Bit of a Sad day poking and prodding my Bx 16v,*Pic's Added

[Timmo]

was up at pops yesterday, figured i best have a poke and prod round the ol' girl, fired up quickly with a battery booster and ran for a mo but spluttered, to be expected as its been sat not fired for over a year, but stared to look and have a prod and poke about, the usual spots and wtaer traps seem to have got it, the sunroof drains have blocked and the passenger floors are Soaked, and growing nice little lawn on the front matt! :-O
top of the passenger side screen/roof join has gone now and i poked a small hole in it, rust marks around the bottom but more solid, drivers side top was better But it looks like the bottom end of the screen has pushed the screen out a bit, visually looks higher than it should also the gap above the doors on the driers side seems too big compared to the passenger, anyways, drivers side corner of the under screen area has gone through leaves and gunk getting stuck, jacking points hvae gone and sills on the bodykit (factory one) look pushed out a bit, back door water traps have gone too, similar to the xantia's! passenger rear light support has gone, but in fairness was weak when i took it off the road 7 YEARS Ago, same side boot corner has gone too, Zaust has dropped although not major, couldnt really et under and look properly as no tools etc, but hoping the Proper waxoiling i gave it when it was on the road is doing its thing, other than the corner, boot floor seems intact and solid.

i do really need to get it home and have a proper look, but is now balancing on the is it worth attempting to fix Or strip and break it, when do you throw the towel in?? - no workshops or garage space for it, will all be outside, engine will need a top end rebuild as the stem seals have gone, (they were on the way when it came off the road), octopus needs doing (pretty sure i have one!), it doesnt Owe me anything anymore, i have owned it since '02, dearly love that car, always put a smile on my face, was always glad to get in it at the end of the day from the garages i worked in, but, i fear if the rust has taken more than what can be seen, it's going to be a thankless task???

as said, was a bit of a sadener on a lovely family day, now to plan getting it home to determine its fate!!

[bxzx16v]

I never thought I'd see the day Timmo, you parting with your beloved valver. They do succumb to the rust pretty badly as most if not all of the ones which were for sale around the time I got my Zx16v have been broken as they were beyond economic repair. The Zx16v has sadly gone now, not sure if the new keeper will cherish it like myself which is sad. I promised myself another Bx16v one day but sadly I don't think that will ever happen now (unless MikeP sells his).I hope yours lives on as it looked a beauty back in its day. Shame it wasn't a s**t Ford from the same era, it would have been worth a fortune even in the condition it's in. Would reshelling it be an option if the shells too far gone? I know this can't be an easy decision Timmo I really hope for the best .

Mark

[Timmo]

i dont have the time / money / inclination to reshell fella!! i need to get it home and see how bad it really is....

[citronut]

by the list you pointed out above i would think it would be easier/quicker to re/shell it Tim

[Timmo]

i dont have the space for a reshell Malcom, plus it will all be on driveway (sloping) and corner of front lawn, i can't afford to pay for someone to do it for me and also, isnt my style, if it needs doing i would rather do it, the old Build it not buy it! plus, being picky, not easy finding a Black BX shell!

it kinda pains me a bit to think in the way of chopping it up, but not being one to buy drive and sell cars, keep them till they die is more me, it may be the way forward, strip, clean and store, be a shame for a 4 owner local car to go that way, but gotta be a realist sometimes havent you!

was thinking that whilst it was amazing fun Blasting it at 7k rpm down the coast road, the chances of being able to do so now are much rarer, especially with the 2 girls, and quite frankly, it may not have the acceleration or flat out sped but the xanty estate holds the corners pretty damn well and can surprise many a more powerful car on that road! in an ideal world i'd have it sat in the corner of a large barn along side the other 3 cars i owned before it! but we are far from ideal now! haha!

[addo]

I feel more than a bit sad about this; you held high hopes for making it roadworthy again.

[tim leech]

That's a shame mate, but old French cars do rust, everything's mendable, she was a real beaut.

[Zelandeth]

I know it probably makes more logical sense to write the car off, but I'd say if you have any hope, try to sort it.

They're rare cars now and if you do win against the odds and get it back on the road, you will feel great about it. If you do break it, you'll kick yourself for years.

I am still kicking myself for not finishing welding one of my cars back together and selling it. Currently in a very similar boat to you with my van (plus it's at the other end of the country). I know if I sell or scrap it though that I'll never forgive myself.

[Timmo]

thanks all,
i am still in 2 minds about it, but leaning more to breaking, the way i look at it, if it turns out not so bad when i do get it home then wont be dissapointed!
all really lays on how it is when i can get it back here, looking at options for flat bedding it, or talking my brother into driving one car and i'll drive it back with a rope between the two!

[elma]

Value of scrap isn't great, keep it longer. You'll end up with a perfect space to reshell it a few weeks after its gone anyway.
I scrapped my old van when I got my ZXant, didn't want to but circumstances meant I had to. Now summers here I really miss it.

[Timmo]

thought i'd update you all with Absolutely No progress but some pictures!!!








greenery!


oooooops

drivers side screen edge





Passengers




drivres side door shuts

poked with key lightly
Tadaaaaaa






what concerned me was the shape of the roof above the doors, looked wrong to me,

couldnt really tell from passengers side if any different


passenger door hinge


middle box has fallen off!








my new to me camera has Miniture mode!! This amused me!



wheel arch to screen scuttle


just to remind you that when twas last on the road, Smart phones hadnt long been about!
Car kit for my Sony Ericsson P900+910 i had (previously had the 800 cradle on!!)


there are a few more bits i prodded at but didnt picture like the boot corner and left rear light mount as looking from the back, passenger rear door shut, but on reflection, i think its not quite so dead as i thought after finding all the bits, Wont know for sure till its home though!

the stone under the front wheel Isnt as looks to hold the car from rolling But to stop it so pops can still open the garage if he needs too!

i am slowly looking into methods of transporting her home, honest!!

[Hell Razor5543]

If you don't do something soon the spiders will have squatters rights and will fight you in court!

[wurlycorner]

Nice and rare car.
Hope you do save it...

[Timmo]

I am still hoping to save it! Just depends how far its gone, but without it being here I can only guess!

[wurlycorner]

Where is 'here' and where is 'there'?