Dollywobbler's Maestro Van - SOLD!

[Angrydicky]

Sounds much sportier than mine! But maybe that's because I drive like a grandad and never put my foot down!

[dollywobbler]

I think the ride seemed much worse than it was because of how much the wood was moving around in the back. Now I've lashed carpet everywhere and jammed the wood so it can't move, it seem to ride much more sweetly. Still quite bouncy, but leagues better than the Sirion.

 

The sound deadening has removed some of the sporty element from the engine too, which I think was exhaust roar being amplified by the rear! It still sounds much meatier than my hatchback did though. I'll probably find that there's no air filter element in it or something! (really do need to get a service sorted for this thing!)

[Cavcraft]

That's possibly the best commercial (advert) EVER.

[Lord Sterling]

Brilliant video DW. Almost inspires me to make one about the 827 Coupe though I suspect I'll not be bothered.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Totes disappoint to see from vid that DW has not plaited his beard like that tall dude I saw in Fleet Street this morning.    He was doing the full on beard-chap sub tribe look, with tweedy apparel and pipe plus beard plait, panama hat and so forth.  

[drum]

BV - he sounds like a knob of the highest degree.

 

Liking the vid DW. Goffeyish or Baxteresque.

[Noel Tidybeard]

you need to bin the poverty version of the steering wheel and get the smaller diameter leather version which will sharpen the steering feel somewhat

 

its begging for a twin su's for added DW hoonage

[privatewire]

Right, first of all it was the Chrysler Alpine pre- launch video, now my missus has come in and caught me watching this.

In future I am going to pretend I'm watching porn, she would understand that.....

[dollywobbler]

you need to bin the poverty version of the steering wheel and get the smaller diameter leather version which will sharpen the steering feel somewhat

 

its begging for a twin su's for added DW hoonage

 

Nah. I like having the leverage that a big wheel gives. It's povo power steering.

[Noel Tidybeard]

a rover metro wheel was quite nice if you can find one these days- they have same spline up until they became rover 100

[forddeliveryboy]

We've probably all seen more toss wheels than those on Corsas!

They'll look ok unless the offset is way out.

 

 

LIVE* UPDATE from Yorkshire-shire...

 

Just papped this coming out of Skipton Cattle Market:

 

 

The clatter of the 'old Perkins smoker' was as grin-inducing as the sight of it.

Lovely to see, still earning a living.

 

That pic could easily be 1995 if it weren't for the silver monster behind, I love it!

 

Is there really more ground clearance on these vans than a modern 4bi4?

[dollywobbler]

I understand the suspension height was raised a year or two after mine was built. It's already pretty generous. 

[dollywobbler]

I've ordered oil and a filter so I can indulge in HOT SERVICE ACTION tomorrow. Looks like I'll be visiting Warwickshire and Bedfordshire in the next few days. Should give me a chance to work out what MPG goodness it can achieve. Hoping I won't have to test the flashing light...

[Angrydicky]

Hope the filter is the right one. I had surprising difficulty finding the correct one, my local factor gave up after ordering in three incorrect ones and Euro Car Parts also supplied the wrong one. I eventually got the correct one from the large factors in town, but had to wait over the weekend for them to have it delivered from the Saffron Walden branch, which had the closest Maestro oil filter in the country... I also got a NOS one from Ebay, and picked up another at an autojumble, so I now have a couple of spares!

[dollywobbler]

I'm getting it from a Unipart dealer in town. Helpfully, it has a Unipart filter on it already with the code on it!

[HMC]

Great to see it get the DW touch, sounds like its responded really well to a bit of TLC.

[Guest Breadvan72]

BV - he sounds like a knob of the highest degree.

 

 

 

This looks to me like a sound working theory.

[KruJoe]

Why not do the timing belt while you're at it?

Dead easy on these

[mat_the_cat]

On the subject of soundproofing, thought you might be interested in my mate's blog on his Maestro van. There's been a small wager for many years on whether that will be on the road before my Stellar, and I'm ahead at the moment!

http://www.roverdiesel.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=206&start=18

[Noel Tidybeard]

Why not do the timing belt while you're at it?

Dead easy on these

cos it hasn't got one?

 

mine had a rattling chain all the time i had it (i put about 50000 miles on it)

[stuboy]

wished id bought escort van now i was offered

[dollywobbler]

On the subject of soundproofing, thought you might be interested in my mate's blog on his Maestro van. There's been a small wager for many years on whether that will be on the road before my Stellar, and I'm ahead at the moment!

http://www.roverdiesel.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=206&start=18

 

Blimey. Did he really rust-proof and soundproof the roof then cut it off?! Some interesting tips there though, should I fancy doing a half-way decent job of sound-proofing rather than just sticking manky old carpet in random places.

[mat_the_cat]

Blimey. Did he really rust-proof and soundproof the roof then cut it off?!

 

No, it was just the front part he soundproofed, and the tops of the pillars he painted (after removing the cross pieces). He's turning it into a camper using the bits from his previous van which was converted from new.

[cort16]

I really like this van I find it appealling in a way that I don't with normal Maestros and I don't know why.

What's the general condition? I notice the hole in the roof and wobbed up arches but are floors and sills etc all right?

Do you think there's a lot of wob covering things up? its one of these vehicles I'd like to see live a long and happy life.

[dollywobbler]

Rear arches are almost entirely wob I think. Sills are almost entirely patches from the middle backwards, and there's a bit of grot in the floors too. Yesterday was the first time I've been brave enough to look underneath!

 

It's a real shame. When you read the thread about the resto in 2008, there's loads of talk about how it was thoroughly protected against rot. It doesn't seem to have done much good! The more I drive it though, the more I like it. Mechanically, it seems pretty sweet.

[mat_the_cat]

Have you got a link to the resto thread please?

[dollywobbler]

Here you go.

http://www.maestro.org.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=8395

 

2008

[cort16]

6 years is a long time in the life of a Maestro. Look at the state of some of the 6 year old KA's out there.

[panhard65]

There is some metal in the rear arches but mostly wob now. I didn't see it having much of a future really as it has quite a bit of rot and crap paint. The costs involved in getting it back to decent nick are just too great. Hence the poor quality welding repairs that got it through this years test so it lived another year. It would be nice to see it restored again to how it was last time but I suspect the odds are against it now.

[Lukas]

Fixing the SIrion may have been the better bet...