Timex and friends

[citsncycles]

With the rot and bodges cut out it the hole just gets bigger and bigger


New metal welded into the trailing edge of the inner wing and the boot floor


Lower corner closed off with new metal


Same repair from the other side - I got the rear edge slightly wrong as I didn't have much to go on, but luckily had enough metal there to reshape it.


A new bumper mounting plate welded in - slightly smaller than the original but also slightly thicker


Towing eye welded in - it was originally on the other side of this panel, but this was easier


With all the rust cut out of this end of the back panel, this small repair was needed to the inner structure


Again made up the new metal piecemeal, this time so that I didn't scrap too much if I got it wrong




For some reason I don't have the completed back panel repair to hand, so I'll take that pic again when I next go down there

Bumper end mount made and fitted

[citsncycles]

New bump stop made up and painted


Bump stop fitted


I decided to remove the fuel tank mount as it was holed and rusty


This is the hole it left


Mount with rust removed and a new section welded in


Repairs made to the boot floor and inner wing before the tank mount could be refitted






Tank mount back in place, fitted by a mix of plug and seam welding

[citsncycles]

I bet you can't guess what I did on my days off last week - Welding the Visa!

This is the front RH corner of the boot floor from underneath:



With the rust cut outI started putting it all back together again



This is the reinforcing angle repaired



Then the boot floor and kick plate repairs were welded in



As I seemed to miss it last last time, here's the completed rear corner



Excuse the poor quality of the next few pics (what I thought was poor screen was a dirty lens ), but this was typical of the wing inner skin.



The rot was again cut out, the inner surfaces of the wing and repair sections painted, then the whole lot welded up



Luckily all the outer wing skin needed was a piece of joining flange replacing and this small repair that's hidden under the plastic trim



With a clean camera lens, I then started on the back panel under the tailgate aperture



One of the repair sections I made



And the same section welded in



A wire wheel across the bottom of the panel revealed more rust, which was cut away to reveal a rearedge of the boot floor that wasn't much better



Everything trimmed back ready for new metal



And it all welded back up again

[citsncycles]

Some of you may have read elsewhere that Timex started acting it's age and miles as well as showing it while in Ireland. Currently there's a seemingly ever growing list of electrical issues that have gone from annoying to illegal and potentially dangerous. I have also looked around the bodywork and the windscreen pillars both need surgery at their bases, and the roof on the driver's side finally lost the ally tape that I think Ian applied, displayig some major rust up there. The rear sub frame mounts are in a bad way, and the sills will almost certainly need work for the next MOT (I'm amazed they didn't for the last one!). The driver's seat is also becoming increasingly uncomfortable - omething really brought home to me when riding in Chris's car in Ireland. This all tells me one thing - it's restoration time!

Thanks to all those who have either sold or given me parts over the last couple of years, along with a few finds of my own, I have new bumpers and front wings, plus good (or at least repairable) 2nd hand bonnet, doors, tailgate and passenger rear wing - All I need for the exterior is a pair of sills, which I hope to be able to locate through the local panel specialist - watch this space! As for the interior I have a steering wheel and main dash assembly to go in, plus a set of carpets, but I'm still looking for a few bits, such as the interior trim for the passenger mirror, and either some seats or seat covers. I did wonder about robbing Fred's interior as that particular car's being modified anyway, but I don't think it'll be good enough for what I want. Any ideas greatfully recieved!

This isn't happening immediately, as I want to get Visal Diesel done first, but hopefully work will start in September. Fred's slipping down the queue butwill have the benefit of going back under cover as a result!

In the meantime, for those who don't know, I've done something very silly (again!)



It's a 1992 XM Turbo SD, which for those who don't know is the mid range 2.1 TD, in this case with manual gearbox - unusually for me it has more than a few weeks MOT on it and it runs! mileage is just a few thousand less then Timex, but unlike Timex it has a very full history file with a scary amount of work done over the years. Work so far has been restricted to painting the bonnet (which still needs work), cleaning and polishing it and trying to keep everything working on the damn thing! It's a great drive but I suspect it'll be a love/hate relationship while it drives me to distraction as apparently only a Mk1 XM can! her it is looking slightly shinier:

[Tinkley]

I'm pretty sure Chevronics have some BX sills, if you cannot find any Mike. New ones at about 45 quid and at least you can be fairly sure they will be a 'good fit' as I'm sure they will not accept poor quality parts.

[citsncycles]

I'm thinking of popping over to Chevronics anyway in the near future, as I want a couple of spray bars, some octopi and (if they have any left) some XM bumper trims. Sills may be another to add to the list of wants!

[Dollywobbler]

I have a nearside sill Mike. Not much use to me and I could do with the money! £30 to you sound ok?

[citsncycles]

That sounds good Ian, just have to come ad get it!

[Dollywobbler]

I'll let you know when I'm over your way. Bound to be at some point. If you need it sooner, you're very welcome to pop in for a brew. It's only about a 3 hour journey!

[citsncycles]

Thanks Ian, I'll le you know if it becomes urgent, although somehow I suspect that I'll have plenty to keep me occupied!

[citsncycles]

As I don't have enough rusty projects in my life, I went and added another one to the collection this week:



Some will havealready seen this mentioned, but it's a late Mk1 AX GT, with air con and no sun roof. I was told that it was built for Australia but ended up here instead, but research into the badging (badged as a GT Japon on the tailgate) has suggested that it may have actually been originally destined for Japan - more research needed methinks!!!

If I get a chance tomorrow I have lots of rusty Visa pics to add. I've also been asked to write something for the Visa column in the Citroenian as it seems that not many people bother to rescue a car this bad (now where have I heard that before???)

[Tim Leech]

Aircon on a AX! never heard of that, well saved Mike!

[mds141]

You're a legend Mike.

[citsncycles]

I don't think air con was ever officially offered in the UK, only for hotter climates. It certainly makes things look cramped underthe bonnet - the Aircon exchanger is in front of the rad and about the same size, wheile the compressor runs off the auxiliary belt that drives the alternator. Under the dash below the standard heater controls there's an additional pod sat on top of the tunnel with a couple of rotary controls for temp. and fan, and 3 vent outlets that can be adjusted for direction. Haven't delved into whether it's plumbed into any of the other vents yet.

[citsncycles]

Took Timex out for the first time in a few weeks today, up to Gloucester to collect some paint for the XM, then to Tony Weston's place to collect some Visa bits - it's now loaded to the roof with the mortal remains of a C reg 10E. It was good to be behind the wheel again, much smoother ride than the XM, although the on/off brakes and the relatively low power took a few miles to adjust to again. After the XM it did bring home how bad the driver's seat is though, and it's leaking from the pressure regulator.