Barn Find Maxi and Posh* Citroen - Maxi now on the road

[chodweaver]

 

 

I’d have turned up on foot with a can of fresh petrol and footpump, and been on the news a few hours later

FTFY

[quicksilver]

Yay, another Maxi joins the fold. Well saved and welcome back, you've returned in style.

[greengartside]

Two Maxis in my local breakers yard should you require any parts.....

 

Well bought, looks very tidy and intact!

[lesapandre]

It has been sold. I think the sale of the house has triggered the selling of the Maxi. It is a small and lovely, I would say 18th century cottage overlooking a valley down a lane, there is a pretty Methodist Chapel further up and a couple of farms and cottages around but it is very much isolated. I would just decorate it and move in however the deceased family suspect it will be vastly extended and probably stripping it of its character.

Lot to be said for a simple life. Houses and cars.

[theorganist]

Two Maxis in my local breakers yard should you require any parts.....

 

Well bought, looks very tidy and intact!

Yes I would be very interested to hear more about those please, as there will be a few things I need.

[theorganist]

Yay, another Maxi joins the fold. Well saved and welcome back, you've returned in style.

Thanks. Interesting to see you have a Renault 6, old Renault's are another love of mine. I would like another trip to France in the next couple of years and get something like a 6 or probably another 14 as they just pip the Maxi as my very favourite cars.

[Faker]

Fabulous stuff

[theorganist]

Well done one getting it shifted responsibly, too. I’d have turned up on foot with a can of fresh petrol and footpump, and been on the M4 a few hours later

Lol well I wouldn't be surprised if it starts with a fresh battery and petrol. I believe it may be MOT exempt so that may not be completely improbable although I intend to get it MOT'd either way.

[Bren]

This needs to meet up with triggers marina. Coupled with the sky high temperatures it can be like an itv sitcom circa 1976 - about as funny as blood in your toilet.

[quicksilver]

Thanks. Interesting to see you have a Renault 6, old Renault's are another love of mine. I would like another trip to France in the next couple of years and get something like a 6 or probably another 14 as they just pip the Maxi as my very favourite cars.

The old Renault is a rather sore point as it's very broken and very difficult to work on so it's caused a lot of bad language. There's a really interesting story behind it though, which became the most liked post in AS history.

 

SWOP 4 UR MAXI M8?

[sierraman]

And people complain modernz are impossible to fix.

[mrbenn]

Looks like it will be a lovely car! Looking forward to the updates.

[ProgRocker]

Is the shade of red 'Vermillion' ? My first car was ( '79 mini)

[greengartside]

Yes I would be very interested to hear more about those please, as there will be a few things I need.

Both are W-plate Maxi 2’s, one is a L and the other is a HLS. mostly all complete from what I can see. I have a contact number for the yard too.

[theorganist]

Both are W-plate Maxi 2’s, one is a L and the other is a HLS. mostly all complete from what I can see. I have a contact number for the yard too.

Great, well if you could PM me the number I would be grateful? I wonder what is up with them? Not generally what you would find in a breakers I would have thought, although I know there is one near Doncaster I think which breaks classic cars including Maxi's. I would quite fancy a Maxi 2 HLS!

[theorganist]

The old Renault is a rather sore point as it's very broken and very difficult to work on so it's caused a lot of bad language. There's a really interesting story behind it though, which became the most liked post in AS history.

 

SWOP 4 UR MAXI M8?

Yes I remember it, I was one of the many.

 

Just had a quick read through the thread. A great shame about the valves, even I can see they don't look right! I do hope you get it sorted, it is a special car.. I bet you could get a Renault 6 engine in the boot of the Maxi, would make a great road trip.

 

If it was a R14 I would bite your hand off, if it was working I would swap it for the Merc  !

[theorganist]

The Maxi has took a step closer to being put on the road as I made the over 200 mile round trip in my new toy to collect an exhaust for the Maxi. They haven't managed to get it started yet, they have discovered there is no spark, I suspect it is the coil as I had the same problem on my last Maxi. I shall think I have one in the shed which I shall find this week.

 

My new toy is a 2002 Citroen C3 1.6 16v Exclusive (i.e. the posh one). It is actually the most modern car I have ever owned. It has 85,000 miles on the clock and a decent MOT history. 

 

Things didn't start well, I took it to have a new cambelt put on, I picked it up yesterday having had the cambelt, oil change, a new exhaust, two rear tyres and rear brake discs and pads which were down to the metal. I knew one tyre needed replacing as it was advised on the MOT and I thought the exhaust would be fixed with some sealant, but was not the case.

 

I was a bit unsure how it would handle it's maiden voyage especially after it has been sat for six weeks, however it has redeemed itself. It is nice to drive, being comfortable, quiet and slightly quirky. It has cruise control, an automatic wiper setting, aircon etc and it certainly uses less petrol than the Mercedes. It does seem to have a whirring sound which seems like it is coming from the alternator so that may need replacing soon.

 

I have attached some photo's, the interior if filthy and needs a deep clean but apart from some old giffer scrapes it isn't too bad.

 

 

[alcyonecorporation]

I miss the diesel ones of these.

 

Rumour has it that Pangea split in twain because of the terrorist threat upon encountering the bollock shattering terror of lard powered Maxi mid range torquem

[brownnova]

Not sure how I missed this when you first posted it, but that looks lovely! Can’t wait to see this progress!

[bramz7]

Oo posh C3. I remember being jealous of these and their lovely looking velour seats when my mum bought her first one in 2003. It was a Desire with baby blue (yack) seats. All well and good until my perpetually car sick brother was ill on them. 

 

Probably quite nippy with a 1.6. Those armrests are pretty useless unless motorway cruising as they get in the way of everything. 

[theorganist]

Yes sadly they don't look quite as lovely now, will have a go at giving the interior a good clean over the next couple of weeks.

 

It is nippy especially mid range and the engine is smooth, I was surprised how light it feels, I remember my 206 seemed quite a lot heavier, especially the doors.

[Noel Tidybeard]

i think the steering wheel cover needs to move out to reveal the two-toneness of the original

[theorganist]

i think the steering wheel cover needs to move out to reveal the two-toneness of the original

 

Yes I am planning to remove it as I am not that keen on it anyway.

[RRT22R]

That Maxi really is a great old thing - Please don't ever replace the number plates.

[binhoker668]

More progress photies please! 

[theorganist]

That Maxi really is a great old thing - Please don't ever replace the number plates.

Don't worry, I don't intend to. It will very much remain original.

[theorganist]

More progress photies please! 

Well to be honest the next pictures will be when I collect it from my mechanic (I take it you were talking about the Maxi not the C3), hopefully by the end of the month.The car is at my local garage, unfortunately I don't have the space or time to do much with it, plus replacing things like the exhaust are still things I would struggle with, especially as I only have a steep drive and a small bit of road outside the house, wish I had a dry garage with a pit. I will try and get some photo's when I take some parts up there on Thursday. But sadly I cannot take any credit for getting it on the road, apart from financing it!

 

However once it is on the road there will be plenty of photo's and I will be attempting any running repairs myself.

[michael t]

Surprised I missed this during the summer, superb find, as other have said there can't be too many old shitters lying about in sheds or outhouses now but they keep on appearing!

 

GR14.725/10

[theorganist]

Finally after six months UFA 79R exiled in a shed near Chepstow since 1995 is now on the road.

 

As you may remember I had it taken straight to my local garage as I would never have got far with it with my limited space (and skills). They have worked on it bit by bit and I finally picked it up the week before Christmas.

 

Firstly a wash revealed lots of little rust scabs which will need to be dealt with over the next few weeks. However it is extremely solid and has never been welded. Mechanically the engine is very smooth and quiet however I have had to have loads of new parts fitted including rear brakes, rear wheel bearing, exhaust (bodged), fuel pump, fuel hose, oil and filter, plugs, leads, distributor cap, wheel cylinders, battery, replacement starter motor from my shed/

 

I have had some issues with it since including what I thought was a failed starter motor culminating it being taken up to another mechanic I know who is a BL expert who has transformed her from functioning to working properly. The starter motor issue turned out to be dodgy wiring, it was also running far to rich and the emission were through the roof but the carburettor is now adjusted properly. The heater matrix was clogged up with leaves so you couldn't get any hot air to the car, now it is nice and hot. The indicators failed, then I fixed them by messing about with the wiring and replacing the hazard switch, however the hazard switch I got from the shed is also faulty so I need a replacement one.

 

Mechanically it needs the exhaust remounting as it is too far back and all the mounts are worn (it rattles like anything) and the flexi-pipe needs to be replaced, that should be done this week or next week. I also need to find the distributor in my shed as the one of the car is advanced and jammed.

 

But she is a joy to drive, very responsive, warms up nicely, doesn't appear to overheat and once the exhaust is fixed will be ready to go.

 

The interior is dirty and needs a deep clean and all sorts of debris from the countryside cleaning out.

 

The bodywork is something I will tackle, I have already filled two holes and made quite a good job it them, although the one needs a bit more filler.

 

Anyway some latest photo's attached. Tomorrow I plan to paint over the filler, wash her and give her a good polish and we will see what she looks like then! I also need to replace the side strips on the rear OS and boot lid.

 

 

[Mrs6C]

Huzzah!!!

 

Well done - another one saved!