1996 Peugeot 806 SRDT (Eurovan)

[alcyonecorporation]

Hallo, I have come back for a short while. 

It was purchased as a parts hauler and extreme budget camper a week before lockdown kicked in; I've found uses for it in the meantime. It will get tidied up and cleaned again thoroughly; so far the surfaces are probably cleaner than when they left Sevel Nord in 1996. 

Have some copy lightly reworked from TDW. 

228k on a 1.9TD (XUD9), recent cambelt, foul coolant and terrible dashcam. The glovebox fell out and the switch on the dash runs the blower. 

It was an 8 seater; I'm not going to use the back bench so I sold it to another Eurovan licker. I got it there just before travel restrictions hit. 

It's as rough as houses to look at but drives fine and does about 40mpg round the doors.  Colleagues nicknamed it 'the Bilk Float' as it looks at home flytipping and stealing diesel from forecourts. 

The lacquer peel (member nothwithstanding) is disgusting. It isn't Diablo Red - it's Marquise Red, instead. 

I'm currently chewing my desk getting a page off to press, so here's a short one take video I did between collecting someone from hospital and walking up and down for my hour of exercise. 

 

[320touring]

I'm a fan of these - big practical things that are reasonable to bimble. 

 

Looks alright that one - right colour too:)

 

Good to see you posting!

[RayMK]

Thank you for entertaining me for 10 minutes. I particularly like photos 1 and 5 for their arty composition, though I'm no expert so don't get big headed yet.  I don't understand Peugeot's model numbering system, assuming there is one.  If you had asked me what an 806 was, I would not have had a clue. Now I know, so it's been an educational post as well.  Would click again ?.

[St.Jude]

It's funny that photography like that would once be called apocalyptic. Now it's just your normal, bog standard day in the life of just one man and his van in Covid-Britton. 

Really interested in the budget camper aspect of this project. Now excuse me while I sit here wistfully reminiscing about my old Peugeot 306 which had that same engine. I hate growing up. 

[alcyonecorporation]

I'm no carpenter, but I have a few ideas - Jesus 

[GingerNuttz]

The used mattress in the foreground just adds to the beauty of the 806  

[alcyonecorporation]

17 minutes ago, sgtberbatov said:

Really interested in the budget camper aspect of this project. Now excuse me while I sit here wistfully reminiscing about my old Peugeot 306 which had that same engine. I hate growing up. 

It will be super basic. I'm planning on getting a couple of scrapped rear seats, gutting them for their frames then building a long storage box on top so it's anchored either side of the van. 
Then some of those caravan window blinds all around which can be fixed around the windows, a foam mat and a sleeping bag. That's about all I was planning on doing; not bothering with a sink, just building in a stove with a little gas bottle and using the rest of the box for storage and washing the pots out on a campsite or with a big 5L water bottle and WUL. I don't really want to increase the weight of the poor fucker by too much. 

[lisbon_road]

One benefit is the spectacular improvement you should be able to make when you clean it!  Should be very satisfying as it doesn't look that bad under the dirt.

[alcyonecorporation]

 

1 minute ago, lisbon_road said:

One benefit is the spectacular improvement you should be able to make when you clean it!  Should be very satisfying as it doesn't look that bad under the dirt.

I already have cleaned the surfaces several times, but I'm waiting on borrowing a wet vac so I can sort the seats and carpet better. 
That image was taken on the day I viewed it. 

It presented horribly, but despite appearances, it drove really well. 

[Talbot]

That really does appear to have a LOT of room in it.  Maybe it's due to the seats all being out, but it looks bigger than the (normal length) Espace, and bigger than a Shalaxy.

[wuvvum]

They are a nice driving thing these Eurovans.  Although engine access looks almost as crap as it does on my Scudo.  (Incidentally that has had a bypass switch fitted for the blower as well - the heater controls on these really were shite.)

[NorfolkNWeigh]

40 minutes ago, Talbot said:

That really does appear to have a LOT of room in it.  Maybe it's due to the seats all being out, but it looks bigger than the (normal length) Espace, and bigger than a Shalaxy.

Almost like it was based on a van or something...

Seriously , they are bigger than both the cars you mention,( I’d also say they’re bigger inside than the Mk4 Grand Espace)  I had 2 of these in James Joyce flavour ( I’m  using that from now on, thanks) and were the best people carriers I’ve ever had, I looked at the Mk2 but they were so flimsy in comparison I bought a Galaxy. Both were ex-daily rentals bought at 6 months old , the HDi was quicker than the 1.9td but not as reliable. With all the seats out I could get the biggest kite in the World in one,  taking it to Kite Festivals around Europe and the UK . Whereas  when I had the Galaxy I had to rent a Transit to move it. 
 

[alcyonecorporation]

55 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

They are a nice driving thing these Eurovans.  Although engine access looks almost as crap as it does on my Scudo.  (Incidentally that has had a bypass switch fitted for the blower as well - the heater controls on these really were shite.)

Correct, the blue button powers the fan at full tilt. 

The next day the glovebox fell out so I could replace the variable resistor if I felt the mood. 

1 hour ago, Talbot said:

That really does appear to have a LOT of room in it.  Maybe it's due to the seats all being out, but it looks bigger than the (normal length) Espace, and bigger than a Shalaxy.

It really isn't bad - and the front seats swivel round. 

The carpet is the cleanest I could manage with very basic tools. 

[alcyonecorporation]

Sliding doors aren't bad either. 

[Sir Snipes]

Sorry not shite enough.

Verdict: Noise.

[alcyonecorporation]

Shit. 

[Split_Pin]

Nice looking dash layout on these, I'd love a bimble in one as it looks just that bit higher up. 

I always thought these early ones were tidy looking, nice sharp lines

They did a Citroen and Fiat version didn't they (the Ulysee? That name reminds me of a cartoon series I watched as a kid!)

Glad you are posting again.

[Stinkwheel]

Have to say, love it. A very fine purchase. Does yours do the strange clock behaviour thing they all seem to do sooner or later?

I’ve got an actual van version (expert) and it’s cracking. It’s done 210k now and (touch wood) is still good as gold. Even the a/c still works a treat. And there is room for engines, motorbikes and all manner of other shite in the back.

Put a clutch In it, welded the sills, did the rear axle bushes, they are surprisingly friendly to actually work on.

[alcyonecorporation]

2 hours ago, Stinkwheel said:

Have to say, love it. A very fine purchase. Does yours do the strange clock behaviour thing they all seem to do sooner or later?.

Describe the 'strange clock behaviour' to me. It just has a clock in the dome light which comes on. 

3 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Nice looking dash layout on these, I'd love a bimble in one as it looks just that bit higher up.

Find us when this is over and we can shit round the fens if you want. 

 

[sierraman]

They are very spacious, in fact years ago a mate of mine had a shit in the back of one at a scrapyard while we were mid taking something off a car and once he’d dropped the kids off he noted how he wasn’t struggling for space and he was a big chap, 20 stone. Anyway as you were...

[Broadsword]

Great write up and photos. Here’s hoping it serves you well, and cleans up well. It’s a car and van at the same time, and therefore cool!

[Dabooka]

Loving this, takes me right back and I never knew the seats swivelled.

My step father had a series of people carriers things but not one of these, although a neighbour had one. Keep the updates coming, intrigued with the conversion element.

[alcyonecorporation]

Everyone's getting excited over the camper conversion - I'll probably just put some removable sunblinds on the windows, take the seats out and throw a sleeping bag in the back. Not much else to say, really. 

[alcyonecorporation]

I see reb is back posting. 

Bravo, reb

[reb]

As I said last night, in so many words, being right and doing the right thing aren't the same.

Time to do the right thing and crack on with what matters in the world, getting on with addressing the chod backlog we all seem to have. Old broken cars won't fix themselves!

 

I for one am watching with interest, as I've been toying with building a microcamper for years and MrsREB is keen on the idea so I have to do it now!

[Stinkwheel]

Describe the strange clock behaviour

 

As you were, yours being the fancy car version has a digital clock, mine being the actual eurovan has a clock with hands in place of a rev counter.

 

And they just go nuts. Sit spinning constantly when the things not running but the central locking is unlocked, apparently is a fairly common occurrence.

[Supernaut]

Ah the memories.

The parents had a '95 Fiat Ulysse in bright red with the exact same interior as your 806. It was bought in the early 2000s and they kept for a few years. I remember moving it around the farm after I got my licence in 2005 but I was never insured on it due to the premium for that being utterly mental.

It was a 2.0 petrol and had factory spec alloys as well as a ginormous sunroof over the middle row.

[alcyonecorporation]

Mine has the twin sunroofs; they leak and wobble a bit, but they're drowned out by the bloody hinged rear windows, which move electrically on a button, a weird extravagance on a trim level one off the bottom. 

 

The noisiest things are the roof bars, which go BBBBBBBBHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMHHHHHBBBBBBBBBBBPPPPPPPRRRRBBBBBB when the right wind hits them.

[Talbot]

12 minutes ago, alcyonecorporation said:

a trim level one off the bottom.

I thought the SR trim level was actually quite far up the range? I'm not too familiar with these, but in the 90's weren't Peugeot still using GL, GR, SR as their range trim levels?

[bramz7]

No it would have been SL, SR and SV I think? 

Good van there. I want one quite badly but my other half will throw a fit if I do, she hates all people carriers with these top as she was ferried about as a child in an 806 her parents owned.