BX Van 16V & BX Sport

[hilarystone]

I thought it would make more sense to create a fresh thread for these two new cars.

First off the new on the Sport… I've now sent off the documents to the DVLA for the second time – the DVLA in their wisdom need the original registration document rather than a copy which they accept for all the other required documents. Hopefully it will have a British registration number next week…

Today I went to collect the BX van. It was not as smooth sailing as I would have hoped. It did not start well – the bus did not arrive to take me to the station so I made a mad dash with the 16V to get the train. We then had sleet and hailstones in Hampshire before finally getting to the garage.

There is a definite knack to starting a car fitted with Weber carbs – pumping the accelerator pedal just the right amount whilst cranking the engine over, hopefully I will manage it tomorrow. I left the garage by 2.15 and on my way home – the lanes which TomTom took me down were full of potholes and after only a couple of minutes I rounded a corner and there was a large crash from the nearside rear… It did not feel funny so I continued to drive on but after a few more miles the nearside rear tyre was beginning to make some funny noises especially on right-hand corners. Stopping to investigate it was obvious the tyre was going down quite fast… I needed some fuel so decided to press on to the nearest garage which was a service station on the A303 – TomTom had taken me on a very different route from last Saturday. I was recommended Micheldever Station Tyre Depot just a mile or so down the road… They had a choice of eight or so tyres so an hour later I was back on the road but by that time the M4 was getting really busy and I decided rather than dropping it off directly at the Westons I would head for home. It was running not bad at all – not as lively as my own 16V but that was to be expected with the Weber carbs and distributor not being fully set up… In any case I am going to return the engine to the standard fuel injection with ecu.

I finally arrived back at home just before 6.00 and here are some pics I managed to grab before the light faded.







Its certainly going to need quite a bit of tidying and sorting but I think its definitely going to be rewarding…




The panel above the nearside sill will need some repair but when the wheel was removed at the tyre depot I was able to take a closer look at the sill which appeared to be pretty sound.

[citsncycles]

Might be worth talking to Justin Sheilds about that rusty area - IIRC he had to repair his own van in the same area just before the ICCCR.

Surprise to see a long nose bonnet on there - I wonder if it's original?

Worryingly, I've found myself thinking that I could probably make the van specific panels with my swager, although I wouldn't do it to either of my estates - hope it doesn't lead me to findind an estate to convert!

[Thread Bear]

Mechaldever Station used to be the best tyre place in the central south. They are still very good but the Internet means you can target specific deals locally that you could not prior with ease.
As a good customer I was invited down with a Messerschmitt for their jubalee. I ended up taking several celebs out for a ride. Had Murray Walker, Rallyings Tony Mason, several good racing drivers and so on (No Murray in the car). They also had the model they were using for there trade calender, one Lindsey Dawn Mackensie. She is a big lass all right and we a slight problem with her fashion high heel shoes. I think being in the Schmitt was one of the only times she was away from her minders. I think the only other car she went in was the CC Cyclone. It was a chance for her to be off duty for 5 minutes and seemed a nice enough person. Schmitts are for leg men as that is all you can see of a passenger (Suzanne Danielle, dancer spring to mind, another celeb passinger). All good fun and the bonus of owning stupid cars. More attractive than Bibbendum.
Anyway Mechaldever remain recommended. Webers are probably out of date but they are nice.

[Tim Leech]

The van originally would have had a 1.9D non turbo engine so should have a long nosed bonnet, however all estates no matter what lump were fitted had a short nose...hmmm.

[citsncycles]

Ah ok. For some reason I had it in my mind that this van used to be a TD, but it's a while since I saw it last in the metal. My guess is the difference between vans and estates is weight - the estates weigh at least 100kg more than the equivalent hatch, but I'd bet the vans are lighter - no back seat, trim, glass (which is surprisingly heavy), etc.

[Philip Chidlow]

Will this be your Challenge 2015 car then, Hilary?
Certainly could be a place for you to camp inside!

[Philip Chidlow]

Oh, and who's is the Integrale in the second pic? Love them, I do.

[Dollywobbler]

Brilliant. Not sure even I would have been brave enough to drive home in it with the original description, but I guess you had at least checked it out in the metal.

[mds141]

Oh, and who's is the Integrale in the second pic? Love them, I do.

I'm guessing it's Hilary's Phil. Especially as his signature lists a Delta Intergrale.

[citsncycles]

Yep, and very smart it looks too!

[hilarystone]

OK the Sport now has a UK registration – though the DVLA sent the V5C they have not as yet sent the tax disc or the other documents back… However I presume its taxed so have collected it from Andrew and Tony today. The weather in Wales today has been for the most part pouring rain so more pics will have to wait. But the drive back was lovely. It is so smooth and is quite a bit softer than either the 16V or GTI 4x4 but is exceptionally well damped. And now both front electric windows work, the mirrors are sorted and the carbs have been tuned which have made a big difference, it idles beautifully and pulls very strongly without any flat spots or hiccups. I can really see why it was an instant success. Taking a critical eye at the paint it needs some scratches touched up and there's small dent in one of the rear doors – but what do you expect of a car that has lived most of its life in Paris…

[hilarystone]

As promised some pics from today – out on my favourite local road, the B4560 from Beaufort to Llangynidr. And if you'd like to sample this and other great roads on the way to the Irish Classic Challenge I'm more than happy to take a group over some of the best roads here in South Wales on the Sunday or Monday before catching the ferry…












The Sport is a fascinating animal – it feels very different from my other BXs, the 16v and GTI 4x4, the big immediately noticeable difference is the far softer springing which is also better damped. Handling wise it has a bit more understeer than the 16v, you don't gun it in the corners to promote understeer, a light throttle is better. The 4x4 is more neutral and grippy than either the 16v or Sport particularly in slippery conditions and imparts a feel of being incredibly stable. The Sport though hangs on beautifully – its just that it definitely needs a different approach. The Sport's engine is now truly gorgeous – masses of torque all the way across the rev range right up to the red line and the carburettor tuning has made it quite a bit smoother and less boomy. You can really see why the Sport was an instant success. A back-to-back comparison with an 8v GTi would be very interesting.

[citsncycles]

The Mk1's generally seem to have softer settings than the Mk2's. Being that early, it may also have the bearing mounted wishbones too, which I'm told make a difference.

Must crack on with Fred - would like to know how a tuned 19td in a hatchback shell compares to go faster models! I suspect more understeer, and still falling behind valvers, but may compare well to the 8v cars due to the torque, as well as the gearing of the 'box I hope to use.

[hilarystone]

A couple of new versions of the photos above – I do love playing in Photoshop… I just adore the sculptured lines of the Sport. It just looks like its been cut from a block of rock.

[hilarystone]

Well the Sport has now done almost 10,000km since being collected from France and has just done a trouble free 3700km trip to Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and France. It makes a really interesting contrast to the 16V being quite a bit more softly suspended… But the handling is not as nice when pushing on – there's lift-off oversteer which is much less apparent in the 16V. The GTI 4x4 is really quite a different animal being more neutral throttle on or off…

And whilst the Sport's engine revs quite freely it has much flatter torque curve than the 16V. But the Sport engine sounds coarse compared to the 16V though overall it's quite a bit quieter in the 80–90mph range which we used quite a bit on the continent. On the German autobahn just north of Koln and up to the Dutch border we had short stretches where it could be given its head on derestricted road and ran on a couple of occasions to 115–116mph as measured by a Satnav speedo. And it was quite superb going south to Brittany to look at a Birotor – the first day was about 600 miles and next was nearly 500 miles. It was great meeting KevR and thanks Kev for putting us up.

After being collected from Andrew and Tony Weston it has almost only needed the wheel alignment sorted out – it practically wore out the nearly new Dunlops on the front wheels in 3500KM. I took it a nearby 4-wheel alignment place – they were toeing about 3mm in each rather than toeing out by a similar amount. I've since fitted Continental Sport Contact 5s and they show very little sign of wear over 4000km +. They also inside quite a bit more confidence in both the wet and dry. And a front indicator bulb failed – clips had been broken and the light had been glued in – I think I have spare one…

And I've fitted a Sony radio with Bluetooth which connects to my iPhone allowing music to be played from it through the car speakers and for hands free phone operation. That works very well but shows the car speakers as being pretty crap.

One interesting observation I have is just how well the suspension stays up. We arrived back from Belgium early Saturday evening and this morning it had not really sunk down to a measurable extent! Is this due to a very good doseur? Or just the relatively low miles?