V6 Activa.....

Unread post by **DHallworth** » 19 Jan 2010, 09:33

I really want a V6 Activa with a manual to keep in my collection.

Problem is on the continent a good one is worth around €5000 which is around £4200 these days.

Am I the only person that thinks this is a huge amount of money to pay for a Xantia?

It probably is the ultimate Xantia though......

V6 Manual Activa.........

Just wondered what everyone else thinks....?

David.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 19 Jan 2010, 09:59

Well, you can make one yourself buying in a Pug donor (I love this irony!),
or have B L Autos make yours into one for you at a cost I'd expect to be a
lot less than buying a lhd model, importing and registering it. I'd love one!

Andrew

Unread post by **DHallworth** » 19 Jan 2010, 10:34

The one I've got isn't getting touched.

It's a low mileage, immaculate Series 2 that I want to keep that way.

Importing an registering a car isn't that expensive, or if you kept french plates on it you wouldn't ever get a parking ticket again LOL.

Trouble is I don't really want to butcher a genuine one to convert unless anyone has a non runner they want to part with!

A 'Genuine' V6 Activa would be my preferred choice.

David.

handyman · Unread post by **handyman** » 19 Jan 2010, 10:40

Hullo David, if you are going to do it, get one of the later V6 engines from the C range of cars, as there are significant improvements on power output and economy. You will still need the V6 Xantia subframe and front brakes though.

I've only got the front brakes and exhaust to do on mine and it will be ready for inspection and engineers report to get it insured.

Handyman

Unread post by **DHallworth** » 19 Jan 2010, 10:46

The later engine from the C range of cars apparently is a nightmare to get running in the Xantia shell.

The engines are multiplexed and are an absolute nightmare.

My dad has that engine in the 406 Coupé, whilst it has a bit more power the engine noise is much quieter and it doesn't sound as good as the Xantia V6.

The economy isn't different enough between my dads 406 Coupé and my mums V6 Xantia for me to think about the problems with the wiring etc.

I'm much more tempted to just buy a genuine Citroen version from France rather then convert one but the cost is the only off putting factor.

To do a conversion you really need to break a V6 406 Coupe with manual box and a V6 Xantia for the brakes, subframe etc. and it just seems a shame to waste two nice cars.

David.

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 19 Jan 2010, 10:46

Is it really that hard to register/insure modified cars in the UK? Sounds rather onerous.

I recently punted a 3½ litre V6 FWD sedan around a bit for the indy (it was our "fetchit" car for the day - desperately needed an Italian tune-up), and you get addicted to the extra grunt!

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 19 Jan 2010, 10:51

Aparently a handful made it into the uk as rhd and saw use at CitUK but all
others would be lhd. Fun but still a pita. Some of the guys here on the
forum have or are in the middle of converting cars. I could convert my dead
engined s1 myself as it's a modest miles bodyshell that's been well looked
after. The dilemma with converting any Activa is they are now rare cars but
as a rhd would likely justify the 'abuse'!

Andrew

handyman · Unread post by **handyman** » 19 Jan 2010, 11:26

Hi David, that is exactly what I did to get the parts for my conversion.

The engine and transmission was from the 406 Coupe, I got a new subframe from a contact at Citroen and the brakes, hubs, driveshafts and a few other specific parts were sourced from a crash damaged V6 Xantia, all in France, as they are more readily available and keener priced.

Even with the cost of collecting, it was still cheaper and easier than trying to source the parts in the UK.

Why not import a LHD and convert to RHD? All that fun with the bulkhead!

Andrew, what happened to the cars brought into the UK as RHD? Are they known about?

As for modified cars in the UK, Addo, we are much more bureaucratic here than your laidback attitude in OZ or the US. You could, and many people do, modify cars and not tell their insurance company. Thats all fine until you have an accident and find the insurance is void.

An engineers report helps to make the cost of insurance a little more bearable, as you submit it along with the proposal and payment.

The real killer is building kit cars, and I've done a few of them. Submitting the finished kit car for inspection, the SVO, can be a real nightmare as there are restrictions and conditions imposed on the build that are not used in the manufacture of standard cars. They even change the rules and stipulations from year to year.

I wish we were a bit more laissez-faire, but with so many cars in the UK and such a bad standard of driving by many, it can sometimes feel like being on the Dodgems or a Destruction Derby, ala M25 Orbital on a Friday afternoon. (Still not as bad as the Perpherique in Paris or anywhere in Rome!!)

Handyman

Unread post by **DHallworth** » 19 Jan 2010, 11:27

If you do convert a car over is it as simple as getting the Engine, Gearbox, loom, ECU, Transponder for immobiliser on ECU and fitting them into the Xantia?

Then obviously the Xantia V6 brakes?

David.

Unread post by **DHallworth** » 19 Jan 2010, 11:36

I was looking at this one:

http://annonces.ebay.fr/viewad//5002442603

It looks immaculate, the interior looks lovely, 114,500km so about 71k miles.

Just the price is a bit high.

David.

handyman · Unread post by **handyman** » 19 Jan 2010, 12:01

Most of the conversion has been a relatively easy(!) nut and bolt job. There are a number of additional bracings built into the V6 body to cope with the stress. I got a few of these pieces from France and cut out some from the damaged V6. It did help as it was on it's roof in the yard. I also had the wiring harnesses from both the cars, so connecting it all up was not insurmountable. There are a few spare plugs and connectors.

I have yet to start the engine to see if it all works correctly, although it spun over easily on the starter motor, with no plugs in. I did strip the engine to clean it and do some minor mods internally to aid longevity and make sure parts were matched correctly. I wont be starting it until I have the exhaust made and fitted.

The front hubs look to fit onto the struts OK and I think the lwr ball joint is the same. I am hoping the driveshafts are the correct length, but again I will know when I am bolting it all together. Components for PSA driveshafts are all a bit of mix and match, so sub-assemblies can be swapped around to get the right shafts.

My conversion car is a W regd Activa that I bought, sans moteur, as somebody was doing a conversion and wanted the donkey out of it.

When it is finished, it will be another Activa back on the road. If I ever get any time, I might even write up the conversion to help others.

Handyman

handyman · Unread post by **handyman** » 19 Jan 2010, 12:05

L' Activa en France, il est tres belle.

H

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 19 Jan 2010, 13:05

That's really interesting on your V6 conversion Handyman

Please keep us up to date on progress as there'll now be a number of us following your progress with great interest.

Bizarrely, I have enough bits in my stash to do a V6 Activa now but it would never be on my own mint S1 and besides, all the spares I have are strictly for keeping V6s on the road. Currently I have no plans to make a V6 Activa myself although I'm very interested in the process, you know, just in case one day I do!!!

some question sif you don't mind: The V6 Xantia has front struts that have larger pistons (and consequently different strut tops) from the standard Xantia. Are you using V6 struts or using the standard Activa ones? I'm thinking the V6 has bigger struts to cope with the weight of the engine and autobox but maybe using an ML5 gearbox (which is considerably lighter) offsets the need for bigger struts.

How are you doing the power steering? The genuine V6 has a unique pump and steering rack with the pPAS pressure regulation carried out by an external regulator. The rack is also unique and they must not be mixed and matched. Are you using the Activa rack and pump from a 2.0 CT?

Gearing: The ML5 ratios used on the 2.0 CT are a tad low for the V6 althgough you'll arguably get blistering accellleration

Certainly the V6 will pull higher gear ratios easily and I'm wondering if an ML5 from a 2.1TD or 110HDi may be a better bet.

Which flywhell are you using?

Any ex-ML5 driveshafts should be OK I would have thought.

Unread post by **DHallworth** » 19 Jan 2010, 13:35

Jim,

From what I can understand he is using the engine and gearbox from a 406 Coupé.

Not sure what boxes were fitted to them but I'd imagine the ratios are all set for the V6 already.

I never thought about the strut tops and rack issues tbh so thanks for highlighting those as possible obstacles should I ever convert one.

I'd rather buy a genuine V6 I think as butchering one really doesn't appeal though.

David.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 19 Jan 2010, 14:28

Crazy thought? How about just having a V6 AND an Activa? This works!
Oh hang on...

8)

Andrew