Catching an STI - Partridge's French Fancy

[Partridge]

Probably about time I did a thread about this. In about September time I was looking for another 605, as I'd really been missing mine. One really clean looking one with sub-100k miles was located in Kent by my other half, and I made an appointment to see it. I phoned the chap up to ask if we were still on and the reply was: "No, I've changed my mind, I've scrapped it."

 

There was this really nice 405 for sale (also in Kent) that I'd had my eye on as well. Out of spite more than anything else, I drove down in the V70 to look at it.

 

Here's what I found:

 

It had the nicest story ever. It was being sold by an elderly lady, who only went in it once a week by her daughter when she driven to the shops. Prior to that it was her husband's car, who owned it from 1996 up until his death in 2008. Before the husband, it was owned by his friend who worked as some sort of manager at Peugeot Talbot UK.

 

A Peugeot dealership showed it off as part of a display when the 407 came out, which is a nice bit of history to have.

 

Their son, who was selling it for him Mother had a tear in his eye when he told me all this. They'd be keeping it if she could still get in and out of. Some people had phoned up wanting it for the rare STI seats and door cards, so he was thrilled when a genuine car person came to view it. 

The only faults they were aware of was a heater that sometimes went on strike and a sticky rear window.

 

I didn't even haggle and said yes before the test drive was finished...

 

The next week we went to collect it, and the drive  home went smoothly. Once I got it home, I couldn't resist a little photoshoot.

 

But enough sentimental crap - it was time to get down to business. The non working heater was quickly traced to a thermostat that n'march pas. Since then, we have a new problem. The heater has two modes: off, or "extremely on". Leave it on too long and you'll get a waft of boiling vanilla scented air freshener in one of those nasty little bottles that I can't be arsed to unclip from the air vents. My other half thinks it's "part of the car", and seem as we have shared ownership of it, I dare not mess with her vial of vanilla Carplan shit.

 

The front brakes also had a habit of binding (to the extend one had to rev the car in drive before it went anywhere). I could see it flying down the drive and ending up in the lounge if I wasn't careful, so this went on the to do list. They also made a nasty clunky feeling under the pedal at low speeds. Not nice.

The rear end caps on the sills are needing attention as well.

 

We've also started to fill the house with 405 trinkets and general bollocks. More on that later.

 

Last week it went in for a service and a new aux belt. I also instructed the garage to look into the sticky brakes.

 

A lot of swearing happened from Stefan, the mechanic I use, as the bottom pully was bollocksed and didn't want to move. That's arrived so I'll see how it goes when it spoils his day again next week.

Taking the front brakes apart and rebuilding them has worked, they don't stick or clunk! Hurruh!

But what's that nasty looking brown stuff?

Fuck you, rust. It's been undersealed since this photo and will be done properly in the better weather. This should get it through winter - or what's left of it.

 

Anyway, this is what it looks like now after some TLC.

And this is what it looked like two hours ago after I took it out to stretch its legs. Yes, that is an original dealer sticker!

 

I love it, and so does my girlfriend. It drives really, really, really well. It feels like a new car to drive, and is far more quiet and modern feeling than I was expecting it to be.

 

So what's next? Mechanically, it's sound, so I'm free to sort the body work and make it shiny and nice. Once the small amount of grot has been done, we're replacing the front wing. We have one from old new stock in the downstairs loo, unpainted. That will going to a bodyshop in the Fens which has a spectrometer.

 

I feel a little bit mad sinking money into a 405, in a quest to make it "perfect" - but I guess that's what Autoshite is all about?

 

 

[dollywobbler]

Gorgeous! And sinking money into worthless cars is exactly what we do. It ensures they remain working as cars should. Total sense.

[Partridge]

Gorgeous! And sinking money into worthless cars is exactly what we do. It ensures they remain working as cars should. Total sense.

Cheers! To be honest, it's probably not even "worthless". With the 30th anniversary coming up this year, I think they will start to rise in value soon - and rightly so. But that's not the point.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

....It had the nicest story ever....

*gentle sounds of a string orchestra*

 

.....But enough sentimental crap ....

*scratching noise of a stylus being removed from the vinyl record*

[danthecapriman]

Very nice, the back story is nice too. Looks a really good car and should be well worth putting a bit of love into.

I particularly like those old alloys!

[Pillock]

Let's see the inside then, why were people just wanting it for the seats and doorcards?

[Dirk Diggler]

I particularly like those old alloys!

Don't think I've ever seen 4 centre caps in the same place at once!

[Parky]

Get your Berlin tape out and set fire to some blokes field and live that 405 dream!

[bramz7]

I am very glad someone on here got that. I saw it on Auto Trader and nearly messaged myself but had my Executive at the time, which I sorely miss.

 

Also glad it went to someone like you.

 

I seriously want another 405 now. 

[jon.k]

I honestly never understood the people who "restored" cars, but having chanced across a car which I really like, it's become a bit of a mission to save it.  I can completely see why you'd spend on such a nice example to get it to nearly-new condition, and if you like it, why not?

[Bren]

I would call it restoration - more like titivation.

It looks so good it is definately worth doing.

2 and 44 please.

[jon.k]

I would call it restoration - more like titivation.

It looks so good it is definately worth doing.

2 and 44 please.

Yes, you're right. And to be fair, my restoration is more like keeping it able to drive and pass an mot!

[D Spares & Tyres]

I saw it and nearly massaged myself

 

[Picketlinefeelingfine]

Love it. Always said if I went over to French cars i'd have one of these. A xantia without the wollowey suspension. 405s look the dogs nuts when they looked after too

[Sudsprint]

I remember when the 405 came out.

 

Easily the best looking saloon on the market.

[Felly Magic]

Well bought Partridge, needs a big cock drawing on it though

[loserone]

I feel a little bit mad sinking money into a 405

 

You and me both, I'm about to be bidding more for a 206 to donate an engine than I paid for the car..

[Lacquer Peel]

You and me both, I'm about to be bidding more for a 206 to donate an engine than I paid for the car..

Are you putting an HDI in it??

[loserone]

I'm hoping it will take a GTI engine, no diesel here!

[D Spares & Tyres]

A 206??

 

I have a 10,000 mile FSH 1.6 Pug engine for sale out of an N reg 306. Didn't mention it as its a different engine to the 1.6 in the 405

[Talbot]

One little bit of 405 information I can give you...

 

The sills are sealed sections. No holes at all, even ones with plugs in. However, over the years a little damp will get into them (due to changing atmospheric pressure etc) and they do start to rust a little from the inside. Because they are 99.999% sealed, that damp remains trapped.

 

If you look at the front of the inner sill, there's a bolted on lash-down loop that will never have been used. The bolts that hold this on go into captive nuts in the inner sill. If you take the (Torx headed) bolts out and remove the loop, you now have the only possible access holes into the inner sills. They are *just* large enough to get a Waxoyl lance through. If you now put as much waxoyl (or similar) in through the holes, it will work its way throughout the whole of the sill and protect it. (and put the lashing eye back on of course)

 

After discovering the sealed sills when I cut my first 405 in half, I did the waxoyl trick on my next one. Many years later when it expired and I cut that one up, it still had half a litre of waxoyl in each sill and they were very well protected.

 

 

Lovely car too. ST specification trim is rare and very nice. I missed out on a gunmetal grey STDT estate once and was most annoyed as it was a lovely car. The later Hunter/GTX/Executive trim was nice, but never got the ST-specification power seats.

 

Edit. Also, those alloys are renowned for losing their centre covers/caps. If you have all 4, pay close attention to the retaining screws that hold the centres on. They work loose for a laugh and the centres frisbee off at speed, never to be seen again.

[trigger]

That's a beautiful looking car.

[Roobarb]

I had a diesel one (turbo) on hand me down. That was an amazing car - even when it made its way down to me.

 

That's a gorgeous car.

Well bought. I'm a little envious that you've managed to find an ST in such nice condition.

[CanaryinManc]

I had a 1991 pre facelift GTXi in the same colour - J473 NUD.  Lovely car to drive but always something going wrong; anti-lock brakes particularly bad iirc. Also spent a fortune replacing alloy wheel centre caps due to crap spring loaded clips. Replaced with a 406 GLX because glutton for Peugeot punishment but was completely reliable.

[Jim Bell]

That scene in When Harry Met Sally where the girl makes the sex noises.

[MarinaJosh]

I adore my 405. Funnily enough I am in negotiations at the moment for an STI!

 

A good trick with those centre caps is to drill a hole through into the wheel, tap a thread into it, then put a stainless steel allen bolt in. When I had those alloys on my one the guy I bought it off (a 405 nut) kindly did it so they didn't fly off! You can just about make it out in this photo, just to the left of the slotted bit in the centre cap. As you can see this cap would come off if it wasn't for the allen bolt!

[Scruffy Bodger]

A pity about the 605! Such a rare site now. I did see one at Pugfest last year, first time in many years.

 

Maybe he did you a favour as you've ended up with a nice 405. I think these things are much under-rated, I really like mine.

[2MB]

My dad had one just the same (I guess this is a 2.0 auto) in dark grey when I was about 10. Exceptional cars, I for one am jealous and pleased you’re treating it right in equal measures. Prices for good ones already seem to be firming up, there’s nothing foolish in a bit of preservation and restoration

[Pillock]

Funnily enough I am in negotiations at the moment for an STI!

I can give you a few phone numbers if you like. Just be careful of Fiona, as well as a range of warts and weird smelling discharges she likes to pop a finger in unexpected places without warning.