Joey spud

I have been looking for a cheap van for a while now,something that i can cart crap about in and also use as a sort of Day van.
My budget was £1500 max but i really wanted to spend far less if possible and improve it over time but it soon became obvious that VW t4's are massively scene taxed and Transits are all rotten at this price.
Vito's likewise rusty and mega milages only available for my budget and i have no love for Vivaro or Trafics as i have spent too many hours towing the things or sending them off on the back of a flatbed.

So i started looking at the humble Hiace.
These never seem to go wrong in 17 years of roadside breakdown patrolling i can't recall attending one with anything more serious than a flat tyre or battery.
Early non turbo 2.4 diesel ones are so simple they just run and run but the downside is they are only 87bhp and so sluggish and a bit thirsty compared to a more modern van.

I spotted one down in Devon on ebay and while i dithered about the distance it sold for £1500 and i thought fuck it i should have had a bid on that,then it was relisted on a buy it now for £1600 (no bites) then auctioned again starting bid £1000 that was then dropped to £800.

After a few messages with the seller i popped in a max bid of £999 and waited for the auction to end and i found i had indeed won a shonky 1996 Toyota Hiace for £895.

Haven't seen one of these for ages. Orl Vocksalls r sheds m9.
And then this. Just look at the state of the poor thing. Seemingly part of a static display in the reception of a surveyors offices.

So you're a man of leisure for a few months then.  Happy tinkering!
 
I'll remember that Bexley place for old skool skillz, should I need them in future.

An update it shall be.



The van came with a set of new budget tyres laying loose in the back alas they were an inch too round for the van but they were the perfect size (205/55x16) for Focus,Mondeo,Astra's of a certain vintage so i popped them on the bay on a £80 buy it now listing and had them sold and collected the next day.

I whizzed the Alternator off in a matter of minutes (nicely placed up high) and went to Bexley to see if it could be revived with some old school skillz and new bits.
No was the short answer after quickly stripping it it became clear it was beyond repair,the windings were blackened and burnt and the armature was deeply scored and badly worn.

The guy said if i had some deep emotional attatchment to this particular Alternator then he could do something with it if i left it with him otherwise a new gauranteed one was £160 and he had two on the shelf.


New it was then ouch at the price.

Another twenty mins to refit it and we now have 14.4v and 25a at the twin batteries.

While i was roaming about pretending like i knew how to use a multi meter i decided to remove the nest of redundant immobiliser wiring from under the dash and also add a couple of extra 12v sockets.




 
Just a quick check of the sticky brake and then a test drive.

An update it shall be.



The van came with a set of new budget tyres laying loose in the back alas they were an inch too round for the van but they were the perfect size (205/55x16) for Focus,Mondeo,Astra's of a certain vintage so i popped them on the bay on a £80 buy it now listing and had them sold and collected the next day.

I whizzed the Alternator off in a matter of minutes (nicely placed up high) and went to Bexley to see if it could be revived with some old school skillz and new bits.
No was the short answer after quickly stripping it it became clear it was beyond repair,the windings were blackened and burnt and the armature was deeply scored and badly worn.

The guy said if i had some deep emotional attatchment to this particular Alternator then he could do something with it if i left it with him otherwise a new gauranteed one was £160 and he had two on the shelf.


New it was then ouch at the price.

Another twenty mins to refit it and we now have 14.4v and 25a at the twin batteries.

While i was roaming about pretending like i knew how to use a multi meter i decided to remove the nest of redundant immobiliser wiring from under the dash and also add a couple of extra 12v sockets.




 
Just a quick check of the sticky brake and then a test drive.

An update it shall be.



The van came with a set of new budget tyres laying loose in the back alas they were an inch too round for the van but they were the perfect size (205/55x16) for Focus,Mondeo,Astra's of a certain vintage so i popped them on the bay on a £80 buy it now listing and had them sold and collected the next day.

I whizzed the Alternator off in a matter of minutes (nicely placed up high) and went to Bexley to see if it could be revived with some old school skillz and new bits.
No was the short answer after quickly stripping it it became clear it was beyond repair,the windings were blackened and burnt and the armature was deeply scored and badly worn.

The guy said if i had some deep emotional attatchment to this particular Alternator then he could do something with it if i left it with him otherwise a new gauranteed one was £160 and he had two on the shelf.


New it was then ouch at the price.

Another twenty mins to refit it and we now have 14.4v and 25a at the twin batteries.

While i was roaming about pretending like i knew how to use a multi meter i decided to remove the nest of redundant immobiliser wiring from under the dash and also add a couple of extra 12v sockets.




 
Just a quick check of the sticky brake and then a test drive.

An update it shall be.



The van came with a set of new budget tyres laying loose in the back alas they were an inch too round for the van but they were the perfect size (205/55x16) for Focus,Mondeo,Astra's of a certain vintage so i popped them on the bay on a £80 buy it now listing and had them sold and collected the next day.

I whizzed the Alternator off in a matter of minutes (nicely placed up high) and went to Bexley to see if it could be revived with some old school skillz and new bits.
No was the short answer after quickly stripping it it became clear it was beyond repair,the windings were blackened and burnt and the armature was deeply scored and badly worn.

The guy said if i had some deep emotional attatchment to this particular Alternator then he could do something with it if i left it with him otherwise a new gauranteed one was £160 and he had two on the shelf.


New it was then ouch at the price.

Another twenty mins to refit it and we now have 14.4v and 25a at the twin batteries.

While i was roaming about pretending like i knew how to use a multi meter i decided to remove the nest of redundant immobiliser wiring from under the dash and also add a couple of extra 12v sockets.




 
Just a quick check of the sticky brake and then a test drive.

Art buffs will doubtless recognise this masterpiece, rendered not by brush but the knob-end of Australian genius Tim Patch. (Pricasso)
Looks like he's been at the Bedford when you get close.

An update it shall be.



The van came with a set of new budget tyres laying loose in the back alas they were an inch too round for the van but they were the perfect size (205/55x16) for Focus,Mondeo,Astra's of a certain vintage so i popped them on the bay on a £80 buy it now listing and had them sold and collected the next day.

I whizzed the Alternator off in a matter of minutes (nicely placed up high) and went to Bexley to see if it could be revived with some old school skillz and new bits.
No was the short answer after quickly stripping it it became clear it was beyond repair,the windings were blackened and burnt and the armature was deeply scored and badly worn.

The guy said if i had some deep emotional attatchment to this particular Alternator then he could do something with it if i left it with him otherwise a new gauranteed one was £160 and he had two on the shelf.


New it was then ouch at the price.

Another twenty mins to refit it and we now have 14.4v and 25a at the twin batteries.

While i was roaming about pretending like i knew how to use a multi meter i decided to remove the nest of redundant immobiliser wiring from under the dash and also add a couple of extra 12v sockets.




 
Just a quick check of the sticky brake and then a test drive.

An update it shall be.



The van came with a set of new budget tyres laying loose in the back alas they were an inch too round for the van but they were the perfect size (205/55x16) for Focus,Mondeo,Astra's of a certain vintage so i popped them on the bay on a £80 buy it now listing and had them sold and collected the next day.

I whizzed the Alternator off in a matter of minutes (nicely placed up high) and went to Bexley to see if it could be revived with some old school skillz and new bits.
No was the short answer after quickly stripping it it became clear it was beyond repair,the windings were blackened and burnt and the armature was deeply scored and badly worn.

The guy said if i had some deep emotional attatchment to this particular Alternator then he could do something with it if i left it with him otherwise a new gauranteed one was £160 and he had two on the shelf.


New it was then ouch at the price.

Another twenty mins to refit it and we now have 14.4v and 25a at the twin batteries.

While i was roaming about pretending like i knew how to use a multi meter i decided to remove the nest of redundant immobiliser wiring from under the dash and also add a couple of extra 12v sockets.




 
Just a quick check of the sticky brake and then a test drive.

An update it shall be.



The van came with a set of new budget tyres laying loose in the back alas they were an inch too round for the van but they were the perfect size (205/55x16) for Focus,Mondeo,Astra's of a certain vintage so i popped them on the bay on a £80 buy it now listing and had them sold and collected the next day.

I whizzed the Alternator off in a matter of minutes (nicely placed up high) and went to Bexley to see if it could be revived with some old school skillz and new bits.
No was the short answer after quickly stripping it it became clear it was beyond repair,the windings were blackened and burnt and the armature was deeply scored and badly worn.

The guy said if i had some deep emotional attatchment to this particular Alternator then he could do something with it if i left it with him otherwise a new gauranteed one was £160 and he had two on the shelf.


New it was then ouch at the price.

Another twenty mins to refit it and we now have 14.4v and 25a at the twin batteries.

While i was roaming about pretending like i knew how to use a multi meter i decided to remove the nest of redundant immobiliser wiring from under the dash and also add a couple of extra 12v sockets.




 
Just a quick check of the sticky brake and then a test drive.

So what does a £600 Hiace look like ??


Just realised i have a bit of a Japanese themed driveway.


Saab sold on ebay but winner has gone silent on me after i waited in all bank holiday for the clown to turn up.


I think it may have been blue.










Chod spotting monkey installed.
 
The previous owner broke up a Granvia so thats why it now has the Granvia dash and single seats along with the two side windows fitted.
I do like the early Hilux wheels too.
 
I think first things first is to get the alternator sorted out,looking on line the cheapest unknown branded ones are around £140 so i will take my one off and drop it off at an old school place in Bexley http://www.bexleystarters.co.uk/   to see what's what.

After seventeen years i decided to give them 4 weeks notice.
 
The short version is i loved the job but in the end it got too embarrassing working for them.
 
The succession of Private Equity type owners have ripped the soul out of and ruined a great company,everything has been cut to the bone and greed is now King.
 
Taking a break and going to look around for something new to do next year.

So the Hiace was moved from its resting spot in a Farm yard (no not a barn find) and driven about seven miles to a nearby Travelodge just off the A30 and despite the dragging brake it performed well enough.
 
Right lets go online and tax it then shall we??.
 
Er no we can't,no matter what i try i can't get the internet to work on either of our devices so had to resort to taxing it via the dvla automated phone service which spilled out a long 12 digit reference number at the end as my only proof that it was now taxed.
I do hope Mr RAC man believes it's now taxed.
 
The RAC were called and a 45 min eta was given for a Patrol to attend so while we waited i started it up again only for the charging light to now go out and even the front brake had seemed to sort itself out.
I was in danger of making myself look a bit of a dick here but decided to wait for assistance rather than push on up the wet A30 and run out of electricity.
 
The nice Patrol checked the charge rate and it was a lowly 13.1v under load and there was only around 10 amps coming out of the alternator when measured with an Amp clamp.
Then the Alternator body got a bit hot and smelly along with the charge light showing again so the unit was goosed.
 
Rather than straight away offering to get it recovered home it was suggested that an Alternator could be sourced from ECP in Launceston and fitted in the carpark.
Nice try but no thankyou that part will be mega expensive (rrp and then some) and it still doesn't solve the possible brake concern.
 
When the lad realised i was traveling with another car and that the van could travel up to Kent unattended he gave up trying to push a repair and agreed to the Recovery even taking my word it was taxed as it was still showing as sorn online.
 
To start the ball rolling it was decided that the Toyota could be trailered (rdt) behind his van as far as the Recovery Contractors premises at Exeter.
 
So i waved it goodbye and went home in my boring but capable diesel Avensis.

Next morning saw me and the other half standing in front of a sad looking van.
The heavy mist and drizzle was trying its best but failing miserably to disguise just how rough the paintwork was.

Internet images really do flatter to deceive,i knew about the replacement side door that was required after a Polish lorry had stoved it in but i didn't realise it had been painted black with a sort of purple sparkle finish lacquer.
It's going to need a budget blow over or maybe i'll have a go at wrapping it.
But it was good underneath and generally straight bodywise.These simple 2.4 engines sound so nice and this one at 160k was quiet and leak free,started on the button with zero smoke.

The thing is i didn't now want it or to be more precise i didn't want the hassle of getting it 240 miles back home so i started to make my excuses when the guy said because of the faults and feeling bad about not checking it over properly before i drove down i could take it away for £600.

Bugger that saw me fold and i paid up the revised amount,i must say the seller was a genuine guy and genuinely felt bad about the problems.

So how do you get a van 240 miles back home with a sticky brakes and non charging batteries ?? Call up your ex employers of course.

Have a picture she's a honey i'm sure you'll all agree.
 
It had been sitting for a couple of months but the seller said it was 100% good to go and he would and had driven it all over the place without any concerns so i arranged a date to collect it and said i would call him the night before to confirm i was deffo coming down.
 
Being a bit lazy i didn't fancy driving 240 miles down to the west country then back again in a strange slow van all in one day so decided to drive down on one day stay over night in Okehampton then collect the van the next day for a leisurely run back up to Kent,what could possibly go wrong with such a simple plan.
 
I booked an overnight stay at the White Hart in Okehampton and really cannot recomend the place highly enough.
It's a freshly refurbished 17th centry Pub / Accomodation owned by JD Weatherspoons and for £70 a night was absolutely spot on.
 
So i checked in late afternoon and had a couple of pints of Shipyard American craft ale (£2.49 bargain) then messaged the vendor to say i was actually now in Devon and would see him in the morning.
 
At about 10pm i got a call from the seller who sounded a bit sheepish.
He had just been down to where the van was stored to add some fuel and give it a whizz up and down the lane only to find the battery light was staying and his multi meter was showing it wasn't charging and a front brake was badly binding and getting a bit hot.
 
You got to laugh really it's just one of those things so as i was down here now i may as well go and have a look so we arranged to see it in the morning anyway.

I have been looking for a cheap van for a while now,something that i can cart crap about in and also use as a sort of Day van.
My budget was £1500 max but i really wanted to spend far less if possible and improve it over time but it soon became obvious that VW t4's are massively scene taxed and Transits are all rotten at this price.
Vito's likewise rusty and mega milages only available for my budget and i have no love for Vivaro or Trafics as i have spent too many hours towing the things or sending them off on the back of a flatbed.

So i started looking at the humble Hiace.
These never seem to go wrong in 17 years of roadside breakdown patrolling i can't recall attending one with anything more serious than a flat tyre or battery.
Early non turbo 2.4 diesel ones are so simple they just run and run but the downside is they are only 87bhp and so sluggish and a bit thirsty compared to a more modern van.

I spotted one down in Devon on ebay and while i dithered about the distance it sold for £1500 and i thought fuck it i should have had a bid on that,then it was relisted on a buy it now for £1600 (no bites) then auctioned again starting bid £1000 that was then dropped to £800.

After a few messages with the seller i popped in a max bid of £999 and waited for the auction to end and i found i had indeed won a shonky 1996 Toyota Hiace for £895.

After seventeen years i decided to give them 4 weeks notice.
 
The short version is i loved the job but in the end it got too embarrassing working for them.
 
The succession of Private Equity type owners have ripped the soul out of and ruined a great company,everything has been cut to the bone and greed is now King.
 
Taking a break and going to look around for something new to do next year.

So what does a £600 Hiace look like ??


Just realised i have a bit of a Japanese themed driveway.


Saab sold on ebay but winner has gone silent on me after i waited in all bank holiday for the clown to turn up.


I think it may have been blue.










Chod spotting monkey installed.
 
The previous owner broke up a Granvia so thats why it now has the Granvia dash and single seats along with the two side windows fitted.
I do like the early Hilux wheels too.
 
I think first things first is to get the alternator sorted out,looking on line the cheapest unknown branded ones are around £140 so i will take my one off and drop it off at an old school place in Bexley http://www.bexleystarters.co.uk/   to see what's what.

Now it's just a case of waiting for the Toyota to travel up and get dropped off so i had better stay local i guess.

I got a call at 08.30 the following morning from RAC asking if i was still in Devon and did have any spare keys for the van ?

It seems they had gone to load it up at the Contractors Exeter yard and managed to snap the ignition key in the door lock (two different keys).
Luckily for me i did have a spare ignition key but unluckily for them it was in Kent.

"Not to worry the wheels are straight we should still be able to load it up ok we will see you later".

Come 6pm and there was still no sighting of the shonky van so i rang up to enquire where it might be (they have got previous for misplacing vehicles) to be told it's in storage at Thruxton and did i know the ignition key was broken...
Closely followed by another call saying the van was at a Contractors site in Portsmouth and did i know the ignition key was broken...

Next morning the Hiace has been spotted by an ex colleague at Clacket lane services enjoying a quick coffee before finally landing at my place at mid day.


"Honey i'm home"

So the Hiace was moved from its resting spot in a Farm yard (no not a barn find) and driven about seven miles to a nearby Travelodge just off the A30 and despite the dragging brake it performed well enough.
 
Right lets go online and tax it then shall we??.
 
Er no we can't,no matter what i try i can't get the internet to work on either of our devices so had to resort to taxing it via the dvla automated phone service which spilled out a long 12 digit reference number at the end as my only proof that it was now taxed.
I do hope Mr RAC man believes it's now taxed.
 
The RAC were called and a 45 min eta was given for a Patrol to attend so while we waited i started it up again only for the charging light to now go out and even the front brake had seemed to sort itself out.
I was in danger of making myself look a bit of a dick here but decided to wait for assistance rather than push on up the wet A30 and run out of electricity.
 
The nice Patrol checked the charge rate and it was a lowly 13.1v under load and there was only around 10 amps coming out of the alternator when measured with an Amp clamp.
Then the Alternator body got a bit hot and smelly along with the charge light showing again so the unit was goosed.
 
Rather than straight away offering to get it recovered home it was suggested that an Alternator could be sourced from ECP in Launceston and fitted in the carpark.
Nice try but no thankyou that part will be mega expensive (rrp and then some) and it still doesn't solve the possible brake concern.
 
When the lad realised i was traveling with another car and that the van could travel up to Kent unattended he gave up trying to push a repair and agreed to the Recovery even taking my word it was taxed as it was still showing as sorn online.
 
To start the ball rolling it was decided that the Toyota could be trailered (rdt) behind his van as far as the Recovery Contractors premises at Exeter.
 
So i waved it goodbye and went home in my boring but capable diesel Avensis.

Next morning saw me and the other half standing in front of a sad looking van.
The heavy mist and drizzle was trying its best but failing miserably to disguise just how rough the paintwork was.

Internet images really do flatter to deceive,i knew about the replacement side door that was required after a Polish lorry had stoved it in but i didn't realise it had been painted black with a sort of purple sparkle finish lacquer.
It's going to need a budget blow over or maybe i'll have a go at wrapping it.
But it was good underneath and generally straight bodywise.These simple 2.4 engines sound so nice and this one at 160k was quiet and leak free,started on the button with zero smoke.

The thing is i didn't now want it or to be more precise i didn't want the hassle of getting it 240 miles back home so i started to make my excuses when the guy said because of the faults and feeling bad about not checking it over properly before i drove down i could take it away for £600.

Bugger that saw me fold and i paid up the revised amount,i must say the seller was a genuine guy and genuinely felt bad about the problems.

So how do you get a van 240 miles back home with a sticky brakes and non charging batteries ?? Call up your ex employers of course.

I have been looking for a cheap van for a while now,something that i can cart crap about in and also use as a sort of Day van.
My budget was £1500 max but i really wanted to spend far less if possible and improve it over time but it soon became obvious that VW t4's are massively scene taxed and Transits are all rotten at this price.
Vito's likewise rusty and mega milages only available for my budget and i have no love for Vivaro or Trafics as i have spent too many hours towing the things or sending them off on the back of a flatbed.

So i started looking at the humble Hiace.
These never seem to go wrong in 17 years of roadside breakdown patrolling i can't recall attending one with anything more serious than a flat tyre or battery.
Early non turbo 2.4 diesel ones are so simple they just run and run but the downside is they are only 87bhp and so sluggish and a bit thirsty compared to a more modern van.

I spotted one down in Devon on ebay and while i dithered about the distance it sold for £1500 and i thought fuck it i should have had a bid on that,then it was relisted on a buy it now for £1600 (no bites) then auctioned again starting bid £1000 that was then dropped to £800.

After a few messages with the seller i popped in a max bid of £999 and waited for the auction to end and i found i had indeed won a shonky 1996 Toyota Hiace for £895.

Have a picture she's a honey i'm sure you'll all agree.
 
It had been sitting for a couple of months but the seller said it was 100% good to go and he would and had driven it all over the place without any concerns so i arranged a date to collect it and said i would call him the night before to confirm i was deffo coming down.
 
Being a bit lazy i didn't fancy driving 240 miles down to the west country then back again in a strange slow van all in one day so decided to drive down on one day stay over night in Okehampton then collect the van the next day for a leisurely run back up to Kent,what could possibly go wrong with such a simple plan.
 
I booked an overnight stay at the White Hart in Okehampton and really cannot recomend the place highly enough.
It's a freshly refurbished 17th centry Pub / Accomodation owned by JD Weatherspoons and for £70 a night was absolutely spot on.
 
So i checked in late afternoon and had a couple of pints of Shipyard American craft ale (£2.49 bargain) then messaged the vendor to say i was actually now in Devon and would see him in the morning.
 
At about 10pm i got a call from the seller who sounded a bit sheepish.
He had just been down to where the van was stored to add some fuel and give it a whizz up and down the lane only to find the battery light was staying and his multi meter was showing it wasn't charging and a front brake was badly binding and getting a bit hot.
 
You got to laugh really it's just one of those things so as i was down here now i may as well go and have a look so we arranged to see it in the morning anyway.

MOAR
 
The label said there was a mirror at the back to view the underside. Why would I want to do that?

1970 Ford Cortina 1600E by Adam Floyd, on Flickr
 
A Triumph of pogweaseling

1962 Triumph Herald 1200 estate by Adam Floyd, on Flickr
 
Exactly like Zel. Oh wait, it IS him

1990 Mercedes-Benz 208D Auto-Trail Navajo by Adam Floyd, on Flickr
 
You've been Novataken. That's what the sticker on the back said anyway.

1990 Vauxhall Nova 1.2 Pride by Adam Floyd, on Flickr
 
Dictator spec. Points lost for lack of chrome arches.

1981 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL by Adam Floyd, on Flickr
 
Not shite but great photobombing by Mr Wobbler

2008 Spire Sport GT-3 by Adam Floyd, on Flickr
 
AS on the plate

1952 Citroen Traction Avant 15CV by Adam Floyd, on Flickr
 
Something about calling an Escort from a phone box

Sporting Escorts by Adam Floyd, on Flickr
 
Coach shite. I remember these from school.

Florence GCK 279S by Adam Floyd, on Flickr
 
And finally...behold the miserable pov-spec awesomeness

1982 Ford Cortina 1.6 Base by Adam Floyd, on Flickr