Mat's BX Blog

[Caffiend]

FIGHT!, you can't leve it there Matt this could get very entertaining?

GoogleFu!

http://www.trustpilot.co.uk/review/www.halfords.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[docchevron]

Ordered from AEP a couple of days ago, who I notice have since removed the claim that they are OEM or original vehicle manufacturer parts (and put the price up). They did phone on Monday to say they only had one in stock and could I wait until Wednesday for both of them, and did point out they would be different makes. I assumed that they would at least be identical in dimensions!

Thats because AEP are rapidly becoming shit.
Dont be tempted to fit the dinkier one. I did that on the valver (mot the following day so had no choice). The joint lasted 200 miles exactly and promptly failed mid point through a bend at, erm, some speed resulting in a trip through a hedge and a farmer thinking I was dead, as it was I was crouched down trying to find my lit fag that I'd dropped when I took off, didn't want to burn the carpet..

[saintjamesy89]

Ordered from AEP a couple of days ago, who I notice have since removed the claim that they are OEM or original vehicle manufacturer parts (and put the price up). They did phone on Monday to say they only had one in stock and could I wait until Wednesday for both of them, and did point out they would be different makes. I assumed that they would at least be identical in dimensions!

farmer thinking I was dead, as it was I was crouched down trying to find my lit fag that I'd dropped when I took off, didn't want to burn the carpet..

Sorry to hear you crashed, but the dropped fag and poor carpet just made me chuckle!

[MULLEY]

These hedge cutters I personally use some electric shears....

[docchevron]

would have been cheaper than using a 16valve Matthew!

I crashed it ages ago Tom, it's all fixed up now, although the front bumpers a bit bodged... speaking of which, Mat F has been baby sitting it's replacement for, erm, many months.... my bad!

[mat_fenwick]

Mat F has been baby sitting it's replacement for, erm, many months.... my bad!

Yeah, do you want it this weekend?

AEP have agreed to refund me for the drop links - I went with them rather than my local factors as I was under the impression they only supplied OEM parts. If they're going to supply me with any old tat I might as well choose purely on price! I went to the factors, who mainly deal in Motoquip. But on looking for the BX on their system, drop links were no longer listed, and the BX didn't even exist in the paper catalogue! Apparently they can get me another brand for £8 plus VAT each - seeing as they're so cheap and hardly difficult to change I'll give them a go.

[Vanny]

Yeah, do you want it this weekend?

Doc isn't coming this weekend, some BS about driving a BUS for cash, work, some nonsense.

[docchevron]

I could theoretically come up after work, so I'd get there in the wee small hours, then have to leave again by 0700. So erm, if it's in the way Mat, bung the thing on Ebay and get what you can for it!
I am again sorely tempted to get shot of the valver anyway, i nevr use the bloody thing, and my mate is serious about selling his GTV Lusso again, for £500! mmmmm

[Birotor]

Mat, The museum at Sinsheim is brilliant - just off the Autobahn A6 Hockenheim to Nurnberg. I was on a visit to the Porsche factory in Stuttgart and the Race Department at Weissach in my 1974 ex Le Mans 24 Hour Carrera RS 3.0 litre. The A6 was still de-restricted and I sat in the outside lane for over 10 miles at between 140 mph and 143 mph max.... the Mercs moved over dutifully as soon as I appeared in their mirrors. It was to be several years before in 2005 doing 185 mph sprinting a Porsche Turbo pre-production car at the ex-Soviet bomber base at Bad Dolin north of Berlin

[saintjamesy89]

Mat, The museum at Sinsheim is brilliant - just off the Autobahn A6 Hockenheim to Nurnberg. I was on a visit to the Porsche factory in Stuttgart and the Race Department at Weissach in my 1974 ex Le Mans 24 Hour Carrera RS 3.0 litre. The A6 was still de-restricted and I sat in the outside lane for over 10 miles at between 140 mph and 143 mph max.... the Mercs moved over dutifully as soon as I appeared in their mirrors. It was to be several years before in 2005 doing 185 mph sprinting a Porsche Turbo pre-production car at the ex-Soviet bomber base at Bad Dolin north of Berlin

Show off!

[mat_fenwick]

Hmmm, I managed a mere (indicated) 120mph on the Autobahn in the BX this May, and TBH wouldn't trust my reactions to travel much faster than that. Got a bit of a fright as I went over the ton, when there was a bang, my heart sank and I waited for the engine to lose all power! Fortunately it was just the CB aerial mag mount becoming detached, rather than the engine self destructing.

Today I took the van for an MOT, which it passed (making it 4 out of 4 first time passes so far this year), although did pick up an advisory on slight play in a ball joint. Annoyingly it was one I replaced only 2 years/10k miles ago - another top quality component from Euro Car Parts then! They're a bugger to change too, as all my ball joint splitters are too small.

As a reward I gave the underneath of it and the BX a good coat of old engine oil to protect against the summer weather. Of course it started raining as soon as I laid on the floor, turning it all to mud. Starting to dry out now though!

[docchevron]

I have a MAHOOSIVE ball joint splitter for bus sized things, but it may be a bit too big for the van, but you're welcome to try it!

[mat_fenwick]

Yeah, maybe you can bring it up when you eventually collect that bloody bumper!

Changed the oil & filter and put the new drop links on tonight - the previous ones only lasted 30k miles so lets hope the new ones are better quality.

[docchevron]

stick the fucker on ebay mate, you may get back what it owes in rent!

[mat_fenwick]

Well, that was a busy weekend! Went to the Lake District for a stag do, drank 'rather a lot', climbed Helvellyn via Striding Edge...



...then went out for a meal, drove back home in the early hours, climbed a mountain behind our house the next morning.



Came back home for lunch, then did a few jobs on the silver BX, which is rapidly being consumed by the undergrowth!





Fitted new speakers to the van - I found a set of 5.25" speakers that I had forgotten about which give a better sound than the 4" ones previously in the front doors. This frees up the 4" speakers for the back of the silver BX, so upgrades all round without spending a penny! Then washed/polished the red BX, which caused it to start raining





And this is why I rarely bother cleaning it - driving down a muddy track every day just gets it filthy again.



Almost nice to get to work for a bit of a rest - legs are aching a little this morning! I worked out I've walked 22 miles and climbed 1500m metres, so it's got me thinking about the 3 Peaks Challenge which is only a little further (26 miles) but twice the climbing. Oh, and you have to complete it in 24 hours, 10 of which is driving.