collection MK1 BX16 TRS 'SE' - Make it or break it, a tale of neglect and fondling

[Tomtation]

Hi all, i'm after some advice. I know there are at least a couple of us on here that reside over the channel and that the general wisdom level for collectioneering is pretty damn impressive. So what would your advice be in my situation?

How do I go about getting a hydraulic Citroen in unknown condition (only that it is certainly not roadworthy atm) from France, near the swiss border in Héricort to me in Somerset? I REALLY REALLY WANT IT, and am quite happy to pay. In an ideal world i'd just hire/purchase a trailer and rock on into France - but I cannot drive a trailer on my licence (to young...). I've used shiply before but i've been fucked around once and had success once. Are there alternatives? 

I need to call the seller, but won't be able to until after work this evening - the ad says no emails (fucking irritating)

[Wingz123]

I could help (Mercedes Sprinter truck)

I have moved vehicles for quite a number of members on here, some the length and breadth of the country...)

[Tomtation]

PM'd

[egg]

It's well worth doing a search for other threads on here containing the words 'import' 'registering' 'abroad' etc - there's probably a baker's dozen of threads (I've been a culprit at least once) on the topic with loads of advice and experience.

[Wingz123]

19 minutes ago, Tomtation said:

PM'd

Responded 

[wuvvum]

If it's a non-running hydro Citroën, you need to make sure that whatever vehicle is used to pick it up is low / flat enough to get it on and off without it beaching itself.

[DSdriver]

I have pumped up Citroen hydraulics using a belt from a washing machine and a random pulley wheel in an electric drill before 

[wuvvum]

That can work, if all the pipework is intact...

[hairnet]

1 hour ago, DSdriver said:

I have pumped up Citroen hydraulics using a belt from a washing machine and a random pulley wheel in an electric drill before 

is there a video of this???

[Tomtation]

I've used a couple of planks before to good effect, not thought of winding one up with a drill though - a video would be great of that!

[DSdriver]

3 hours ago, hairnet said:

is there a video of this???

Afraid not, it was years ago and it would have been on VHS if that had been invented at the time. We weren't obsessed with filming every day of our lives then and it was just a bit of improvisation to get a dormant car out of a lock-up and onto a trailer.

[richardmorris]

Much of the French population see email as the spawn of the devil. I don’t know why as it means everything is in writing and easy to translate.

[capsuleboy]

Get it done! 

Paperwork is easy, just make sure you get the French log book.

Over there collecting this in a couple of weeks, bought off Le bon coin.

[Tomtation]

18 hours ago, richardmorris said:

Much of the French population see email as the spawn of the devil. I don’t know why as it means everything is in writing and easy to translate.

 My thought precisely, just a copy and paste from google translate and it's a goodun.

Didn't get a chance to ring the seller last night, firends dropped in and had to be social. I'll call in a bit, it'll be interesting as my Frech isn;t that good... This is also on Leboncoin, great but dangerous website that.

[Tomtation]

Contact has been made, a price has been agreed! (I think) Now collection needs to be organised. It's always difficult over the phone when neither of you speaks the others language, apart from a few words!

[Frogchod]

8 hours ago, capsuleboy said:

Get it done! 

Paperwork is easy, just make sure you get the French log book.

Over there collecting this in a couple of weeks, bought off Le bon coin.

Paperwork has recently changed, the seller should provide the carte grise as before, but now there should be a certificate de cessation including an ANTS code.

This code is generated on line via the ants website.

Officially there should be a controle technique, even a fail sheet. In realality this is rarely provided on barn finds.

None of the above (apart from CG) should bother you if you have no intention of selling the car back to France. ..

 

 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

5 hours ago, Tomtation said:

Contact has been made, a price has been agreed! (I think) Now collection needs to be organised. It's always difficult over the phone when neither of you speaks the others language, apart from a few words!

Aha! The French Connection!

[DSdriver]

Bon chance!

[Frogchod]

Give us a clue.... 

DS, CX, GS,SM  ?

[Tomtation]

It's is absolutely an SM*.

 

 

 

Unfortunately only in my dreams, it's a quite busted, sat outside for many many years MK1 BX with AIR CON muthafuckers. I've been looking for a MK1 with a/c for 18 months now, so I can install said a/c in my MK1 BX GT. The system is, of course, completely different to the BX MK2 a/c system. Getting this car home is going to cost me though.... Thankfully MK1 parts seem to be sought after, and who knows, the car may be worth keeping whole, registering over here and selling on.

[Lankytim]

If you only want the aircon from it why don't you go over in a van and strip it there?

[Tomtation]

10 hours ago, Lankytim said:

If you only want the aircon from it why don't you go over in a van and strip it there?

That would be ideal, but I'm not confident enough to do that in front of the seller on a limited time basis and ideally i'd like to do the job side by side with my BX, as the whole dash needs to come out and hole made in the bulkhead etc.

This will be a new foray into working on cars for me, i've not played with a/c systems or dashboard removal etc before - there's only one way to learn though!

[loserone]

What a winner, importing a whole car just for AC.

[Tomtation]

It is otherwise unobtainable tbf, and I want to use this car for a reasonable portion of our french travels, so mooching around the south of france avec bubbly/white/rosé dans le voiture, a cool car is required (this is my justification) and interestingly I am fully supported by the OH for this venture - usually I get a flat NO, so i'm goign with it.

Also, if the car is rotten it'll mean there are some good MK1 BX spares available to help keep the UK contingent going, which are really quite hard to find now.

[loserone]

Yeah, this kind of ill though out dream is why I have a 305 in the garage

[richardmorris]

From what I’ve heard from people the bx ac system, like the cx one,  Is completely rubbish. I hope you can get it to work without leaks.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

24 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

....the bx ac system, like the cx one,  Is completely rubbish......

*uncontrollable laughter*

[DSdriver]

I seem to remember the aircon on my first CX familiale, an Sreg in Brun Scarabee, reduced the top speed by 10mph and the fuel consumption to single figures. Time may have distorted the facts but it is how I remember it.

It also was only really beneficial to the front seat passengers, whilst we were comfortable driving along the Moyen Corniche, those is the middle row of seats kept opening the windows  which of course only let more warm air into the car.

[richardmorris]

1 hour ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

*uncontrollable laughter*

I had it redone in my DTR with parts supplied by Neil hotham. It worked as well as new, but still very poor.

[mitsisigma01]

On 6/14/2019 at 8:43 PM, richardmorris said:

Much of the French population see email as the spawn of the devil. I don’t know why as it means everything is in writing and easy to translate.

Let's hope Google translation works better than German to English