Project 405 Sri fixing the broken bits

[paulscavalier]

Those Mk I interiors really take me back to my first selling job in a Peugeot dealership in Watford in 1988.  The 405 had just been launched and there was a lot of interest in it.  They really were a superb drive, hope yours still has that unmistakable Peugeot 'feel'.  The 205 and 405 had the best steering feel of any car I have ever driven.

 

It may be the only topaz blue SRi left but there should be a few topaz cars around in other trim levels, it was quite a popular colour.  Two early 405 colours which have completely disappeared are Panama beige and Calypso blue, both fairly weird solid colours.  

 

I also remember some of the appalling quality on some early 405s, they were making them too quickly.  One beige saloon we had the rear door skins actually flapped about as you shut the door, we also had an automatic with a loose clutch pedal flopping about.

It still has that feel . My first 405 was a black Sri in 1991 and this feels the same. My sister and her ex husband bought a 1987 E plate GE which I think might have been calypso blue it was a solid sort of french blue. It was a 1.6 with no power steering but that was a very eager car.

[paulscavalier]

This colour

[carlo]

Yup here's a real one:

 

[bramz7]

Holy frigg that GE is sublime.

[paulscavalier]

That is the colour, and the spec. That brings back some memories.

[DaveDorson]

I keep seeing a gold 309 GE on the business park where I work in Peterborough, and he appears to travel North on the A1 every day.

 

I need a dashcam for spottage.

 

I had a couple of this era Peugeots and I'd definitely do it again, they made some excellent steeds.

[paulscavalier]

I had a gold XE back in the day an ex demo car. Within 3 months of having it someone overtook a truck on a blind bend and smashed the front in. I paid the extra to the body shop and had the gti bumper with all the lights fitted

[paulscavalier]

Bit of an update. Bumpers spoiler and drivers side are getting fresh paint. The front bumper being replaced and the rear bumper being tidied up. After giving the car a good clean the drivers side had been keyed and I couldn't polish it out plus someone tried to glue the bottom of the window/b pillar trim with superglue and it ran down the door and has messed up the paint.

[paulscavalier]

I managed to get a replacement bit so hopefully that's that bit sorted

[Braddon81]

Looking forward to seeing the results of its freshening up!

[Timewaster]

My old neighbour had an E reg SRi in a gunmetal grey. It was about 18 months old.

She got me to fit an alarm on it for her.

Sparkrite AT120 no less!

 

There was something not quite right, bits of trim stuck down, clips missing, wiring flapping about under the bonnet....

 

Turns out it was crashed and reshelled at about a month old.

 

The whole family had nearly new Peugeots.

 

Daughter - 205GRD. Trashed.

Son - 309GTi. Rolled.

 

But the 405 survived for several years.

 

I test drove a 405SRi once, but the EML was on and it felt as flat as a Witches tit.

 

I eventually got an Mi16 but that's another story. (No pics of it. Pre digital!)

[paulscavalier]

My first “big saloon” was a black 405 SRi when I was 22 and you insure cars like that, mind you that was 28 years ago. I always fancied another

[Timewaster]

My first “big saloon” was a black 405 SRi when I was 22 and you insure cars like that, mind you that was 28 years ago. I always fancied another

We must be about the same age then. The 405SRi was an absolute bargain to insure compared to most performance cars. I ended up buying what I really wanted which was a 205GTi as they were so cheap at the time and I spent the savings on insurance.

 

It was 1994 and was 21.

 

Strangely I still fancy another GTi. I'm mid 40's now so insurance is cheap but the cars are a fortune now.

[spartacus]

So now I'm looking at 405s on eBay...

Nice work, is that colour metallic?

[paulscavalier]

I am 50 now so insurance isn't too bad. I initially looked at 205s because Mrs cav fancied one. But then the 405 came up... And in a way its probably the right car for me at the right time. I imagine another few years and the prices will creep up

[carlo]

Nice work, well done on the re-spraying.  Lovely colour too, though I always thought the red bumper pinstripes didn't quite match with this light blue.

[paulscavalier]

Thanks. They don’t really blend in well with the blue but I will end up keeping them so I don’t have to mess about with the passenger side which is ok for now. It’s got a few marks on but nothing like the drivers side had. It will be slightly different than standard due to the plastic parts of the bumper corners having many scuffs. The bottom bit will be the same grey as the sills and the top will be black to match the rubbing strip. A bit of artistic license on my part

[stuboy]

old friend of mine bought a metalic beige colour one from 2nd hand car sales place, 1.6, was gutless, traced it back to a company whom confirmend they scraped it as hgf and 150k wasnt viable cost wise

[Scruffy Bodger]

Thanks. They don’t really blend in well with the blue but I will end up keeping them so I don’t have to mess about with the passenger side which is ok for now. It’s got a few marks on but nothing like the drivers side had. It will be slightly different than standard due to the plastic parts of the bumper corners having many scuffs. The bottom bit will be the same grey as the sills and the top will be black to match the rubbing strip. A bit of artistic license on my part

 

Maybe message Paul Gritton on the facebook owners page if you need trim bits? He's very helpful and has all sorts of bits for 405's.

[loserone]

He does seem to buy every 405 going

[paulscavalier]

Thanks for the information I will look him up. I noticed in another thread what looks like my 405 in the 30th year procession of 405s in front of yours

[paulscavalier]

My previous 405 from Feb 1993

[Scruffy Bodger]

Thanks for the information I will look him up. I noticed in another thread what looks like my 405 in the 30th year procession of 405s in front of yours

 

Well spotted, quite possible it is?!

 

[davehedgehog31]

Well spotted, quite possible is?!

 

Really wish I'd made it there..

[Scruffy Bodger]

Really wish I'd made it there..

 

Pugfest is always a good day ime, it's a great venue, as you'd probably expect for the home of the Bugatti owners club.

[paulscavalier]

Mine was previously owned by Sam Dawson of classic car magazine. Reckon he might of been there. Great lineup regardless

[Scruffy Bodger]

Your theory is indeed correct! Found this on the Facebook page from last year.

 

 

[paulscavalier]

Yep that’s mine! It seemed well travelled when Sam had it. Nice pic thanks

[paulscavalier]

Still tinkering with this, I decided to look at why the gear change was so poor. The linkage rods were ok so I looked deeper. The two pictures below are the reason. Loads of play. The square frame is 4cm squared and the rubber ball is only 2cm as seen in the picture. So when you change gear you have to pull the gear lever really far back to change gear because of this. I have tried removing the part with the ball on but it has seized on solid. Thing is which bit is wrong. Should the frame be the smaller round type I have seen on eBay, or should the ball be bigger. I have tried to find out but have had no success at all. The car is now SORN until I have sorted this out.