1989 Style Et Luxe KNOB VAN

[dugong]

I used to see that van every day in huntingdon, it used to belong to a garage, alda motors, stukeley road just before the railway bridge on the right, if you look on streetview youll see it sitting outside the garage it had a white roof then

It really hasn't gone far, then. It still has an Alda Motors tailgate sticker and tax disc holder.

[dugong]

I don't know about XUDs busting heads. The diesel appeals because it's so basic, 1 wire for the stop solenoid switch and that's it.

 

Cool van, bro.

Skinflint appeal it is, then.

[dugong]

Aye. I'm also surprised about this head-cracking assertion. Can't say I've ever heard of it.

Was one of the reasons I sold my 306 TD.

 

Decent engines but there's far too much purple bollocks spouted about XUDs on here - the way that some people won't even look at an 05 or 06 peugeot unless it's a diesel.

 

And the blue stripes are poo.

[Partridge]

Having been for a (very short) jaunt in this, I can confirm that it is most awesome. It also has stripes. Who wouldn't want a French with stripes?

[Noel Tidybeard]

I used to see that van every day in huntingdon, it used to belong to a garage,  alda motors,  stukeley road just before the railway bridge on the right, if you look on streetview   youll see it sitting outside the garage  it had a white roof then

and rover 200 wheel trims by the look of it

[dugong]

Did some van tidying last night.

 

Other than emptying the 6000 empty packets of B&H Gold from behind the seats, I found a complete CV boot, three spark plugs and a Pioneer head unit.

 

Got a loom adaptor and the sodding thing works! It even has an AUX input.

 

[Noel Tidybeard]

b0nus

[dugong]

The 305 was put to work last night, delivering a cache of rare Capri parts (some of them literal one-offs) to a shipping agent in Gaydon. Route was Dullington - Rugby - Gaydon then back to Peterborough. We stopped halfway to pick up an X Box 360 that Partridge had bought.

It coped brilliantly despite being loaded to the brim with 17 boxes and two iron-cased Capri 4-speed gearboxes. The parts are due to go overseas next month and were the fruit of six years' worth of hoarding.

It struggled on inclines with a full bay and the gauge moved perilously close to the red cruising at 70, which suggests a silted up radiator. I checked the hoses and all were fine. My spotlight picked out at least four leaks from the engine bay, along with a gaffer taped inner wheel arch that will need attention from Gray's magic welder for the next MoT. SCTSH_ANDY has a 306 TD radiator, so I'm going to see how much he wants for it.



In a shocking 'value of load to price of van' ratio, we carried a Ferguson Formula front differential as part of the load. It's probably the only one in existence and fits a Ford Capri FF - one of three produced. Can you work out who it belongs to? I'm not sure where my hoarder got it from and dread to think how much that little collection was worth in total.



All the parts at their destination. Capri 2.8i legs were a bonus item.

My 106 Rallye steels turned up today, too. Provided I don't collapse with exhaustion (I got in at 4AM) I'll see if I can fit them this evening. The 206 wheels and tyres are horrible and I can't wait to get rid of them.

Tommorrow, Wakefield!

[dugong]

Dollywobbler would be up to at least 300 pages after a post like that. Do I smell or something?

[Sigmund Fraud]

I think the combination of KNOB_VAN at work plus dirty Ferguson bits has overwhelmed most shitters into a state of OMG-induced paralysis.

[Hertz]

Was this from the ebay tat thread? What a fantastic way to go parts delivering, glad it's being used and giving GR8 service!

[Heidel_Kakao]

Dollywobbler would be up to at least 300 pages after a post like that. Do I smell or something?

It's not a competition, & yes you do smell lol!!!!

 

I guess Norm for the owner of the FF diff.

[alf892]

Dollywobbler would be up to at least 300 pages after a post like that. Do I smell or something?

its cos you are a grumpy cunt that is very likely to take offence at any post and then slag the poster off forever. Just saying like.

 

Anyway......lovely van that. Proper engine too.......

[dugong]

It would look great on some steel wheels from a 305 GT. Probably impossible to find though..

Definitely impossible to find. Rallye steels will have to do.

 

its cos you are a grumpy cunt is very likely to take offence at any post and then slag the user off forever. Just saying like...

Of course. How dare I have an opinion.

[Youngsod]

It's not the only Pug commercial still alive and kicking in the Fens, I spotted this in Huntingdon on Monday.

 

[eddyramrod]

I've got quite a soft spot for those 504 pickups in recent years.  Nice DW-friendly plate too!  That one looks remarkably tidy for what, 23 years old?

[Partridge]

That evening was literally more fun than clubbing (then again so is eating a cactus).  I'm also anxious to try out my XBOX and drive virtual shite again. Big thanks to Dugong for that

 

I'm delighted that the ORIGINAL BOGIE DEMON CART box is in the shot. After Haribos and lack of sleep, that provided me with much amusement.

[warren t claim]

Was one of the reasons I sold my 306 TD.

 

Decent engines but there's far too much purple bollocks spouted about XUDs on here - the way that some people won't even look at an 05 or 06 peugeot unless it's a diesel.

 

And the blue stripes are poo.

In all fairness you don't exactly have much luck with XUD powered cars.

[Partridge]

The stripes are amazing. Give the stripes to me so I can make an XJ40 Jam sandwich and pretend to be a copper from circa 1992.

[dugong]

The stripes are amazing. Give the stripes to me so I can make an XJ40 Jam sandwich and pretend to be a copper from circa 1992.

 

Done. Come and collect 'em. I hate 'em.

 

 

Van got new tyres today - I had to replace three because of the state they arrived in.

 

 

The wheels were straight, but the tyres had had it.

 

 

Can you see the spacer in the bottom right corner? The 206 steels were scrubbing with those fitted, terrifyingly. 

 

 

Tyres and wheels fitted. They're terrible tyres and they're too high an aspect ratio for the van to pull happily. What acceleration there was has tailed off markedly. I'll resolve this at a later date, but at least they're now legal and not scrubbing the body. The front pair the van came with were heavily buckled. 

 

 

There's some kind of overheating problem. It sits happily in traffic and at idle, but try and push much past 60 and the gauge swings on to the crap side of centre (right). It got very hot indeed on the way to AlabamaShrimp's so I had to stop and let it cool. We'll get that cast iron shifted, Adam, don't worry about it. Stopped again near Blythe and checked the expansion bottle level. Kicked the fan in using the heater controls shifted to full - which made the cabin a lovely place to be in the afternoon heat. 

 

Swapped it for the Charade for a week - it's off on parts duty with Conrad and Junkman. 

[dollywobbler]

I love that 'loaded van' shot and apologise for missing it when posted. I was too excited about a Rover. So good to see a van being used properly. I never carried a thing in the Maestro van, which highlighted why it had to go. I look forward to more van adventures.

[Cavcraft]

What sized wheels and tyres is it supposed to have?

[Partridge]

Those wheels also make it look 100x better, too. Nice job!

[loserone]

This van is epic. Top chodding!

[Jim Bell]

White steels look gr8 on a wide variety of vehicles. Certainly this one

 

 

But you still maybe should have bought something a bit more expensive that didnt overheat or have decals stuck all over it.****

[ruffgeezer]

It's this sort of behaviour that has lead to me looking at one C15 this week, with an option to view another on my triumphant return from Bristol in a couple of weeks time.

 

Choices are:

Badly painted 162k 2005 snotter, bent door and no cambelt covers, long mot & 6 months tax (£350)

 

(so far unseen) Clean 62k 2005 minter, long mot & tax £850

 

The black one is pretty rough, but fairly solid bodily from what I can see under the layers of bored giffer with a tin of humbrol exterior. The white one has windows in the sides which is a bit off putting.

[dugong]

White steels look gr8 on a wide variety of vehicles. Certainly this one

 

 

But you still maybe should have bought something a bit more expensive that didnt overheat or have decals stuck all over it.****

 

 

5 pages, love. Five pages. 

 

I'm not using it as a long-distance mode of transport and it still runs, dunnit? I don't know. There was a staggering choice of that van or..........that van if I wanted the 305 van. Other 305 vans were not available. Other modes of transport that work better (not public transport) are available to me.  

 

There was an estate that was worse, but that would have been even more pointless. And cheaper. 

[Jim Bell]

5 pages, love. Five pages. 

 

I'm not using it as a long-distance mode of transport and it still runs, dunnit? I don't know.

 

 

 

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Yesterday, Junkman and I set off to collect a consignment of Mercedes W109 panels in KNOB VAN. Let's just say we won't be starting a Shipley business any time soon. The collection was thwarted by a missing gate key, our visit to a garage similarly cut short by a missing mechanic and our return trip was caught up in an unexpected parade. 

 

 

 

The vehicle itself is more successful. I don't know how much R&D effort went into the precise ergonomics of the gear knob, but on a 170k mile gear linkage, it adds a little stress to town driving. Otherwise the van is easy to drive (by my standards it's cutting edge modern). It's comfortable too, the seats are so soft! The bulkhead keeps them from reclining as much as I'd like, but you could spend some time in here without complaining. Well, once the face level vents are working again. 

 

 

 

I want Junkman to post his opinion too. He was less complimentary of the van, even before it attacked him with one of its sun visors. 

 

[Junkman]

Currently Disney's Vantasia is mooring in the Junkbackgarden, where, in contrast to the Daihatchi, it completely fails to blend with the environment.

Mr. Conelrad and I used it yesterday for a few chores around town, and it sprouted an astonishing amount of Peugeots, even for a Peugeot.

Despite the blower motor quite audibly does its assigned deed, there is absolutely zero air coming from any vents.

Trying to make the interior, which is filthy enough to enable one to observe the emergence of life, halfways bearable on this unusually hot day,

windows were lowered, which resulted in the passenger side one to do a Peugeot.

When I lowered the passenger side sunshade, it did a Peugeot as well, and now lives happily in the load area, which it has to share with the

front bumper trim strip, which decided to do a Peugeot as well.

 

In retaliation, I decided to try to address the overheating problem it displays at motorway speeds by installing a new thermostat, which I subsequently

obtained for a surprisingly hefty amount of dosh.

When trying to install it, serious doubts as to the feasibility of such an undertaking arose.

 

To get better access to the thermostat housing, it is best to remove some air ducts, which necessitates to remove the air cleaner lid as well.

This is the view I was greeted with:

 

 

The element itself is completely soaked:

 

 

Apparently, it pumps the content of its sump into the air cleaner via the breather pipe, then sucks it in and burns it.

The sump is correspondingly void of oil.

I have been told, that this is the diesel equivalent to a man with a lung disease who is coughing blood.

 

Other displays of quality repairs are large portions of the injection system being held on with a single cable tie:

 

 

and the relatively new looking thermostat being butched in place with a broken snap ring:

 

 

which leads me to believe, that someone unsuccessfully tried to address the overheating problem recently,

before deciding to not mention it to potential buyers.

Btw, IMO the overheating is caused by the radiator having shed most of its fins, but in view of a presumably terminally

knackered engine, this might be rendered relatively insignificant.

 

A bit more serious I consider the fact, that I was travelling in this wreck all day, despite the brake fluid is very obviously of 1989 vintage,

having nicely matured into dark grey water.