I’ll have a P’icasso please Bob.

[purplebargeken]

Bit of going over the car today. Doing my usual thing of cleaning bits and pieces, working out what buttons do what. Found the button to change from MPH to KPH which will be handy in that there France.

The in economy mode light flashed up which puzzled me until I googled it lol.

Cleaned off a few paint scrapes from the bumpers and eradicated several light scratches including a feeble attempt at keying the passenger side. All good now though.

Headlining had a few very light marks on it, again, all gone now.

Oil level was at the halfway mark but that has been topped up. Engine bay had a bit of a wipe over too.  

It will get a good vacuuming over the next few days. Trim will get cleaned and treated. 

Things planned:

Cambelt, tensioner,  aux belt and water pump booked in for 25th April.

One thing I did notice was a slight movement in the gear lever when going on and coming off the throttle. Possibly tired engine/gearbox mounts, so might get a price for that too.

The passenger seat picnic table is broken and missing, so will try and source one.

Headlight lenses are in need of a polish as they are a little dull but also scratched.

The sills will need some tidying but that will need a day or two of decent weather. No major hassle.

A good wash, claying and polishing will also occur.

Really happy with how it drives, it’s very spacious and comfy.  The Picasso will be a comfy load lugger and really handy for pootling around France.

Win, win, win.

[purplebargeken]

Oh, the passenger side washer jet doesn’t work, will investigate.

[carlo]

I've had a Picasso for four years and have a lot of time for them.  Cheap, incredibly useful, very reliable and not horrible to drive.  Designed in the 90s before French cars went completely haywire.

Hard car to love, very easy to respect.

[Metal Guru]

On 12/04/2025 at 09:27, purplebargeken said:

At Lime St.

 

3 1/2 hours?! They need to look up Express in a dictionary.

[purplebargeken]

Cheers for that mate. Am really looking forward to sorting the very few issues out on it. It has good bones and will be a hugely positive addition to the fleet 😊

[purplebargeken]

Just did a buy for a rear wiper blade to replace the oddly missing one.  

[High Jetter]

Citroen. 🤷‍♂️

[purplebargeken]

Okay you bunch of photo addicted weirdos, ‘ave some 🤣🤣

 

[Westbay]

Looks very smart, apart from steering wheel being upside down !  😊

 

 

 

[FakeConcern]

I've said it before,the Picasso is the Morris Minor of the future.

Looks very tidy!

 

[purplebargeken]

It’s the optional extra Australian Market steering wheel don’t you know.

[purplebargeken]

A few dinks and dings externally but that’s entirely expected. The sills need tidying but will have to wait a bit until the weather improves a tad.

[Fabergé Greggs]

Picasso Twins! I bloody love mine (2.0 Pez auto), so spacious, wafty, bright and anonymous- when I get back into normal cars they seem all low and claustrophobic. God I'm getting old. 

[purplebargeken]

All of those things mate 😊

[carlo]

Yes I forgot to mention they have absolutely brilliant visibility all round, another throwback to better times.  I really don't understand what's happening with modern cars.

 

[purplebargeken]

Enjoying the Picasso still. Picnic tray on the passenger side has been sorted so there are two functional picnic trays again.

It’s going in to the local French car people tomorrow to have the cam belt and associated appropriate bits sorted.

I will ask their opinion on the gear lever movement. I do suspect worn mounts, but we shall see what they say.

Will get the tracking checked at some point too.

One tyre at the rear seems to lose a bit of air over time, will just top up now and again for the time being.

Rear wiper blade fitted. 

That’s it for now. Will report back post garage time 

[purplebargeken]

Cambelt, water pump and all the assorted gubbins obv including coolant all done and dusted. 

They didn’t have time to check the issue with the gear stick movement but will get it over to them in a couple of weeks.

[purplebargeken]

Love driving this thing. Be good to get that gear lever movement sorted though.  

Might get the tracking checked/done next week.

[Lord Sterling]

On 15/04/2025 at 09:04, purplebargeken said:

Cooorrr! Look at that floor mattage. Looks a little after market though but at least it's there.

[purplebargeken]

It is and it’s better than nothing at the moment. It will get changed at some point.

The important mechanical stuff will get done first, I will then tackle the cosmetics.

[purplebargeken]

Bit of an update. It’s still happily plodding on.

The specialist garage checked gear linkages and bushes here, there and everywhere. No issues found. They think it may be a worn selector.

Since then I have mainly kept it clean, topped up with fuel and just drove it.

However, it had the dull and scratched headlight lenses cleaned up. Much better.

I have had an oil, oil filter and fuel filter done today. 
I have changed the air filter and have a set of plugs to fit too. 

Not yet managed to check out the non-functional NS washer jet. Seems a bit difficult to get to.

Oh, the garage mentioned that the back box has a small hole in it, which can be heard blowing.

 

[purplebargeken]

Took the Pic to the Citroen/Renner place for an A/C regas m8.  It held pressure and looked hopeful, right until it was regassed and the condenser holed.  The pipework was pretty crusty too. Not worth lobbing 350 quid at it to sort. Next week it will get a new back box.

[purplebargeken]

Ok, seeing as rain was doubtful today, I thought it would be a good opportunity to tackle the ropey looking sills. Drivers side first. Good old knotted wheel on a grinder.

Patch counting time. 5 on the first 2 feet of the sill and 2 on the rear.  Not one of the patches had the welds dressed.  The patches are sturdy enough but Christ, they are fucking ugly.  There are some thumbnail sized holes to sort out and a few very small ones. No problem really. Am used to old Triumphs remember. However, I just got to pondering things sill related.

How much did it cost to have the numerous patches done?  At what point could it have been viable to have bought a sill panel and had it done to a better standard? Surely that would have made sense.

I am debating about getting a quote to get it done this way instead of adding to the bodgery. 
 The other side has been ‘attended to’ in the past to a significant degree and is somewhat not smooth and horribly painted.

The car runs very well, I had had the cam belt, water pump and belts done.  I have serviced it.  The duff back box is getting done next week IIRC. The only annoying niggle is the slightly mobile gear lever, 

It is frugal, comfy, starts on the button each and every time, runs very well and is a perfectly sized load lugger.  I like driving it.

I’ll see what the cost will be and decide then. I have rust killer, filler and paint…..

[purplebargeken]

124 quid for a pair of sill panels from eBay.

[chodweaver]

Following with interest

()

[purplebargeken]

Addressing the grit on the passengers side. So bottom bit of the front wing and bottom edge of the sill section which at some point has been replaced up to the B pillar. There’s fuck all of the lower section of wing and the sill section repair has no attempt at a curve. A full sill is less than 80 quid ffs.  It surely would have been easier and cheaper to do it properly instead of botching it and then smearing 4mm of filler over it all. 

Give me a fucking break.

Do they sell lower wing sections or is it a whole fucking wing I need to get? 

[purplebargeken]

Am probably unlikely to get a decent used wing in the right colour…

[purplebargeken]

Anyone on here who does bodywork properly able to give me a price on two new sill outers and a wing please.

[purplebargeken]

Actually can I be fucking arsed.

The x type needs welding and rear ARB bushes.

The Visa needs a new oil cooler, rear brake cylinders, dash trim sourcing and general tidying.

I have finally reached my tolerance limit.

After over 800 cars, decades of sorting old shit out, I have had enough.  Forced retirement to boot. Fuck it.

Will take bids on all three cars. Go for it.

[grogee]

5 hours ago, purplebargeken said:

Actually can I be fucking arsed.

The x type needs welding and rear ARB bushes.

The Visa needs a new oil cooler, rear brake cylinders, dash trim sourcing and general tidying.

I have finally reached my tolerance limit.

After over 800 cars, decades of sorting old shit out, I have had enough.  Forced retirement to boot. Fuck it.

Will take bids on all three cars. Go for it.

Don't make hasty decisions Ken. 

God knows I've got too many cars but I don't think I'd sell them all in one go. 

Keep the 'best' one for transport and jettison the other two if needs be. 

Hang in there. FWIW I'd love to retire but I guess the timing needs to suit the individual.