bit naughty. Handled it very nicely mind.

messerschmitt owner · Post by **messerschmitt owner** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 4:48 pm

Dollywobbler wrote:Not sure I'd fancy towing an XK150, especially the wrong way around!

My BX has towed a Bond Equipe on a trailer, but I reckon that was 1500kg in total, so that was a bit naughty. Handled it very nicely mind.

I was going from a garage to the house - about half of a mile at 20mph - never got above third. The brakes were seized on the 150 so it had to go on that way! I've had three bubbles on that trailer before - it fishtailed all over the shop at over 45mph.

Dollywobbler · Post by **Dollywobbler** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 6:55 pm

Ah, that's alright then! Likewise, my Bond trek was all of 4 miles, taken very easily. The lack of hills in the flatlands helps though...

Post by **Tim Leech** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:54 pm

Matt H wrote:Love the period pictures...

I remember seeing a BX 1.9 n/a towing a BX 16v once... Somewhat overloaded by the sound of it

messerschmitt owner wrote:Fourth was a Gloucester registered F reg GTi 8v - but it had four owners before I got it.
That's nothing, mine's had 12

Well not officialy, I owned it twice, and the guy afore me 3 times as he kept selling to his brother and buying it back!