Citroen BX 4X4 Rebuild

[djm666]

I know it has been a long time. But the quest for the 4x4 continues.

[Gordon]

Hi David, NZCCC rally was last weekend in Chch. I took my 4x4 to the rally in 2014 in Taupo, ( John Brough had his there as well ) but haven't driven it since. Too many other Citroen's to keep on the road. All the best for completing yours this year! cheers, Gordon

[djm666]

I didn't manage to get to the annual. I wanted to spend the time and money on the collection. So I am going to make a consented effort to get the 4x4 up and road worthy. Is there more than one other BX 4x4 here in nz?

[Gordon]

Yep, John Brough has a 4x4 GTI in New Plymouth. I don't think there are any others, certainly not in the club at the moment.

[djm666]

Righty ho then lets get this upto speed. I have not done a lot on the 4x4 in a while as I have been committed to other things. so now is the time to get it done.


this is what had to be done to move the restoration when I ran out of space for it to conitue where it was. so drastic measures.



then the restoration continued....



then I got it back together



got it going again, driving and moving.



then we moved house and found a workshop, this was when I found the products I had been sold didn't adhere to the underneath of the car and started falling off in sheets.
the words used when this happened where colourful to say the least.
so the rear subframe then came off and I then decided to replace the boot floor. then the sills then the rear quarters. good bye rust.

[djm666]

this time I have a workshop, not working on the front drive of the house anymore. what a relief.
so the major work starts, in New Zealand I have to have the car 100% rust free otherwise it wont pass certification. and nearly every UK car has rot. this BX though is relatively rust free for a 4X4 estate.
so off with the subframe....
prep the floor inside and out, cut the boot floor out and weld new floor in, then rebuild floor, put subframe back on, then I hit a problem, my rear quarters where shagged and rotten. so on hold it did go.

until, my girlfriend rang me from uni and said she had seen a BX for parts at the local wreckers in Christchurch in NZ. I had heard of one being dumped on the street down there but was not quick enough to catch it, well bugger me if it isn't the same car I had heard about. so she sent me pictures of it I was there in 3 days. tooled up I then cut the rear off it.







it was a shame as this was an injection BX estate, but I could not afford the injection system from it as the scrappers charge for every bit you take so I had to leave it, the rear quarters where my main concern.

[djm666]

so then I had rear quarters, so now the fun begins again. back on track so to say.

[djm666]

Then after cutting the unwanted parts off the rear quarters and then repairing what was needed on them, as the car was a UK import, as the BX estate seems to be a rare beast in NZ. but through it I now have rust free rear quarters.
so in order to get on with the rear quarters I then had to repair the sills, so I could reassemble the fuel tank and get some interior back together after the boot floor install.

I only replaced the bottom part of the sill as it was only that, that was rusty.



interior goes back in, well some of it.

[djm666]

then a day was spent prepping and fixing the rear quarters ready to fit.




then it was off with the rear quarters


much time spent wiping the red aero bubbly shit that bonds the rear quarter to the body. bloody salt sponge, I will use 2 pot urethane panel bonding that wont be like this I can assure you. this was the downfall of the BX. especially in the UK. hopefully now this car will last me out. I intend to have it when I reach 100.

[djm666]

now the finer fettleing comes with the fitment, I am now in the process of getting to a point where I am happy to weld and bond them on.

[Philip Chidlow]

WOW - a true labour of love... And what an understanding (and helpful) girlfriend

[djm666]

I'll be Back

[djm666]

She is the love of my life, could not be without her. or the 4x4 lol

[Philip Chidlow]

Is that bonding peculiar to the Heuliez-built estate or do the hatchbacks have it too? If the former then that might explain the estate's propensity to rust more.

[Kaapelimies]

Nice work!
Do you have any pictures of repairing the boot floor?