St Tropez restoration blog

[Paul296]

BX factoid: the Athena had body coloured sills too.

[Tim Leech]

BX factoid: the Athena had body coloured sills too.

Im sure my blue one had black sills?

[Paul296]

BX factoid: the Athena had body coloured sills too.

a funny picture of Michael Caine etc. etc.

Im sure my blue one had black sills?

Oh yes - except for the blue one - which might have had black sills. I just checked the uber rare and uber lovely 'sable phoenicienne' (that's gold) - looks like that had black sills too. You live and learn.

[Des Smith]

Back on thread - I collected the St Tropez from Chevronic today and she is now shod with Michelins and what a difference it makes to low-speed manouevering. It's almost like I've had power-steering retro-fitted (well, almost!). Anyway, apart from that, the newly-resprayed unrusty front wings are looking resplendent and the lovely refurbed wheel trims and the gorgeous white steel wheels.

Oh yes. Nearly forgot the best bit - the valve covers.

[Defender110]

Oh yes. Nearly forgot the best bit - the valve covers.

[Tinkley]

I always had Michelin on my old 14 on the front and mostly on the rears. Those new ones ie from 2012 onwards are incredibly quiet, also pretty grippy and nice steering weight with the PAS. As you already know I'm not a fan of PAS on the 'light' petrols. Good to know they work well with the St Tropez. The only lighter steering tyre I've used was Dunlop. Someone who 'lost' their BX last year just gave me a couple of Brand New Valve Covers...

Out of interest what tyre make did it have on before?

[Des Smith]

Out of interest what tyre make did it have on before?

It was a Heinz 57 combination. Those I remember were one Michelin, a Kuhmo, and something Eastern European.

[BX Bandit]

Brockvurst? Or further east, Vlodstock?

[Des Smith]

Dunno, it was in Cyrillic.

[Kitch]

Just read the rest of that looking for inspiration for the GT's rear subframe mounting issues.

Great to see it getting all the work. I run a workshop....I can guess how much that cost

Look forward to seeing it at the NEC

[Tinkley]

Unfortunately I think my Athena is going to need a fair bit of this, or it will be like yours Kitch. Not quite as bad as the St Tropez but has already had boot welded. You can push the rear sill covers in with one finger...so just how bad is the rest? Probably need to get it steam cleaned to find out.
I seem to re making this Citroen with 'more advanced composites' than Citroen ever intended.

Not too keen on rebuilding the subframe mounting areas though. Don't mind the wheel arch, non structural areas but all the box sections and mounts need to be good. I'm leaving under the VIN plate til she's been welded on the inner wing. I should be able to pack the stupid space behind the VIN and before the strut mount with epoxy and microballoons to keep the water out permanently.

Good to see the St Tropez so well sorted, it will surely last a long time and lets hope no one drives into it (twice) like my old Athena.

[Des Smith]

MOT yesterday! I would have been severely hacked off if the result was anything other than a pass.

Your car far exceeds the standards required for the MOT test!

[Paul296]

Your car far exceeds the standards required for the MOT test!

Like you didn't already know that!? Well done.

[MULLEY]

It wouldn't have been on rust though

[Des Smith]

It wouldn't have been on rust though

Funnily enough, it might have flopped on headlight adjustment! I'd noticed the N/S beam was pointing at the ground about 5 metres in front of the centre of the car. I found out it was a displaced bulb, but not before I had moved the adjustment to its maximum and it was still not right. I then put it back to where the N/S beam was aligned with the O/S on the garage door. Guesswork, but happily it was spot-on.