Hi All,
Hoping you can help out a young Citroen enthusiast! I'm currently still in high school and in the midst of restoring my 1987 Citroen BX (diesel, manual, XUD9, series 2 if that makes any difference). Some background information:
I originally picked up this BX back in 2021 from an older gentleman - I think I paid $500 or so for the car so it is definitely not in show room condition. It had been sitting parked on his property for who knows how long... Thankfully, it's escaped any visible rust, but the engine is unfortunately seized solid. I do have a second engine, but sadly that one has not escaped unscathed either, as it is severely scored in one cylinder. For this post though, the only relevance that the engine has is that I'm in the process of pulling the seized one out, cleaning up the engine bay, and getting ready for an engine install later this year once I've (hopefully) rebuilt one of them.
Today I was removing the driver's side driveshaft, having already disconnected most of the hoses and pipes in the engine bay. While taking things apart, I've noticed a few bits my (sadly unregistered) BX would likely need to pass pits here in WA:
- New tie rod ends (or at least the rubber boot where the tie rod joins the steering rack)
- New rubber boot on the bottom of the strut (the one that makes contact with the lower control arm)
- New rubber boots for the drop link as well – if the whole link is replaceable, I'd definitely consider that.
- New driveshaft boots for both sides
- Likely new rubbers for the shocks, however I haven't fully inspected these yet.
- New rotors (I think Supercheap Auto might have some that fit, but if not, I can definitely source a set from Europe)
These are just the front suspension components; I am yet to look at the rear end of the BX before I'm off to Europe in July.
As mentioned, I'm heading off to Europe in July. Besides a holiday, I am really hoping to find some of these parts – ideally NOS or used in great condition. Some of the eBay prices I've seen are a bit eye-watering for my budget, so I'm wondering if any other BX enthusiasts have any useful knowledge or tips on where to source parts or even how to refurb my existing parts (hence me mentioning only replacing rubber boots as opposed to entire components, would likely be cheaper)
I'm lucky enough to have access to some fantastic tools, including a lathe, plasma cutter, sandblaster, and metal benders at my school, meaning I can clean up existing parts pretty easily and even machine parts, or special tools if needed. However, I do not have access to a hoist so some of the work is a little more difficult.
Once the engine and transmission are out of the way, I'm also planning to refurbish some of the hydraulic system. The "octopus" hose, as I believe it's called, is split in multiple places, especially where the smaller lines branch off from the main line, near the hydraulic fluid reservoir. I'll likely add some photos of my progress when I get some time this weekend.
I'm sure I'll have a lot more questions as my restoration progresses, but currently any advice, leads on parts suppliers (especially in Europe), or general BX wisdom you can share with a young restorer would be hugely appreciated!
Cheers,
Elliott
Hoping you can help out a young Citroen enthusiast! I'm currently still in high school and in the midst of restoring my 1987 Citroen BX (diesel, manual, XUD9, series 2 if that makes any difference). Some background information:
I originally picked up this BX back in 2021 from an older gentleman - I think I paid $500 or so for the car so it is definitely not in show room condition. It had been sitting parked on his property for who knows how long... Thankfully, it's escaped any visible rust, but the engine is unfortunately seized solid. I do have a second engine, but sadly that one has not escaped unscathed either, as it is severely scored in one cylinder. For this post though, the only relevance that the engine has is that I'm in the process of pulling the seized one out, cleaning up the engine bay, and getting ready for an engine install later this year once I've (hopefully) rebuilt one of them.
Today I was removing the driver's side driveshaft, having already disconnected most of the hoses and pipes in the engine bay. While taking things apart, I've noticed a few bits my (sadly unregistered) BX would likely need to pass pits here in WA:
- New tie rod ends (or at least the rubber boot where the tie rod joins the steering rack)
- New rubber boot on the bottom of the strut (the one that makes contact with the lower control arm)
- New rubber boots for the drop link as well – if the whole link is replaceable, I'd definitely consider that.
- New driveshaft boots for both sides
- Likely new rubbers for the shocks, however I haven't fully inspected these yet.
- New rotors (I think Supercheap Auto might have some that fit, but if not, I can definitely source a set from Europe)
These are just the front suspension components; I am yet to look at the rear end of the BX before I'm off to Europe in July.
As mentioned, I'm heading off to Europe in July. Besides a holiday, I am really hoping to find some of these parts – ideally NOS or used in great condition. Some of the eBay prices I've seen are a bit eye-watering for my budget, so I'm wondering if any other BX enthusiasts have any useful knowledge or tips on where to source parts or even how to refurb my existing parts (hence me mentioning only replacing rubber boots as opposed to entire components, would likely be cheaper)
I'm lucky enough to have access to some fantastic tools, including a lathe, plasma cutter, sandblaster, and metal benders at my school, meaning I can clean up existing parts pretty easily and even machine parts, or special tools if needed. However, I do not have access to a hoist so some of the work is a little more difficult.
Once the engine and transmission are out of the way, I'm also planning to refurbish some of the hydraulic system. The "octopus" hose, as I believe it's called, is split in multiple places, especially where the smaller lines branch off from the main line, near the hydraulic fluid reservoir. I'll likely add some photos of my progress when I get some time this weekend.
I'm sure I'll have a lot more questions as my restoration progresses, but currently any advice, leads on parts suppliers (especially in Europe), or general BX wisdom you can share with a young restorer would be hugely appreciated!
Cheers,
Elliott
