BXProject

You could... err... offset the drop link....ish.

Then draw the roll bar out by hitting the roll bar on the outside of the bend each side or conversely draw it in by hitting inside the bend, to match the offset.
it doesn't matter if it is not perfectly the same each side as long as all the attachment bolts are tight.

It really is nowhere near fitting though, and relocating it means a different shape might be the best bet. It has a sort of notch to clear the old engine, so as the suspension rises and falls both sides, this notch moves up and down as it is say 6" from the bush mounts. So if I mount it all lower down to clear the engine I could do with a simpler U shape so the only bit doing much up and down movement is the bit between the bushes and the drop links.

Probably not explaining too well, but I'm not too worried for now. It'll still drive without an ARB, and I won't be giving it too many beans until I get used to the handling!

Hmmm, too close?



We will have to see. Got a bit of adjustment with the engine mounts, but gearbox is about as high as it can go without major work, so the more the engine is raised the greater the angle on the propshaft UJs.

I need the handbrake and choke cables, but both have been discontinued, and I don't even have the original handbrake cable as a pattern. A Cortina one is similar, but not a direct match so I'd have to faff around with different brackets on the floorpan. Managed to get the part numbers from Hyundai, and did a spot of Googling.

No joy with the choke, but I was able to find a list of OE manufacturers who made the cable for Hyundai, and their part numbers. So I searched for those in turn, and bizarrely found one (made by Kavo) listed on UK Amazon. I duly bought it, but the delivery time was 3-4 months, so I guess it has to come all the way over from Korea!!! Presumably by rowing boat.

Then as luck would have it, one promptly came up in my saved eBay search list! For the later version (86 on) but I asked the seller for an actual photo instead of a generic one. Looks like it will do the trick with very little work, possibly even go straight on Only visual difference is where it attaches to the lever, and I have the one from the original cable if I need it. Only £12 posted, too. Happy days!

mm. it is a bit close that.
i wouldn't recommend anyone doing it, but I have successfully cut and welded ARB's before now.
You can only use stick or TIG though , MIG is not suitable.

I'll cross that bridge later!

Handbrake cable fits, with just a slightly longer rod needed from the bottom of the handbrake lever. And all the hydraulics are bled too now, so that's another couple of jobs off the list! The thing I'm most pleased about is the clutch - it was a real bugger to get a master cylinder in under the dash when I ditched the cable operation, and the result is easier than a BX clutch to press

Replaced all the rotten rubber ball joint boots yesterday and reassembled all the front suspension.







And my to-do list now fits on a single sheet of A4! Fair enough, some jobs like 'replace sills' are a tiny bit more involved than 'fit number plates', but at least the end is in sight.

Can you remind me where you got the rubbers from?

www.balljointboots.co.uk

Quality wise they feel fine - nice and stretchy. Time will tell whether they last I guess but I figure/hope that somewhere specialising in them is likely to care more about their reputation than the average eBay seller.

Do these fit without removing the base of the balljoint or do they need to 'lip' underneath too?

You just have to split the taper joint and stretch them over the lip. They come with zip ties to cater for a small range of sizes, but I was able to use the original steel rings on some of mine - others had what seemed to be an elastic band which had perished the same way as the boot! Not sure I'd be that keen to replace a damaged boot on the car though unless I knew it had recently occurred, or it was simply looking a bit ropey.

Bit of a PITA problem with the Stellar - the bonnet catch fouls the radiator. It's not the end of the world as it's part of the core reinforcement rather than anything containing coolant, so I can just grind a bit away. Or at least I could if the radiator was out of the car! It's right up under the slam panel so can't quite get a grinder in, and can't just move the rad back as it would hit the engine. Don't want to take it out again as to do that I have to remove the water pump and tilt the engine for clearance. Bugger.

You need these

http://www.aerocatch.com/aerocatch3

Two of, body colour, job done.

Ruins the stealth aspect though Think I can just get the grinder in there, but it's tight and one slip would mean a buggered rad. Wish me luck!

its an 80's car so therefore bonnet pins with big loopy wires would be in keeping

then again so would a rear window louvre , boot spoiler , furry dice a whippy aerial and a jack up kit ,oh no my bad,
that was the 70's

mickey taker wrote:therefore bonnet pins with big loopy wires would be in keeping

I thought the Aero catches would help minimise the impact on the 'look', but i prefer Mickeys idea, remember the early 80's where really the end of the 70's, so Mickeys ideas are totally acceptable.

This thread makes me want a v6 engine in the valver, only a little, but still. . . .

Discreet is better but invisible is better still! Managed it in the end anyway, although a neat job it is not I know it's an 80s car but it's weird, I don't want to do anything to fit in with a specific look or scene. Just want to do things my way. Which is completely stock looking, but then I've broken my own rules by putting on tarted up bright red calipers and non-standard (but great looking) alloy wheels.

Oh, and a V6? Doooo it!!! That sort of thing might just fire you up to get excited about the car again. Wonder if something more compact like a VR6 would be worth a thought? Obviously you'd keep the VW gearbox, but I reckon with custom driveshafts that wouldn't but much of an issue.

This might make you grin!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZoOhuqZyVE

Having a V6 ( albeit in a people carrier) I know what you mean
Mind you the 2.4 straight 5 turbo is making me smile again

the pug V6 doesn't just drop in unfortunately, its too wide. Though i have recently found all the part numbers for the 4TC shell extension panels, so perhaps that is an option, will have to check with my local dealer to see if they can order in the part numbers

Order them in? I'd complain if they don't have them already on the shelf!

The local place now has only been a citroen dealer for 9 months, they dont know what a BX is, but bless the old boy behind the parts desk, he's a classic car part monkey with a decent attitude and always willing to help!

Gearbox now properly in, now I've worked out all the propshaft angles.



And the more interesting new is that one of my mates is FINALLY getting married, and is organising a road trip stag do. Either Nurburgring, bomb down to the s***h of France, or (realistically more likely) the Evo triangle. So once he sets the date, it'll be all systems go to pull my finger out and get it road legal