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Datsun Cabstar 1980


howe

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1 minute ago, howe said:

I'm now the proud* owner of this absolute heap.

It's got a 2L petrol H20 engine in, the cab is mostly holes and the bed is knackered.
I'm going to be fixing it over the next few months and getting it restored back to a decent standard, then building it into a proper motorhome.
This one has been on Salvage Hunters once and handed about between buyers for the past few years.

The current plan is to sort out the running gear and electrics, and the bodywork, reupholstry etc will mostly be done in Morocco (I'm driving there to see my partners family in this...) once it's structurally OK enough.
Everything that gets done with it will be documented in this thread.

So far I've managed to find an engine manual and some info about parts cross compatability with the industrial H20 they put in forklifts, if anyone knows much about these do let me know...

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(Whe
el distorted due to fisheye lens)
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I reckon the hardest part is picking a colour to respray it.

thats amazing! very much looking forward to this restoration/recommissioning :) 

love the old raised digit number plates, shame the front one is missing a digit

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On 4/8/2021 at 4:32 PM, howe said:

The current plan is to sort out the running gear and electrics. The bodywork, reupholstry etc will mostly be done in Morocco (I'm driving there to see my partners family in this...) once it's structurally sound enough.

I have heard of people taking cars to Poland for restoration but Morocco is next level for sure.

Looking forward to seeing this progress.

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It looks like the dealership lasted  a century until 2004.  There's a place in Trowbridge called 'Sleighthome Court' so I guess that's where the garage once stood. 

https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/7290824.family-business-shuts-down-after-100-years/

I guess your Cabstar was originally parked around the back on the right hand side 😉

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6 hours ago, howe said:

I'm either going to find a new matching number or make another one to go back on 😁

I'd totally chip in towards one from Tippers. Assuming Tippers still exist and still make proper plates like that. That is an absolutely lovely truck.

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I've thought it over after comments, it'll likely stay blue..

The plan for the numberplate is to get a bit of reflective vinyl for the back, remake the missing character and put them back together, it should cost me about a fiver to have them looking better.

Also considering engine work - it seems that these came factory with an SD22 that presumably used the same box - I'm considering the possibility of dropping in one of these diesels, potentially an SD25 assuming it does all bolt up.
Once again, if anyone has background info on the bits Nissan were using back then let me know!!
I would of course be getting the H20 back in shape for another use over time, but it's a bit of a dog.

The cab and bed will be taken off soon as work begins.

30 minutes ago, Fabergé Greggs said:

Outside world: This plan makes no sense for too many reasons to list 

Autoshite world: This is a perfect plan

What could POSSIBLY go wrong?

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22 minutes ago, howe said:

I've thought it over after comments, it'll likely stay blue..

The plan for the numberplate is to get a bit of reflective vinyl for the back, remake the missing character and put them back together, it should cost me about a fiver to have them looking better.

Also considering engine work - it seems that these came factory with an SD22 that presumably used the same box - I'm considering the possibility of dropping in one of these diesels, potentially an SD25 assuming it does all bolt up.
Once again, if anyone has background info on the bits Nissan were using back then let me know!!
I would of course be getting the H20 back in shape for another use over time, but it's a bit of a dog.

The cab and bed will be taken off soon as work begins.

What could POSSIBLY go wrong?

If it weren't for the plan to actually use it, I'd wonder how well it'd go with that popular turbo from the 200SX etc. GR20DET or something?

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17 hours ago, howe said:

I've thought it over after comments, it'll likely stay blue..

The plan for the numberplate is to get a bit of reflective vinyl for the back, remake the missing character and put them back together, it should cost me about a fiver to have them looking better.

Also considering engine work - it seems that these came factory with an SD22 that presumably used the same box - I'm considering the possibility of dropping in one of these diesels, potentially an SD25 assuming it does all bolt up.
Once again, if anyone has background info on the bits Nissan were using back then let me know!!
I would of course be getting the H20 back in shape for another use over time, but it's a bit of a dog.

The cab and bed will be taken off soon as work begins.

Great to see this, very unexpected!

I'll have a dig around in the shed and see what manuals, servica data, specs etc I can find. From memory we only ever got that H20 petrol here, I should be able to find out what diesel option(s) they had elsewhere. Subsequent F22 model certainly had both.

1982 Datsun Cabstar VGV 342X (1997)

This one was at Medlers in the late '90s, even then they were a rare sight.

Looks like I must have a JDM brochure:

Nissan Cabstar (F20) brochure scans

 

Nissan Cabstar (F20) brochure scans

Smaller diameter twin rear wheels on the bottom one. Makes sense that they had that option, the loadbay on the standard model always seemed a bit high to me.

I've got photos of a couple of coachbuilt motorhome conversions, whether they're still around I don't know. From the very early days of AS I remember someone seeing this one still working for a living, perhaps @UltraWomble?

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I've removed the bed, chassis is pretty good underneath all things considered
Realistically the frame for the bed itself is toast, I'll likely be remaking it. The best route is to restore to standard and put a camper box on top of the bed so I can swap between pickup/camper easily, all the saved space at the bottom and sides can be used for storage boxes.

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4 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

I'll have a dig around in the shed and see what manuals, servica data, specs etc I can find. From memory we only ever got that H20 petrol here, I should be able to find out what diesel option(s) they had elsewhere.

Cheers, that would be immensely handy 😁
It's a bit of a ballache finding information at the moment, and I seem to be met with opposing opinions as to whether an SD would fit.

Very interesting to see the other options they came out with, the crew cab looks a bit hefty

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