With the bodywork looking absolutely fantastic, my mood was certainly lifted. After all these years, would XPO cross the finishing line and finally hit the road? Well, I’d been invited to a rather special day out, but had only a matter of days to get the car finished and through the MOT test. No pressure. But to make it worse, the rapidly approaching event had the opportunity to bring two BX16v’s together that hadn’t seen each other for years.
Finishing Touches
Booking an MOT through my favourite independent Citroen Specialist had come with its own added excitement. Yes, I could get an MOT, and the test slot was before the event. Just sixteen hours before I was due to be at the event. The challenge of first time pass for a car off the road for sixteen years was one I would have rather avoided. The remaining ten days would be used to make sure XPO got over the finishing line the first time.
Wheel Bolts
Not strictly an MOT test item from slightly corroded bolt heads, a well-presented car is much easier to inspect. I’d like to think that a tidy car is a well-maintained car, but I know that’s not always the case. Either way, my hope is that taking care of the small details will help get that first time pass.
The bolts are all machine wire brushed and degreased with brake cleaner. They then get several coats of KRAMP acrylic paint. Acrylic isn’t the hardest paint and won’t withstand an impact driver, but it will pause the corrosion.
Better still, the black paint finish is a really good match for the original powder coated bolt heads.
Interior Lights
The wires dangling down above the drivers head, where the interior light should be, is not the greatest look. I’m not aware of a specific MOT rule, but I struggle to believe that live wires at ear height aren’t code-able. My issue was finding a good spare.
Or, more specifically, finding the right spare. The collection above shows the original failed light unit to the left. Then, three good passenger light units to the right. Finally, a correct unit but for a lower-spec model, next to the broken unit. I had no idea that there was a low-spec light unit. Once again, Luke came to my rescue and found a spare in his supplies!
Blower and Wiper
Blower Motor
While I had tested the cabin blower motor before installing it in the scuttle, it was rather weak in performance. Certainly not the ‘blow your socks off’ performance I was used to. So, out it came.
Stripping the blower unit down, it became apparent that the brushes in the motor were past best. The dragging/binding sensation was obvious when turning by hand. Once taken apart, one of the brushes was indeed very worn. The motor wouldn’t last long for the new owner.
While I might have somewhat added to the job, I spent a little time making up a proper test harness. This harness would test both the blower motor and the controller at the same time. The resistance board in the cabin was replaced with an adjustable resistor. Grabbing a spare cabin blower unit from the loft, I proved it was good, cleaned it up and installed the assembly into the scuttle.
Wiper arm and scuttle cover.
To get the blower in and out had meant taking the wiper arm and scuttle trim apart. But this did have one unexpected benefit.
On reinstalling the blower, I could install the freshly painted scuttle cover. These seem to fade faster than any other part of the car, so I was more than happy to add some nice shiny red paint.
To make sure everything had gone back together properly, I tested the wiper washer performance. And it was bad, really bad. Trying to figure out what had gone wrong, I realised the freshly painted wiper arm had no return spring. This is the spring that pushes the wiper blade onto the screen!
Back into the spares and this less pretty but working wiper arm was installed.
Engine Cover Bolts
There were a few engine cover bolts missing when building the engine for XPO. Given my findings, while tearing down the engine, I suspect they had been missing from G-SEG for a long time. I didn’t really want to take the car for an extended drive without these in place.
Hydarulic Pulley Cover Bolt
Previous attempts to find the stepped bolt for the hydraulic pulley bolt had been unsuccessful. My searches suggest this is a rather unique bolt. The solution I came up with was to start by gluing a regular M6 nut onto the thread of a captive washer M6x30 bolt.
The bolt/nut assembly was offered up to the lathe, centred and spun up. The additional nut was then machined down to a circle to fit into the hole in the hydraulic belt cover.
The result was surprisingly successful. The machined nut made a nice snug fit and held the cover perfectly.
Rocker Cover Bolt
Another semi-important but missing bolt was for the rocker cover. These special chromed bolts often snap in the head, so spares are hard to come by. After months of looking for a good used part, I bit the bullet.
With PugOneOff coming to the rescue. I was a little nervous about spending £5 on a bolt plus a scary amount of postage costs, but the replacement part is an excellent reproduction. The flange on the top of the bolt is a little thicker, but otherwise, the replacement bolts are perfect!
Wing Mirror
Ah, the wing mirror. Unlike my car Jazz, XPO only has a single electric mirror. This requires a different switch with a different internal wiring arrangement to operate the mirror movement. Without the specific single-mirror version of the switch, the passenger-side motors move to full extension.
Escaping glass
Predictably, the switch that came with XPO was the wrong sort. Unfortunately, after a few ‘full extension events’, the old mirror tape failed, and the glass fell off. My fortune improved when I walked around the car to find I had left my hoodie under the mirror. The glass was saved and stuck back on once the switch was fixed.
Dual V’s Mono Mirror Switch
While I was aware of the dual v’s mono switch predicament early on in the XPO build, I had been unable to find a mono switch. Workling through my entire switch pile, it seemed I only had dual switches!
In desperation, I had tried to cut the link marked with the arrow above to see if dual switched could be converted to single. If they can, it is not by cutting this link, which simply cuts the supplied power. Oops.
At some point in my hunt for a mono spare, I realised that perhaps I might find a switch still in the trim panel. And sure enough, after a route through the interior trim moutain, my prayers where answered. I’m not sure if the numbers stamped on the back have any relevance to mono or dual switch, but now you have a reference.
One thing I did note: the bulb in the switch is an old filament type and gets super hot super quickly. This would explain why all the buttons split! If I ever find a brand-new switch, my first task will be to convert to a cooler LED lamp. Oh, and if you’re wondering where XPO’s original switch is, apparently it is in ‘BAH’!
Reg Plates
A definite requirement for a successful MOT is registration plates. As only one bumper came with the car, only one registration plate was present. There is no way I would get around only one registration displayed in the UK!
Interestingly, the registration plate that arrived with XPO bore the branding of ‘Bedlam Beds’. Not only are they still in business, but I also managed to track down a former owner of XPO who was delighted to hear the car was coming back on the road. I did offer to post the original plate to them, but I don’t think that’s something normal people do.
Once again, the team at Retro Plates was able to sort me out with something period-correct for the front and rear of XPO. I’m not a fan of securing plates with tape only. I’ve seen too many plates pop off when cars hit unexpected puddles. But if i’m going to screw plates on, i’m going to make sure the holes look right.
And then immediately changed my mind. I couldn’t bring myself to drill through the brand new plates nor the freshly painted bumpers. Instead, I went for five strips of 3M VHB 25mm tape on the back of each registration.
What a difference a fresh set of plates makes to the car. Nice and simple, period correct, with a small reminder of where the resurrection was chronicled.
Rear suspension buffers
Another non-MOT critical task was the rear suspension buffers. The buffers are intended to stop the rear of the car from slamming into its own subframe when the back end inevitably sinks.
The buffers weren’t available for years, but the fantastic people at Chevronics had them remade. They were cheap too! Amazingly, both sides just unbolted without a fight. They went back together with original bolts and replacement stainless washers and nuts.
And while I was under there, the fuel pump heat shield from Luke was installed.
Seat Belts
Seat belts are definitely a requirement for the MOT, and I won’t make it over the finishing line without them. As any nice person would, the night before the MOT, I went around the car and made sure the belts were all plugged in. Usually, this is a simple gesture, and I’m glad I did. There were no seat belt receivers on the front seats!
After realising I never had the front seat belt receivers, nor any spares, a little bit of panic set in. Okay, the logical solution at this point was to borrow the receivers from Jazz. Pulled out and installed into XPO I hit another problem. Somewhere between H and J reg, the seat buckles changed and they are NOT compatible.
The buckles and receivers are rather different, and manufacturing was moved from Yugoslavia to France for the later cars.
The newer buckles are much deeper than the original which makes me suspicious that there might have been a regulation change.
The receivers are also significantly different in design. In the end, I had to put the whole front seatbelt setup from Jazz into XPO for the MOT. Again good fortune struck, and the previous owner found XPO’s originals, which were returned to the car post MOT.
Parcel Shelf
XPO has a split folding rear seat which takes a different parcel shelf to cars with a single piece folding rear seat. And you guessed it: XPO was supplied with the parcel shelf for a single-piece rear row. Not as significant of a problem as it might seem though!
The bar for the leading edge of the parcel shelf was also missing. This is not the first time I’ve had this issue, so I know that a 10mm OD tube of around 120cm is long enough to span the void. A self-tapping screw at either end stops the ‘peeling’ of the plastic shelf, and it is practically invisible once installed.
Although the split fold seat has the parcel shelf supports in different supports to single piece seat, the split seat has the retaining bolts for both parcel shelf types. A little bending of some 2mm alloy sheet and a couple of industrial strench supports are made up.
The little bend stops the bar from falling out of the bracket. Predicatably, this is not the first time I’ve made these for the Citroen BX.
For the missing side plates, the complex plastic design can be simplified and made slightly more robust. The edge hook receiver is attached to the body (away from the running path of the seatbelt and should never fail. I do wonder if I should have painted these as well, but time was ever flowing.
Tyres and MOT
Before I knew it, my preparation time for the MOT had run out. Despite ordering the tyres a few weeks before the MOT was due, they hadn’t arrived with enough time to get them onto the car. The tyres that had come with XPO, originally from G-SEG, where not going to get me over the finishing line.
To overcome this challenge, I grabbed some wheels for Jazz. The borrowed wheels and tyres went on XPO, and XPO’s wheels went in the boot.
I arrived for the MOT at the excellent Keith Davis and Sons, and the tyres had arrived. We spent a little time getting them installed on the alloys, but I chickened out on installing them for the MOT. I enjoyed getting a lesson on the art of tyre installation. I’d hate to think how many Keith has done in his life time!
A good going over the car and it seemed the drive to Keiths had raised no new issues. All pre-MOT checks where made. Fluids where they should be, lights illuminated when they should (and shouldn’t). Crunch time was approaching!
While we were at it, the front wheel alignment was checked. It was a degree out, but given I had set up the front end with a couple of sticks and a tape measure, I thought this was amazing. I also love working with older kit like this. These optical wheel alignment tools work really well.
Across the finishing line?
On the eleventh of October 2024, my time had finally come. This was it, no more preparation, time had run out. It really would be now or never. I hoped that any minor failures would be easily fixed. Perhaps a dirty connection on a bulb or a tester less familiar with the art of Citroen hydraulic suspension. I’ve honestly never been so nervous about taking a car to MOT. Would XPO finally reach the finishing line? This was a proper test, not just of the car’s suitability to be on the road but also of my ability to build a car. What could I have missed?
I sat as patiently as I could in the MOT waiting area. I’d been upfront with the tester, how long the car had been off the road and how much work I’d done. I don’t know if it was this brief discussion or just normal due diligence, but the MOT seemed to go on for an ever longer time. After the first ten minutes, the tester came and asked a couple of questions, and my heart sank. What had he found? I certainly seemed to know his way around a hydraulic Citroen.
After the tester’s brief questions, it seemed like another 30 minutes before the car was driven off the ramp, and he returned to the office/waiting area. I guess he sensed my anxiety, sat at the computer and started typing. Not a word was spoken. This was evil, mildly amusing, but evil. Eventually, the printer whird into life and a single sheet of paper spat out. Picking up the sheet, the tester rose to his feet and beckoned me forward.
Off to a new home
XPO has finally achieved its first PASS in 5,882 days, or 16 years, 1 month, and 8 days.
I have, of course, oversold this interaction at the MOT, and after handing me the paper, we went outside. The tester seemed genuinely impressed with just how tidy the car was. He’d noticed a few grommets and other non-MOT-relevant opportunities for improvement, but there were no failures, no formal advisories, not one. A completely clean sheet on the first go. Over the finishing line in one. I couldn’t believe it. I could have cried. How the hell did I manage that!
With a buyer lined up and a house move well underway, there were a few finishing touches and a little more shake down to do before XPO would go to its forever home. And a near thermal even that would have been catastrophic. With just one more article left on this adventure, I’m glad you’ve stuck with me through it!
M
What a ride. I await with bated breath