The £75 ZX of Autoshite fame. Holy floorpan Batman!

[Arthur Foxhake]

So this is the story of what has been happening with the ZX I bought from Castros Bro.

I bought it for the engine with no mot for £75 a couple of months or something back.

Notified my friendly mot man that I was collecting a car and set of to bring it back with Mrs Foxhake co-pilot in the 309.

Met up with said forum member talked a bit about the car, exchanged money for keys and set off.

 

I then realised how much I loved the ZX, more character than any of the 306s I'd owned better interior and it rode better.

So I decided to fix it and keep it despite its few problems.

Namely, no back brakes/handbrake, windows not working and a hole in the floor.

A few other niggles like blown speakers and missing parcel shelf were also sorted along the way.

 

Probably enough rambling anyway, time for some pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also sorted out the brakes but failed to take any pictures of that.

[Arthur Foxhake]

So with all the easy bits done it was time to lift the carpet and inspect the hole that had been advised on the MOT fail.

Although it was only an advisory, Mrs Foxhake and the kids would be using it mainly so I wanted to be sure it was safe for them.

 

More pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step forward scrap 306.

 

 

 

 

 

It's not the prettiest job but the I won't be looking at the floor so it'll do me.

 

As a reward the car paid me some money.

 

 

Think it needs a pair of droplinks and should be good to go for MOT time.

[320touring]

Nice effort!

[billyboy406v6]

Fabulous work, another car saved from the scrap man ( course it will pass the MoT ! )

[tommotech]

I love ZX diesels, my first company car was a Reflex 1.9D (happy shopper model) 5dr. Had a Volcane TD and a TD Aura estate too. I always felt it was the better option than a 306 but the Peugeot was generally better thought of at the time.

[sporty-shite]

Which window didn't work? I replaced the cable on the drivers side and tested the motor on passenger side. Think it just needed a switch on that one.

 

Was a decent car when I had it. Was really surprised it failed on so much.

[Arthur Foxhake]

Neither windows worked.

Drivers window needed a regulator.

Passengers will only go down but the motor is fine, if you bypass the switch it works but I have tried 3 switches with no joy. Door loom seems OK so I'm still stumped on that one.

[sporty-shite]

So that new cable I fitted didn't last? Passenger window same as when I had it. Presumed it would be switch.

[Bren]

The floor of my SD1 was like that - you could see the wiring loom from underneath the car and the floor was not joined to the sill. And no advosories / failure for corrosion. Jeff Healey must have been an MOT tester.

[cros]

You done well with this fine automobile. I've never had one, but am I right in thinking the back seat can slide to give more/less boot space?

[Arthur Foxhake]

Thanks.

No I don't think they do slide forward, only tilts forward to allow the seat back to fold flat.

 

Next up is to sack off the miserable, hateful lucas fuel pump for something much more betterer.

 

 

Bit of fettling while it's off the car.

 

 

[D Spares & Tyres]

The early ones did slide back and forth but were modified to folding in around 1995 at a guess

 

They weren't a good idea though as you couldn't fold the seats flat

 

I have a load of bits for these if you need any

[beko1987]

The rear sliding seat is about the only part of mine I don't like tbh, it's crap for loading up as the seat back sits too high. Whole lot has to be unbolted too, and it's fooking heavy!

 

I only ever use the sliding rear seat to show people it slides, or make more space in the boot...

[Arthur Foxhake]

Possibly needing rear beam replacement or refurbishment.

Drivers side ( as is usual ) seems to be very cambered and anything other than a 165 width tyre is rubbing.  One of them has a puncture as well.

Or maybe just buy more 165 tyres and leave it.

[D Spares & Tyres]

By the time the camber is off they are past refurbishment sorry....

[D Spares & Tyres]

To make these axles last longer you need to put a bit of weight in the boot, because they have multi roller bearings, unladen they only tend to wear a few bearing out,with a bit of weight you will utilise them all ☺

 

So put a spacer on the affected corner and a concrete slab or two in the boot and you will get plenty of life out of it

 

Weight in boot also applies if the axle is still ok

[carlo]

I agree the ZX always felt a more nimble drive than the 306, cracking little cars.  We had an Avantage DT for a couple of years and loved it.  306 DT which replaced it was heavier, more expensive and the most unfortunate, unreliable car I've ever had.  Cambelt eventually snapped on the A38 killing it.