Just got home after a long day on the road. Started at 7am this morning and was home by 10pm. I picked up a 1989 Peugeot 405 Mi16 on ebay for a rather good price. These are the only pictures I have of it now, more once I clean it up a bit and go through it.
I wanted to decorate the awesome tow van with things such as "Frenchy Can't Drive" with an arrow pointing to the Peugeot and a "Fig Newtons" across the windshield. Alas it was raining most of the way home and it would have washed off immediately.
The list so far of what it needs:
- Front strut mounts, they are totally shot.
- The power steering pump doesn't sound too happy.
- Timing belt, the change interval is 37k miles and I don't know exactly when it was last changed although the owner said the owner before him said the owner before him changed it, which was about two years ago.
- A tune up (both Italian and new parts)
- Figure out why it doesn't idle when first started, you have to keep your foot on the gas until it warms up a bit.
Awesome to see you got it!
Looking forward to the "build"
Berkin A, you got it! Wicked stoked for this one.
Lemme know if there's anything you could use off a parts car, I know where a partially stripped one is parked and I could talk to the owner about it. It's not an mi16 but it is a 405.
In reply to dculberson:
I will definitely let you know.
I was reading about the strange brake system this was supposed to have, a Bendix integrated ABS with a high pressure hydraulic pump instead of a traditional master cylinder. I wasn't looking forward to working on that. I popped the hood today and it has a regular master cylinder and brake booster so that is a relief.
Turns out the power steering pump issue is an extremely loose belt. It is flopping around as it runs.
I also need to add a valve cover gasket to the list of repairs.
Sweeeet.
Dave Baker used to have a lot to say about the engine, but the site's down.
Dig the vertical brake layout. French weirdness raises its head!
At least it isn't too weird. Look up Bendix integrated abs and tell me that would be fun to work on.
If it's similar to what Chrysler used, it's not too bad, just expensive if it fails. Buick used a similar setup on the Grand National minus the ABS part. It uses an ABS motor to pressurize the brake fluid as a method of power assist.
I have a complete Buick system, actually, that I want to put in the VW. The pressure bomb failed and it was cheaper to convert to vacuum brakes than to repair it, and the customer didn't want the old parts. I think I can adapt an Audi P/S-style unit to work for far less money than the Buick bomb runs.
I likey. Always loved the 405 (my neighbor in Italy used to have one).
On a semi-related note, it looks like Arun James is once again bringing out his nice 505 to the rallycross next weekend (he came to one other event). The car is too nice to rallycross IMO, but props to him for having fun in it.
btw, looks like that is a K-Jetronic car?
Very cool. Those were the E36 M3 when they were new. I think that every one that I've ever seen was red.
I feel like if I owned that, I'd be playing Ronin. 
You sure bring awesome projects home...
oldtin
SuperDork
11/4/12 5:55 p.m.
I like this one a bunch. I'm thinking L or LE jetronic for an 89 - accessible yet vulnerable location.
Yeah, L-jet had the flapper air meter and electric injectors (the Miata had a licensed version of it), K-jet had the continuous-flow injectors controlled by the mechanical-hydraulic valve assembly that I'm not entirely sure how it works other than it does. Air goes in, fuel comes out, and you can't explain that. 
Bosch motronic 1.3, not jetronic thankfully.
4x108 bolt pattern.
duh....'89, of course it's motronic. Don't even know why I said that since I have like 8 KJ and MT ecu's sitting out on my workbench.
More French weirdness...P/S pump is driven off the exhaust cam while the A/C compressor and alternator are driven off the crank like most cars.
chandlerGTi wrote:
You sure bring awesome projects home...
Hopefully this one will actually be drivable for a while. 
EvanB wrote:
That... is so... hot.
I feel fortunate to have grown up around across town from a sizeable Peugeot/Renault dealer. I think it's good for a burgeoning young car guy to see new 405s and 505s on a regular basis. Still see an Alliance around with their dealer sticker now and again. Knew of a few area Citroen 2CV and DS nuts around, too.
Attn French auto manufacturers: Fiat gave up too, and they're back and selling cars. Give it another try... please?
That is very cool. It really sucks trying to be an adult and not having any play money for now.
EvanB wrote:
At least it isn't too weird. Look up Bendix integrated abs and tell me that would be fun to work on.
My wife had a '91 MI16 when we were dating. Hers had ABS. Something was lost in the translation with the French interpretation of ABS. When the system kicked in the pedal dropped to the floor and there were no hydraulic brakes. They did not lock up, so technically they were ABS. We got pretty good with using the emergency brake. The ABS would reset itself when the car came to a stop, and hydraulic braking would resume. It would happen at random times, so it was an adventure every time you took the car out.
That was while the car was still under warranty. Dealer never could find anything wrong with the brake system when she would take it in. The car was sold after the warranty ran out. Heard later it wound up in a lake. It's a shame, when things worked right it was a fun car. Sadly it didn't work right enough of the time.
Evan, does your '89 have passive restraint belts? Hopefully not. They were about as much fun as the ABS.
