The 16v.....twenty-twelve

saintjamesy89 · Post by **saintjamesy89** » Thu May 03, 2012 12:53 pm

Oops, my bad! They both have GT's though...

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Thu May 03, 2012 12:56 pm

Paul296 wrote:
Kitch wrote:The vents on the C-pillars can be removed, but they're a real bastard to get off, but I have managed it. Eventually when I start repainting bits of it I'll whip em out and get them powder coated in black, or even do them in POR15 if I can get it to run thin enough. if it proves to be ages before that happens I'll mask up and stone chip 'em.
What's 'POR15'? I masked mine off, rubbed them down and repainted with stone chip paint (the previous owner had hand painted them with gold gloss enamel - yes, GOLD! ) the surface of the enamel paint means the new paint peels periodically - I figured the vents might be an arse to get off - look's like I was right!

I've found it to be a really good chassis paint. Stronger than Hammerite and gives a lovely finish. They do it in clear too, for arches etc.

It does flake off if you don't use the pre-treatment gear too though.

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Thu May 03, 2012 12:57 pm

saintjamesy89 wrote:Your dad is Arctic steel on here isn't he? I remember his GT being the same colour as mine. Would be great to come and have a RR session for the astra and GT in the summer, like July/August time, especially if I could have a perv at your dad's GT at the same time! How much would it cost?

Just give me a heads up when you want to do it nearer the time and we'll work it out then. I might reignite the idea of a BXC RR day.

saintjamesy89 · Post by **saintjamesy89** » Thu May 03, 2012 1:14 pm

Kitch wrote:
saintjamesy89 wrote:Your dad is Arctic steel on here isn't he? I remember his GT being the same colour as mine. Would be great to come and have a RR session for the astra and GT in the summer, like July/August time, especially if I could have a perv at your dad's GT at the same time! How much would it cost?
Just give me a heads up when you want to do it nearer the time and we'll work it out then. I might reignite the idea of a BXC RR day.

Cool, will do. BX RR day does sound good though!

Caffiend · Post by **Caffiend** » Thu May 03, 2012 2:18 pm

Kitch wrote:I might reignite the idea of a BXC RR day.

I'd be up for that - see whether any/how many horsies have managed to escape mine over time ...

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Thu May 03, 2012 11:04 pm

Well all has not gone as planned. I'm still sat at work, waiting for primer to dry!

Day started ok. In between actually doing some work at work, I did little bits on the BX:

Then I started building up layers on the rear dog-leg that I wished I hadn't started, when.....

Noooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

So had to weld it with next to piss-all gas left in the bottle:

On the plus side I checked out the box-section sills through the grommet hole:

(you can't see inside, it's dark stupid!)

Good news is that the metal is smooth as a baby's arse in there, so I'll get some waxoyl sprayed in as soon as I can and hopefully that's a large bullet dodged!

I also played around with the shutter speed on the works camera:

(you do boring shit when you're waiting for paint to dry!)

Dog-leg now looks like this:

Going to go spray it in a mo, then I'm off home for around 9 hours. Then I'm back!

citsncycles · Post by **citsncycles** » Thu May 03, 2012 11:37 pm

Some good work going on there!

themildbunch · Post by **themildbunch** » Sat May 05, 2012 5:43 pm

On the plus side I checked out the box-section sills through the grommet hole:

(you can't see inside, it's dark stupid!)

Good news is that the metal is smooth as a baby's arse in there, so I'll get some waxoyl sprayed in as soon as I can and hopefully that's a large bullet dodged!

One of my most satisfying BX jobs recently was doing the rear arm bearings last summer and squirting masses of bilt hamber runny cavity wax in those sill holes and every other hole I could find until it all ran out again.

bxzx16v · Post by **bxzx16v** » Sat May 05, 2012 9:07 pm

Great update Kitch , If you lived closer I would polish that valver up for free

Mark

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Mon May 07, 2012 4:24 pm

themildbunch wrote:
On the plus side I checked out the box-section sills through the grommet hole:

(you can't see inside, it's dark stupid!)

Good news is that the metal is smooth as a baby's arse in there, so I'll get some waxoyl sprayed in as soon as I can and hopefully that's a large bullet dodged!
One of my most satisfying BX jobs recently was doing the rear arm bearings last summer and squirting masses of bilt hamber runny cavity wax in those sill holes and every other hole I could find until it all ran out again.

I'm thinking something similar myself!

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Mon May 07, 2012 4:24 pm

bxzx16v wrote:Great update Kitch , If you lived closer I would polish that valver up for free

Mark

I'd take you up on that too! I'm not really bothered how it looks most of the time, except for special occasions but I've grown to hate cleaning cars

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Mon May 07, 2012 4:42 pm

Yesterday turned into an interesting day! I've not been using the little Saxo for the last several days since I did all the bodywork on the BX as it needs some TLC and I'm planning to take the BX back in next week and polish some more bits off in time for the wedding.
I had a trip planned to Bruntingthorpe to the Cold War Jets Open Day, which is something I do every year. I live nearer Portsmouth, and Simon who I was going with, lives in Southampton. We therefore decided we'd meet outside my parent's house in Eastleigh, dump my car there and continue in his Alfa. Because I only had to get to Eastleigh which is around 15miles, max (and the BX has been off the road for a few months, hasn't been serviced in 2 years and still has drying paint on it) I decided I'd just use the BX and hammer the arse off it all the way there at 7am. Blow the cobwebs off, put some stress on it and see how it reacts; it's got some miles to cover this year.

When I arrive at Eastleigh, I'm greeted with an Alfa with the bonnet open and a fuel leak. 130miles to Leicestershire in a car with a leaky fuel injector? Not a great idea! So, with spares still in the boot, cobwebs still in the footwells and really in no fit state to do it, we took the BX up the A34 and headed off to Bruntingthorpe.

And it did a sterling job!

I always enjoying driving in:

And the usual crowd were there:

And the run home couldn't be done along the A43 without stopping off, obviously:

They had some funny racing tin-snail things:

Good day, BX performed sterlingly, even if 300-odd miles in a BX 16v left my mate feeling sick and deaf! It's amazing how much cars have moved on in refinement!

Mike E (uk) · Post by **Mike E (uk)** » Mon May 07, 2012 5:21 pm

I think your mate is a bit sensitive.

On the BXagon we horsed around for 8 hours a day, but were always happy to get back in the car again.

I was very impressed at how comfortable it was, despite avoiding most motorways.

Mike

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Mon May 07, 2012 7:08 pm

drool.

I need some decent weather and a weekend off to take the BX out in.

Mickey taker · Post by **Mickey taker** » Mon May 07, 2012 7:26 pm

wish I had known about this Richard,
You could have swung past MK and I would have come up to Brunginthorpe with you, my littleuns would have loved it.