BX Club Forum

She sat in the same place for 6 years, a new battery and some fresh petrol and she started up first time and make it home with ease.First impressions are good. Rear arm bearings are worn and it needs a new rear box and a service, body seems rust free so far! Speedlines are coming off as is the baby walker spoiler.

And yes its the suitcase engine

Excellent Tim. I know you've had your detractors in the past, but, when it comes to putting your 'money where your mouth is' and actually finding, alerting us to, offering and bringing BXs into the fold, you have no peer.

I still think you're a bit nuts though!

BTW, nice looking BX... How's the red paint?

Its red in places and a tad pink on the roof and bonnet (as is normal) but that wont take much sorting. There cant be many suitcase engined 14's left now so its quite rare and was possibly destined for scrap! thats why I want to put it back on the road and back to original condition as much as possible.

Cheap road tax and good economy are quite appealing too and its visually the double of the beloved E plate 19RD that I learnt how to drive in. Will I keep it? I dont really no, although I do have someone in mind if I do. I would in an ideal world not go to work and spend all day tinkering with a field full of them

Roverman wrote:Its red in places and a tad pink on the roof and bonnet (as is normal) but that wont take much sorting. There cant be many suitcase engined 14's left now so its quite rare and was possibly destined for scrap! thats why I want to put it back on the road and back to original condition as much as possible.

Cheap road tax and good economy are quite appealing too and its visually the double of the beloved E plate 19RD that I learnt how to drive in. Will I keep it? I dont really no, although I do have someone in mind if I do. I would in an ideal world not go to work and spend all day tinkering with a field full of them

Not sure how many times you can polish a car non-stop Tim

Ahh you see you underestimate me, most of the minor mechanical work I do myself these days, and the cars dont blow up!

OK, not wanting to encourage accusations of sycophancy (don't take it too seriously! - as if:-), I think Tim's efforts now extend beyond the polishing - but no-one makes a BX shine better!


I think when the recently acquired TZi surfaces after tinkering, I understand the work extends well beyond the application of some Autoglym, it'll be impressive... even though Tim, (like me) doesn't exactly pull engines apart and reassemble them second-nature ... but does pay to get the oily stuff done right.

I look forward to seeing how this otherwise pretty well doomed 14 fares.

Yep I avoid cambelts like the plague and asides changing LHM and spheres I leave the suspension to those more in tune with it. But changing oil, filters, plus and coolant is now amonst some of my limited talents, and I can fit wheeltrims quicker than anyone on this forum

Looks very nice Tim, always nice to save cars and give them another chance on the road.

What wheels will you be putting on if your removing the alloys?

A suitcase engine?

I will fit the standard unvented silver BX wheels with the 165/70 tyre and correct trims for that year when I get some.

The suitcase engine is the nickname for the "douvrin" range of engines available in the 70's and early 80's as fitted to Pug 104/205/305 and BX and Visas, 954 1124 and 1360cc. They are angled at 72 degrees inside the engine bay so look a bit like a suitcase hence the monica. The gearbox is bolted directly to the engine and shares the same oil (a bit like a A series engine ala Mini/Metro)

Ive been busy today, seats still need to be cleaned but its TOO cold













Antifreeze is done, as there was none in, speedlines are all bent so will end up in the skip I expect, shame.

The pictures to be honest do make it looks mint, its far from it, the front bumpers peeling and theres plenty of bumps and bangs and its had more paint than the forth road bridge, but its 22 years old and only cost £50.

MOT day tomorrow

It looks great, what a beautiful painting!

That does look very tidy Tim, looks excellent condition for an E reg - same age as me . Im sure you will have it looking as new again in no time, you certainly seem to get them looking very shiny. Do you machine polish or by hand?

Have you decided what your doing with this one? Up to five now, very nice.

Seeing yours makes me want one, its been a while since ive even been in a BX on the road. I had a ride around the field at the national in Kevins Diesel auto. Great cars.

Looks like you could do with another steering wheel though

I use G3 and a machine polisher, after a good wash it was very pink so no amount of hand polishing would have worked, although I did wax it afterwards.

The wheel you are sending me is going on the TZI and the one off that on the 14RE as its in better nick.

By a BX Chris, you know you want too, plus if you stay on here to long without buying one your head falls off.

Blimey Tim, where do you find all these good BXs?


Though I must say the 14 'Visa' engine is a bag of shit! My first BX had this engine and it was rubbish - awkward plug location and was a terrible rattly thing ( noisy transmission too!)

Still, good save!

The engine is rather an aquired taste but has the benefit of no cambelt to worry about and asides the plugs its easy to work on, its fine going along in gear but as you say is very noisy when changing gear. I understand why they changed to the TU.