Dreamspec BX

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 13 Jun 2003, 05:18

I blame Vanny. The BX is supposed to be a companionable old banger that lasts a long time. I started wondering about the things I want from it. Air conditioning is a must. I regularly travel with somebody who needs it, heat making her very ill. Can you do it to a diesel? Or should that be Turbodiesel. I just read a thread which was complaining about finding 400 quid to get another 20% on the horsepower and another 30% torque. Sounds like a bargain compared to my 1900 non turbo Still does a ton but when I tried to get a 0-100 time, I needed a calendar. Auto box from a petrol would mate nicely with that, could it all be done? I reckon that the best thing would be to look out for a suitable car but which ones had the aircon?

velosolex · Post by **velosolex** » 13 Jun 2003, 05:34

Hi tom
I might have saved the aircon from my scrap trs and fitted it to the diesel auto conversion had it not been the scrappiest bit of the car. I can say though that when it was working 5 or 6 years ago, the aircon was superb, one of the best i have tried.(better than my australian land rover discovery, although thats not saying much)As it was faulty, I baulked at taking it all out before the car was scrapped. I think it would be a dashboard out job and goodness knows what subtle differences there might have been. One I know of was extra air vents in the bulkhead, blanked off on a 1989 car I once had but not present at all on my current 91 tgd. Lots of wiring too, extra cooling fan and lots of pipes in an already fairly busy engine bay.......even gave a nutter like me pause for thought! I think it could be done though.............[:)]
Interested to hear of any such exploits.
Huw

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 13 Jun 2003, 05:58

Tom,
As far as fitting air/con goes, I think the power to drive it would be the least of your problems. To give an example, I used to have a BX16Trs and on a trip the difference between air/con on or off was 7.2L off against 7.3L/100 klms so practically nothing.
Presently my son is fitting it to a BX 16V series one using components from a series two. I haven't even looked at the wiring but as this fellow of mine fits up MoTech engine managements to old CXs and reconfigures Haltechs for racing V12 Jags for relaxation, I doubt that he'll be asking for a real lot of help with the wiring.
I think it would be a must to have a donor car on hand to get the bits from as there are dash controls, evaporators & condensors all of which will need mounting; I would even be sceptical that the shroud over the matrix area would even be the same as it has to accomodate a TX valve & give access to it also. Dash out????? Possibly I would imagine, it would help but may not be essential BUT....where are you going to mount the compressor? With the 16V the non air/con models have a pressed steel sump whereas the air/con models have an alloy one with mounts moulded into it, so unless the 19 has a common sump or unless the 19 is supplied with the air/con option, that could be a major stumbling block but one you might find just as you say those fateful words "well; all I have to do now dear is fit the compressor & it's all finished!!"[:0][:p]
As regards the auto conversion, on the Q & A forum someone wreckons that is quite simple; just a bolt on job almost but it lacks a bit through the gears but is spot on in top.
Perhaps one of these low priced BXs with air/con already in or an air/conned petrol with an LPG conversion may be worthy of thought?
Alan S

Post by **Jon** » 13 Jun 2003, 15:49

Dreamspec BX?
A nice late BX 16v with aircon, ABS and all the toys. Replace the 16v with a 110Hp HDi engine.Convert to Xantia 16v front discs and calipers. Stick some nice 16" wheels on. Job done!

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 13 Jun 2003, 15:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Jon

Dreamspec BX?
A nice late BX 16v with aircon, ABS and all the toys. Replace the 16v with a 110Hp HDi engine.Convert to Xantia 16v front discs and calipers. Stick some nice 16" wheels on. Job done!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
So that's what you are by trade?????
A Butcher!!!!![:p][B)]
Alan S [}:)][:o)]

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 14 Jun 2003, 02:09

That's a bit harsh Alan. Butchers always have the best bangers!

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 14 Jun 2003, 04:13

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tomsheppard

That's a bit harsh Alan. Butchers always have the best bangers!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
The worrying part Tom, is he didn't respond; sounds like I've done it this time...[:0][:0][V]
From what I've been led to believe from owners though, I always thought a "Deamspec BX" was known as an "XM" and gave you a choice right off the showroom floor. Most XM oweners refer to their mounts as 'the big BX.'
Alan S

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 14 Jun 2003, 04:36

Strewth, mate, I hadn't thought of that. I bet the estates are glacially slow, though. Probably easy enough to find a cheap one

DLM · Post by **DLM** » 16 Jun 2003, 06:09

Well, Tom, XMs are easy enough to find, but the exception is normally diesel estates (both turbos, early ones 2.1 and later 2.5 ). But there are little points of difference from the BX - that damned parking brake, hydractive 2 (to wave goodbye to the "boat" effect in sport mode), different places for the sunroofs to leak, dodgier front struts, the "planet Zog" looks etc.etc.
Whatever happened to the GS purchase, btw? Or perhaps you're getting too attached to the BX.....
David

vanny · Post by **vanny** » 17 Jun 2003, 05:12

Since i seem to have sparked a riot this is kinda my dream BX . . .
1.9 Turbo Diesel (Xantia engine, but not the earlier ones)
Brakes that STOP the car dead
Nice blue GTi interior (not a big fan of the 16v)
One that stays in the air for ever
One thats clean edged without rust
goes up and down nice and quick
and DOESNT mark its territory where ever it goes
Oh no, hang on, silly me, thats what i DO have [:o)][:o)]
Looked at adding the Xantia aircon, and the thought of an ECU in an otherwise simple BX seemed like a catastrophy waiting to happen.
Considered driving round on nice 16v alloys, so i did. And when i pu the normal wheels back on WITHOUT the plastic covers, i kind of fell in love, so they get to stay as well now.
still got lots of little mods to do, but i think im just about getting there. Guess i should shop for a HDi and jet fuel.

Post by **Jon** » 17 Jun 2003, 14:03

So, Vanny
Any pictures of this conversion work for your website yet??

Dave Bamber · Post by **Dave Bamber** » 18 Jun 2003, 00:10

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Jon

Dreamspec BX?
A nice late BX 16v with aircon, ABS and all the toys. Replace the 16v with a 110Hp HDi engine.Convert to Xantia 16v front discs and calipers. Stick some nice 16" wheels on. Job done!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
[:p]Junk the front suspension and fit one from a Xsara keeping the Xantia disc's, and fit rear suspension from a 406. While your at it fit a taller body with more head room and a bigger boot. Hang on, I think I've just re-invented the Berlingo[:o)]

bencowell · Post by **bencowell** » 18 Jun 2003, 01:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bamber

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Jon

Dreamspec BX?
A nice late BX 16v with aircon, ABS and all the toys. Replace the 16v with a 110Hp HDi engine.Convert to Xantia 16v front discs and calipers. Stick some nice 16" wheels on. Job done!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
[:p]Junk the front suspension and fit one from a Xsara keeping the Xantia disc's, and fit rear suspension from a 406. While your at it fit a taller body with more head room and a bigger boot. Hang on, I think I've just re-invented the Berlingo[:o)]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Or spend millions of pounds on developing a new hydractive suspension system, fit the HDI, give it a few steroids. Hey presto! a C5!

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 18 Jun 2003, 02:09

Do any of the Zxara bits fit? If they did, it would save a few BXs.

tomsheppard · Post by **tomsheppard** » 02 Jul 2003, 04:15

The last week has seen a lot of valeting and debugging of my estate. Oil leaks were attended to and the vehicle got a good service. Some interesting things emerged which I shall post a new topic on. The car has some way to go yet but it does have a pair of blanked off ducts which look as though the aircon heater would go there. Wow! what a job! engine out, dashboard out, Time I got it steam cleaned! I suppose donors could be found in the South of France but it would help to know which models to look for. A thorough clean of the Original fit Blaupunkt Boston (blessed with Long Wave!) revitalised the sounds and the heater controls were set up to work properly; even the tacho got fixed! Although it is a little battle scarred, the paint has come up well with a good cut following a heavy wax polish applied six months ago, leaving the car somewhat smeary so that you can nourish the old paint before you cut it back. Where the paint is sound, showroom finish is achieveable.
A new windscreen, Silly Me! Lacking Haynes, I couldn't work out how to get the front off the heater controls. So I took the mirror off its ball to look through the tray aperture and all was well until it didn't go on again! I didn't know that it just lifted off! Oops! So I rang the insurers. I WAS covered! So that's what serendipity is!
Wiper blades at each end and the dreamspec BX is on the way.