Looking at buying a 16V

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Cresco750
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Looking at buying a 16V

Post by Cresco750 »

Hi all

First time posting here in a long time. I’ve owned a number of different Cits over the past fifteen years or so, including D’s, XM, CX, C5, and briefly a BX Estate. I currently own a CX25 GTi Turbo 2.

I have the opportunity to buy a 1990 BX16V P1 which has been parked up for the last five years. I’ve only had a peek at it as it’s buried deep in the back of a shed, but hopefully next week I’ll get to look at it up close and take it for a drive?

It’s relatively low mileage (70,000ml), and has been owned by a Citroen enthusiast/ home mechanic for fifteen odd years.
The belts have apparently been done at some point.
It was parked up because the owner wanted to get some rust repaired around the front door hinges (which has been done), and the old cracked dashboard has been taken out and a good replacement is sitting in the boot awaiting installation. He has several other Cits so I think this one just got mothballed?

The windscreen has a big crack, so needs to be replaced. I’ve priced out a new one, but I’m reading that the rubber seal(s) would also need to be replaced? Is this usually the case? Based on the fact that there has been some rust elsewhere in the vehicle, is it reasonable to assume that there could be rust lurking around the windscreen?

I’ve read as many of the ‘buyers guides’ that I can find here and elsewhere on the web, but is there anything else that I should know before taking the plunge into 16v ownership? Any unobtainium parts which are likely to catch an owner out?

Cheers
rutter123
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Re: Looking at buying a 16V

Post by rutter123 »

Rust is the main issue, if you got a reasonably solid shell then half the battle is done, most parts are fairly easily sourced tho the mechanicals of a 16v are a bit more tricky to find. But if yrs is 70k it should be ok
Look for rust on boot floor, door hinges, inner wings, subframe and mounting areas, bulkhead under screenwash res, sills, windscreen surround, bases of pillars etc, all doable depends on depth of pockets.
Windscreen rubbers are available and so is the glass.
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white exec
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Re: Looking at buying a 16V

Post by white exec »

16v radiator looking difficult, except for the Chinese/ebay one, and a local rebuild.
Chris
Cresco750
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Re: Looking at buying a 16V

Post by Cresco750 »

Thanks guys. So just to clarify; the window seal is unique to the BX? Why I ask is because I’m in NZ and I doubt very much that any of the glass companies here would carry a genuine Citroen window seal, and I’d be worried that they’d get half way through the job and realise they don’t have all the right bits?! I see Chevronics list a repro seal; anyone have experience with this one?
Cresco750
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Re: Looking at buying a 16V

Post by Cresco750 »

Today I had a better look at the 16v in question. It’s a project, that’s for sure!

One of the areas of concern is that I can see some signs of rust forming around the window frame A-pillars when I peel the rubber seal away. The seals across the roof and base of the windscreen were glued down so I couldn’t see under those, however there is no obvious signs of bubbles emerging in those areas. The dashboard is out, and so I can confirm that the frame on the inside up the pillars and across the firewall all look very sound.
My question is: is it more common for rust in the pillars to emerge from the inside of the hollow pillar and by the time it is visible under the rubber seal we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg, or do they tend to rust on the outside / under the seal first, and therefore could possibly be cleaned up and repainted? The windscreen is cracked, so it would need to come out anyway.

Photo shows visible rust up driver A pillar.

It has had both front door hinges repaired, and there is minor rust under both washer bottles which would need to be sorted.
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rutter123
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Re: Looking at buying a 16V

Post by rutter123 »

Yeah that's fairly common rust around the windscreen, you'll prob find more once the rubber is out, it's a tricky repair as you will have to fabricate some new sections or cut some good ones from a doner, usually goes hand in hand with rusty a-pillars and bulkhead which again is a tricky repair as it's triple skinned along the lower bulkhead seam and will need to be repaired in sections.
At least the dash is out which makes things a lot easier there.
The a-pillars tend to rust from the inside out, this can also be caused from rusty inner wings esp under the splash guards that you can't see, have a good poke all along the inner/outer sills and the underside of the sill at the rear, and if it has a sunroof check the frame as they rust quite nicely too.
Hopefully your not opening a whole can of worms. I'd guess rust was a major contribution the the demise of many a bx in the uk Inc my own which was very rusty when I saved it from certain death 15yr ago.
There's two things you need with a bx. A lot of patience and a welder.
And the strips on the roof don't come off easily as they're bonded on I managed to cut the first couple of inches off with a dremel and bonded it back on after repair.
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Cresco750
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Re: Looking at buying a 16V

Post by Cresco750 »

Thanks Rutter. So tip-of-the-iceberg you reckon? I’m in the process of having the body restored on my CX Turbo, and so I know how rust repairs can snowball! I’m not a welder (or at least not confident enough to do my own panel repairs), nor do I have my own equipment for such, so I would be out sourcing. I do know that the panel beater who is working on my CX would be more than capable of carrying out any required repair work on the BX……at a price.

I’m in New Zealand, and so the 16V is an even rarer site here than in the UK, and therefore parts / doner cars scarce.

I see this model as a potential future classic, and so I would be prepared to invest a little bit to at least save it and get it road worthy, if not restore it immediately. The question to myself is: how much can I justify spending on something which currently still doesn’t command that ‘classic car’ price tag?
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Re: Looking at buying a 16V

Post by rutter123 »

Potential money pit?
Buy yourself a welder teach yourself to weld, save yourself a fortune.
Justification on spending depends on how deep your pockets are as body repairs need to be done properly to stop the spread, but once you have a solid shell half the battle is won.
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Re: Looking at buying a 16V

Post by panky »

I'm sure Horopito Motors will have something to take parts from

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rutter123
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Re: Looking at buying a 16V

Post by rutter123 »

Some gems in there, it's like a throwback to the 80s
90 BX Tzd turbo 294k SORN undergoing major surgery
90 BX Tzd turbo estate 46k awaiting surgery
65 Peugeot Boxer Van the new workhorse
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white exec
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Re: Looking at buying a 16V

Post by white exec »

If the body is beyond reasonable hope, how feasible is it to acquire another BX, lesser spec, and swap in the 16v mechanicals and other best bits?
Chris
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Re: Looking at buying a 16V

Post by panky »

rutter123 wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 6:59 pm Some gems in there, it's like a throwback to the 80s
I know, it's a gold mine. And I remember correctly there were a couple of BX's in there
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Cresco750
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Re: Looking at buying a 16V

Post by Cresco750 »

Ha, yeah. I might have to do a ‘pork pie’ run there one day? 🤣🤣

panky wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 10:34 am I'm sure Horopito Motors will have something to take parts from

Cresco750
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Re: Looking at buying a 16V

Post by Cresco750 »

Certainly possible, but my level of enthusiasm doesn’t extend that far 🤣.
white exec wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 7:10 pm If the body is beyond reasonable hope, how feasible is it to acquire another BX, lesser spec, and swap in the 16v mechanicals and other best bits?
Cresco750
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Re: Looking at buying a 16V

Post by Cresco750 »

Is it possible to confirm a BX’s build date and spec from its VIN? Number is VF7XBEJ0001EJ4702. The vehicle in question is registered as a 1990 model, but was first registered in NZ in August 1991. Odometer is in miles (NZ vehicles normally in Km’s), which suggests it may have been privately imported from the UK as a new car? Body kit is P1, but I thought the P2 was in production from 1990 onwards.
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