Mat's BX Blog

[mds141]

I've always had a few Maglites in my "collection". Had a 3D for about 13 years now, tough as old boots and a camo effect mini-Maglite. I suppose a coloured filter in between the reflector and lens would create the desired light sabre effect. How about a Maglite powered by a portable battery pack, similar to the ones used by pro photographers for their flash guns?

[Wooscary]

This one looks pretty serious!

http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/fenix-tk70.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mds141]

Pretty serious price as well.

[mat_fenwick]

Fenix have some decent stuff - I have a HP10 head torch and a couple of E01s on keyrings. You might be interested in Zebralighttoo for small and powerful LED lights. The SC51 runs on a single AA but is as bright as a 6D Maglite (who are now trying to catch up with LED technology).

I still prefer using an old fashioned incandescent bulb (I'm a fan of trailing edge technology), so the torch I carry in my pocket has one as a main beam with 3 LEDs as low beam. It was made in the days before high power LEDs, and actually came with green ones before white ones became commonplace. I've since replaced them with warm white LEDs as trying to pick out colours in a green light is a pain!

How about a Maglite powered by a portable battery pack

Limiting factor is reflector size, especially once you start using bigger bulbs. And bigger is ALWAYS better!

[mat_fenwick]

Back to BXs again - I spent my unofficial 'bank holiday' (confusion at work about the BH dates - I wasn't going to point out they'd got it wrong!) dodging showers and fettling the silver one. When I laid it up at the end of winter there was a fair old clonk from the front end, and a noisy driveshaft bearing - also the trouble with having a second car that's not on the road is that bits tend to get 'borrowed!

So far I've fitted another heater tap to replace the one I pinched, front wiper motor (thanks Vanny!) another caliper and I've replaced the O/S driveshaft with a good used spare I had (quicker than replacing the bearing). The bearing is now off the old shaft, but I'll rebuild that at leisure to keep for when I might need it. Both ball joints needed replacing, and one had a good 1/2" of play which was rather shocking. It had only developed the noise fairly shortly before I stopped using it so I was surprised at the extent it had worn! Both front wheel bearings had slight play, so while the hubs are off I'll put new bearings in for peace of mind.

[mat_fenwick]

No rain forecast for tomorrow, so I thought I may be able to do a bit of painting. Both rear wheelarch lips are a little rusty on the red BX; also a pinhole on the O/S rear quarter panel.

After removing the paint I was left with several pinholes


It was a toss up between cutting out and putting a patch in, or putting a spot of weld on each pinhole. I went for the latter to minimise distortion.


Finished off with a coat of Zinga - hopefully topcoat tomorrow!

[mat_fenwick]

Not ideal weather for painting - a bit on the warm side but hey, it's not raining!





Not an invisible job (hence no close ups!), but better than it looked previously and most importantly protection against rust.

[Dollywobbler]

Too warm? No pleasing some people! :p

Looks good. If I'd been better at dealing with little rust spots before they develop, my Mk2 might not be quite so ruined...

[mat_fenwick]

Put some new front spheres on the red BX tonight...



...to go with the rears I fitted at the ICCCR...





...while I was investigating the suspension problem. It's the first time since I've owned the car that I've put a full set of spheres on at the same time. The rears were 4 years old and the front 3 and a half, but they had obviously deteriorated as the ride has been transformed! I don't think it's ever felt this good.

As Sandre would (probably) put it, I fucking love this car! I was actually searching out bumps to feel them be soaked up. I can't believe that on Sunday I was actually half thinking of selling it - I was just so annoyed at the suspension issue I couldn't work out. Partly annoyed at myself for not finding what was wrong, and partly annoyed at the car for having a sudden failure with no warning. Once I'd found the broken drop link though, it was forgiven - it's not the car's fault the parts I put on it were crap.

The other job for tonight was working on the front suspension of the silver one.



I've just got in after putting on new ball joints and wheel bearings. The hubs are now on the car, calipers fitted, with new brake pads but still got to replace a handbrake cable one one side.

[saintjamesy89]

That is an exceptionally clean engine bay on your red BX Mr Fenwick, I used to clean my astra's but gave up - it got dirty again in a very short amount of time! This era of vauxhall's do dribble somewhat...

[Philip Chidlow]

Excellent the way things have turned out, Mat. I love your red BX

[docchevron]

and I, that estate is legendary!

[mat_fenwick]

I happen to rather like it too

That is an exceptionally clean engine bay

It probably looks better than it is due to the new battery and spheres - I have a bit of a dribble too. Not enough to drip, or require topping up, but just enough to coat things with an oily film that makes my hands black. Time for another gratuitous engine shot though?



Space is getting a little bit limited in there now, with the LPG kit and winch controller!

[saintjamesy89]

Ah, the rover V8! With cone filter Is your exhaust standard? It does look a bit crammed in there.

[mds141]

Does this V8 hold the record for most used applications? Started life as a Buick design IIRC, then used by Rover and it's many subsidiaries, then TVR and countless kit car installations. I imagine it would be a tie with the Ford Pinto engine.