The new news 24 thread

[dollywobbler]

Gah. I've just found a BX for sale. In Wales. In my favourite BX colour (Olympic Blue). In my favourite spec (DTR Turbo, or TRD Turbo in other markets). It's pretty cheap too. Anyone want a Maestro van?

[steve_earwig]

TRD Turbo in other markets

I wonder why they didn't call it that in the UK...

[richardmorris]

My language skills were just about up to explaining that to some French friends one 2cv French meeting  when I turned up in my CX DTR Turbo. Oh how they laughed!

[philibusmo]

So? Avantime friend ?

AVANTIME FRIEND!

 

[richardmorris]

Have you talked to him calmly and called the friendly people in white coats?

[cort16]

AVANTIME FRIEND!

 

I love mine it's flippin awesome. Everything just so quirky on them.

[phil_lihp]

That, sir, is a driveway full of win.  What is that lurking behind the Supra though?

[philibusmo]

Have you worked out how to use the radio, or the cruise control?

 

I spent the majority of my 2 hours journey back trying to get it to find Radio 1 (good, radio 1 is shit lololololol) but it just found Heart FM repeatedly, then Radio Wiltshire, then Radio 4 and then Heart FM multiple times again.

[philibusmo]

That, sir, is a driveway full of win.  What is that lurking behind the Supra though?

A Mk1 1 MR2 with a borked radiator.

 

I was meant to go on a track day yesterday - but shat out the content of its radiator on Thursday. I took the Lancia Y10 as planned, my dad took the Supra instead of his MR2. The Supra now has almost non existent brakes and I was trying so hard in the Lancia that I ripped most of the tread clean off one of the front tyres and the front suspension fell apart a bit.

 

Full details on my motoring based weekend will be written up tomorrow.

[cort16]

The radio takes some finessing . I don't think I have cruise control. I bought a dab thing today that broadcasts fm so I can listen to 6 musics and jazz hands fm.

What spec is yours (the spec badge is inside the top centre bin obviously )? mine is a dynamique.

[philibusmo]

Privilege; which I think is top spec.

 

I have the usual electric windows and sliding glass roof arrangement and I also have the following fancy toys:

Sat Nav - run by a DVD player in the passenger side glove box.

6 Disc CD changer (broken)

Rear parking sensors

Dual zone climate control

Heated front seats

Heated front screen

Cruise control

Steering wheel controls for the stereo and cruise control

Trip Computer

A 3.0 V6 with manual gearbox

[Ratdat]

Did some Nissan Corporate event today with a bunch of other wierdos in old Datsuns (and some in Renaults). I'll post some pics up in a bit when I've uploaded them. One highlight was going for a ride in this monster which somewhat re-defined to me what a fast car actually is. Now I finally know what a 1000hp feels like. Fortunately my retinas managed to stay attached. Just.

 

[cort16]

Ooof yours is well fancy I have hardly any of that . I only half leather as well. Less to go wrong I suppose . Does your roof rattle?

[vulgalour]

Gah. I've just found a BX for sale. In Wales. In my favourite BX colour (Olympic Blue). In my favourite spec (DTR Turbo, or TRD Turbo in other markets). It's pretty cheap too. Anyone want a Maestro van?

 

I'd love to relieve you of the Right Wife van but I am completely unable to do so, which is really irritating.

[dollywobbler]

Probably for the best. Seven BXs have all ultimately failed to completely win me over (even the silver one, mainly because it was silver). Perhaps I should stick with two windscreen wipers.

[cort16]

Have you had many petrol bxs dollywobbler? I imagine a gti is a more satisfying experience than an Na diesel .

[dollywobbler]

This one's another turbo diesel. A GTi auto is one I'd really like to try. The holy grail is a TZI auto estate, but I'm not sure they exist.

[trigger]

Done roughly 90 miles to North Norfolk in the Civic today, it's been exactly a year since I dragged it out of the last owners garage where it had been unused for 3 years (and hardly used for years before that) it's running great now, it still has its little moments where it dies after a run but I'm hoping that will improve.

 

One thing that has improved is the ride, fitting those tyres has made the world of difference! It doesn't bump so much and the road noise is much quieter.

 

Looking good forwards to the Super doper 70's car show at Wroxham barns now tomorrow, I just hope it says dry!

 

[cort16]

I had a gt which was rather splendid. I'd break my lhm ban for a nice gti or 16v .

I'm sure there was a tzi up recently all be it a manual . I can't remember seeing any bx autos at all back on the day.

[michael1703]

i love north norfolk,whats the itinerereryyyy?

[wuvvum]

Well they got the forecast wrong again for today.  The predicted thundery showers turned out to be scorching hot sunshine all day.  So I spent most of the day outside.

 

After mowing the lawn, I had a brief play with the bikes.  I resealed the exhaust on the Spacy (last time I'd fitted it I didn't put any paste on the pipe / cylinder join).  It now blows a bit less than it did...  I then spent ages, and half the skin off my knuckles, getting the spark plug out of the NH125.  I've never known a plug to be as much of a bitch to get out.  It initially loosened off OK, but then got gradually stiffer and stiffer, to the point that I was worried the bloody thing was going to snap off in the head.  It didn't, though, and I eventually got it out - it looked to have seen better days, with the centre electrode being somewhat worn, so I bought a new one.  I was also intending to whip the carb off and give it a clean out, but due to a really quite stupid piece of design, the air box is one piece with the rear mudguard, which means that to get the airbox off (which is necessary if the carb is to be removed), one has to unbolt the left rear shock.  I quite frankly couldn't be arsed, so I took the top off the carb and sprayed a shitload of carb cleaner down there instead.  Not very scientific, but better than nowt.  Maybe.

 

Then I fired up the Cagiva, intending to take it for a spin as it hadn't been out for a while.  After a few minutes of listening to the engine rattle (see Stupid Question Amnesty thread) and umming and aahing, I switched it off again and went indoors for a cuppa.

 

After that I headed off to my mate's who's storing the Corsair (and the Renner Six) for me.  After hauling all the crap that was piled up in front of the lean-to out of the way, I stuck a battery on it and drove it out into the garden for the first time since before Christmas.  As one would expect, it was fucking filthy, so I chucked several buckets of water over it, then I took some photos.

 

 

 

 

It had actually survived its lay-up pretty well - the crossflow fired up easily, and brakes and clutch were all free, although the clutch is probably going to need bleeding as it needed pushing right to the floor to engage reverse, and even then it crunched.

 

Once I'd put the Corsair away I then fired up the Renault 6.  Surprisingly, given that I hadn't tried to start it since April and the battery is at least ten years old, it still turned over on the key, and fired straight up with a dribble of petrol down the carb.  Unfortunately the battery didn't have enough juice to drag the fuel through from the tank on the slightly feeble mechanical pump, but the battery I'd been using on the Corsair soon had it chugging happily away.  I left it to run for a while for the fluids to circulate, then moved it backwards and forwards a bit to keep everything free.  By that time my mate was about to go out, so I had to park the Renner up again - next time I get a free day with decent weather I'll take it for a proper spin.

 

Then I came home and washed the Volvo.  It now looks rather more presentable and less mildewy.

 

 

[trigger]

Your horse hair is gorgeous Wuv, I don't think I've seen photos of it before.

[wuvvum]

Nope, this is the first time I've got proper pictures of it - I didn't think of taking any when I first bought it in the autumn, and it's been laid up since then.  It isn't bad - the bonnet is a bit rough though, and it still needs some weldage underneath.  Should be quick though, with a 1600 X-flow running a twin-choke Weber.

 

I'm hoping to make it to the '70s show tomorrow btw - will probably be late morning as I'm going out in the afternoon.

[Ratdat]

I'm not that big on Fords but Corsairs are awesome. I'd happily smoke round in one.

[hairnet]

wuv should be banned from posting about cool cars spesh if theyre his [/jelus]

 

[EssDeeWon]

I saw one of those Corsairs yesterday looking rather rough on the back of a flat bed Transit, I fear the worst;

 

 

[EssDeeWon]

Here is a close up, rough or what? Not been taxed since October 1994 !!

 

[dollywobbler]

I had a gt which was rather splendid. I'd break my lhm ban for a nice gti or 16v .

I'm sure there was a tzi up recently all be it a manual . I can't remember seeing any bx autos at all back on the day.

 

I've owned one petrol BX - a shabby 16v. It was sheer lunacy and had to be swapped for a Rover 414 bubble before I either killed myself or lost my licence. The way the power kicks in at 4000rpm is just astonishing.

[steve_earwig]

A quick hint on BX 16 Valve driving - if you get it air bourne it will return to the ground in full ABS mode - you will have no brakes for quite a few heartbeats so it's not a good idea to do this on, say, a humpback bridge on the approach to a mini roundabout

[Bucketeer]

I've owned two BXs in the past, a GTI 16V and a 19RD Estate. If I had to pick one model to have again, it would be the N/A diesel every time.

The 16V just felt like it was trying to shake itself to bits at every opportunity and I had no confidence in it whatsoever. The ride wasn't great and it just didn't feel like a BX to me, whereas the 19RD was a paragon of comfortable, relaxed, competent smokiness where every aspect was perfectly suited to every other. Even equal, transferable qualities just felt different, the diesel seemed light and nimble, the GTI seemed flimsy.

_{I've tried explaining my feelings on this subject to people before and have never managed to make any sense or explain coherently what I mean. No change here, apologies.}

 

Also, were there many differences between the engines in the BX 16V and the ZX 16V? It was probably just that specific engine, but my ZX felt A LOT faster than the BX.