brownnova Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 So the minor elephant in the room with this car is that the MoT expires on Thursday... it appears as though it may have either come from a deceased estate or have been children clearing out their elderly dads things after he has given up driving rather than any obvious faults which would lead to massive MoT failure. Indeed a quick scout about has revealed nothing I’m concerned over. I think that I have some wiggle room money wise to still be above the cars value if it does need some repairs. But they are difficult to value in the UK as they so rarely come up for sale. So today’s jobs: - give it a damn good clean (it’s grubby), - check over for any obvious MoT fails, - book in for MoT, - go for a drive. We also have no history with it, so I’m thinking I might write to the two visible owners on the old log book and see if they have anything. The owner before me had it since 1999! Craig the Princess, Dick Longbridge, LightBulbFun and 9 others 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Tidybeard Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 OMG! they even did an Autoshite version: In 1995, a 1.9-liter turbodiesel by PSA became an option in the European market. eddyramrod, BorniteIdentity, loserone and 2 others 3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddyramrod Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 On 3/20/2021 at 11:04 AM, phil_lihp said: I've probably missed this being said somewhere but are the bodypanels fibreglass like the Espace? I believe they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Tidybeard Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 30 minutes ago, eddyramrod said: I believe they are. nay- posherer than that The Trans Sport, along with the Lumina APV and Silhouette, rode on the U-body platform and was constructed from a galvanized steel space frame, featuring dent and rust resistant polymer plastic body panels on the side and a galvanized steel roof. spartacus, eddyramrod and Shite Ron 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairnet Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 11 hours ago, eddyramrod said: Please do! I fancied this when I saw the original posting. Do you want a Volvo? eddy youre such a slaaaaaaag eddyramrod 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OM646 Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Always thought the 1st gen U-Bodies looked ace. How they managed to screw it up so badly on the 2nd gen (aka Sintra) is beyond my knowledge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobT Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 16 hours ago, brownnova said: As you'd expect, the yank is a fair bit longer than the Espace. Around 690mm. Wider too, although similar in height. Wins on the windscreen angle by the looks of it. These two really do need to meet at some point! Probably more likely when the Espace is in Skizzer's possession. Skizzer, brownnova and chaseracer 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuvvum Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 5 hours ago, sierraman said: That looks disgusting, excellent purchase. Weren’t these sold in Europe, sure I remember seeing them in the 90’s in Spain? Yep. Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, probably others as well. brownnova 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilA Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 17 hours ago, hairnet said: @PhilA has a rival Side note, it does share something in common with my car. The bonnet badge is this emblem, sideways, one star and in red. Phil ProgRocker and brownnova 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownnova Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 3 hours ago, RobT said: As you'd expect, the yank is a fair bit longer than the Espace. Around 690mm. Wider too, although similar in height. Wins on the windscreen angle by the looks of it. These two really do need to meet at some point! Probably more likely when the Espace is in Skizzer's possession. But amazingly the dimensions of the Trans aren’t actually much bigger than Mrs_b’s modern C5... RobT 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 That's amazing, and I wish to get my grubby mitts on it. All the best for the MOT! LightBulbFun and brownnova 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownnova Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 So my plan came to pass... here’s the verdict: A good clean has done it the world of good... England sticker removed from the front , but the touristy stickers on the back have a certain charm... A good check over has not yielded anything I can see which would be an outright MoT fail. The inner sills need a wire brushing and treating, but they’re solid as far as I can see lay on my back. But everything appears to work as it should. Only minor matter for correction seems to be New mirror needed. But drivers side and central are there. I’ve bought repair bit from the local motor factor. On to the proper test run... Off to the beach (staying local of course) it blended right in with the other car park dwellers... Did about 35 miles tripping around, and all was well. Goes well, gets a wiggle on if you put your foot down... only issue is that the Speedo under-reads. In suspected that yesterday, but stuck a gps Speedo one my phone today and confirmed it. I can cope with that. I’m genuinely really impressed, it wears its 314,000 kms well (195,000 ish miles) and all works as it should. Have some of my favourite features: Inlaid badging... Those wheels... You’re not allowed to forget you’re in a Trans Sport... Gorgeously retro switchgear Aaand finally a question... Whats the little D inside an O about? It drives fine in either that one or normal D... can’t see any difference. Does anyone know? ProgRocker, Tickman, Dick Longbridge and 11 others 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrsbrownnova Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 18 hours ago, brownnova said: We have one rule in our relationship that I can buy whatever I like, as long as she can drive it... I fear this one may change that rule! To be fair she was aware before I bid, and quite likes the inside... I think mainly because she doesn’t have to look at the outside and it has tinted windows so no one can see her in it... 😂 It’s true. Once inside Bonk the magic wagon, it’s great, but boy is it an ugly beast on the outside! The only fault I can see so far is that the seatbelts are way too short for a rear facing car seat for babybrownnova. I guess the real test will be when I drive it. Now, where’s @brownnova... I do believe he owes me a baby. 😂 Cookiesouwest, dome, Jenson Velcro and 19 others 5 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunny Jim Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 (edited) D inside O - some kind of overdrive? Not sure how that would work on an auto. Edited to add https://eliteautorepairtempe.com/how-does-automatic-overdrive-work/?amp=1 Edited March 20, 2021 by Sunny Jim To add link brownnova 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownnova Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 Little D in the O is overdrive according to google... I did think it might be.... Apparently it’ll engage the overdrive at cruising speeds... not to be used on hills... so most of Wales then! 😂 Sunny Jim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrsbrownnova Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 21 hours ago, High Jetter said: Um, the BIG question though is how has Mrs Bn reacted to this...or is she unaware until it lands? I knew about it. It was difficult to miss @brownnova’s excited face as it popped up on EBay. I live safe in the knowledge that when he’s looking at his phone and has a pervy look on his face it’s never another woman. 🚗 I think my reaction was something like...‘you’ve basically bought a greenhouse on wheels.’ It’s all good. The one rule stands...if he buys it I must be allowed to drive it 😀 Skizzer, Floatylight, brownnova and 13 others 14 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bezzabsa Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 weren't these a joint production with Renault??? or am i dreaming?? also, think they ripped the bonnet & headlamps from a Rover - even the badge looks very Viking like from a Distance!!! Mrs6C, louiepj and mercedade 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoadworkUK Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Well this is the most brilliantly bananas thing I've seen on here in a while. Fucking brilliant. This'll have what 12 year-old me thought was the world's coolest HVAC fan control when I experienced it in a Lumina in Florida in 1993 — there's a button for up, another for down and four green LEDs for the amount of fan going on. I'm deeply glad somebody bought this. EDIT: Disappoingly, the '92 Trans Sport brochure isn't online, but the '94 facelifted version is quite thoroughly covered here Skizzer, Jim Bell and brownnova 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macscrooge Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Epic! I used to see one around NE Derbyshire in the mid 90s - there’s certainly no chance of mistaking it for something else in a car park.... This is a close as I’m getting. brownnova and mk2_craig 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilA Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 No, this was a wholly GM project. Renault only got involved with AMC and that ended in 1989. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL Bloke Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 That looks fantastic and even better after a clean, well bought! brownnova 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_Fearn Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 I can’t begin to tell you how much I love this. Absolutely utterly brilliant. I’d be happy to do any welding it might need but I am in Derby so not exactly handy for you. brownnova 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProgRocker Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 *clinks thread link nervously* Cool MPV! Is it just me or does the lower front end styling look like a Rover SD1? 500tops, brownnova and Macscrooge 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripped fred Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 This looks ace, well done sir. brownnova 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuvvum Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 The Buick had the same gear indicator. It's basically D-3-2-1. brownnova 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownnova Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 59 minutes ago, Ian_Fearn said: I’d be happy to do any welding it might need but I am in Derby so not exactly handy for you. Thanks for the offer! Hopefully none this year... but in the future when travel is allowed I might remember this offer should it need any!! Ian_Fearn and Cord Fourteener 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownnova Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 Oh and it really is not hard to see how these earned their name of the DustBuster! Shite Ron, RobT, chaseracer and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_Fearn Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Was this one sold new in Europe? The low level rear lights and long number plate recess don’t look like the US version. Just so flippin brilliant! Cord Fourteener 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownnova Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 Yeah it appears so... but to be honest I don’t actually know anything about it’s history! I’m going to try and find more out. But it was registered in the UK in 1992, so it’s been here most of its life. Ian_Fearn and Cord Fourteener 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OM646 Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 I used to see a silver one back when I was a kid! And portugal is a pretty cumbersome country with american imports, so might have been EU spec Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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