Tasty Athena

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 12:08 pm

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1991-CITROEN-BX16 ... 0505334783

Post by **Tim Leech** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:29 pm

That mint! lovely

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:50 am

That's got to be worth one too! I've been waiting for one of these for the last couple of years.

Bid's in ........... I think I'm in love.

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 1:02 pm

10 bids & £555 so far for a 16

Post by **Tim Leech** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:37 pm

Way2go wrote:10 bids & £555 so far for a 16

Thing is tidy BXs are getting hard to find whatever the engine now and historically its normally petrol ones that have done the lower miles, I still think the 16 gets a bad press.

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:49 pm

I agree entirely. There are any number of 16's over in France where I used to live that, suitably cossetted and serviced by the book (in the French manner), have clocked up huge mileages without problems.

In fact, in the 78th departement, there are a disproportionate number of excellent-if-geriatric BX's - the reason I got involved in the first place with a Mk1 1.9GT.

I really hope to get my sweaty paws on this one - and I've put in a silly auto-bid figure to try and make it happen. My TZD Break is getting a little tired now.

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:50 pm

I seem to be the new proud owner of this "mint" Athena!

For £555 too!!

I'm just hoping the car's what it says on the tin - I plan to go and examine/collect/pay-for-it at the weekend. If its the real deal then I'll consider myself a very lucky chappy indeed at the price. I still have some of the parts from my French 1.9GT in the workshop - so a petrol addition to the family isn't too disruptive.

My next decision is whether to sell my TZD Estate or keep it for spares (yes, I know the engine/tranny won't fit

) ... or worse, break it and sell off the bits I can't use piecemeal.

I'll post events with the Athena as they unfold ..........

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 10:46 pm

Congrats, looks like a belter. I'm sure you will find something wrong, i'm fairly confident that there are no perfect bx's out there. But, with any luck they'll be minor things that wont stop you driving your new motor & which can be sorted relatively easily & cheaply.

When you say your tzd is tired, how come? What needs doing?

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:39 am

MULLEY wrote:When you say your tzd is tired, how come? What needs doing?

I'm ashamed to say that I pressed her into service as my daily workhorse for the last 2 years while I was restoring our 19th century farmhouse ...............

This means that, despite my best efforts with dust sheets and tarps, she's got rather dowdy in appearance, with scuffs on the bumpers and paintwork, faded black trim, buggered wheel trims (which I had to eventually chuck, replacing them with the chrome ones shown in the pic

) and an annoying great dent in the roof above the driving seat where a B&Q chimp placed a bag of plaster while loading.

The rear luggage area's taken a bit of a battering too with the rubber strakes looking decidedly scuffed. It's a shame, because I'm only the second owner and she's done about 80k (with a documented speedo swap) since new.

I really ought to take the time out to strip her out, remove the dent and respray her, but having just serviced the beast and replaced spheres, spider, vulcan blood, belts and dilithium crystals (plus a new screen last Christmas - don't ask

) I feel like I've spent enough money and time on her for a while.

When I saw this Athena, it seemed like a cheap opportunity to take the easy route to having an immaculate BX again - if it turns out to be what the seller claims.

I'm a typical engineer I'm afraid - I just love these cars, but I'm getting lazy ... and I'm not getting any younger either.

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:50 am

Dohh - another repeat post!

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 8:48 am

Linegeist wrote: I'm a typical engineer I'm afraid - I just love these cars, but I'm getting lazy ... and I'm not getting any younger either.

Those are my sentiments too I'm afraid

Post by **Tim Leech** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 11:00 am

That looks very clean bob, not sure about those wheeltrims but even so a nice car, dont break it, it is possible to have more than one tidy BX!

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 12:54 am

That estate looks right nice! You have to keep them both going. Athena also looks like a good one. You'll have to make a nice pic with the two of them together near the power station that you mention in your signature!

Linegeist · Post by **Linegeist** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 5:20 pm

Well, here's the BX stable (I've hidden the Bora in the garage out of shame)

.

http://www.craske.myzen.co.uk/BX-Twins.jpg
http://www.craske.myzen.co.uk/Athena1a.jpg

The Athena was pretty much what it said on the tin - give or take. A thorough pressure wash of the engine bay, followed by a thorough service and some adjustments (Clutch pedal about 3 foot off the floor and throttle cable with enough slack in it to garotte my right foot) which suddenly made the car accelerate and cogswap properly and respectively. Driving it the 60 miles home was a bit of a fag as the engine pulled like a Turkish wrestler in drag and my left leg was up around my ear every time I needed to operate the clutch ..... I was starting to think I'd bought a citrus clunker but, with the throttle now opening fully, it pulls with all the gusto to be expected of a 20-year-old 1600.

Needless to say oil's pouring out of the cam cover - job #1 next week and the steering wheel's misaligned ... I need to find out why if only for peace of mind.

The thing that struck me most, after driving my TZD for the last 4 years, is how gutless the petrol engine is at low revs and how unrefined the ride is by comparison. However, I bought it for its looks, and it looks rather nice. Now I can take the TZD off the road and treat her to the restoration and respray she deserves.

Post by **Tim Leech** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 6:32 pm

Hi Bob

Glad you got home ok, if the 16 is gutless at low revs then its out of tune me thinks, Ive always been surprised how well the 16s Ive had go, not the same as a TD but by no means slow Maybe worth getting it serviced and the carb looked at as they arent the best.

Oh lol and get those chevrons the right way up