Mat's BX Blog

Tell us about life with your BX, or indeed life in general!
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TizzyD
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Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by TizzyD »

mat_fenwick wrote:OK, I admit that I'm sad but little things like this are important to me!
I have to admit I'm a little bit jealous of your working 'open bonnet' warning :oops: Is there a drivers seatbelt one that's meant to light up when the belt's unplugged with the electrics on or am I imagining it ?
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Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

:D :D :D \:D/

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Look what I found! In a collection of bits I didn't realise I had - not sure where it came from but it's nice to have a bit of luck like that! I once found a brand new genuine Citroen windscreen wash motor I had forgotten about that came from the boot of a scrapped car, along with a few other spares. Unfortunately I found it 2 weeks after buying another one when the motor failed #-o

Anyway, you were saying? The bonnet switch often gets corroded from road spray, but may respond to cleaning up and protecting with silicone grease. I've got a feeling that it's the same switch as the boot and handbrake lever, so worth a check as someone may have a spare.

There's definitely the provision for a seatbelt warning lamp, but no switch in the buckle for one so I'm guessing it was only fitted in certain countries. If you look closely there's also something for the front and rear lights - I've no idea which lights they are supposed to warn you about though. I'm half toying with the idea of building a 'bulb blown' circuit and using these as the warning lamps...
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TizzyD
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Re: Mat's BX Blog

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mat_fenwick wrote:Anyway, you were saying? The bonnet switch often gets corroded from road spray, but may respond to cleaning up and protecting with silicone grease. I've got a feeling that it's the same switch as the boot and handbrake lever, so worth a check as someone may have a spare
The switch on mine looks like its been pulled up out the hole it sits in and has got wedged into the slam panel, so will have at it with the pliers sometime as its stuck solid

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I didn't know there was something for front and rear lights as well. I do light the blown headlight idea though, could maybe make the rear one light up when you've got rear fogs on or selected reverse ?
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Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

Looks like one of the wires has fallen off too, which is the other common problem. Not difficult to sort though assuming the wire hasn't gone green down its full length.

Made a bit more progress on the van this evening too :) The paint goes on really well and despite being thinned down from the tin, covers almost completely in one coat.

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No BX news yet :(
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Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by vulgalour »

I like that shade of 90s NHS green you're using, suits the van nicely.
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Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Vanny »

Have you ever noticed how the car in the 'warning' cluster looks just like a CX? While i like the idea that its a Swedish spec car (and hence has extra elven safety issues) i prefer the notion that its a carry over part from another vehicle
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Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

The thought had crossed my mind it might be a parts bin fitment, but never realised it looked like a CX until now! I assume they had the same display?

Look what arrived today 8)
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Genuine Citroen panel too...
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...which I promptly set about hacking into (I did feel a tiny bit guilty at this point :oops: )
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I joggled the edges of the panel with my borrowed tool (thanks Kevan!) but could not do the top one as the inner wing was in the way so will have to butt weld that.

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Unfortunately I prodded at a rusty area underneath where the breather pipe mounts to, and poked right through so another patch required. At least access will be easy with a big hole in the wing!

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Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Defender110 »

You vandal, what a waste of a good saloon panel [-X
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Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Vanny »

looks to me like much of the rest of the panel is still use able. Just weld over the hole!
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Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by mat_fenwick »

Seeing as I missed out on the Bristol show I'd hoped to sort the wing this weekend, but DIY was deemed a higher priority...

Almost a year ago I stripped all the plaster/render off the wall to reveal where the damp was seeping in (the wall is against the hillside).

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This weekend I put in a pipe to the lowest point and connected it to the drain. Also laid pipes for the new radiators. Then lined the walls and floor with a damp proof membrane.

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Today's task was laying concrete over the membrane.

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I had to chisel the frame for the inspection cover out of the old floor, then set it in concrete again.

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Re: Mat's BX Blog

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But I managed to spend a few hours on the BX! I removed the boot trim and set about cutting out the hole in the inner wing. What started as a small hole predictable grew, although the main problem was in the seam. I had to chase the rust some way from where it was visible to makes sure there was none hidden between the layers.

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I couldn't quite get rid of all the pitting, so have coated everything with Deox gel, then once it's removed I will weld in the outer wing first. That way I can ensure that the rear of the panel is properly painted after welding, as it would be difficult to see whether I've missed anywhere from below. It did cross my mind to make a bolt in removable section in the inner wing, so I can clean behind it more thoroughly :lol: Fortunately I have plenty of genuine Citroen steel to weld in!

More progress this week hopefully. I do feel a bit bad about the panel, but my alternative plans hadn't come to anything and I had been wanting to progress the job for at least 2 months. At least it wasn't a perfect panel as it had dents in it, and I'll be putting the remnants on eBay (unless anybody here wants it?) It will hopefully be still useful as I've kept the lower section intact.
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Re: Mat's BX Blog

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mat_fenwick wrote:I do feel a bit bad about the panel, but my alternative plans hadn't come to anything and I had been wanting to progress the job for at least 2 months. At least it wasn't a perfect panel as it had dents in it, and I'll be putting the remnants on eBay (unless anybody here wants it?) It will hopefully be still useful as I've kept the lower section intact.
You really are feeling guilty about hacking that panel up, aren't you, Mat?! You won it, fair and square and it's yours to do what you will! Don't keep bringing it up, or you'll start dreaming about it.

I have to say I admire your work ethic - heavy duty home maintenance followed by some heavy duty BX repairs. Nice light weekend! I'm knackered and all I've done is five hours worth of cleaning and polishing on the MX-3. Finished off with Autoglym and she looks almost showroom shiny and very nice. Very pleased, as she was going quite pink and flat - It's taken a repetitious two-months-worth of T-Cut, washing and waxing to get to this point. Phew!
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Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by Dollywobbler »

PANEL MURDERER! :p As has been said - you won it and the main thing is that the panel is saving a BX, which is the point. It still might be of use to someone if they need a repair section for where the bumper identation is. Not a nice thing to try and form up.

Your work ethic is indeed impressive and makes me feel darned near useless - in terms of BX and home maintenance!
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Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by saintjamesy89 »

Dollywobbler wrote:Your work ethic is indeed impressive and makes me feel darned near useless - in terms of BX and home maintenance!
..that_ Bloody good effort Mat, as usual!
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Re: Mat's BX Blog

Post by vulgalour »

I reckon what you haven't used of that panel I could use on Stripey. The arch section would repair the rotten bit on my matching arch and the bumper slot recess bit would save me some fabrication and fiddly cutting on the other side. The bigger flat part of the panel would help repair the passenger side wing too as the profile will be the same when rotated I expect and should be enough to sort it all out in one go.

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I know the hatch and estate panels in this area are different, but I reckon there's enough of the same shapes to be of pretty good use to me. I'm flat broke right this minute, but every spare penny I get is going towards getting Stripey welded up and healthy again and if it helps assuage your sense of guilt I really genuinely could make good use of what you've got left there once I have some pennies available.
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