Rickman Rancher project thread - sleeping shite

[groovylee]

In a very very weird run of events, it would appear that I am going to be getting my hands on another plastic car (of sorts)....

 

An acquaintance of mine has a need to get rid of her Rickman Rancher - think bigger version of a romahome on the front end of an SJ410 and you wont be too far off

 

apparently it had a small run in with a barrier in germany which scraped down the side (pics dont look that bad, but are on my other phone) and a few days later suffered an apparent HGF (understood to be unrelated).

 

its a 2l pinto lump, so shouldnt be anything much more complicated than a simple head gasket change, but until it arrives at groovyseniors house we wont know for sure.

 

it is due to land from Germany on Tuesday, so will update with pics and details then if anyone is interested?

 

Lee

[oldcars]

Is it one of these? If so these look even better than a Reliant Tandy! WANT.

[groovylee]

thats the one mate, i was just trying to figure out how to attach that very image from google lol

 

it is actually second row down on the left on the google image seach - blue writing and blue wheels if you can spot it

 

Lee

[groovylee]

Is it one of these? If so these look even better than a Reliant Tandy! WANT.

 

thats the one mate, i was just trying to figure out how to attach that very image from google lol

 

it is actually second row down on the left on the google image seach - blue writing and blue wheels if you can spot it

 

Lee

[stillOrange]

Winning!

[oldcars]

Massive amounts of win. These have now taken over from my want of a Reliant Tandy. Class.

[Mally]

Although I soon fell out with my Rickman I do like the camper version.

I used to have many pinto parts but sold them all recently.

Should be easy to fix though as you say.

Keep us informed please.

[groovylee]

they are few and far between, pretty rare from what i can gather.  plus, they regularly change hands for over £3k, so it is a bit of a no brainer taking it on really.

 

 

i can't believe how much campers go for!  even the rough ones.  i must be missing something......

[groovylee]

Although I soon fell out with my Rickman I do like the camper version.

I used to have many pinto parts but sold them all recently.

Should be easy to fix though as you say.

Keep us informed please.

 

Will do

[groovylee]

apologies for the delay in updating this guys, you wouldnt believe the rigmarole i went through just taking delivery of this.....

 

it was eventually set for delivery last monday.  on the friday before, i received a call at work, informing me that the guy was outside the house, but no one was in!  so i hotfooted it home to sort out the paperwork.

 

on arrival, the guy was pushing it into a space on the road out the front of the house. "dont worry" says I, "ive got the spare keys in the house"

 

"don't bother" came the reply, as the guy points to the ignition barrel on the floor of the driver footwell

 

so i signed the paperwork and set about reinstating the ignition wiring to try and get it started.  there were choc-block connections everywhere, and random switches etc.  im a sparky by trade, and i couldn't figure out the mess.  so, time to just hotwire it then....  nothing.

 

i managed to get hold of a spare ignition switch from a mate, and plugged it in.  nothing.

 

out with the jump leads, and the battery is flat    no wonder nothing was working lol

 

so, with a bit of charge, and some hasty rewiring, we got her started and drove her on the garden:

 

 

 

[groovylee]

interior (excuse the mess) we actually emptied all of the stuff out and took it back to the previous owner when we completed all of the paperwork. so it looks a lot tidier now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BorniteIdentity]

Looks like a sooty van with a MK3 escort wheel and seats from a metro.

Am I even close?

[groovylee]

and the damage to the outside:

 

 

 

[groovylee]

Looks like a sooty van with a MK3 escort wheel and seats from a metro.

Am I even close?

sort of lol

 

mk2 escort base. seats unknown.

[groovylee]

greasy end:

 

[oldcars]

That is fantastic.

[groovylee]

so far we have managed to get her running, and 30 mins of idling hasn't thrown up any dramas.

 

the coolant is nice and pink. the engine oil is nice and golden. the exhaust isn't full of steam.

 

i have a compression tester on the way, but other than this, i am at a loss to see a HGF???

 

no leaks from anywhere in particular, mild oil leaks from the usual rocker cover etc, but the rad looks solid.

 

any other possible tests i can do?

[oldcars]

Yes, go camping 

[I_am_Diesel]

Compression test should provide good evidence when it arrives.

 

Is the cooling system over pressurising? Is the coolant temperature low?

 

These can be signs of HGF.

[groovylee]

current plans are to remove and redo the main unit where the fridge, cooker and sink are, redo the upholstery to something more in keeping with the parents tastes, and give all of the wiring a good going over. the stuff in the accommodation end all seems to work ok, so we will mostly do a tarting up exercise.

 

in the cab, we have removed the tape player, and sourced a CD player which will go under the heater, and then we can recommission the glove box.

 

the front carpet will also be replaced, and the rear flooring is being replaced with some industrial vinyl from work

 

more as it happens.  cheers for reading,

 

Lee

[Supernaut]

When you said it had gone into a motorway barrier, I thought it would be utterly fucked.

 

That's bloody immaculate!

[groovylee]

Compression test should provide good evidence when it arrives.

 

Is the cooling system over pressurising? Is the coolant temperature low?

 

These can be signs of HGF.

coolant doesnt seem to be over pressuring, although we havent been for a decent run yet.  coolant temp comes up to the middle of the gauge, but then it is a MK2 escort gauge, so who knows what that means lol

[groovylee]

When you said it had gone into a motorway barrier, I thought it would be utterly fucked.

 

That's bloody immaculate!

so did I - it seems we have gotten off lightly.

 

the main extent of the damage is the front bumper which was ripped off the side mount, but this is being fixed by groovysenior right now - only a bolt pulled through a hole.

 

the filler cap is also knackered, but im sure a replacement wont be too hard to find.

 

being fibreglass, none of the other scuffs should cause us too much grief.

[anonymous user]

It doesn't look bad at all, much more gainly (is that the opposite of ungainly? ) than a Starcraft.

[The Moog]

That is lovely

[taxi paul]

Simply smashing.

[groovylee]

Not too much in the way of updates as I have been jollying my way around europe on my two wheeled shite.

 

however, whilst i was away, the groovy seniors have been busy.......  the kitchen area has been ripped out and redone in marine ply (not everyones tastes, but i like it) and the upholstery and curtains have been replaced with something a) a bit lighter, and removeable for cleaning, which the previous upholstery wasnt.

 

they have also sorted out soem of the sagging headlining, re carpeted, and generally tidied up.

 

forgive the not great pics - my mum and iPhones dont mix well lol

 

 

 

[Felly Magic]

This could be the ultimate Autoshite campervan

[mercrocker]

Short of grafting my Portafold on to an SS1 Scimitar, I think you are probably right Felly.

[Guest]

Interested in what the "FS" warning light is for? Does it have a blown head gasket warning light somewhere else, marked "FFS"?

 

Following thread with interest!