My BX14 RE- Sold.

[Fumbler]

OK, so radios can wait for a while. I'd like to talk paint.

The problems I have are:

• I cannot find any single-stage gloss paint in Rouge Furio, which is the car's paint colour. I seriously need to fully repaint the NSF wing as it's all kinds of red now.

• The wheels are in horrible condition cosmetially and are painted in a rather lovely light grey. So far the best match I have found is RAL 7047 "Telegrey 4", however I was wondering if anybody here knew what the actual colour was so I could buy some enamel and get them done.

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.

[white exec]

Try something like the Glasurit Paint Code Finder, which allows you to input an O.E. paint code, to find a match.
Maybe a non-lacquered type offered too.
Other paint manufacturers would have the same service, I guess.
OR
Talk to a professional paint shop, to identify what you need, and make up a litre (?) for you.

If wanting to match to other panels on the car, you might need a colour spectrometer check, to take some account of ageing. Most good paint shops would have one of these.

I'm no expert of re-painting, btw.

[Fumbler]

Try something like the Glasurit Paint Code Finder, which allows you to input an O.E. paint code, to find a match.
Maybe a non-lacquered type offered too.
Other paint manufacturers would have the same service, I guess.
OR
Talk to a professional paint shop, to identify what you need, and make up a litre (?) for you.

If wanting to match to other panels on the car, you might need a colour spectrometer check, to take some account of ageing. Most good paint shops would have one of these.

I'm no expert of re-painting, btw.

For context, the car from the bottom of the windows down was resprayed at some point, meaning it is two different hues of red already! The respray can't have happened too long before it was put into storage as it is very glossy, albeit with a lot of orangepeel and genuine peeling where they didn't key the surface well enough. Consequently it's not going to look showroom quality but I can live with that: I just need a better colour match to the reds I already have. I can get Rouge Furio and Rouge Delage quite readily as a base+clear paint solution, but that isn't what's on the rest of the car. I'll see if I can find anyone who will mix the stuff up or not.

As for the wheels, would Glasurit know what they used? It seems a little bit of a niche to know what colour Citroen used to paint ther wheels but I suppose it's worth a try.

[Fumbler]

I'm mightily impressed. It's even found the wheel colour code. I'll definitely use the database again.

EDIT: It didn't find it as Citroen only appears to have used coded paints for wheels after 1988. It has, however, given me the wheel trim colour, but I'm not shelling out when I have some wheel silver I can slap on in the same fashion as Citroen did.

[white exec]

Our '89 Delage Red BX wasn't lacquered, and neither was a bright red 16TRS we briefly had.
I'm guessing that many non-metallic colours are now getting the lacquer treatment, as a cheap means to produce a gloss.
Going back to the mid-'90s, XM (for example) had non-lacquer for just EWP (Polar/Banquise White), and maybe black - all the rest were lacquered.
In southern Europe and hot countries, lacquer is a positive curse, as the sun's UV first mattes it, then it bubbles and peels.
Our EWP white XM is thankfully immune to this.

[Fumbler]

The car isn't lacquered at all- it's just a direct gloss paint which is fortunate as it's red. Trouble is, I cannot for the life of me find an aerosol of plain gloss Rouge Furio on sale. I can get it from Italy, sure, but for obvious reasons they cannot calculate shipping costs so I don't want to order from the EU if possible.

What to do? I'm very doubtful any paint shops on the ground will know what to mix unless they use Glasurit or something of that calibre. I'll keep searching regardless.

I have found some paint that'll do both the trims and wheels, so that's all sorted.

[white exec]

There are huge numbers of UK paint shops that use Glasurit (BASF) paint, and other leading brands too.
Try talking to one or two, about doing a mix.

If you really need to do it with aerosol, I vaguely remember there being a UK company that offered 'custom colour' in aerosol.
Do a web search for it, if needed.

[Fumbler]

There are huge numbers of UK paint shops that use Glasurit (BASF) paint, and other leading brands too.
Try talking to one or two, about doing a mix.

If you really need to do it with aerosol, I vaguely remember there being a UK company that offered 'custom colour' in aerosol.
Do a web search for it, if needed.

I don't particularly fancy buying a spraygun or brush painting so an aerosol is my only option if I am to do a halfway decent paint job on it. Anyway, I am yet to polish up the panel to really see if it needs any work done to it. I may just leave it with the patchwork paint it currently has. The car is honest like that.

[rutter123]

The red ones do like to fade I think every panel on mine is a different shade.

[white exec]

Red pigment is the worst affected by UV/sunlight exposure. The same is true for printing inks - look at the vast number of prints and posters where a once full-colour image has been reduced (bleached) to shades of pale blue.

[Fumbler]

Did a bit of polishing to the wrong colour of red and now it looks awful but at least shiny. I'm happy with that.... for now. I've got a few places to call and visit once I'm back at home to get something mixed up.

While I was doing the welding I re-tensioned the auxilliary belts as both were slipping badly. They also look rather old and tired. I've decided to order replacements... but I cannot find the recommended belt sizes for the pump and alternator. Does anybody know what they are?

The oil filter as well could do with replacing, at which time I'll put new oil in as the engine is probably still running the original oil from the rebuild. ECP's dimensions for their filter choice is 89/62/76mm (H, I/D, O/D). Is this correct for the engine or do I need to fork out the big bucks for the filter on Chevronics (which is the same brand of filter currently fitted, pleasantly enough).
I also lost quite a bit of oil from just driving as the rocker cover gasket has failed in two corners and completely along its length. At least the steering rack, accumulator and gearbox bellhousing bolts are rustproofed. I topped it up to full again befoe travelling back to college but the issue still needs addressing.

[Fumbler]

Oil filter and belt quandries have been solved. Winner.
I've bought oil, a filter, a rocker cover gasket and numerous other goodies to slap on it when I'm back home. I also bought a properly specced stereo and a phone tripod to film it all.

[DLM]

Wow - you've been busy in a month! What it is to be young and enthusiastic.

I've driven BXs with all engines except suitcase and TU 14s, and the 16v. Hadn't been anywhere much near a basic BX14 until recently, when I considered buying one needing attention and found the simplicity of everything and the very easy access under the bonnet very appealing.

I saw it as I now have an appreciation for the TU petrol after driving a couple of other later PSA cars with one under the bonnet. The 14 I looked at wasn't practical for me to take on, but I can now see they must be great fun, as well as less thirsty than other petrol BXs. Best of luck with your continuing work on it, and I'm sure you're having great fun driving it.

[Fumbler]

Wow - you've been busy in a month! What it is to be young and enthusiastic.

I've driven BXs with all engines except suitcase and TU 14s, and the 16v. Hadn't been anywhere much near a basic BX14 until recently, when I considered buying one needing attention and found the simplicity of everything and the very easy access under the bonnet very appealing.

I saw it as I now have an appreciation for the TU petrol after driving a couple of other later PSA cars with one under the bonnet. The 14 I looked at wasn't practical for me to take on, but I can now see they must be great fun, as well as less thirsty than other petrol BXs. Best of luck with your continuing work on it, and I'm sure you're having great fun driving it.

Thanks! I've been busy with researching and buying stuff for it this month. Being at college means I can't do any work to it but I've now got a roster of parts ready to fit to it when I get back home next week.

I've also decided to revisit the welded repair I made as well as looking at the driver's door hinges. To do this, out with the gasless welder and in with a proper MIG. Clarke MIG106 bought just under an hour ago. I'm rather excited to get my paws on it when I get back home.

I've also bought a phone tripod to do some video recording of stuff again.

[Pcheaven]

Gasless to messy

Gassed


Good luck. Can’t wait to see the videos.