Three Spokes

[vulgalour]

Looks like I've probably been stood up on the sale of the Maestro, which is bloody annoying because that would've allowed me to get the BX on Wednesday and now I'm going to have to find another solution instead, probably the scrapyard which is not what I wanted to do to the Maestro. Hasn't stopped me thinking about wheels and BXs though and I've discovered that there's a three spoke Saab wheel that shares the same PCD and centre bore as the BX though with a different offset. You'd end up with something a bit like this.



I'd also be tempted to get some tint on too, for the full effect.


So that might be something I do to stripey BX, providing I can get all the other jobs sorted obviously.

[citsncycles]

I'm not generally a big fan of non standard wheels on BX's, but I must admit that looks quite good!

[Dollywobbler]

I think the BX is of an era to get away with that look.

Shame the Maestro is proving a struggle but fret not - not desperate to get the Green Tiger gone, especially as you've stumped up for half of it already.

[Tim Leech]

Like the wheels, not the tinted bits though!

[citsncycles]

I think the tinted rear lights match the blacked out panel between them, but without it I think they'd look wrong.

More importantly, I've lost count of the number of cars with tinted back lights which I couldn't see light up

[mds141]

I quite like the look of the Xantia Activa alloys on a BX.

[Mickey taker]

Love the black number plate panel ,not sure about the alloys, there one step up from the teddy bear ones they used to put on polos, I still say a multi spoke design like b.b.s would suit the bx, some VCs had tinted rear lights as standard but don't know if the estates ever got them, white is undoubtedly the best colour for the estate though

[citsncycles]

The estates missed out on a lot of the facelift changes that couldn't be swapped over from the saloons wothout modifications, probably because of the cost involved with what was a relatively low production range of models. The back end of the estate only ever got detail changes from the original Mk1's

[vulgalour]

If I were to tint the lights heavily like that I'd be putting ultra-bright LED lights in to compensate, though I do wonder if a clever person could modify the saloon facelift smokes for a proper OEM look to the whole affair. I think I'm pretty set on some scythe/Z type wheel trims for winter and three spokes for summer, but only if the three spokes are flat and chunky like the Saab ones, not roundy soft spoke jobbies which would only really work on a black, top end BX, I think.

[vulgalour]

Oh, and while I was stood up on the Maestro sale, someone else bought it from me instead so stripey will be heading my way SOON. I am excited.

[Dollywobbler]

LED bulbs are crap. You get a really small, really bright light that's practically invisible from further away than about 5cm.

[vulgalour]

I did not know this. Saves me giving them a try. Other alternative is Flyeyes film which visually darkens without diminishing the light output too badly, from what I've seen.

[Dollywobbler]

What I always fancied doing was doing away with the BX rear lamps entirely and replacing them with circular LED lamps in a custom-made housing (ie a bit of a plastic in the shape of the original lamp housing). The ones fitted to the backs of lorries these days are exceedingly bright.

[electrokid]

Like the wheels, not the tinted bits though!

I'm not a fan of tinted rear windows - particularly where the tint is particularly heavy - looks as though you'd have to drive it like a van - pulling up 'square' to otherwise slanted junctions in order to be able to see oncoming traffic.

More importantly, I've lost count of the number of cars with tinted back lights which I couldn't see light up

Me too.

LED bulbs are crap. You get a really small, really bright light that's practically invisible from further away than about 5cm.

Spot on... and also there are some LED indicators which are 'instantly' at full brightness then 'instantly' off again - that's fine in terms of being noticed but I find the abrupt change in brightness to be uncomfortable or irritating. It's also unnecessary - Ive recently designed (and 'breadboarded') an LED flashing indicator design for bicycles that can potentially be modified to be an add-on for car indicators - and it has simulated 'warm up' and 'cool down' times which are adjustable to avoid irritating others.

A decent diffuser works well to prevent the 'small but blinding' quality that infests current LED lamp unit design - I've used the tiny glass balls used as the reflectors on numberplates to good effect.

[CitroXim]

LED indicators which are 'instantly' at full brightness then 'instantly' off again - that's fine in terms of being noticed but I find the abrupt change in brightness to be uncomfortable or irritating.

So do I, intensely so. And I thought I was the only one who did...

I find LEDs in general irritating as they glare terribly to me...

Don't get me started on Daylight Running Lights. If I could I'd have every car fitted with the dammed infernal things crushed.