So this is how I spent today :)

"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228) 09/25/2014 at 15:50 • Filed to: La Citroen

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Found out why the Citroen failed its MOT. Socking great rust hole next to the nearside front suspension mount. Out came the welding gear :) I’d also appreciate an oppopinion on some wheels for it, pics at the bottom.

So, I chopped it back as far as the rust had crept (quite some ways), treated and painted the rusty metal underneath and mocked up a new plate to weld back.

Tacked in place:

All welded up, and a radius-ed flange formed by cutting metal into tabs and re-welding it so it keeps its shape:

Unfortunately, it’s happened in an area where 3 separate pressings meet so there’s a lot more work to do there than it seemed. I’ve only managed to get the one finished today, but the other two are pretty much prepped and ready for new plates to be welded back in.

Then I’ve just got the other side to do!

Oh, and because the French are rather good at parts-sharing, the stud pattern of the wheels is the same as my sister’s boyfriend’s 106 :)

What do you reckon to these white ones?

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/25/2014 at 15:54

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You own a BX now?

KirkyV > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/25/2014 at 15:57

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I'm not too keen on the white, myself, but then I tend not to like most aftermarket wheels generally. How about some speedlines?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peugeot-30…

My citroen won't start > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/25/2014 at 15:58

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Get one of these.

T5Killer > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/25/2014 at 16:00

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I love the white wheels.

duurtlang > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/25/2014 at 16:20

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I really wish I had your wrenching skills (and the space, and the tools...)

Anyway, make sure the wheels you pick fit the age of the car. Those white wheels don't fit the car, they look too modern in my opinion. I'd get BX GTI wheels, or the Speedlines KirkyV recommended.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > My citroen won't start 09/25/2014 at 16:37

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Those would be excellent :) I would much prefer something blocky and weird (in keeping with the whole car itself).

Can't find any on eBay though :S

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > duurtlang 09/25/2014 at 16:51

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Thanks man :)

I was thinking they looked a little boy-racer, and I'd much prefer something blocky and weird. The whole car's blocky and weird so the wheels should be as well.

I've been trying to find some of these hubcaps, but there's nothing wheel-wise on eBay at the moment.

I'm thinking this will be one of those cars that forums will be better to buy things for than eBay...

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > KirkyV 09/25/2014 at 16:53

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I do rather like speedlines, and they're cheap to buy. Not sure they suit the BX though (nor do the white spokey ones really either).

I'd like something blocky and 80s to replace the steelies, but you don't really get many blocky 80s aftermarket wheels and I can't find any BX GTi alloys on eBay at the moment...

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Goshen, formerly Darkcode 09/25/2014 at 16:55

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As of Tuesday yeah :) one of those deals on eBay that was too good to let slip. £255, which is frankly nothing for a car that's even got tax. As you can see it's got some rust holes to repair before it's driven, and the suspension isn't levelling right front-to-rear, but for that little money I can hardly complain :)

KirkyV > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/25/2014 at 16:55

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A set of BX GTi alloys would be ideal, but I do genuinely think the Speedlines would suit the car rather well. That one in duurtlang's second picture really works for me.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > KirkyV 09/25/2014 at 17:03

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Hmmm, I'll give them a go :) I think my sister's boyfriend might have a set hanging around. If I've got time I might stick them on one side tomorrow :)

KirkyV > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/25/2014 at 17:07

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Picsplz

YSI-what can brown do for you > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/25/2014 at 17:16

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Hydro-pneumatic suspension?

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > KirkyV 09/25/2014 at 17:29

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Of course :)

twochevrons > YSI-what can brown do for you 09/25/2014 at 17:38

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Yup. The BX shared a platform and drivetrain with the Peugeot 405, but Citroën were still insistent on putting their fancy suspension gadgetry into it. Works a charm, too!

twochevrons > My citroen won't start 09/25/2014 at 17:39

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YES.

My Dad's BX 16v has those wheels, and they're just so wonderfully weird!

twochevrons > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/25/2014 at 17:51

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Is that the diesel one that you were looking at a while back? In any case, it's awesome!

The 16v that I helped strip for parts was rotten in the same spot (along with almost everywhere else). How is the rest of the bodywork? I seem to remember reading that Citroën had got rust protection fairly well figured-out by the time the second-gen BX came out, even if it was offset somewhat by the ludicrously thin sheetmetal.

The issue that you mentioned with the self leveling is probably related to a faulty or stuck height corrector – there's one for the front, and one for the rear, hooked up to their respective anti-roll bars, and also to a linkage connected to the height lever in the cabin. My Xantia had a weird issue where the rear one would stick sometimes, and cause it to go low at the back, but working the height control through its range a couple of times would fix it.

Also, I'm sure that you know this already, but do not EVER get under it unless it's up on jack stands with the suspension set to full-low. If you bump the height correctors while you're under there, it will drop on you. On the other hand, it makes for a handy way to lift the car without a jack – raise it up, slide a stand under a jacking point, drop it down, and watch in awe as it gracefully pivots a corner up in the air.

duurtlang > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/25/2014 at 18:22

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Find someone selling multiple BX parts on Ebay or similar, and ask this person if they've got hubcaps.

Interestingly my parents had those exact hubcaps on their 1991 BX 19 TZD.

I did find these in the Netherlands. The ones not like the ones you pictured are very close to me. TZ and older . If you can't source anything yourself I could send them to you for what it costs me.

edit: that one guy is breaking a TZD Turbo http://link.marktplaats.nl/m849223633

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/25/2014 at 19:34

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BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 09/26/2014 at 03:37

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I was wondering what a set of snowflakey wheels would look like on it...

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > duurtlang 09/26/2014 at 04:18

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Ooh, those are the exact ones :) how much would it cost to send them here? It would help a lot with the language barrier if you did, and I wouldn't mind paying a little handling fee :)

I did look at BXs breaking and there's one that had BX GTi alloys but they've sold already. No others with the right hubcaps unfortunately.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > twochevrons 09/26/2014 at 04:30

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It is yeah :) bought it while I was on holiday.

I've noticed the ludicrously thin steel. I did wonder how they got a car that size to weigh around a ton, but I found out after I burnt through the metal with the welder on the second-lowest setting :S

The rest of the bodywork seems alright. There's some holes we found in the trailing edge of the boot, and a bit of rust on the rear of the cills, but no rust on the visible body panels. There's some cracks in the plastic bumpers as well, but they can stay there for the time being to be honest. Eventually I'd like to treat it to a respray (not fond of old red paint), so I'll just get bumpers in the colour it will be when I need it.

I've read about the height correctors getting stuck up with guck and causing one end not to move. I haven't got under there to have a look though. Hopefully it'll just be a matter of cleaning one off and it'll work again :) I'll try playing around with the lever a bit to see if it frees off, but I spilt some of the LHM when I was moving it away from the area I was welding so I'd like to fill it up again before mucking about with it. Not sure what the capacity is :S

I noticed that when I jacked this side. After you've jacked it it settles into a different position. Useful, but definitely worth watching for :S

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > YSI-what can brown do for you 09/26/2014 at 04:32

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Aww hell yes :) one of the main reasons I like these cars. Not only do they look weird and out there, but they're weird and out there throughout :)

YSI-what can brown do for you > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/26/2014 at 04:40

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I only looked at the front of the car, but now I noticed the rear, it is kind of like a blockier DS. I bet the car is extremely comfy, I have heard these ride like a cloud!

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > YSI-what can brown do for you 09/26/2014 at 04:43

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It will do once I've got the suspension working right :S really funky little thing to look at

YSI-what can brown do for you > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/26/2014 at 04:47

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I think that is a sign to buy some coilovers and turn it into a race car!

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > YSI-what can brown do for you 09/26/2014 at 05:23

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Coilovers!? We don't need no stinking coilovers, this is a Citroen :)

Check out the Citroen Xantia Activa . It uses an updated version of the hydropneumatic system on the BX (or at least the same concept), but with various corners interlinked and controlled by electronic valves.

Net result is that when a Swedish magazine put it through the Moose Test, it set a score higher than a Porsche 992 GT2. I think it still holds the record speed for that test, and it's a plush family saloon, nowhere near a racecar...

Coilovers? Pshh ;)

YSI-what can brown do for you > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/26/2014 at 05:50

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Really begs the question why more cars don't use it, particularly race cars. They have the cash money and time to do it as well.

duurtlang > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/26/2014 at 06:47

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Actual shipping costs to the UK for a <2 kg package are €13 or €9, depending on if you want to be able to track the package or not. What I can do is contact the seller and ask him if he would accept a Paypal payment (assuming you've got an account). If so I'll do the communication and you can do the payment directly. The hubcaps you want aren't that close to me, so I'm not going to pick them up myself.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > duurtlang 09/26/2014 at 07:16

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Oh beautiful :) if you could that would be extremely helpful

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > YSI-what can brown do for you 09/26/2014 at 07:24

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There's probably a couple of little reasons. Unfamiliarity would be one. Racing teams like tried and tested solutions for most of the major problems, means less risk when it comes to failures.

Another might be that it's driven by a pump so saps a bit of power whereas coilovers are just there.

Still, it's a similar system that's used in the MP4-12C and P1, and I think the front-rear leveling systems used in F1 cars are somewhat related.

duurtlang > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/26/2014 at 07:33

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So you've got a paypal account and accept the price of €25 plus shipping of €9 or €13? I'll contact him and ask if he speaks English first.

duurtlang > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/26/2014 at 07:50

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Contacted the seller. He's willing to ship to the UK and he speaks English so you can contact him directly. He however doesn't have a paypal account, so you'll have to figure out something else.

option 1: send him the money via bank. There might be costs involved, I'm not sure.
option 2: (only in case of 'emergency'): send me the money via paypal, and I wire it to him via bank.

his email address is: coen dot catsburg at gmail dot com.

YSI-what can brown do for you > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/26/2014 at 08:03

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I think the 12C GT3 car dropped the standard 12C suspension but it is still 90% the same, except now it has an antiroll bar. The 12C suspension is pretty standard, it just lacks anti-roll bars(it is obviously is replaced with something else, I just don't remember what it is called).

I have to look more into this, this is some crazy suspension wizardry. I remember hearing about the DS that got 2 of its tires shot out, but it was able to ride perfectly well to the hospital. I didn't know there was a performance application for this!

I also found this:

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > YSI-what can brown do for you 09/26/2014 at 10:25

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The DS you remember is probably the one that saved Charles de Gaulle's life. There was an assassination attempt made on him and one of the rear tyres of his chauffeur's DS was shot out but because of it's fancy suspension they were able to continue driving and escape. Cool story :)

I seem to remember the reason the 12C GT3 dropped the roll-control was something to do with regulations, but don't quote me on that.

I found that afterwards as well. Cool to see how well it works, wrestling something as big as an XM into shape enough to match a Lotus Elan. It's a real shame Citroen never stuck that suspension under anything that you could call a sports car. They might have had a real belter on their hands if they had...

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > duurtlang 09/26/2014 at 10:29

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Thankyou very much :) email's sent. Waiting on a reply now :)

duurtlang > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/26/2014 at 12:08

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Note that he's breaking the BX the hubcaps came from. He might have other parts you require.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > duurtlang 09/26/2014 at 16:23

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Oh cool. I wonder if he has the window mechanisms for the front two windows...

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > duurtlang 09/29/2014 at 05:02

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Thanks very much for this :) he's packaging up two front window mechanisms as we speak :)

duurtlang > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 09/29/2014 at 05:42

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No problem at all! If I can help getting a BX back on the road I'm more than happy to contribute.