GT mediated Awesomeness

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Tinkley
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by Tinkley »

Well of course I've only used the 165/70 14 sized ones... :lol: Would be interesting to see what model Dunlop, I can't remember the model I had, they were circa 2003 fitted so a long time to current tyre offerings though often basic tyre manufacturers traits remain. Like on bike tyres Bridgestones stick and stick, then let go very very suddenly in the wet - no warning. Pirelli and Michelin give loads of warning and grip just as well, though carcass construction changes influence ride behaviour especially banked on ridgy surfaces. Equally the profile I had on some Michelin bike tyres buggered the steering and handling - full stop.

I'd quite like to try the Continental offerring to see how that compares. The Pirellis (all 4) on the Auto are OK, maybe a touch heavy steering weight but fairly predictable but being a sodding auto it does not get real testing.... :wink:

The Michelin energy have been quieter and quieter though the noise level is very dependent on size of tyre as you will find when you go through the ratings etc. Worst I ever had were Goodyear GT70s' (circa 1992/3) which were like fitting an RB211 at the rear noise wise on the old 14. Grip was OK though, of course then you only had a choice of two manufacturers - both with French factories... :wink: A lot quieter than the original MXL - I have a '91 as a spare so I could test it. Not sure I'd like to rely on the grip mind you.
The only thing with the Michelins is that they won't clear the water at under 3mm or so tread depth. BX 14 aquaplane well in the lorry grooves on motorways and the like. All good fun hearing the revs rise and going the same speed or slower!.
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saintjamesy89
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by saintjamesy89 »

I've been very impressed with some Goodyears in the last year or so, replaced a set of Kumho's that Kia seem to favour. They were gripper, quieter and way more comfortable so might go in this direction when funds permit.

I had a set of 175/65/14s on my MK2 astra and wasn't impressed at all, it wasn't a 'grippy' car to start with but spinning the wheels when pulling away and understeering were all to easy to do and noticebaly more so when changing from continentals.

GT is finished and ready! Picking up Saturday, Rich is impressed with the ride so hopefully i'll be a very happy customer. We are attending a ball on Saturday evening, so what better steed to attend in thean the GT? Certainly give the valets something of a change of scenery.
I'm not a Saint, or a James, but a Tom Saint-James!

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saintjamesy89
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by saintjamesy89 »

Ok so I htought for the bloggy purposes of blogging that I should put up an account here of where the GT is at the moment. Where am is very looking forward to picking her GTness up tomorrow.

Rich has been a real gent with it all. He's done:

Clutch cable (real PITA)
Front wheel bearings
Both CV joints (were really fucked, tyre inner walls are green with grease!)
Both ARB drop links
Both steering rack boots (PITA too)
Both track rod ends
O/S Handbrake cable
Wishbone bushes
Wishbone/Subframe roller bearings
Re-aligned entire exhaust system
Sorted leaking exhaust manifold (new gasket, cack removal from manifold and head faces)
Welded/generally fixed downpipe and hockey stick pipe (rusty and craccked with busted flanges, fitting kit aswell)
Gear linkage, the selector rod (managed to find one off of ebay)
Gearbox oil change
Adjusted drivers door hinges/check strap
Couple of brake HP pipes on the front end
Mount and fit temperature gauge, with customised mounting pod so hopefully blends in with the dash - Ruch even put a green LED in there!
Both speedo cables replaced, had to use a combo of MK1 and MK2 in the end, extended wires for the trip computer plug
MOT
Subframe welding and strengthening (more on this at another time)
Repaired brake air ducts
Installed grease nipples to roller bearings
4-Wheel alignment

That's a lot of jobs, and invlolved a lot of swearing by al accounts. It has ticked off a serious portion of my list for it, although some things were only discovered in the midst of other jobs, as is the way with older cars! But they needed doing, and i'm much more confident that nothing too disasterous is going to happen, as it was a bit of an unknown entity having not done many miles after being off the road for so long.

Vive la BX! Tom out.
Last edited by saintjamesy89 on Sat May 06, 2017 3:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I'm not a Saint, or a James, but a Tom Saint-James!

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Tim Leech
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by Tim Leech »

Phew!!
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
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saintjamesy89
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by saintjamesy89 »

I've done around 100 miles in the GT since yesterday morning, 90 odd on the way home from Southways Automotive and 10 odd last night (or this morning rather...) dropping drunk people home after the ball. The GT is really quite a different car to drive now! It's much, much quieter, now the exhaust is properly sealed, even at full noise, it's quite quiet and also there is no more CV joint/bearing grinding noises and the suspension is much less crashy.

The ride is now magic-carpet like, rather than just wallowy, lolloping and crashy - it's not perfect yet but so much improved. The struts could do with a refurb and the tyres need replacing, the rubber is quite hard and they are an aspect ratio too big for a BX which doesn't help. This means it's a little bit fidgety over small road imperfections and bumps, anything else though and it's great!

Having a working speedo is amazing, this one's never worked! I think it's ended up with a MK1 lower (longer compared to the MK2 lower) and a MK2 upper (longer than a MK1 upper!) so there is some curvature to it, and initially the speedo wobble below 40 was quite comical! But driving it last night/this morning that had virtually disappeared, so im hoping with use it'll go altogether.

It's also great to know the engine temperature, I chose the 'TIM' guage because it looked unobtrusive and wasn't as expensive as some of the really nice ones. However, the needle travel is less than 90 degrees, so less than a right angle from cold to nuclear (120deg) which when the engine is on the hot side means that there is very little travel from fans kicking in to potentially overheating, even stuck in traffic yesterday (was quite warm down here) it never went above what I guess is 98 or so degrees, just below the 100 degree line. I know the yellow light of doom doesn't work but the red does - only just discovered the MK1 dash light check button!). Running temp seems to sit at about 85 degrees, maybe slightly less.

Gearchange is improved, but still quite notchy and 2nd can be difficult to get, you have to be quite firm with it and push the gearstick as far to the left as it'll go before trying to get 2nd. But it won't be popping off anymore thank goodness!

Here her GTness is at home, just had her pre-ball clean.

Image

Image

The gauge, Rich put a green LED in too, so it matches the dash! Forgot to take night time pictures with it lit up.

Image

Image

There is to be a part 2 to the get-GT-as-good-as-possible plan. As previously mentioned the subframe needs attention, it has to come off to be refurbished as it was cracked and had corrosion to the lower skin. I am going to attempt to do this myself, the GT will come off the road Winter 2018 and in doing so there are a couple of jobs to sort:
-Octapus
-Steering hardy disc
-Refurbish the gearchange system, something is bent or bushes are FUBAR'd etc
-New/refurbished struts to go on
-New downpipe
-New hockeystick pipe

Other projects for the future include:
-Window tints (it's a warm car inside so hopefully this will help reduce heat from the sun)
-Steel wheel refurbishment
-Original wheen trim refurbishment and painting to match steelies
-White wall tyres
-My husband has requested A/C so will look into that at some point, not sure if all the bits are available.
-It really needs some paintwork in the future, there are many scrapes and dings all over but especially the bonnet and sides.

Just a quick edited image to show the white wall idea, im sure there will be those that aren't keen but each to their own. Im really keen on the idea especially with when the steelies and wheel trims are refurbished and are a nice bight silver (brighter or certainly a different shade than those in the picture I think)

Image

For now though, back to studying. Last exam is Friday 19th May - then it's challenge prep!
I'm not a Saint, or a James, but a Tom Saint-James!

Mes voitures:
1985 Citroen BX19 GT
1988 Volvo 740 2.0 GL Hearse
2006 Lexus RX 400h SE hybrid
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Tim Leech
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by Tim Leech »

I like the white walls with the original trims.

I've been tinkering on the GT today, new radiator fitted plus new radio plus a wash.
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
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saintjamesy89
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by saintjamesy89 »

Really need to get the radio sorted in mine, might have to replace it if it's dud which is a shame as it's the origanl I think.

Always wanted white walls on a car, need to get the steelies refurbed before, and new tyres too - which'll have to be post challenge, and after my funds have recovered. We have a broken boiler AND washing machine, not to mention the work done on the GT!

Get some photo's up Tim, not seen any pictures of your GT for ages! WHat head unit did you go for? TZI still wafting along? Really quite like that car, its on my desirable-BX list at the top with the GT, 16v etc.
I'm not a Saint, or a James, but a Tom Saint-James!

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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by Tim Leech »

Yes still wafting although currently in storage, doesn't waft like the GT. I've bought a Sony iPod/Bluetooth unit in black and chrome which matches my interior well.

It wasn't brand new but will do the job for the miles I do

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Sony-MEX-BT390 ... /134287062

Also have ordered some speakers from Halfords to replace the tweeters in the dash.

Sunroof cassette is next to be done too as it doesn't slide back and I'm hoping we have lots of sun in France!

Those tyres you bought off me Tom are getting quite old by now mate, if you can afford new ones before you leave I would advise it
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by Kitch »

Glad you're happy Tom.

With the stereo, if it's truly dead, leave it in the dash and use the power feed off it to trip a relay that drives a little amp hidden somewhere, then hook up your phone to that. You keep old looks, but get DAB.
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by Tim Leech »

Or if you want, what I did with the Marina is to get a Bluetooth speaker which is wireless, its wired up to the battery and I play my IPhone through that, cheap and easy. It sits on the shelf under the dash and is quite discreet.

Your radio that's fitted Tom was quite a popular one fitted to most makes (all Mk1 BX's came radio-less and were dealer fit) so you may be able to find a replacement.
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saintjamesy89
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by saintjamesy89 »

Need to have it out and fiddle, see if it works first - the radio, you smutty buggers!

For sound quality/power I like the idea of a sympathetic 80's CD player head unit with a pre-out amp so I don't have to get an actual amp. All the speakers need changing too, itching to get playing with it but must finish course first. Not sure how the under-dash speaker is mounted/contained bit like the idea of putting a small subwoofer down there, they seem to come in 8" and smaller so it's a question of mounting it. Want to have a look under the covers on the C pillar too, if wires are present i'm sure a shallow speaker could be gotten in there, keeping originality as well as can be managed, of course :)

The idea of the tinted windows is to match the opera windows colour/tint wise. It seems to be avery hot car when the sun is out, or when the engine is hot. Could a piece of dash be missing, allowing the heater matrix to heat the interior by radiation? Not sure how else it could be so warm in there - I always seem to need cold air blowing at you from the vents, even when cold outside.
I'm not a Saint, or a James, but a Tom Saint-James!

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Jaba
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by Jaba »

Tints: I think you are right there. I had a 16 estate once with clear glass and I found that sun radiation through the glass was quite noticeable compared to my green tinted GTi. So I think it does make quite a difference to your comfort.
I have put a woofer under the passenger seat, at first I was quite impressed with the extra whoomph but now it is a bit tiresome as the bass is noticably a one note bass. There is plenty of volume though when you are thrashing it.
The Joy of BX with just one Citroën BX to my name now. Will I sing Bye Bye to my GTI or will it be Till death us do part.
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saintjamesy89
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by saintjamesy89 »

Right, exams finished as of today - so GT challenge prep commeceth! We're partying tomorrow so hopefully can get some done Sunday.

Job list is:

-Swap wheels and tyres over to original steelies with some hopefully better 175 uniroyal rainexperts that the GT came (unfitted) with
-Strut returns
-Bleed brakes
-Get radio working/get a new one/investigate speakers
-Dashboard bulbs
-Clean LHM filter
-Fit new drivers window runner (after the bodge failed, surprise!)
-Lube/clean interior fan and motor
-New wiper blades
-New headlamp bulbs
-Find bung for boot floor (or improvise one)
-Lube HC linkages, can be a bit sticky, click when going over big bumps when the wheel treavels a lot vertically

Should keep me occupied for the next two weeks! Now though it's time for a very much belated beer or two... and a curry :D
I'm not a Saint, or a James, but a Tom Saint-James!

Mes voitures:
1985 Citroen BX19 GT
1988 Volvo 740 2.0 GL Hearse
2006 Lexus RX 400h SE hybrid
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by Kitch »

You don't need to bleed fronts Tom, already did it (unless you're playing with Hydraflush?) Suggest doing the rears though, as the fluid that came out the fronts was pretty manky!

Best of luck :)

ETA: Found all the pics I took of the GT's work. I'll send them over when I get back to the office.
One third of a three-spoke BX columnist team for the Citroenian magazine.

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Tim Leech
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Re: GT mediated Awesomeness

Post by Tim Leech »

Good luck Tom, my cars pretty much done, aside a wash and polish and fit its many stickers!
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
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