Inleiding:

Ik woon in Houston, Texas in de Verenigde Staten en eigen een 1988 Citroen CX Prestige. Deze auto werd ingevoerd door CXA en was een Nederlands model. Mijn auto had lederen zetels, achter air-conditioning, en een Hollandia schuifdak gemonteerd door CXA. Ik kocht de auto van eBay en maakte een grote fout door niet de aankoop van een vliegticket te inspecteren voor het eerst. De auto was gebaseerd buurt van Miami, Florida dus het werd blootgesteld aan een kustmilieu. Ik heb in handen andere Franse auto’s in het verleden, maar dit is de eerste waar ik problemen gehad met roest.

Ik ben het uitvoeren van een body off frame restauratie van mijn CX Prestige. Het is een vrij lang verhaal, maar ik koos om te gaan met mijn auto in plaats van een die had een restauratie die niet aan mijn normen te kopen. Er zijn te veel CX’s hier in de Verenigde Staten die worden verkocht als roest-vrij die ver van die voorwaarde. Ik heb gewerkt aan de auto voor de laatste paar jaar als de tijd het toelaat. Na een paar fouten met een verscheidenheid van roest behandelingen kwam ik de elektroforetisch proces en iets gevonden waarvan ik geloofde zou behandelen alle gebieden van de auto, zelfs de moeilijk te bereiken plekken. Ik ben in het proces van snijden roest uit, de vormgeving metalen panelen, en lassen nieuwe metalen inch

In de Verenigde Staten en op Engels forums meeste mensen te waarschuwen tegen het verwijderen van het lichaam van het frame, maar ik heb ontdekt dat overal mensen dit doen zonder problemen. Het is goed om zo veel inzet en enthousiasme zien op dit forum om de CX te herstellen. Ik ben erg onder de indruk van het niveau van de kennis over deze forums. Ik kreeg te ontmoeten en tijd met een forum lid van vorig jaar, terwijl hij op vakantie was. Jim, (cx25gtit2) kreeg om mijn CX zien en veel informatie en tips over reparaties bieden.

Ik hoop om meer te leren van andere CX eigenaars, en hoop dat de Google Vertaling is toegestaan ​​voor mijn basisinformatie worden overgebracht.

-Alan

Extra foto’s op:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alan505/sets/72157624259907967/

Place the same story in english Alan, most of us would be able to understand that better than what google’s made of it now….

Yeah Allen, please don’t worry to much about wrinting in English. Althoug we are a Dutch spoken forum, I’m sure most of us do speak quite some English.

Or you can (also) try the international version of this forum, (which is struggling a bit to get started)

http://www.citroen-forum.com/forums/

Wow Alan, that’s a beautiful CX! I like the round headlights a lot. Have fun with it, the CX must be quite a rare sighting in the US!

Welcome here Alen! 

Great job you’re doing over there! And quite an impressive photo history you made!

I heard about someone overseas, replacing an oil pan off a 25 GTi, about three or four years ago, but as it turned out, he received an oil pan for a manual transmission car, instead of one correct for an automatic transmission. The “eye” for the drive axle being slightly further (or closer I don’t remember) from the pan itself, so in the end… it didn’t fit! 

Would that be you perhaps?? (it was someone in Texas I’m pretty sure…)

Please keep us posted on how you’re doing with the CXA.
Or with any question you might have.

Although I didn’t find the Google translation all that horrible, please do post in English, most of us will be able to read AND respond to it!    or at least try our best in doing so.

Best of luck with the project,
La Léo

Hi Alan,

Cool to see you here, we had contact earlier on YouTube

Good luck restoring your CXA Prestige.
I am going to keep an eye on this topic to see your progress and final result

What a great initiative Alan, to save a CXA Prestige! Lots of luck with it!
Please keep us updated whenever you have time. And when you need advice, this the place to be!

What other (French) cars do (did) you own? On the picture I see a 505, correct?

Edit: of course you refer in your forum name to the 505. I didn’t notice it before…

JaapJ schreef:

Place the same story in english Alan, most of us would be able to understand that better than what google’s made of it now….

Introduction:

I live in Houston,Texas in the United States and own a 1988 Citroen CX Prestige. This car was imported by CXA and was a Dutch model. My car had leather seats, rear air-conditioning, and a Hollandia sun-roof fitted by CXA. I purchased the car from eBay and made a big mistake by not purchasing an airplane ticket to inspect it first. The car was based near Miami, Florida so it was exposed to a coastal environment. I have owned other French cars in the past, but this is the first one where I have had problems with rust.

I am performing a body off frame restoration of my CX Prestige. It’s a rather long story, but I chose to deal with my car rather than buy one that had a restoration that did not meet my standards. There are too many CX’s here in the United States that are sold as rust-free that are far from that condition. I’ve been working on the car for the past few years as time permits. After a few mistakes with a variety of rust treatments I came across the electrocoating process and found something I believed would treat all areas of the car, even the hard to reach areas. I am in the process of cutting rust out, shaping metal panels, and welding new metal in. 

In the United States and on English forums most people warn against removing the body from the frame, but I’ve found that everywhere else people are doing this without problems. It is good to see so much effort and enthusiasm on this forum to restore the CX. I am very impressed with the level of knowledge on these forums. I got to meet and spend time with one forum member last year while he was on vacation. Jim, (cx25gtit2) got to see my CX and provide much information and tips on repairs.

I hope to learn more from other CX owners, and hope the Google Translation has allowed for my basic information to be conveyed.

-Alan

par eXeMple! schreef:

What a great initiative Alan, to save a CXA Prestige! Lots of luck with it!
Please keep us updated whenever you have time. And when you need advice, this the place to be!

What other (French) cars do (did) you own? On the picture I see a 505, correct?

Edit: of course you refer in your forum name to the 505. I didn’t notice it before…

The white 505 has gone to Peugeot heaven. I have another 505 V6 with a bad transmission that I will work on after I complete the CX. I thought of getting rid of it, but my wife is attached to it as it was the first car we purchased as a couple. When your wife tells you that you should keep and restore a car, how could you possibly say no?

I also technically still have a Renault 18i wagon which I gave to a mechanic.

For a short time I owned a 505 wagon purchased from someone who was moving home to Nijmegen.

I would love to own a C6 HDI, but really cannot justify spending $7-10,000USD about the price of the car to “Federalize” it.

alan505 schreef:

to “Federalize” it.

What should be changed on those cars? Do you know?

Off topic, sorry. Just interested…

alan505 schreef:

I have another 505 V6 with a bad transmission that I will work on after I complete the CX.

Does the 505 V6 have the same transmission as the Citroen XM V6, the ZF HP 18?

wendela schreef:

alan505 schreef:

to “Federalize” it.

What should be changed on those cars? Do you know?

It’s not so much about what has to be changed as it is proving the items will meet standards. It’s not unlike a doctor or lawyer having to recertify or pass exams to practice medicine or law in a completely different country. Ironicly its not the domestic manufacturers that support these tough import rules, it’s Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, BMW, etc that have the most to lose.

So here is a high-level list of what would need to be inspected on the safety (DOT) side. You would still need to have an environmental test.

Typical DOT Required Modifications:

Remove and replace tail light assemblies
Remove, modify and replace speedometer
Modify parking brake system
Install seat belt & key warning buzzer
Modify door locks
Install engraved vehicle identification number (VIN) plate
Install VIN location label
Install certification label
Install tire information label
Perform etching on passenger side mirror
Remove, document, and evaluate bumpers
Perform engineering evaluations on bumper strength
Modify and reinforce bumpers to comply with engineering
Remove door panels
Perform engineering evaluation on door impact strength
Modify and reinforce doors to comply with engineering
Install rollover valve
Install seat belt micro-switch & warning buzzer
Photograph all original & modified parts
Document photographs to substantiate compliance
Prepare vehicle and customs documents
Purchase DOT warranty insurance (Required)
Submit statement of conformity and compliance package to DOT in Washington (approximately 70 pictures)
Pay DOT eligibility fee

(from http://wallacelab.com/DOT.htm)

Granted this list is 11 years old so many things have changed.

good to “see” you here !!

great project, preserving a nice Prestige in the US !!
probabaly not a lot left out there ? any idea of the numbers remaining ??

So if I understand correctly, there’s no point in trying to import a CX in not so good a condition from France into the USA. Too much work…
Thanks for your answer.

cx25gtit2 schreef:

good to “see” you here !!

great project, preserving a nice Prestige in the US !!
probabaly not a lot left out there ? any idea of the numbers remaining ??

That is a tough question. Citroen Concours out of San Diego,California estimated back in 1999 that there were 100-150 diesels remaining (1978-1982 models)

They estimated 200-250 remaining gasoline models imported between 1985-1990.

There is also an unknown number of Series 1 & 2 models imported on an individual basis.

http://www.citroen-ca.com/USA.html#anchor115804

I would not know where to start from those numbers, but at a minimum it would be safe to assume that around 10% were wrecked, crushed, or lost. Even with the low numbers we still have several parts vendors that can survive by selling parts for Citroen, Peugeot, and Renault models.