1987 BX 17RD "Bleriot"

[vulgalour]

At the moment, Stockton-on-Tees. For the last year partner and I have been trying and failing to buy a house in Kent so hopefully this year I'll be moving and we can get on with the next chapter. I mean really, this is the IDEAL time to be acquiring a project car.

[white exec]

Reason for asking was just so any local/specialist help could be offered.
Do put Stockton in Location in your profile

[vulgalour]

I've got these chaps just around the corner: http://www.citromatic.co.uk/ who were very helpful when I had the Xantia.

I expect there's somone down in Kent when I finally move there too, it's much closer to France so I imagine the Citroen density is a little higher.

[white exec]

There's a rather splendid outfit in Dunsfold (Surrey) - SGS - who can make up hydraulic pipes from scratch, and have a history of work on hydraulic Citroens.

[Hell Razor5543]

Don't forget there was a Citroen factory in Slough!

[van ordinaire]

Well, when I'm in London I'm within spitting distance of Kent - & I don't know anyone/where (but,then it is quite a large area). The local CCC group probably do though, even if they only seem to understand CX's.

A little research,however, reveals Medway Citroën, in Chatham & French Classics, nr Brands Hatch (although their speciality is DS & 504 convertibles - a farely rarified field of endeavour, I'd have thought).

[myglaren]

I believe we have had a favourable mention of Medway Citroen in the not too distant past.

[vulgalour]

Today's the day. Just waiting on Mike getting back with the truck and then we can get underway.

[vulgalour]

That there was one of our many breaks on the way home. It turned out to be a very long day, with an 8:30am start (7am for Mike), and not getting home until nearly 10pm. Accidents, break downs, more accidents, lots of breakdowns, roadworks, traffic, and seats that sent your bum to sleep were all contributors to this super long day.

It was a good day, all the same. Seller was brilliant, as expected to be honest, and while slow the journey was relatively uneventful. Getting the BX on the truck was a little tricky because of clearance at the apex and getting it off again required a couple of planks of wood under the back wheels to give us enough height to clear the apex. With a burst LHM pipe there's no brakes except for the handbrake (which works very well!) so it's a bit of an adventure.

First impressions is that this is a very good car. What problems it does have, are easy to see. The problem areas BXs suffer from have either already been fixed, need minimal attention, or haven't become a problem yet so getting it all tip top shouldn't be too painful. It drives, the clutch is actually nice (unusual for my purchases) and the diesel engine suprisingly quiet given its vintage.













I'll be going in tomorrow for a more detailed fettle. Honestly, I can't see it needing a great deal. It feels 'right'. Nothing feels particularly flimsy or worn out and the worst cosmetic issue seems to be the vinyl trim getting a bleaching in the French sunshine, something this car spent quite a bit of its life in since it used to travel between the UK and France regularly from what I'm told. Looking at the interior, it really does have that south-of-France bleached look that cars only seem to get over there.

The one thing I really can't get over is how clean it all is. Usually my purchase are super grotty and need a deep clean, but not this one. It seems to mostly just need things like the vinyl being redyed and some of the satin black bits repainted to make it look like a new car. There's not even any parking dings down the flanks, and these cars are particularly bad for those because of the origami styling.

Suffice to say, I'm incredibly happy, and still very excited about this car. It's so utterly different to the Princess that it feels a much better counterpart to it than the Rover, and it's shockingly comfortable.

[kenbw2]

I always hate when people scrap an old car because it costs £500 to fix up, but then go spend £3k on a newer one. They're the reason the legendary older cars dwindle in number.

Glad to see you're bucking the trend and keeping these legends alive.

[white exec]

What a splendid sight, a Mk2 BX being lovingly rescued!
The car still has the ability to turn heads, as it did all that time ago.
Do post a few photos of the engine bay, when you can: will be interesting to see see a few details.

Have pushed a few of your night-time photos through Picasa...

[dean36014]

AS the previous owner I'd just like to say that there was never any intention of scrapping bleriot due to repairs needed. The only reason he was sold was that my health is failing, I'm on a walking stick most days now. I have two other bx's and two xm's to keep me busy and needed to reduce the fleet as I just can't do the work that is needed to keep 6 cars in fine fettle. Hence selling this one, and an xm will be up for sale shortly too. I rescued him from one step away from the scrapyard and had 18 months of great motoring out of him. I finally made the decision to sell him, Angyl enquired, and then he promptly burst another pipe above the rear subframe. I had already refused to sell him to one person off the bx club as he wanted to use him to reshell another and being a fairly rare car these days that would have been a crying shame. In Angyl i believe he has found the perfect owner to dedicate time to him to continue progress and keep him on the road for many a year yet. It was a pleasure to meet him and i genuinely shed a tear when Bleriot left on the transporter. I'm looking forward to seeing progress on him and him going on more adventures.

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

....Nothing feels particularly flimsy or worn out

quite a compliment given its healthy mileage, a compliment to the makers; perhaps they just made 'em well back then. There's a red 420,000mile 405 estate been on eBay for weeks that appears to be in far better nick than you'd expect of the mileage.

I've often thought the XUD is a remarkably refined lump, 'specially given its age now; my noisy Thrust Bearing is much louder than the lump at tickover. Maybe they've traded off more power for less refinement (and perhaps better sound-deadening) in the modern Diesels.

[moizeau]

....Nothing feels particularly flimsy or worn out

quite a compliment given its healthy mileage,

I saw it as 64k miles, which isn't run in yet, my eyes may be telling lies though

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

oh shoot, maybe I remember incorrectly, i had a figure of approx 170k in my head. Possibly I'm mistaken