Ian's BX 16TGS

[Meter rat]

Hello all, thank you for the welcome.

As previously said, I fetched this car from Southport. Having now looked it over, mechanically all seems good. To day I spent the afternoon waiting for work, so I investigated the interior and what needs doing. A few bits of interior trim are broken or damaged, but I can live with this for now, however now I have found them it will annoy me. On Thursday it is off to my tame Citroen mechanic who will service it, repair any mechanical faults, and MOT it. Even in today's rain there seems to be no leaks from the sunroof, which I'm pleased about. If all is good it should be on the road by the end of the month.

Regards Ian

[Tim Leech]

Hi Ian

If you look round the site and the FB page your car appears a few times, in fact there's a photo of it at the bx 25th party which was ten year ago this month.

Pleased you have it as at one time a 1.6 petrol was hard to give away let alone sell!

[Meter rat]

Woohoo! Car passed its' MOT, with no advisories. So in under the advice of my tame mechanic " too use the car as much as possible, before taking it on a long run" I took a detour home. It sits beautifully at slightly above the legal limit. Now to sort out the few bits of interior trim, install a decent stereo and give the interior a good polish, fit a tow bar and electrics, and hide the keys as the wife now seams to think it's her car! Oh and tax it. Why is I can insure, and MOT my car from a day in the month, but the road tax can only be done from the start of the month, so either wasting money or having to wait? The cynic in thinks the government want to rip us off. And this new thing of having to surrender the tax on selling a car, so again wasting money or having to wait seams geared up to ripping folk off or helping the car dealers with there end of month sales. So now the car is home, I'm wasting insurance and MOT now until next week. Bloody goverment con artists!

[Tim Leech]

Hi Ian

Haven't forgotten you, is Thursday evening suitable? Thabks

[Meter rat]

Sorry Tim, I'm out tomorrow. Hopefully going to the Coopers arms on the 3rd. Car's thrown a temper tantrum and now won't start. Moved it around earlier and every thing was fine, apart from the big red stop light coming on, which I was aware of and why it was moved. This we think is due the water sensor in the radiator, so I was going to short this out, on talking to my mechanic. Now the bloody thing won't start. This has all been in the last two hours. Given up for to night.

[Tim Leech]

ok will try for the 3rd.

[Meter rat]

Spent a pleasant day at Ilkeston transport extravaganza today, we took both the BX and Acadiane. Tomorrow we're heading to Edinburgh in the BX, so we'll either make it or break it.

[Tim Leech]

Happy travels Ian, I've done thousands of trouble free miles in many BX's, hope yours is the same.

[Meter rat]

Today my bx clocked up 1500 miles in my ownership. The wife has called it Trevor for some reason!. It's taken us to Scotland and done a car show. Tow bar and 13 pin electrics fitted (thanks Tim). Went to the Woodland craft fair at Elvaston Castle in Derby and ended up meeting Dragon Man John, who was talking to a member of 2cvgb about his 2cv van. Spent a very pleased 30min or so talking 2cv, BX, Pandas, and Jowetts' with Tims mum. The next test is to two the caravan to the South Derbyshire Firkin Flyers camp at Barton Marina. An open invitation to all with any type of Citroen, for the 5-8 October.

[Meter rat]

After using the car over summer for holidays and running around for pleasure. One fail to proceed, and the exhaust falling off, arse! Causing my first insurance claim in twenty plus years, it was decided to start a rolling restoration. Not having the skills, space, and needing the car to be movable, it was decided to let Rob and his team at Chevronics, go over it and advise on the best cause of action. We now have a solid base to work from, with welding, replaced hydraulic systems and fuel lines, it did have a tendency to leak fuel, not good, and various other issues. We are collecting the car on Wednesday. In spring, I will replace the exhaust with a stainless system, consider alternative wheels, just to annoy the purists you understand! Finish making good the interior, and MOT it. Use it again over summer. It will still look like a shed, as money was not available for the respray I wanted to have done whilst it was at Robs. Never mind, this can be done latter. Next priority is to rebuild the engine, as it smokes on the over run, and the oil pressure drops at tick over on a run. This will be next winter, pennies permiting. Body work will be the final work to be done. I’m not after a concourse car, just bring it back from the brink, show it some love, and to make it a good usable car. Financially is it worth it, no of course not. Is any car restoration? Hopefully it will be out and about at some shows.

[panky]

Great to see it's being used as it should. My Commer camper has been pressed onto service most of the year as my back can't take driving the Mini, wish I had a BX

[Meter rat]

Today I achieved the sum total of diddly squat.
Did more damage than repairs.
Set too to fit a new piece of trim around the handle and arm rest. Took it off ok. Whilst it was off I thought I would put some wax oil in the door and fit a new mirror which came with the car. Fitting it all back up and trying to fit the knob on the mirror, part of the mechanism broke.

Next I thought I would lubricant the sun roof. Got it open ok, would it shut would it f+%k. Took the motor out, found it would run one way but not the other. Dropped the fitting screws.

Found all but one. Got it back together and dropped the hand winder somewhere in the car, roof now closed but in the raised position, unable to find handle in car. Now dark so working by torch light.

Finally whilst looking for the handle, lent back on the seat, which promptly broke. This had already been repaired. Still a pisser.

Total afternoon of bastardism.

[Meter rat]

Today I achieved the sum total of didley squat
Did more damage than repairs.
Set too to fit a new piece of trim around the handle and arm rest. Took it off ok. Whilst it was off I thought I would put some wax oil in the door and fit a new mirror which came with the car. Fitting it all back up and trying to fit the knob on the mirror, part of the mechanism broke.

Arse.

Next I thought I would lubricant the sun roof. Got it open ok, would it shut would it f+%k. Took the motor out, found it would run one way but not the other. Dropped the fitting screws.

Arse.

Found all but one. Got it back together and dropped the hand winder somewhere in the car, roof now closed but in the raised position, unable to find handle in car. Now dark so working by torch light.

Arse.

Finally whilst looking for the handle, lent back on the seat, which promptly broke. This had already been repaired. Still a pisser.

Total afternoon of Arseism.

[vulgalour]

Ouch. We've all had days like that. You have my sympathies.

[rutter123]

At least your torch worked......
Arseism, not heard that one before
I prefer F***ery- when the day has been against you.