It's grim up north....tales from the Primate House

[Guest Hooli]

Oh come on, a 3 cylinder engine in a plane is just silly.

It would need two of them.

 

Oh I don't know, a 3 cylinder engine is good enough to cross the channel.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzani_3-cylinder_fan_engines

[New POD]

If you had your way, the latest model Airbus would be powered by a 3 cylinder Corsa engine...

 

Not wanting to slag off the Engineers of the East Midlands, but it might be more reliable.

[NorthernMonkey]

Got this old dear in today for her annual fettle and MOT...

 

 

 

The mileage is genuine...

 

 

Less than 140 miles in the last 12 years!

 

[The Moog]

That looks very tasty. 12 miles a year ! That's insane.

[320touring]

That needs ragging!

 

Looks pretty though:)

[NorthernMonkey]

First job...de-stickering. Just about finished with the heat gun and my fingernails before the rain got too heavy and my arms started to tingle and arc as the rain found its way around the extension cable insulation. Just glad it didn’t come from Wales with the length of some of their school names.

 

 

Then it got a good dousing in TFR although you really wouldn’t know it.

 

 

The paintwork is really in good condition...a bit of compounding action if ever it stops raining and it should come up a treat.

 

Finally for today, seat removal.

 

 

 

It actually goes a fair bit quicker without that lot in the back. I can feel an eBay session coming on for surplus bus seats and a digi-tacho unit.

 

It’s going to step in to the breach this weekend on tat shifting duties whilst I clear the end workshop out before moving to its new temporary home next week down at the unit I rent in an old mill complex for storage. There’s plenty of room down there for serious camper building...just got to try and decide on an interior layout now as it’s complicated slightly by having twin sliders as well as a full complement of glass.

 

I’ve seen a moulded window blank on the rear side windows of some camper conversions but have so far been unable to track down a manufacturer/supplier. Wonder how hard it’d be to weld in some sheet steel instead of the glass? I’m not really a fan of the painted window look tbh although it may be the only sensible option.

[DVee8]

That van is really smart,very well bought.

[Mally]

Autoglym intensive tar remover will get the sticky off.

Eventually.

[beko1987]

Or Autosmart Tardis for a more reasonable £20 for 5l

[twosmoke300]

Vanguards may do window blanks

[NorthernMonkey]

I’ve got 5 ltrs of tardis, could just do with it to stop raining long enough that it doesn’t dilute it as I’m using it!

 

I’ve had a look on the Vanguard site...they don’t list the sort of thing I have in mind. Think I need more of a camper conversion specialist. Probably for quite a few things...

[Tamworthbay]

It's looking nice, even in the rain. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

[The Moog]

That was swift work getting the seats out. Mine took a day but we're bolted through the floor and bolts were rusty

[NorthernMonkey]

It took a couple of hours even with the rail mounted fastenings. They’re bloody heavy too...I reckon you can put quite a lot of ply and two by one in there and still come out a fair bit lighter.

 

Part of me wants to chuck a mattress in the back right now and go find a pub in the dales with a field next door....

[catsinthewelder]

I would strongly advise you to leave the tacho well alone.

 

My former employers merged with a larger college who had just bought a 6 year old 2007 Maxus.  We were running two shonkey Convoys and the new management promised to replace them.  They were replaced by the Maxus which was in turn replaced by a Transit.

 

The Maxus suffered with a battery that went flat if left for a few days so needed jump starting all the time.  The problem was traced to the tachograph so I asked a local garage to delete it.  When it was the speedo didn't work so it went back and drove them nuts for weeks.  When they couldn't fix it an auto electricians in Hereford was tasked with the job.  After a couple of months they gave up.  Eventually it ended up over in the East Midlands being fixed by a specialist.  At some point during this time most of the dashboard wasn't working.

 

It kept me in work though,  I was by this point renting them a Ford Transit minibus and when it finally did make it back they hated it and bought a Ford but not before they had paid me to valet it as it was really grim after 6 months stuck outside various garages.

 

[sporty-shite]

It actually goes a fair bit quicker without that lot in the back. 

I’ve seen a moulded window blank on the rear side windows of some camper conversions but have so far been unable to track down a manufacturer/supplier. Wonder how hard it’d be to weld in some sheet steel instead of the glass? I’m not really a fan of the painted window look tbh although it may be the only sensible option.

 

I drove one of these down to central France when new (about 2007 ish) to move a load of furniture for one of my old courier customers. It was loaded to the gills, and felt horrible and gutless. One the way back, when empty it was like a different van. I ended up quite liking it.

 

As for window blanks, are there none around the breakers that you could cut the side panels out of? Surely there are a good few of these that are now seriously shagged out.

[NorthernMonkey]

This one has a similar issue with a current drain..it was flat when I went to collect it but luckily, I’d brought a spare battery with me. Mind you, it hadn’t been started since June so it’s hardly surprising.

I’ve already taken the tacho out and the speedo is fine, thankfully. It was messing with my ocd last night on the drive back as the illumination is orange and everything else is green.

Hopefully in due course, it’ll be reclassified as a Motor home so won’t need any such nonsense. Also, there’s now space for a touch screen double din Pioneer thing that I’ve got kicking around.

[NorthernMonkey]

I drove one of these down to central France when new (about 2007 ish) to move a load of furniture for one of my old courier customers. It was loaded to the gills, and felt horrible and gutless. One the way back, when empty it was kike a different van. I ended up quite liking it.

 

As for window blanks, are there none around the breakers that you could cut the side panels out of? Surely there are a good few of these that are now seriously shagged out.

Even with all the seats in, this seems to have a decent turn of speed and is actually really civilised to drive. Mind you, with sixteen adults on board, it could be a different matter. Now the seats are out though, it’s a proper nippy thing off the line.

 

Re the window idea, I never thought of that!! I’ll have a hunt around for a breaker and rock up with my cordless grinder. A bit of mig action and it should work a treat!

[catsinthewelder]

Assuming that you have a D1 on your licence it might be worth leaving the classification alone.

 

Minibuses only cost £165 a year in RFL,  heaven knows how much an 07 LDV costs on PLG.

[Timewaster]

Just caught up with this thread. Looking forward to seeing a camper build if you do one.

 

Incidentally I'd be wary of painting the VW in a metallic. I've seen it done on a Hilux that looked pretty straight in flat white but like tin foil that had been scrunched and flattened out in lacquered metallic blue.

[Tamworthbay]

Just noticed the nice Saab turbo convertible, did you ever get it back running?

[sporty-shite]

Just noticed the nice recovery truck did you ever get that Rover Vi for Moog?

EFA, FTFY etc.

[NorthernMonkey]

Just noticed the nice Saab turbo convertible, did you ever get it back running?

It’s still in the corner of the yard awaiting dismantling/fixing.

 

Every time I’m about to start on one of my own cars, something comes along, like a customer who wants their car fixing. Or a cheap LDV.

[NorthernMonkey]

Just caught up with this thread. Looking forward to seeing a camper build if you do one.

 

Incidentally I'd be wary of painting the VW in a metallic. I've seen it done on a Hilux that looked pretty straight in flat white but like tin foil that had been scrunched and flattened out in lacquered metallic blue.

The T4 will definitely not be going metallic. I always wanted to run it as was in it’s slightly shabby state but Claire wasn’t keen on the thought of going away in it like that. Now the LDV has landed, that’s going to take over camper duties and the T4 is going to be my garage hack/service van so I can run it as is. Probably lower it a little and stick some Merc alloys on it but otherwise it’ll keep its current look.

[NorthernMonkey]

As there’s a couple of collections imminent and due to encouragement from the Moog, it’s probably about time I updated this thread.

 

After spending the morning wrestling with a Gallic oil burning shopping trolley (see grumpy old man thread), a trip was made to pick up a sandwich and a shite collecting voucher.

 

[NorthernMonkey]

Only a minor(ish) grump today....got a mk2 CRV in with brake issues.

 

Both front calliper bottom sliders are well and truly seized...managed to free off the offside one but the nearside has stuck absolutely solid.

 

Tried plus gas, brute force and even an induction heater to get it nice and toasty but all it managed to do is snap off flush to the carrier.

 

No problem, ring the factors....nope, dealer part only.

Ring the dealers, yes sir...not available on its own I’m afraid, only comes with the new calliper for £230+vat. Ok, when can you get me one? Err, they’re on back order at the minute and there’s no date.

Good news though is that if I order and pay in advance for it now, they SHOULD be able to give me an idea of the waiting time in the next week or so.

 

Ok, cheers Mr Honda....didn’t realise the whole ‘power of dreams’ thing was actually referring to your bloody parts supply.

 

Eventually found one a second hand one online for £90 from a specialist breakers who have promised me it’s in stock and can be delivered to my door by Friday.

Hmm, we’ll see...good job we are having a day off to go shite collecting tomorrow.

 

One bit of good news though...ECP delivered the right radiator for the Clio of many parts this morning and what’s more, it all went back together remarkably easily

[NorthernMonkey]

Don’t forget to tune in for Fridays thrilling instalment...a Fabia in which the nearside rear door has deadlocked itself shut. Can’t fecking wait.

[320touring]

Don’t forget to tune in for Fridays thrilling instalment...a Fabia in which the nearside rear door has deadlocked itself shut. Can’t fecking wait.

They are a right barrel of laughs..

[stonedagain]

They are a right barrel of laughs..

Tell me about it! Recently had one deadlocked on Mrs Stoned's Polo!

[New POD]

Only a minor(ish) grump today....got a mk2 CRV in with brake issues.

 

Both front calliper bottom sliders are well and truly seized...managed to free off the offside one but the nearside has stuck absolutely solid.

 

Tried plus gas, brute force and even an induction heater to get it nice and toasty but all it managed to do is snap off flush to the carrier.

 

No problem, ring the factors....nope, dealer part only.

Ring the dealers, yes sir...not available on its own I’m afraid, only comes with the new calliper for £230+vat. Ok, when can you get me one? Err, they’re on back order at the minute and there’s no date.

Good news though is that if I order and pay in advance for it now, they SHOULD be able to give me an idea of the waiting time in the next week or so.

 

Ok, cheers Mr Honda....didn’t realise the whole ‘power of dreams’ thing was actually referring to your bloody parts supply.

 

Eventually found one a second hand one online for £90 from a specialist breakers who have promised me it’s in stock and can be delivered to my door by Friday.

Hmm, we’ll see...good job we are having a day off to go shite collecting tomorrow.

 

One bit of good news though...ECP delivered the right radiator for the Clio of many parts this morning and what’s more, it all went back together remarkably easily

My understanding of brakez is that there are only a few manufacturers of calipers and having done a couple of projects with Lucas Car braking in the mud 90s there is a great deal of parts interchangeability

 

Things like pistond and seals and slide pins are often reused in design after design.

 

What often is not standard is the bleed nipple. In 1995 the Chief Design Engineer at Lucas Car Braking in Fen End told me that there were 159 different OE bleed nipples in their global range and that if you counted after market and obsolete (much the same) the number would be closer to 1000.

He explained that car manufacturers insisted on having their say, probably because they held stock which they didn't want to go obsolete. And changing to a common size for a 1p cost saving would change the value of the stock they held.

Weird world automotive design and manufacture.