Diesel Rd.

Yes Rabin,I'll do that. It will be in a couple of weeks though,when I'll go back to Phoenix. I ordered some seals also and I hope they'll fit...one of the things that I hate is when I buy something by the book/description and when I open "something" hard to get to, the parts actually won't fit and then you start making calls and running around to find local, a part for a 1982 Peugeot... Gabe

THANK YOU Rabin, This was the kind of information I needed.I had a feeling that it's doable but not easy. I'll take some pictures myself. Best, Gabe

Thanks Rabin, I was-and still am-a little confused about this. If the "tin can" is attached to the boot why do they sell the rubber boots only? Can the rubber boot -easily,difficult,very difficult or impossible- be replaced, keeping the old steel can OR is it a MUST to buy the whole kit (rubber boot and tin can)? I'm pretty sure that after I'll do the work on the first one, I won't have to ask these silly questions...My hope was that I can cut open the old boot and using one of "those" plastic cones, I can slide over the new boot and deal done. Best, Gabe

Hello everybody reading my updates, I attached some pictures with the actual status of my 505.Almost there but besides having to re-install some parts on the car, I'm stuck now with the drive axles.The outer boot on the right axle is cracked and greasy and the left one is not looking too well, either. I found different places in Europe that sell the rubber boots - inner and outer - but I'm not sure that I can replace them...the original ones look somehow glued/molded in place, different than the "regular" axles that I know.By any chance can someone give me some input about this? What are my options? I don't like the the idea of buying some old used axles but else can I do? I believe I own now ALL Peugeots in Tucson...a couple of weeks ago I bought the station wagon from Scott...I attached a picture also. Thanks and best to everybody, Gabe

Welcome to the diesel family! Back in 1990 I bought my first "western" car , a Renault 18 on gas,then in 1992 a Passat wagon on gas too and after that, through the years until 2001 when I came to US, I owned 6 Passats,all wagons and TDI and the last one was an absolutely fabulous car a 1997 Citroen XM with a Peugeot 2.1L TDI. O tempora...THAT was the reason I bought this 505 TDI. On all these diesels that I owned I never had to do any engine work; basically if you give them some respect meaning regular oil change,fuel filters,new glow plugs and injectors from time to time they run for ever. You know it's not uncommon to find diesel cars with 500k-600k Km. with no engine work done. Best, Gabe

Rabin, unfortunately it's auto... I would've loved a manual one! Do you own a diesel? Yeah, last week I was able to meet Scott and take a look at his 505 wagon. The body is in pretty good shape, a one Arizona owner=NO rust at all but of course needs some TLC from an Peugeot enthusiast. The engine needs some attention too, I believe a fuel problem not with the injection part. I told him that personally, I love the wagons and it crossed my mind to buy his and install my diesel engine and trans. I have to find somebody though, to explain THIS to my wife... Gabe

I just wanted to post a status update on my 505 project. I've replaced the left fender and the headlights, installed a new tie rod assembly, new master cylinder, a rebuilt brake booster -thanks, Brian Holm- replaced all five belts, a lot of cleaning and prepwork using about one ton of elbow grease. Yesterday, I was able to finish painting the engine compartment area and I hope to paint the whole car on my next three-day trip to Phoenix. I can't believe I discovered a fellow 505 owner in Tucson, Arizona. I hope I can meet him next week. Best to all Peugeot enthusiasts. Gabe

There is some hope in getting the fender and the bezel but until I have them in my hand I don't want to say more ...My car is now in Phoenix inside a friend's body shop and I'll go there tomorrow for 2-3 days to work on the brakes (pedal brake is very hard and at this point I suspect either the vacuum pump or the brake booster),want to replace the brake fluid and pads, replace a broken CV boot, replace all 5 belts, install a new tie rod end, fuel filters and maybe some prep work for having the car painted in a week or two. Andre, I don't have a Facebook account and, at least for now, I'll stick to this forum which I think is very informative, with friendly users and admins. Rabin,believe me, I was contemplating the idea of Euro lights but I kind of like the quad lights and as I said there is some hope on the horizon...when I said about 100 sets of bezels I was a little metaphoric just to make a point that nobody will run again into my problem. Another thing is that a mold is pretty expensive to build and if you make only 5 sets, they can cost- let's say-$2-$300 vs. $10-$20 if you make 100 sets. Thanks again and best to all of you, Gabe

Thanks again for your support and understanding. I can imagine that all/many/most of the Peugeot owners in the US were/are/will go through the "valley of the shadow" like myself. I bought that Peug 505 on an impulse because I wanted to give it a chance but not even in my darkest dream did I imagine that it will be so hard to find a bezel. I was able to buy/find all the new belts,brake hoses and pads,vacuum pump,the brake booster,filters,original workshop manual,the diesel Haynes manual,the Ac filter dryer,the timing chain,injectors,etc. but not the "US market only, Mr.Bezel" ! I tell you what, if I will be able to put my hands on a couple sets of bezels, I will send one set to a friend of mine in Europe who's selling/servicing the welding laser machines for a big molding company and ask him to make 2 molds and make 100 sets of bezels ! I will also talk with a friend of mine -he's English but lives in France -to start looking for Peugeot parts. Hope dies last, Gabe

Thanks Andre for the welcome and for the suggestions. Brian said that he "unexpectedly" ran out of the bezels and he wants $140 for a fender. Not like I'm cheap, but in 10 different states across the US prices for the fenders are between $35 to $65 (one place $75) and I can buy a new one from Argentina for $150 (probably cheaper, if I try to negotiate a bit) and I have a feeling that the shipping will be less from Argentina than Vermont. Of course, as you read in my previous post these scrap yard guys are not very reliable but that's another story. As a matter of fact, 5 min. ago I talked -again !- with that place in MA that charged my credit card 3 weeks ago for the fender and the guy said -again !-that they will ship it this week. As I said before if I would've had the bezel I could have fix my fender and have the car painted and in "driving condition". My only other option is to buy a good fender, have the car painted, be able to drive it on a daily/weekly basis and then buy some time for getting the bezel. I wasn't able to find that ukit you suggested. Do they have a website / phone number? Best, Gabe

Thanks for your answer. I read many of your helpful posts on the forum and oh,yes I already learned that the fenders are glued and you have to work on them on a sunny day-which I have plenty of, here in Tucson,AZ - using a heat gun and the rest. I found a topic about the fenders and useful information there. Here is a picture of my car: I have the right bezel -with broken tabs- and it's plastic not chrome. Searching for parts, for my Peug I found this nice example, which serves me as an end goal ! Thanks again for your reply and all the great work you're doing.

Hello everybody, I bought an '82 505 TD sedan a couple of months ago and I need some parts to be able to put it back on the road. The car had an accident on the left front side: the left bezel is missing and the fender is pretty badly damaged. If I'd have the bezel, I'd be able -maybe- to repair the fender and if I would have the fender I can wait for the bezel, but -at least- I will be able to paint the car. I started calling some junk yards more than a month ago and I ran into all kinds of people and stories: 1) "I have the bezels but we can't find them", 2) "I have the fender and we will send it to you today or tomorrow" -that was 3 weeks ago and after they already charged my Visa card which is still the case, MA company, 3) "Let me transfer you to my yard guy to talk directly with him" and then, bang, out of the line -it happend 3 times, Oregon company 4) "Give me your ph.# and I call you back" -2 times,Texas company 5) "We can only have the fender shipped on a wood pallet and the cost of shipping is around $250", Idaho company and the cherry on the cake 6) 2 weeks ago :"I have yet to master the technique of removing them without breaking any tabs" - talking about the bezels from a well known name on this forum! I have an European background and I was SOOO happy to find a rare 505 TD -Diesel it's not a fuel, it's a way of life !-but now I'm getting frustrated about finding these parts. By any chance any forum member can help me with finding the Left fender and at least the Left bezel if not both? Thanks and best to you all Peugeot enthusiasts, Gabe PS I want to say that from what I saw online prices for the fender are between $35 to $75 for used ones and new one -from Argentina-is $150 !