Paul's polishin' blog

Tell us about life with your BX, or indeed life in general!
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Tim Leech
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Post by Tim Leech »

Looking good paul! Those wheels are a lot rarer than speed lines, and are the correct optional wheels for a TGD.
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Paul296
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Post by Paul296 »

Ooo look - it's some more pictures of wheels! :D

Thanks Tim, thanks Vince. I do really like speedlines on the right car, but they're a bit too 'trackday' for a 17TGD; these are bit more 'picnic hamper' - if you know what I mean!? It'll be nice too have something a bit different anyway and that are also correct for the car.

Image

The wheel with the great big gash across it took a while to sort out but came up quite well in the end - it's obviously had quite a bash. I just hope it balances OK when I fit it - imagine how I'd laugh if it didn't! (I wouldn't :shock: )

@Vince. I just whip my mobile phone out for the pics. I'd get all self-conscious under the glare of cameras and studio lights! :D I really enjoyed Kitch's thread too - very nice work.
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Re: Paul's polishin' blog

Post by bx petrol auto saloon »

Dear Paul.
Firstly so sorry for my late reply Paul :roll: Those wheels are going look really smart
when they are all done too aren,t they Paul =D> I am sure they will balance up OK Paul,
what I try do with wheels on any of my cars, is to try and put the two with the least
amounts of balance weights, to the front of the car and put the two with the most weights, to the rears Paul
Do those alloys have to have metric tyres on then Paul :?: What make and size tyres
are you going to go for then Paul :?: :wink:
Take Care Paul.
Vince.
Passion Hydropneumatic Citroen,s

Cars;- 1993 White Citroen BX 1.6 TXi petrol
saloon auto with air-con & ABS.
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1988 Silver SAAB 900i 2.0 8v F/lift,
saloon 5sp with 3 spoke Ronals,
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Owned for 15 years T & T.
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Re: Paul's polishin' blog

Post by Paul296 »

Hi Vince and thanks for the advice. The wheels are - apparently - the same size as the steelies that are currently on the car, so I should be able to get the local tyre bloke to just swap them over. If I have to buy a whole new set of tyres ( :shock: ) it might be a while before the alloys are fitted, although Tim assured me they would just be a straight swap.

I spent the weekend attending to some of the Hurricanes cosmetic 'issues'. After a good valetting I fitted the first of the newly refurbished alloys. I thought the others were in pretty good nick but since fitting the new one I now need to get the others up to the same standard asap! The new one isn't quite perfect as I should really have let the base coat cure for longer; that would have allowed me to 'wet n' dry' it back a bit more and give a better surface for the lacquer - I'll know next time though - you live and learn! Generally though I'm really pleased with it; the lacquer coat polished up luvly. 8)

Image

While I was about it I sorted the paint on the drivers door surround; the body shop that repainted the door had left it gummed up with masking tape glue and I knew that any thinner that was strong enough to remove it would also remove some paint - I was right - so I bit the bullet and sorted it. It's a bit of a pain masking off half the car just for a window surround but cutting overspray off good paintwork is MORE of a pain!

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I then took her for a spin with my Mum over to Belvoir. On my return it occurred to me that spraying the tyres with that 'shiny tyre stuff' is a complete waste of time, money and effort - but tiny things please tiny minds and it's only 2 quid a pop at Wilkos :D

Image

I had to borrow my Mum's phone to take the pics so they're bit crap (she's not really into mobile phones - except to ring me with monotonous regularity), but you get the picture; my shiny car in lovely scenic setting - and so on and so forth :D
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Matt H
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Re: Paul's polishin' blog

Post by Matt H »

That really is a great looking car...

If you want shiny tyres, use a good tyre gel. I use Meguires (Mainly because it was free - I'd buy more, the only thing being one bottle has lasted me a couple of years so far). It usually lasts a couple of weeks rather than a couple of days, and it looks really good.
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Re: Paul's polishin' blog

Post by saintjamesy89 »

Car looks absolutely fabulous Paul! I really like triton green, and that refurbed speedline looks amazing, I take my hat of to you.
I'm not a Saint, or a James, but a Tom Saint-James!

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Re: Paul's polishin' blog

Post by bx petrol auto saloon »

Dear Paul.
Great pictures Paul, Lincolnshire countryside and no traffic " ( great Ahhhh ! ) " Just
regarging my batteries Paul "

Your wheels look damn good Paul well done, what I prefer to do is to start with the
worst conditioned wheel first, and then the others should be alot easier than the first one
:wink:
I don,t use any tyre dressing at all now Paul, since I had to put 4 brand new Avon
ZV3,s on the SAAB, which look fab. I did try some spray on stuff from H*****s, on the
old the old tyres, but without me noticing it was gradually building up an overspray area
over the outsides of my 3 spoke ronals, which was a right s*d to get off, so don,t use
that areosol stuff at all OK Paul #-o :wink:
I have found too Paul that bodyshops are genuinly quite good when your car goes in
to have work done, but you need to do a full valet yourself afterwards :)
I know the bonnet on mine needs going over with a buffer and some compound, as it
is a little hazy and cloudy. So I am going to get that done soon. I am also going to try
and get them to do me a touch-up for it, so I can touch up a few chips. I may try to ask
them if they can supply me with an aerosol of white paint so that I can respray both of
the front door shut, lower kick panels. I thought that would be a good place to start my
bodywork sort out, as they are both only small areas to begin with Paul, what do you
think :?:
I got some new tailgate struts a while back now, and went to fit them this morning,
only to find they won,t fit and don,t have the right ones either :roll: Thats what I get
for polishing her all up and redoing as you do all the door shuts, and minting the tailgate
shuts ready for the new struts to go on :roll:
Anyway Paul
Take care and very very well done =D> =D> :-" :-"
Vince.
Passion Hydropneumatic Citroen,s

Cars;- 1993 White Citroen BX 1.6 TXi petrol
saloon auto with air-con & ABS.
47,594 Miles from new.
Owned for 3 years sorned.
1988 Silver SAAB 900i 2.0 8v F/lift,
saloon 5sp with 3 spoke Ronals,
69,000 Miles from new.
Owned for 15 years T & T.
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Re: Paul's polishin' blog

Post by Paul296 »

bx petrol auto saloon wrote:
I may try to ask
them if they can supply me with an aerosol of white paint so that I can respray both of
the front door shut, lower kick panels. I thought that would be a good place to start my
bodywork sort out, as they are both only small areas to begin with Paul, what do you
think :?:
I haven't done the front door kick panels on my Hurricane yet - they are quite scratched/chipped etc. - while the car was my daily driver I thought even if I sort them out they'll be as bad again within a few months; when a car's a working car I think you have to be pragmatic about just how shiny you want it, otherwise you turn into a nervous wreck! (not to mention a crashing bore to any one lucky/unlucky enough to ride in it) :D

Now the Hurricane's no longer my daily driver though - to hell with pragmatism; I'll be sorting them out at some point! If you're BX isn't chalking up loads of use, I'd get on and do it Vince; you know it'll annoy the hell out of you if you don't! :D On the leading edge I notice most get worn back to bare metal - if there's any bare metal showing you might need a primer as well as a colour coat?
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Re: Paul's polishin' blog

Post by Caffiend »

Paul296 wrote:Image
My TZD is the right colour (vert triton being my favourite too) and the right engine and I love it ... but DAMN, I covet that Hurricane!

How much of a pain is it *really* to cut overspray? I'm considering rattle-can primer/paint/lacquer on a few very small areas (worst is n/s/r wheelarch and that's still only just over hand size) on mine that are down to the metal - to stop the rust setting in before I can afford full panel resprays. If I primer, then cut, coat, then cut, lacquer, cut if necessary then polish, will I still end up with a Green Giraffe?
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Re: Paul's polishin' blog

Post by Paul296 »

Caffiend wrote:
Paul296 wrote: My TZD is the right colour (vert triton being my favourite too) and the right engine and I love it ... but DAMN, I covet that Hurricane!

How much of a pain is it *really* to cut overspray? I'm considering rattle-can primer/paint/lacquer on a few very small areas (worst is n/s/r wheelarch and that's still only just over hand size) on mine that are down to the metal - to stop the rust setting in before I can afford full panel resprays. If I primer, then cut, coat, then cut, lacquer, cut if necessary then polish, will I still end up with a Green Giraffe?
I got lucky with that car and I STILL count my lucky stars that Shaun had saved it from the scrappers just when my previous Hurricane was 'gathered to God'. The head gasket was blown and it had no gearbox, but there was no way it was going to the scrappers . . .

Image [-X

Depends what you mean by 'pain' really? :shock: As the great Victorian art critic, social commentator and all round good egg John Ruskin rightly pointed out; 'genius is the capacity for taking pains', or rather the quality of the job is directly proportional to the effort expended (and pathological anality will be your greatest ally! :D). You might need to practise on some scrap metal or something before you attack your car maybe;the only real skill is moving the paint jet across the surface so that you get an even paint coat - if you just 'point and shoot' you'll make a dreadful mess (as the actress said to the bishop :D) There are loads of 'paint your car' blogs if you do a google search; I used my Dad's old 'AA Book of the Car', in which a bearded bloke with a Holts paint tin makes a pile of rust - shaped like a Triumph Herald - look brand new again. . . in 10 easy stages! :D I'll PM you a few more details Sandre if you like.
Last edited by Paul296 on Wed May 16, 2012 1:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Paul's polishin' blog

Post by Paul296 »

Matt H wrote:That really is a great looking car...

If you want shiny tyres, use a good tyre gel. I use Meguires (Mainly because it was free - I'd buy more, the only thing being one bottle has lasted me a couple of years so far). It usually lasts a couple of weeks rather than a couple of days, and it looks really good.
Thanks for the heads up Mat - I'll definitely be giving that a go; a step nearer to my Guinness Book of World records entry, as the only person to have tried EVERY car valetting product known to man! :D
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Re: Paul's polishin' blog

Post by Caffiend »

Paul296 wrote:... the only real skill is moving the paint jet across the surface so that you get an even paint coat
OK, I'm screwed. The steadiness of the 'and deceives the eye :S

Thanks for the tips, will do some Google-Fu once I've got the exam on one course and 2 assignments on the other out of the way this week ( :shock: ) - and bring flapjack to Wetherby to make you easier to collar with some more stupid Qs :D
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Re: Paul's polishin' blog

Post by Paul296 »

Caffiend wrote:
Paul296 wrote:... the only real skill is moving the paint jet across the surface so that you get an even paint coat
OK, I'm screwed. The steadiness of the 'and deceives the eye :S

Thanks for the tips, will do some Google-Fu once I've got the exam on one course and 2 assignments on the other out of the way this week ( :shock: ) - and bring flapjack to Wetherby to make you easier to collar with some more stupid Qs :D
Deal. It's a common misconception that the way to a man's heart is through his sternum with a carving knife 8) . . . it's actually flapjack!
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4 BXs for parts/restoration (split from Paul's blog)

Post by Paul296 »

A friend of Shaun's recently ran a 'buy a BX, run it until it fails its MOT, then park it up and forget about it' policy. Consequently, there are now 4 cars (three TZD hatches,1 DTR estate) and a shed full of BX parts that have to be cleared by the Autumn. The owner had originally intended to weigh the lot in but Shaun and I stepped in and are now breaking the cars instead (let that lot go to waste? I don't think so!). If there's anything anybody needs that's still available, drop me a PM. All have been parked up on grass for the last year or so, so what they're like underneath is anybodies guess (!). All run and rise and don't appear to have any leaks. Shaun also has a wad of new 'TZD turbo' C pillar decals in silver and black and large size similar window stickers for any TZDers out there who fancy tarting up their P&J.

Image

The white TZD was in daily use until last year and might be savable. The engine pressurises a bit (I know; head gasket? no thanks! :shock: ) but has been running like that for the last 5 years. The front door shuts 'need a bit of welding' according to Shaun (who can weld) to me they look absolutely bolloxed (but then I can't weld) the front screen surround looks iffy to me as well and it needs a new screen. Personally, I think it's a breaker, but someone might be feeling brave? Shaun did say he'd be happy to do the welding and replace the screen as part of the purchase price.

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I nicked the old style CCC sticker - they're nicer than the new ones I think. No tailblazers or contour mudflaps on any of them; checked that out pdq! All appear to have front splitters though, which are always in short supply. There's a good set of white 'button' type TG trims on that one too.

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The black TZD is the least complete car - no interior, but full of parts.

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Cosmetically none of them are that bad. All panels/lights/bumpers/trim etc. appear to be in excellent nick and very usable. The hatch load covers are all fine and there were one or two more knocking about in the shed (Sandre?).

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The shed is crammed full of BX parts that we'll be going through and cataloguing at some point. I'll post a full list when I have it.

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At the back of the shed there's a pile of decent bumpers (front and rear with good inserts), doors and assorted panels including a full 16v body kit (not sure if it's phase 1 or phase 2 though).

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The DTR estate looks a bit knackered, it's obviously been parked up the longest. It has a very nice interior though - just needs a good clean. Infact all of the cars appeared to be full of straw as they've been used for transporting sheep; as if 'Mistral' velour and hydropneumatic suspension wasn't enough! :shock:

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The estate also has a a Citroen 'accessoirie' boot-liner which someone might be interested in assuming the sheep haven't eaten it. (obviously you can't see it in the pic because . . . well, the boots closed innit!? :D)

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A decent set of 6J speedlines complete with centre caps, wheel bolts and decent tyres (one looked brand new). I think they're already spoken for though when I get a price off Shaun - which I forgot to do!

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Last but not least Shaun's series 2 XM turbo diesel SX, now (sadly) a donor car for his estate; it got twatted by a Polish lorry driver the week before it was due for a new clutch. Apparently the sills are rusted out anyway - shame. Notice the childs doll and plastic trophy parked ominously on the roof. It lent a rather 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' atmosphere to the whole yard . . . spooky! :D

All prices are negotiable but will be very reasonable. The object of the exercise is to keep BX's (and their owners) happy . . . and we all like a bit of 'happy'! :D
Last edited by Paul296 on Thu May 31, 2012 11:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Paul's polishin' blog

Post by Paul296 »

Image

After the first coat of primer, sorted out the faults then used cataloy knifing putty for any last remaining pinholes and imperfections; sand back, last coat of primer, then the colour coat. This is proving to be a VERY long job. There was a ropey set on ebay.de recently for 200 quid so mustn't grumble!
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