Mat's BX Blog
- mat_fenwick
- Moderator
- Posts: 7326
- Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
- Location: North Wales
- x 19
Re: Mat's BX Blog
Quick BX update now - whilst cleaning the inside of the wheel arch (or more correctly transferring all the dirt from the wheel arch to me) I noticed a couple of holes where it appeared something had been screwed to before I bought the car. The water had penetrated under the coating and significantly thinned the steel, as once I took the rotary wire brush to it the holes soon enlarged. So I cut them out with a hole saw...
...so at least I have good metal to weld to. I can do that from the inside, far easier than trying to do it upside down! You can see the staining where water has been getting in, so that may explain a slightly damp boot.
The outer wing support has also seen better days, so I've bent a piece of galvanised bar to replace it. I may Sikaflex that into place rather than weld it, as it's quite a bit thicker than what I'd have to weld it to. But first, bed!
...so at least I have good metal to weld to. I can do that from the inside, far easier than trying to do it upside down! You can see the staining where water has been getting in, so that may explain a slightly damp boot.
The outer wing support has also seen better days, so I've bent a piece of galvanised bar to replace it. I may Sikaflex that into place rather than weld it, as it's quite a bit thicker than what I'd have to weld it to. But first, bed!
Re: Mat's BX Blog
Is that a little torch wired in there?
Martin
1993 red BX 17 TZD 300000 miles.
http://www.herearephotos.co.uk
http://wilsonsthings.tumblr.com/
1993 red BX 17 TZD 300000 miles.
http://www.herearephotos.co.uk
http://wilsonsthings.tumblr.com/
- mat_fenwick
- Moderator
- Posts: 7326
- Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
- Location: North Wales
- x 19
Re: Mat's BX Blog
What would make you think that? It's actually one of these, which I got as a present a few years back. It's plugged into the lighter socket I fitted there so permanently charged up. I also replaced the standard boot lamp with the one which goes above the parcel shelf, so I can turn it off if working out of the back of the car, then wired an LED into the lighter socket illumination to come on when the boot is open. Hence the mess of wires!
- Vanny
- Merseyside resident
- Posts: 3583
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 11:48 pm
- Location: BXProject
- My Cars: BX 16v Ph2 - Jazz
BX 16v Ph2 - XPO - x 82
- Contact:
Re: Mat's BX Blog
Are you going to use the same hole saw to make the filling pieces?
I bet with a little thought thats the sort of repair you could make complete seam less?
PS what are you like at welding aluminium? Of the gearbox variety?
I bet with a little thought thats the sort of repair you could make complete seam less?
PS what are you like at welding aluminium? Of the gearbox variety?
- mat_fenwick
- Moderator
- Posts: 7326
- Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
- Location: North Wales
- x 19
Re: Mat's BX Blog
Never welded aluminium, but I'll give anything a go!
I've got a fairly close set of hole saws, so I used the next set up to cut the fill in pieces (without the centre drill). Happily the ID of the next size up is almost an exact match for the OD of the one I used on the bodywork, so there's very little gap to fill with the welder.
No car stuff today though - been for a nice (dry) walk in the hills, and now sat in front of the fire with a bottle or two of red...
I've got a fairly close set of hole saws, so I used the next set up to cut the fill in pieces (without the centre drill). Happily the ID of the next size up is almost an exact match for the OD of the one I used on the bodywork, so there's very little gap to fill with the welder.
No car stuff today though - been for a nice (dry) walk in the hills, and now sat in front of the fire with a bottle or two of red...
- Vanny
- Merseyside resident
- Posts: 3583
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 11:48 pm
- Location: BXProject
- My Cars: BX 16v Ph2 - Jazz
BX 16v Ph2 - XPO - x 82
- Contact:
Re: Mat's BX Blog
I assume thats one each since you rarely make it past the first bottle
- mat_fenwick
- Moderator
- Posts: 7326
- Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
- Location: North Wales
- x 19
Re: Mat's BX Blog
Me? I never drink more than a bottle!
Now she's gone to bed I couldn't resist nipping out to the garage to take a quick photo.
I'm pleased with how well they fit - it's surprising how much metal is removed with just the thickness of the hole saw - so using the same size would have left me with a big gap to weld. The one on the left isn't quite sitting right due to a burr, which I'll remove once I clean up around the holes.
Now she's gone to bed I couldn't resist nipping out to the garage to take a quick photo.
I'm pleased with how well they fit - it's surprising how much metal is removed with just the thickness of the hole saw - so using the same size would have left me with a big gap to weld. The one on the left isn't quite sitting right due to a burr, which I'll remove once I clean up around the holes.
-
- Over 2k
- Posts: 5917
- Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:02 pm
- Location: Harwood, Bolton
- My Cars: Land Rover Discovery Series 1 200tdi 3 door
Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5
2020 Fiat Panda cross 4x4 twin air. - x 27
Re: Mat's BX Blog
Very intricate, nice
Kevan
1997 Mercedes C230 W202
2003 Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5 - Daily driver / hobby days and camping.
1993 Land Rover Discovery 200tdi Series 1 3 door - in need of TLC
2020 Fiat Panda 4x4 Cross Twin Air.
1997 Mercedes C230 W202
2003 Land Rover Discovery Series 2 Facelift TD5 - Daily driver / hobby days and camping.
1993 Land Rover Discovery 200tdi Series 1 3 door - in need of TLC
2020 Fiat Panda 4x4 Cross Twin Air.
- Vanny
- Merseyside resident
- Posts: 3583
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 11:48 pm
- Location: BXProject
- My Cars: BX 16v Ph2 - Jazz
BX 16v Ph2 - XPO - x 82
- Contact:
Re: Mat's BX Blog
looks like you could do with some of these;
http://www.frost.co.uk/automotive-weldi ... ening.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
must admit to being very tempted by a set myself!
http://www.frost.co.uk/automotive-weldi ... ening.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
must admit to being very tempted by a set myself!
- mat_fenwick
- Moderator
- Posts: 7326
- Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
- Location: North Wales
- x 19
Re: Mat's BX Blog
Still not got round to welding them in - was out all day Sunday, and last night was spent replacing a pond liner - not fun in the hail, sleet and snow!
There wasn't much of the white stuff, but it did make my journey prettier:
Lana tested out her winter tyres last night, when she was the only vehicle to make it across the pass - lots of abandoned cars and no other tracks. I don't know why people just leave their cars part way up a hill and block gritters/snow ploughs from clearing. Surely they can reverse back down or turn around?
There wasn't much of the white stuff, but it did make my journey prettier:
Lana tested out her winter tyres last night, when she was the only vehicle to make it across the pass - lots of abandoned cars and no other tracks. I don't know why people just leave their cars part way up a hill and block gritters/snow ploughs from clearing. Surely they can reverse back down or turn around?
- citsncycles
- Over 2k
- Posts: 3224
- Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:14 pm
- Location: Dursley, Gloucestershire
Re: Mat's BX Blog
The problem is that when someone tries a hill in conditions like this without the necessary experience or equipment, the realisation that they can't manage it after all is all to often followed by a feeling that they will not be able to get back down without hitting something, so they stay put. I've seen dozens of vehicles brought to a standstill on one local hill due to the person in front scaring themselves and deciding to just sit it out where they are
Mike Sims
BX 19RD Estate Mk1 - Timex!
BX 4X4 Estate - Oh god, I've done it again!
BX 17RD MK1 - it called to me!
BX14 TGE, - SOLD
XM Turbo SD,GS Club Estate,Visa 17D Leader,HY Pickup,Dyane Nomad,Dyane 6,2CV AZL,Falcon S,Trabant P50,3x Land Rovers (88" series 1,109" series 2a FFR,series 2a Marshall ambulance),DKW F7, Lambretta LD150 x 1.5,Mobylette SP93,Ural Cossack,Ural M63,CZ 250 Sport,Honda Varadero 125,lots of bicycles & tricycles including (but not only) Sunbeams,Higgins & Bates!
BX 19RD Estate Mk1 - Timex!
BX 4X4 Estate - Oh god, I've done it again!
BX 17RD MK1 - it called to me!
BX14 TGE, - SOLD
XM Turbo SD,GS Club Estate,Visa 17D Leader,HY Pickup,Dyane Nomad,Dyane 6,2CV AZL,Falcon S,Trabant P50,3x Land Rovers (88" series 1,109" series 2a FFR,series 2a Marshall ambulance),DKW F7, Lambretta LD150 x 1.5,Mobylette SP93,Ural Cossack,Ural M63,CZ 250 Sport,Honda Varadero 125,lots of bicycles & tricycles including (but not only) Sunbeams,Higgins & Bates!
-
- Over 2k
- Posts: 3940
- Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 2:25 pm
- Location: Wales
- Contact:
Re: Mat's BX Blog
Yup. The fear of skidding while going backwards seems to really put people off. Many winters ago, I had to reverse down an icy hill and get past an AMG Mercedes (which had caused me to lose momentum in the first place). They looked rather worried. I stayed away from the brakes and made sure I knew the front wheels were straight - very easy to lose straight-ahead on ice!
Was properly slippy. When I got stuck, a Land Rover came past me sideways...
Another attempt with a bit more momentum and I got up it while the Merc was going absolutely nowhere. 476 totally useless bhp!
Was properly slippy. When I got stuck, a Land Rover came past me sideways...
Another attempt with a bit more momentum and I got up it while the Merc was going absolutely nowhere. 476 totally useless bhp!
- MULLEY
- Over 2k
- Posts: 8406
- Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:10 pm
- Location: Derbyshire
- My Cars: 1999 Xsara LX 2.0HDI (90) Hatch - Fern
2002 C5 2.0 HDI (110) Estate - Jasmine - SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - SORN
1992 TZD Turbo Estate - SORN
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired - SORN
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN - x 8
Re: Mat's BX Blog
Are they fitted to the mini & which one's are they? The only problem i can see with the mini is that they are very low to the ground, so if the snow builds up it'll get stuck as it will just ground out. Thats the beauty of the BX, when it starts to get a bit deep, just raise the suspension & off you go
2002 C5 2.0 HDI Estate - Jasmine - Now SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN
I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN
I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.
- mat_fenwick
- Moderator
- Posts: 7326
- Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:08 pm
- Location: North Wales
- x 19
Re: Mat's BX Blog
She's got Continental WinterContact tyres on the MINI, as they had a lot of good reviews. They didn't do this year's model in her tyre size, so she went with the TS810 which wasn't too bad on price. I've only driven it back to back in the wet, and there was certainly a huge difference between her (worn) Pirellis. Not really a valid comparison though so was good to find they helped significantly on snow (especially as it was my idea for her to get them - I'd have got the blame if they were no better!)
- MULLEY
- Over 2k
- Posts: 8406
- Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:10 pm
- Location: Derbyshire
- My Cars: 1999 Xsara LX 2.0HDI (90) Hatch - Fern
2002 C5 2.0 HDI (110) Estate - Jasmine - SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - SORN
1992 TZD Turbo Estate - SORN
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired - SORN
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN - x 8
Re: Mat's BX Blog
Yup, they are a very good make, are they runflats? There's no way that they wouldn't be miles better than worn summer tyres in the snow, they should also be good in the wet conditions that seem to frequent Wales, so should prove a good buy. Just have to remember that in the dry, because the mini corners so flat & can take high corner speeds, don't take the corners as fast, as this will wear the outer edge of the tyre quickly. I have to keep reminding my wife that she doesn't need to corner into our road whilst pulling 3g, haha....She has said, well the tyres aren't squeeling, i replied, but my bloody bank balance will if those tyres are worn out in 12mths due to excessive cornering speeds when you don't have to, oh! she said.....
2002 C5 2.0 HDI Estate - Jasmine - Now SORN
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN
I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.
2011 Mini Cooper D Clubman - SOLD
2016 Mercedes A180D Sport - Auto refinement
1992 TZD Turbo - Bluebell - My daily
1991 Gti 16V - Blaze - crash damaged, will get repaired.
1990 Gti 8Valve SOLD - looks like it's been scrapped
2002 Mini Cooper S - SOLD - i miss this car
1992 TXD - Scrapped in March 2014
1988 CX 25 GTI Turbo2 - SORN
1996 - AX Memphis 1.5D - Dream - SORN
I'm not just a username, i'm also called Matthew.