Slightly Strange at Donington Circuit

[jamesnoble]

So I had the opportunity to run the blue 2000 W ES9 v6 24v Mk1 alike round Donington on Wednesday. It caused quite a stir . As I've not posted any pictures of the car here she is flat out! It was a filthy day, so she's not looking quite as shiny as normal.

All in all quite a strange experience; she is certainly not your average track day car! Certainly way more comfortable than anything else I have driven on track.

James

I still need some genuine carpet matts if anyone has them!

[Dieselman]

How did it perform?

[citroenxm]

Never mind the track day, the fitment of S1 Dash into an S2 car is just outright PERFECT and makes a better S2 car.

Did the heater box need swapping at all?? Or does the S1 dash fit straight in??

As for track days, I was planning one for my S1 S1 24v Manual XM, however now, setbacks its NOT going to happen... The Fifth Gear Test track (well one of them) is local to me here!

[MTXM]

That is certainly an interesting hybrid James and well done for completing the project. Hopefully it may be possible to see you and the car at a CCC rally later this year? Regards, Matthew T.

[White Exec]

Would love to put ours on a track sometime, preferably in the dry! Great photos.
Last time I did anything like that was with our P6 3500S on Kent Constabulary's skidpan at West Malling - most instructive.

[jamesnoble]

How did it perform?

Bearing in mind she is completely standard from an engineering point of view and will remain that way (certainly until the gearbox expires in another 60K at which point I am toying with the idea of putting in the later 210KW ES9 with the 6 speed tiptronic box), she was fast smooth and very controllable. My good friend and instructor Darren Langeveld advised I leave the suspension in soft as you want more compliance in the wet. You could therefore feel hydractive doing its thing which was superb. I drove a series 2 XM round the Millbrooke proving ground when it was launched (a 2.5TD) and this felt every bit as good but even quicker.

Which is as you'd expect really...

[jamesnoble]

Never mind the track day, the fitment of S1 Dash into an S2 car is just outright PERFECT and makes a better S2 car.

Did the heater box need swapping at all?? Or does the S1 dash fit straight in??

!

Fitting the dash was the hardest part. The good news is that there is no difference between the series 1 and series heater boxes! The extra ductwork for the increased height of the Series 2 centre vents is all part of the revised dash assembly. Even more surprising is that the heater control panel is also identical internally which means that you can plug the series 1 item into the series 2 wiring and it all works perfectly with no mods. The series 1 dash will accept series 2 instruments, warning light and display clusters with no issues.

There were only 2 hurdles: The wiring looms are rooted differently in the series 1 and 2. The series 2 dash is taller and so the wiring is rooted on top of the steel sub assembly. I therefore had to get the wiring to sit flatter against the frame and also remove the corner of the underside of the well for the instruments to clear the wiring and also slightly modify the brackets under the glovebox to get it to fit. the other hurdle was extending the wires for the switches and splicing in the series 1 switch plugs. But the entire job was done in a weekend, from start to finish.

Also the door trims are a straight swap but interestingly they are massively different in design which is strange bearing in mind they look so similar. The only that is the same is the door pull/armrest/pocket assembly.

The final thing I want to do is swap the seat covers fro the series 1 set I have in the garage as the late series 2 seats are only leather faced (the sides and back are nasty vinyl), whereas all series 1 leather is full leather (front back and sides), as is the early series 2.

[jamesnoble]

That is certainly an interesting hybrid James and well done for completing the project. Hopefully it may be possible to see you and the car at a CCC rally later this year? Regards, Matthew T.

I will probably be in the CX at the CCC national

However the XM will be at the show I organise: Coventry MotoFest http://www.coventrymotofest.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; on the 4th and 5th June.

[Dieselman]

That is certainly an interesting hybrid James and well done for completing the project. Hopefully it may be possible to see you and the car at a CCC rally later this year? Regards, Matthew T.

I will probably be in the CX at the CCC national

However the XM will be at the show I organise: Coventry MotoFest http://www.coventrymotofest.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; on the 4th and 5th June.

I might try an pop along to that. I'll give you a nudge in advance if so.

Do you have space for any other old Citroens?

[jamesnoble]

I might try an pop along to that. I'll give you a nudge in advance if so.

Do you have space for any other old Citroens?

If its over 20 years old you can book as many as you like for free and you also get to take part in the classic car and bike parade on the closed road circuit at the end of each day. You will need separate bookings for each day. The more Citroens the better, after all Coventry is Citroen UK's home these days.

https://coventrymotofest.com/content/register-display" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;