Mat's BX Blog

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 12:49 am

It's been ages since I wrote anything here, I've been fairly busy with the kitchen,

doing a spot of levelling (again!)

putting fence posts in (the easy way!)

and MOT'd the van ready for the summer. It needed a patch in the wheelarch, under where the battery lives,

a ball joint, couple of suspension bushes, and generally the brakes freeing off after being stood for the winter. Apart from that it flew through! I took it in for the retest, only to have the handbrake rod snap when it was on the rollers. Bugger. Now all sorted, and enjoying pottering along at 55mph. Much more relaxing drive then sitting in a car I always find.

I'm gradually accumulating parts (some I've had for years, bought at the right price!) ready to give the BX a good fettling before the BXagon. I've got a new radiator, braided hoses, rear discs and pads, and I'll probably do the fronts as well, as I think they'll be roundabout due then anyway. It's always a nice feeling going on a long journey knowing that everything is spot on, although I wouldn't doubt it would make it if I went tomorrow.

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:23 pm

I can vouch....that house is awesome!

Post by **Tim Leech** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 12:01 am

I was feeling chuffed after doing painting my skirting boards! good man matt keep it up.

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:55 pm

Cheers guys! It feels like it will never end sometimes, when you have to do all the running repairs that go along with an old house on top of the improvements you want to do.
Talking of never ending projects I've made a start on replacing the sills on the Stellar, need to put in some extra reinforcements too to prevent chassis twist. I've already linked in the rear axle mounting points to a triangulated set of tubes to give it a bit of strength. I have heard of people who've put in a bigger engine, and cracked the windscreen when they put the power down, hopefully not me. Here's what lay underneath the N/S sill.

Anyways, yesterday I've made use of your bit of exhaust Kitch - I now have a straight through system to the back box.

I'm not too keen on the sound, a bit too chavvy for me but it seems quicker. Turbo seems to spool up slightly earlier, which would make sense. It's knocking on the towbar sometimes at start up, which is annoying but fixable with a bit of bending hopefully.

Lastly, took a few pictures on the way back from work last night, just to prove it doesn't always rain in Wales!

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:19 pm

Blimey, you've been busy Mat! Kitchen looks great as does your landscaping - very kid friendly

Did you take that scenic picture while you were driving? You could have careered off the road and wiped out an unsuspecting sheep that was sleeping under a bush, then got eaten alive by a Welsh Yeti. It's possible.

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:19 pm

Notice the distinct lack of motion blur?

Interesting about the exhaust modification. I've often wondered if the BX TD really needs both silencers, as the 405 1.9TD only ever used one silencer, right at the back of the car, and never sounded any louder than a BX TD. The 405 one isn't even any bigger than a BX silencer.

I see proper "man's gardening" is being done. If it can't be done with excessive horsepower, then it's not worth it!

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 9:38 pm

Mat, I thought I'd let you know I've just banged out a couple of Levellers songs on the old guitar in your honour! Boatman and Battle of the Bean Field

Are you anywhere near the A-Tech centre? I've thought about moving up that way several times, but I've turned back into a southern softy after moving back down here from Scotland. There's a lot to be said for choosing the good life, but your blog demonstrates that it takes a fair bit of hard graft too.

That's one of things I hate about living in town - nowhere to keep 'project' cars. Come to think of it half the time there's nowhere to park my one car what with all the neighbours having several cars each.. grrrrr

By the way, I'm six foot and I can lay down flat in the back of a bx h/b - but only on the diagonal.

Oh and Mr. Rutherford is right about mechanical digging - but a few pigs do a pretty good ploughing job, and you can eat them afterwards!!

Steve

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:13 pm

DavidRutherford wrote:Interesting about the exhaust modification. I've often wondered if the BX TD really needs both silencers...

Phil (Kermit) and I are modifying our BXagon car 'The Green Hornet' TZD Turbo estate in such a way. Kermit already had done that modification to his now being broken TZD hatch...

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:29 pm

I'm not sure about excessive horsepower David, the 13 tonner we had most recently had a whopping 100 bhp, squeezed out of a mere 4 litres!

Steve, we are about 1.5 hours further north than the Alternative Technology centre, not too far away really. I remember reading you spent the summer living in a car, can I ask the reason why? I've spent a few nights in cars (mainly after drinking) but think I'd get claustrophobic after a while!
If you head along to one of the shows this summer, you'll have to bring your guitar, I have been known to spontaneously burst into song whilst listening to the Levellers. Whether this is a good thing or not I will leave to other people to decide... (But if you do requests I'll have 'One Way', 'What you Know' and 'Outside Inside' please!)

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:36 pm

The reason I "lived" in the bx was because I like my own space

I was working on an organic garden in Avranche and living in the owners very old caravan. Unfortunately, due to an indiscretion between the goatherd and a young American lass, the goatherd's wife threw him out and he had to move into the caravan too. I was a little put off by the fact he insisted on airing his underpants over the door at night, so I decided to stay in the car. The proprietor also had a bit of a 'powder' habit which made her somewhat erratic emotionally so I liked to keep a little bit of a distance between us. It was quite a strange place. The very first night I was there she left me babysitting her two year old!! I'd only spoken to her twice by email before that.

You did ask.

As to the guitar playing you might regret suggesting I bring it along to a meet if you heard me play it!

I'm a bit weighed down with studying at the moment - but a few days away could be fun later in the summer - I might even have another bx by then.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 12:35 am

You really should come to the National

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:19 am

scarecrow wrote:As to the guitar playing you might regret suggesting I bring it along to a meet if you heard me play it!

Sounds like it would be a good match for my singing - what I lack in tunefulness I make up for in enthusiasm!

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:50 am

We could be a tribute act for the Proclaimers, maybe?

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:01 am

Philip Chidlow wrote:You really should come to the National

The last time I went to a 'festival' was Glastonbury '92.

I'm going to a mini-festival come mass protest at Kingsnorth around about the time of the National - so depending on the extent of police brutality at the march I might be incapacitated at that time!!

The National sounds like an altogether more gentle affair and probably a bit safer (unless I drive my current BX

)

I'll have to see how events unfold. It'd be good to put some faces to names though.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:03 am

scarecrow wrote:mass protest at Kingsnorth

What are you protesting about/for?