Cx Prestige blog...

davetherave · Post by **davetherave** » 14 Feb 2010, 21:50

Right well the CX arrived today so I thought id start a new blog for it.

The rust is even worse than i though, but i sat inside it and WOW its gorgeous inside!

Im thinking of perhaps using roberts as a donor for this one as i do lke the low roof!
Have to wait and see untill they are both side by side, but when i say the rust is bad im not joking!

Some of the exterior trim has been replaced with wood.

red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 14 Feb 2010, 21:53

Im looking forward to following this one, looks like quite a challenge!

You'll soon be a dab hand at welding and body repairs

addo · Post by **addo** » 14 Feb 2010, 21:59

Might be cheaper to get a donor car from Australia? You'll pay less than the cost of all that welding.

Post by **CitroJim** » 14 Feb 2010, 22:05

Good on yer Dave, It is going to be a very compelling blog indeed

I must say the CX looks a treat even in a state of decay...

What on earth is that just behind the front seats in the tird photo?

As for the rust, well, to a restorer of British tin from the 60s and 70s, what you have there is a tad of surface rust, nothing more. Sort that before breakfast, no sweat.

Become a subscriber to Practical Classics. It's a bit of a comic in some ways but for body restoration it is tops. Every month there's an article or six on bodywork and different welding techniques.

The satisfaction you will get from doing this will be immense.

It would not be for me though. I'm rubbish at all aspects of bodywork. I will play with the oily bits all day long but bodywork and paint makes me want run and hide.

So, she'll be all ready for this years' CXM show then? We'll get your name on the Concours cup in readiness...

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 14 Feb 2010, 22:06

Is that an R/C plane in the back?

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 14 Feb 2010, 22:10

Wow, what a challange! Looks like its been a very nice car in its day, no doubt you will have it looking just as good when your finished. Your certainly moving along quickly with these Citroens, it will be a DS next?

Whats the storey with this? How long has it been sat/off the road?

Whats the CX you mention, Roberts car? Are you due to get another CX?

I must have missed an awful lot in your Xantia/Xm thread, as ive no idea whats going on

Ill go back and look

Good lucki with the project Dave, it will be an awesome car in the end, and it'll be such a nice thing to do to save that lovely Prestige.

Chris.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 14 Feb 2010, 22:17

Wow! Even complete enough to have the footstools in the back
- yes the legroom is that long you need them! The only car you
can sit in the back and not touch the front seats with your foot.

You can get bodywork for these but it depends what's rotten apart
from the obvious visible rear wings and door bottoms.

How about the inner rear door jambs, base of the A pillars and roof
guttering along the drip rail and down into the rear screen?

Andrew

Post by **myglaren** » 14 Feb 2010, 23:10

And the subframes

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 14 Feb 2010, 23:27

Possibly, but even at this age I reckon they won't be toast but the pipes
must surely will be unless they've been done at some point in it's past life!!
The fact the car is complete rightdown to the chrome onm the sills/wheeltrims
and around the lights shows somebody cared for it even if they couldn't stop
the rot.

Does the car actually run as that would highlight the plight of the hydraulics?
It's likely a given the spheres will be shot as well as the exhaust and tyres.
If it doesn't start, look for the bumblebee buzzing of the fuel pump under the
offside rear crosstube. You may need to take out a big bankloan just to buy
fluide T so Robert's later 3-speeder may be mechanically more attractive.
That said, the C-matic is a superb box.

Andrew

davetherave · Post by **davetherave** » 15 Feb 2010, 05:56

Lots of questions!
The last MOT expired in 1997, and i believe it has been sat ever since.

The actual frame so far seems ok, but unfortunatly only had 5mins to look at before i had to go back to norwich! so it may be a while before i get to see it again.

When i do go back i will be taking a battery and some petrol on the off chance that it will start!

I must have missed an awful lot

That may be because some of it has occured on xm forum! and i havnt updated

Yes i will soon be getting roberts prestige complete with the rear subframe and longerons from a familiale!.

And yes that is a r/c plane in the back, i acted as a bit of a courier service for it!

vince · Post by **vince** » 15 Feb 2010, 06:28

Awesome project Dave...i thought you had your hands full with the XM?

Inspiration for you

An X ray

Be great to see this when its done

lexi · Post by **lexi** » 15 Feb 2010, 09:48

The beauty of the project is that it is an absolute and utter classic of a car.

This will be the driving force to get the welding done. If you take your time anything is posssible with welding. Lovely car Dave

davetherave · Post by **davetherave** » 15 Feb 2010, 20:06

Im looking forward to finishing uni and getting the time to do it!
For now i think ill just be keeping my eye out for parts that are compatible.

Any information on compatibility of body panels for the prestige would be greatlfully recieved

For instance will the panels from roberts prestige fit the low roof prestige? and what panels from normal Cx's would fit?

I like the pictures Vince, ah im planning for after the Xm is tip top

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 15 Feb 2010, 20:38

Hi Dave, I have x3 Prestiges myself so do know a bit about them!!

Forgive me if the following copy sounds a bit hard going, I'm about to
go out for the evening and am typing this quickly and as it flows which
shows how disjointed my train of thought can be sometimes!!

Right. Everything forward of the B pillar is standard CX SALOON.
For the front end parts you'll need to look at pre flared wheel arch
(pre '79) suspension and front non flared wings - noticeably different
and Robert's silver one will be the later body. In fact, the early bonnet
even has holes for x2 washers whereas later cars have a plastic feed
rail on the wiper arm for the washer with a water feed running right
through the wiper motor spindle.

The roof is unique to the Prestige whether it's a high or low top.
The front screen has a 3/4" strip of stainless steel set into the rubber
surround and this is impossible to get hold of so don't lose it - the same
for drip rails along the roof guttering down to the rear wing. The door
capping and window stainless trim will match in length to an estate.

The doors are 95% Safari but the glass and window frame is arched
downwards to meet the line of the standard saloon rear 1/4 glass whereas
the estate door is square cornered and thus has a different door glass.
A tidy repairer can merge a good Safari/familiale door with the door gutter
frame and it's Prestige glass saved from a duff door.

The C pillar trim is wider and unique on the Prestige but takes the extra
length still left between the longer rear door AND the longer rear 1/4
wing so that the standard CX saloon 1/4 glass can be used. The bootlid is
standard saloon too. The rear wheel spats on the Prestige should match
a Safari/Familiale too but I haven't messed around with these to know
100% for sure.

Right. This leaves the rear 1/4 wing skins which are Prestige specific.
I guess the lower section of a safari wing could be stitched in as basically
this is what Citroen did when making the Prestige - running a saloon
bodyshell onto an estate chassis BUT BUT this is very simplistic as
the chassis and rear subframe suspension arms/hubs/pistons/brakes are
saloon NOT estate. Exhaust will be shared with the estates too.

phew - typed all the above in 2 minutes and will add (hopefully more
coherent) additions when I see my Mac next!!

Andrew

Post by **CitroJim** » 15 Feb 2010, 20:48

My goodness Andrew, you really do know your CX!

No need of a BoL with you about is there