The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

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citsncycles
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Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by citsncycles »

There were 2 things against an estate specific door on the BX. Unlike it's predecessor, the GS, the door top is part of the main pressings, meaning the whole door has to be redesigned and a completeset of pres tools made. The GS has separate door tops welded to the bottoms, which are much easier to change the shape of. Also like it's predecessor, the Estate wasn't an in house design, and was designed to enable easy conversion of the Hatchback shell, which is why when you remove all the trim from the back of an estate you can see extension pieces welded to the back of the inner wings and boot floor.

To be honest, the majority of estates don't have doors specifically designed for them, and either they or the hatchback or saloon version they are sold along side ends up compromised as a result.
Mike Sims
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Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by Mothman »

Mollies rear arms coming along nicely. She should be finished in a couple of months.

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Mothman

Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by Mothman »

Mollie off to the painters earlier today.

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Kitch
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Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by Kitch »

Now that I don't understand - why would you have a shell painted before you'd refitted all the heavy, clunky metal stuff? Asking for trouble IMO! Paint's the last thing for me, just before interior and final trim.

Still, all the axles etc are looking good :)
One third of a three-spoke BX columnist team for the Citroenian magazine.

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1983(A) 16TRS (Rouge Valleunga)
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Mothman

Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by Mothman »

Kitch, how do you paint the engine compartment with the engine and all the bits in situ?

Surely you would want the area under the subfame painted too. Again, how do you do that with them all bolted on?
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Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by Kitch »

Mothman wrote:Kitch, how do you paint the engine compartment with the engine and all the bits in situ?
Take them out.
Mothman wrote:Surely you would want the area under the subfame painted too. Again, how do you do that with them all bolted on?
Yup, I'd do it before it went away to get resprayed. You don't need a bodyshop to apply some Schutz!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking it - if it works for others, fine. I just didn't see the logic as that is a lot of people involved just trying to put a car on a low loader, and then once it's painted it's a fair risk to the garage to get it off again without scratching it. And then they have to put it all back together again, without scratching it.

Like I say though different strokes! At least it's being done! :D
One third of a three-spoke BX columnist team for the Citroenian magazine.

CCC BX registrar: The national BX register - click to submit a car!

1983(A) 16TRS (Rouge Valleunga)
1990(H) 16Valve (Rouge Furio)
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Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by Mothman »

I see where you are coming from bud but i reccon Rob's lads are quite good at doing it, after all you do see a lot of TV programmes doing zackly the same thing.

This motor was given to me for nowt and ime dying to drive her, i hope she will last another 30 years without any more work.

Anyway Rich, its up to them to get it sorted right, if its not good enough....... No, wont go there, ime sure, after all the comments from others, ime sure they will do a cracking job.
Ok, its going to cost a lot of dosh but no way could i do it myself. Wish i could but if i had a lifetime of working with motors then maybe but ime afraid not.
Hope this one will be up for the X Rally. Wont be perfect as she will have a MK 2 engine. However, thats not the point, will be driven and driven for pleasure.
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Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by Tinkley »

Well the factory must have painted the shells first prior to fitting the parts. If I ever got this far with one, and I have had a couple of bike frames blasted and repainted, I would concentrate on ensuring enough base primer and protection in the known nasty places. In actual fact I would epoxy/glass on a lot of bare clean steel immediately after grit blasting in places such as the wheel arches, subframe mount points etc. Along with a 2k epoxy primer, it would be pretty bulletproof corrosion wise.

Might be worth changing some of the trim mounting screws to stainless and some of the bolts. You can't change some of the critical bolts because the tensile strength of standard S/S is not as good as the normal (8.8) or high (10.9 or 12.9) steel ones. Normal value of S/S is 6.6 but rolled semi forged S/S screws are better 90% of an 8.8 steel bolt value. A2 grade is adequate for semi cosmetic mount bolts etc.
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Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by Kitch »

Yeah I wouldn't worry Andy, I was speaking more as somebody who does similar stuff. I'd be shitting my pants pushing/winching the GT onto a low loader while on a dolly. It's bad enough pushing it around the yard! :lol: But like you say, they do this stuff all the time. I'm sure it'll be fine. :)

I'm doing the GT differently - stripping the outside down, getting that done, then doing the interior, engine bay and trim. I f**ked right up because I didn't spot some rust at the back, so I need to sort that now having had it painted, which isn't ideal. But then I got a brilliant price on the paint job if I could fit it in around their time scales, so I had to haul ass and get it done anyway.
You'd probably cry if you knew how little the GT is costing, but then most of the labour is mine. I added up what it would have cost to do it at normal rates the other day.......you don't want to know :shock: It's no wonder so few people get them done, so hats off to you.

Tinkley - yes, they did do the bare body in the factory. Not really the same situation though, is it? :lol:
One third of a three-spoke BX columnist team for the Citroenian magazine.

CCC BX registrar: The national BX register - click to submit a car!

1983(A) 16TRS (Rouge Valleunga)
1990(H) 16Valve (Rouge Furio)
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Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by Mothman »

Had Tim's BX on my drive up on the tractor ramps for the last fortnight or so with a major hydraulic leak. Its taken some fixing [with a lot of cursing too]. One of the front pipes had worn through[one of the ones with the curly bits] and this took a lot of removing i can tell you. Rad was taken out, and the front end of the pipe was removed easily. Then the problems started!! Tim managed to cut the pipe, leaving sufficient sticking out to pull on it but we didnt have a 9mm socket long enough so one had to be sorted. Also, there is so little space that when we did finally get one and a propper spanner which was doctored with a grinder it took a lot of getting off and more cursing. Finally got the lot all fitted up and another BX lives to rise another day!! Kin cars!!
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Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by Tim Leech »

How is Tim doing Andy? I know he wasnt well not long ago. Nice bloke. Impressive beard!
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
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Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by Mothman »

Tim has fully recovered bud which in itself is amazing. Obviously has a skull like a rhino!!
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Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by Tim Leech »

Thats good to know Andy, give him my regards.
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
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Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by Mothman »

Will do Tim, he is quite chuffed now having replaced the offending pipe that was bleeding like hell at the front of the motor, some job that was..

Had a call from the local garage thats sorting the head gasket issues re the TGS. She is now in bits so will pop down tomorrow for some piccies. Head will be also going away tomorrow for skiming and everything else that needs doing. They will also be replacing the octopus and doing both the water pump and timing belt. Seems silly not doing these bits whilst open heart surgery is going on. Have had to do some serious bodges to stop blood loss in the past. Wont be long and she too will be back on the road. Cant wait.
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Re: The Fleet blog and Mollie's restoration at Chevronics.

Post by Mothman »

Just been to have a look at the TGs whilst she is having the head done. Wont be long now.

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