Dean's Activa/XM/V6 and now Talbot blog

Post by **CitroJim** » 30 Nov 2010, 22:44

Deanxm wrote: Started pulling the dash out this evening but after sitting on top of a chimney for most of the day in the snow

Rehearsals for Christmas Eve then Dean? Are you the IOW Santa? Riding in a Sleigh powered by a team of XMs. Call yours Rudolf - it is red after all....

Deanxm wrote:I see Mike was impressed with your packing skills then

So was I!

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 30 Nov 2010, 22:53

you should have seen Toby's face when i opened the shed door to expose the mounteverest of interior, then we just kind of looked at the coupe

.
I kept bringing it out and he kept tucking it away though, its a bit of a tardis that car, only took 10 minutes tops to load it up too but that boot shot looks well packed, the last door card took some wiggling to get in mind

Of course the next great test is going to be can you get the complete front end of an XM (bumper lights grill fans all bolted to the front slam panel) into the back of an XM hatch, close the tailgate, and leave room for holiday bags and not annoy those traveling inside during the long homeward journey, place your bets please gentlemen..........................

D

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 02 Dec 2010, 06:20

Well the isle of wight finaly got its snow, its been coming down all night and is forcast all day too, its about 8-10 inches deep and im about to go dig the van off the drive and get it up the hill before everybody starts reving and racing and polishes it into ice, its going to be a long day today trying to get around as im sure we will be transfered to coal delivery's for the day, i could do with the exercise!

D

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 02 Dec 2010, 07:40

CIMG3115 by Deanxm, on Flickr

The van is useless in the snow! i want my RWD Transit back

its a total waste of time having a fwd van especialy when youu have it weighing in at 3300kgs all loaded in up at the back, where the drive wheels are not, my 4wd lift to work arrives in a minute

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XantiaMan · Post by **XantiaMan** » 02 Dec 2010, 08:43

What van do you have? My FWD Transit was not too good in the last snow spell, although with what we had here, it was nothing.

I have bought some ladder snow chains off ebay for £30 just for emergency use only, i have to travel down to Kent and Surrey later and they have had it as bad as the north in some places.

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 02 Dec 2010, 17:22

My van is the longest highest Renault Master, in the end i just parked it up in a little road down the bottom of the hill on our estate, my idea was to get a run up at the hill like i did with the tranny but there was no grip at all so i just parked it up in an empty space and awaited my lift. Trouble is i forgot my Boots so i went back to the van about half hour later and was stopped by a neighbour and told he had hit my van, with his 7 1/2 tonne tipper, the door is dead and its pealed from what is effectivly the B post and its opened her up like a tin can

poor van has been nothing but trouble, never mind though, if i can drive it to work tomorrow its going to be drafty

here she is

works van by Deanxm, on Flickr

D

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 05 Dec 2010, 18:22

Being a rather nice day i got a fair bit done today, The XM had an oil and filter change along with a good leather conditioner application and a general looking over, a bit of spray grease on the delicate bits and some screenwash.

I brought the van back up from its parking place down the road and put it back on the drive out of the way, i think it may well be close to a write off but its just one of those things.

CIMG3118 by Deanxm, on Flickr

got the dash out of the activa this afternoon and the matrix is in view, looks the same as the XM's apart from the fact its fitted the wrong way up in a stupid place:lol:.
The scuttle was removed with a bit of carefull cutting and the mountain of compost removed from the scuttle, wiper assembly removed also

CIMG3119 by Deanxm, on Flickr

CIMG3122 by Deanxm, on Flickr

CIMG3120 by Deanxm, on Flickr

the matrix arrived yesterday but of course being a xmas present i cant have it untill the day but it doesnt look the same as the one in the xantia although it says its the right one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/peugeot-306-partn ... 19c1737cc1 i will have to get the dead one out and compare them properly so i can get the job done over christmas.

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DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 05 Dec 2010, 18:58

That Ebay one looks correct to me Dean, now if you'd asked me what you hoping to receive as a present at Christmas, for some reason I'd never have guessed "Heater matrix", silly me

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 05 Dec 2010, 19:13

have you not heard the song Richard? i think heater matrix is the 8th day of christmas

D

robert_e_smart · Post by **robert_e_smart** » 05 Dec 2010, 19:53

Laughing have you not heard the song Richard? i think heater matrix is the 8th day of christmas Laughing

Is that after a bit of shuffling on day 1, to a rattling rear ram bush on day 2, to some leaking rams on day 3, and exhaust manifold gaskets on days 4, 5, 6 and 7

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 05 Dec 2010, 20:06

hydraulic strut failure was day 7 i think Robert

and there should really be some leaks of the rainwater type in there too

D

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 06 Dec 2010, 18:54

A quick update, stopped by the scrapyard today to drop my years copper cylinders and pipe offcuts in and feeling flush i had a little look at the TR7, the Seirra XR4*4, 2 blue 406 coupe's and 911's that were in there and i came accross a silver 2L 16v xant estate.........MK1..............in silver

so now i have a new uncreased bonnet in my shed along with a perfect scuttle trim too and im only £30 lighter, ive got to get a headlamp later in the week and some heater controls while they are there too along with one of the door soundproofing cards and some other bits, she is coming together, and on budget

D

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 06 Dec 2010, 19:04

Dean,

Any more details on these 406 Coupés in the scrapyard? 2 is rare! I've only ever seen 1 in our local scrapyard and they are a big place.

Post by **CitroJim** » 06 Dec 2010, 19:15

Excellent find in the scrappy Dean! I too am amazed at TWO Coupes.

I guess the Xantia was non-hydractive so no use for strut tops. Unless you have them and have a go at redrilling and tapping them to the larger size. having a look last evening, it does not look too difficult as long as you have a good pillar drill and some excellent drills.

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 06 Dec 2010, 19:35

Toby, same colour as yours but its a 2.0 i think as it had tiny brakes although i did not check, would you like me to get anything off of it (no leather, its cloth interior, same colour as yours though, the other was heavily canablised, dont know what it was as the engine is gone and so is the interior.
The rear bumper may be good..............

Jim the tops were (again) non hydractive and i have looked into drilling them and it doesnt look too bad at all like you say but non hydractive ones are easily found, when the time comes to put her on the road and i have not got any then i may drill some out.
I may take the steering column out of this xant also as the top bearing is shot in mine and they have beaten it with a hammer to try and take out the play so that need replacing, will take the ignition lock and keys too, just trying to think of all the things i need before tomorrow as i know she will get stripped very quickly, the spheres have already gone.

D