1988 205 Xs

[GeorgeXS 32]

Well I've been meaning to start a project thread on here for a while, but various things got in the way. Usually my laziness!

Anyhooo from the top.

For those that don't know, the XS is my first car.

In September '08 I was 16 and hunting around for my first car. Me being me, I didn't want a run of the mill clio, corsa or punto so that led me onto the classics section of eBay. I eventually found a Peugeot 104 S from 1983, not knowing anything about them, but it was cheap and close to home and certainly wasn't run of the mill. Going to see it revealed it was a rust bucket, sills and door hinge areas were rotten badly, looked alright in black actually but wasn't within my then very limited capabilities. Anyway the seller had 5 other cars, a 104 ZS (3 door version), classic mini, T2 camper, 205 RG convertible, mk5 escort and the 205 XS, which was also up for sale. Dad went for a test drive as this was actually roadworthy and apart from fuelling issues and a rotten sill wasn't in bad nick at all!

This is how it looked in the eBay advert:

When the auction came to end i had obviously won, paid a grand total of £415 which included a CD player thrown in and a sill to replace the rotten one. Incidently the sellers garage was basically a pug spares department absolutely everything in there!

After a quiet winter my dad helped me swap the sill over in april '09 and get the car ready for an MOT as I was about to turn 17.

The old sill wasn't too clever, more rust than anticipated! Still the new on was put on and sprayed up, paint given to us for free by an uncle. Been stood for years, was slightly the wrong shade and very very thin but it did the job (now starting to crack over the stonechip on the sill!)

New brake cylinders and shoes were fitted for the MOT as the old ones were drenched in fluid, and the fuelling problem was sorted, the float in the carb had split and was full of petrol! So that was araldited up and and lo and behold it passed! (same uncle was the MOTer!)

Over the next 3 months it was driven on and off whilst I learnt to drive, very different to the corsa i was properly learning in (ie way better!)

And on the 2nd of July I passed first time, happy times!

Insurance was looking to be disastrous, but after days of receiving £2000+ quotes the NFU quoted me £550, result.

Unfortunately removing my learner plates wasn't so fun, damn magnetic b*stards had made the lacquer go crazy on the boot

[GeorgeXS 32]

From here on in I had fun driving by myself for the next few months.

Wasn't mega keen on the wheels the way they were, so resprayed them silver.

Only a cheap job, hammerite, its a mix of silver with a hint of black, dull finish but they still look alright for the outlay.

Here it is after a good polish and wax, and a dose of Plasticare, can't recommend it enough! New set of driving lights as well, Denjis mind which really did rust within 3 months, hopeless!

Also seen on these, I treated it to some new rubber, full set of Falken 912's after Anthony's recommendation. Much improved to the mixed bag that was on before. One was a Russian tyre from 1998 a "something matador", rubber was as hard as nails it was awful.

Over summer '09 I worked in a garage which taught me a fair proportion of what I know today, was great experience to learn about cars.

Also got new driveshaft whilst i was there as one was knocking, can't beat trade prices!

Right i'll update more when i'm not knackered and haven't got 9am lectures!

[shalmaneser 26]

Polishes up really well!!!!

[Lan 24 1 Cars]

I may get shot down here but i thought the wheels in black looked really smart on that!

[JRL 14 1 Cars]

looks good is it quicker than your mates run of the mill clios and corsas? I liked the old alloys too I cant decide which look better but I think plain silver makes the car look neater.

[j_turnell 137 3 Cars]

Looks tidy, reminds me of my first car!

[Batfink 201]

I saw a 205 mardi gras in red today. Looked really good and similar to yours. Theres something about the little TU engined 205s that I like...

Edited February 28, 2011 by Batfink

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Bloody hell, it really was tidy before you introduced it to your gate post

[M_R_205 5 1 Cars]

Are you the lad that bought the light blue shell off my mate si??

 

EDIT Just found you "what to do after crash" thread, shame the shell got scrapped, Was mine before i practically gave it to si, Now i have the engine and all the running gear out of it in my XS

 

A Bunch of random pics

 

Paul.

Edited February 28, 2011 by M_R_205

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

Looks miles better with the silver wheels, makes it look so much cleaner

[GeorgeXS 32]

Bloody hell, it really was tidy before you introduced it to your gate post

 

I know!

 

Are you the lad that bought the light blue shell off my mate si??

 

EDIT Just found you "what to do after crash" thread, shame the shell got scrapped, Was mine before i practically gave it to si, Now i have the engine and all the running gear out of it in my XS

 

A Bunch of random pics

 

Paul.

 

Ahh that was you! Yeah i'm afraid the shell is no more, chopped up into pieces! I did manage to save a lot of the dash, bits and bobs etc so they will be put to good use. I was close to swapping my bits into that shell, but there were way more parking dints, that dubious fitting wing and the crease behind/on the passenger door. Shame as it was sound really but hey ho, it died to save another!

[VND 1]

Lovely looking car.

 

I must admit, I preffered the wheels black, just because theres a lot more seen on the road in silver and it looked a bit different.

 

Each to their own though!

[Strictly_Derv 34]

very shiney

liked the wheel when they where black, looks smart though

[GeorgeXS 32]

Right I suppose i'll add a bit more then.

Replaced a radiator thermostat after it died, it turned the fan on permanently and ran down my battery one day at college!

Got a set of Gti green checked seats off eBay for £65 which have been partly fitted, the drivers seat needs some stitching seen to and I have a good bolster to put in it as well, so thats a job for this summer when i'm back from uni.

Stereo has been upgraded since i bought it as well.

The original plan with this was to fit a sony dab headunit, my dad already has one and its great!

Got one off eBay and sure enough it was faulty, dab not functioning at all. Got my money back thankfully.

Whilst having an MOT done last time, my uncle said there was an old cd changer the garage had removed from a range rover that was doing nothing and asked did i want it?

I took it, not expecting to find it useful if i'm honest however searching on the internet revealed someone was still selling the matching panasonic headunits new, despite the fact they were 10 years old! Wired in it now works a treat, especially for the £40 i paid for something that should have totalled £400ish quid at the time, great success!!

Various other niggles have been taken care of, dash bulbs replaced after they blew, clock made to tell time etc.

Back in Jan '09 I bought an XS engine with subframe, TCA's, rack downpipe etc for £40! My first car bargain i would say!

Next car bargain was slightly better though, ie for free!

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?showtopic=117782&st=0

This explains most of it, took a few useful badges etc that mine was missing and some other bits and bobs, and made £80 in scrap value for it!

[joed66 4]

Has this been crashed lol it looked pretty straight and drives straight to me lol do you know anywere i can get them stripes along the side from i realy like them.

[GeorgeXS 32]

Yeah I backed it into the gatepost at the end of my drive last January

 

As you can see it did quite a bit of damage, learnt my mistake there! Repaired it all myself and got the back quarter pretty damn straight, its quite hard to tell its had a knock.

[joed66 4]

Ii it is like the only way i thought was the front wing has a bend in it lol

[MiniGibbo 142]

Epic first car IMO..

 

I was saying only the other day how id of loved my Rallye at 17..!

 

Shame about the gate post :/

[GeorgeXS 32]

Yeah it was mega fun, soul destroying doesn't even cover what I felt hitting it, big metal hook that gates used to hang on did the majority of the damage.

That was done at a good jogging pace, was in a rush, it was dark and I regret it badly!

Needless to say I reverse out of the drive at a rather more sedate pace these days

[joed66 4]

Rrr they drive fantastic and i love the basic styling square light ect. Just a joy to drive i thats why i had to buy another.

 

 

Edited June 26, 2012 by joed66

[jonXS 30 1 Cars]

kind of looks the same as mine just alot cleaner and less faded

[joed66 4]

Get a bit 3m fast cut the extra fine and finsh with a glaze and wax come up like new.

[joed66 4]

has any engine mods been done to this car? camshafts, head work stuff like that ?

[GeorgeXS 32]

Not to my knowledge!

[joed66 4]

i am running out of ideas of why it is running like this i have took it to get the carb set up and he said its running fine ? not sure if he checked timing but it idles like its been cammed? so confused