After nearly four years, XPO is off to pastures new. But not before a lap around a motor racing circuit and a near ‘thermal event’.
G553 XPO Restoration
This is the story of the return to the road of G553 XPO. A Citroen BX 16Valve that has been off the road for 13 years.
At the start of 2021, perhaps in a fit of COVID boredom, I took on my biggest automotive project to date. A full restoration of G553 XPO. A near immaculate shell that hasn’t been on the road since 2008! The road to success is paved with previously made bodges and unexpected pitfalls.
The XPO adventure starts
Nearly four years into the XPO project, the finishing line is in sight. The BX is almost ready for MOT until a last-minute disaster strikes!
After many years of work and with mechanical and hydraulic issues solved, it was time for bodywork revival!
Steering rack changed, and hydraulic leaks resolved, I finally had forward motion. But bad wheel alignment was stopping reversing movement!
While the steering rack change didn’t stop the hydraulic leaks, a new hydraulic octopus (leak back harness) should stop the fluid loss.
With the engine running and exhaust installed, the hydraulic leaks were starting to spring up. The worst was the steering rack leak!
Engine running, and rather than continue deafening myself with the raw tones of the XU9j4, exhaust installation is the order of the day!
The pace was picking up at the start of 2024, and XPO seemed to be becoming driveable. It just needed a cooling system and drive shafts—or perhaps a bit more?
After 15 years of standing, XPO finally has a running engine. But how leaky are the hydraulics after all these years?