Popular Post howe Posted April 8, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted April 8, 2021 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. 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. 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... (Wheel distorted due to fisheye lens) I reckon the hardest part is picking a colour to respray it. danthecapriman, Supernaut, mk2_craig and 73 others 76 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightBulbFun Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 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... (Wheel distorted due to fisheye lens) 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 howe and Burnside 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howe Posted April 8, 2021 Author Share Posted April 8, 2021 1 minute ago, LightBulbFun said: love the old raised digit number plates, shame the front one is missing a digit I'm either going to find a new matching number or make another one to go back on 😁 BlankFrank, Burnside, Wilko220 and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuvvum Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 They do look a lot like the Mk1 Hiace, don't they? Those are rather thicker on the ground these days though - I can't remember the last time I saw a Cabstar of that vintage. howe and BorniteIdentity 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500tops Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 I would've thought the easiest part was choosing the colour... The original, for sure! eddyramrod, Marm Toastsmith, Shite Ron and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKT Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 This is what your Longchamps are going on right? howe and Out Run 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Longbridge Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 What a flippin hero. I can only assume your balls are made of more solid stuff than the cab. Here's a photo before someone duffed your front bumper. Watching with great interest! DavidB, Skizzer, Burnside and 13 others 15 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort1977 Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 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. howe and louiepj 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairnet Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 restore - pffft clean windows fix brakes make run weld so the ministry dont freak (athough not a problem soon) make interior nice so you dont barf roll BlankFrank, howe, Marm Toastsmith and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthecapriman Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 Wow! This should be interesting! Great to see an old commercial getting some tlc. Not many of those around at all. LightBulbFun, eddyramrod and howe 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunglebus Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 Most excellent! I like the dealer sticker with four digit phone number, always remember my VW van had "Theydon Bois 2722" on the original dealer number plates howe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy - Medhurst Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 Looking forwards to the updates on this - Great that it has a uk future and avoided any permanent export. Colour? Well thats a simple answer - Original blue. Noel Tidybeard, eddyramrod and howe 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crackers Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 WOW. Epic stuff. Didn't even know cabstars were made before about 2001. I await this one with mega interest. howe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Longbridge Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 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 😉 howe, Faker and Austat 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skizzer Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 Holy Mother of God, that’s glorious. As to driving to Morocco in it...just wow. howe and Low Horatio gearbox 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 YES! If you do Facebook, this group will be very helpful. https://www.facebook.com/groups/330067390415255 howe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardK Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 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. howe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skizzer Posted April 9, 2021 Share Posted April 9, 2021 Tippers do still exist, and will supply missing digits and/or restore the existing plate if you want. Which you mostly don't, I would say. https://www.tippersvintageplates.co.uk/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/tippers?opendocument&part=11 eddyramrod, RichardK and howe 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabergé Greggs Posted April 9, 2021 Share Posted April 9, 2021 Outside world: This plan makes no sense for too many reasons to list Autoshite world: This is a perfect plan AnnoyingPentium, loserone, Marm Toastsmith and 13 others 14 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braddon81 Posted April 9, 2021 Share Posted April 9, 2021 What a truly epic find. My grandparents neighbour - who was a builder, had an identical dropside Cabstar on a W plate brand new back in 1980 . As for what colour it should go - it has to stay blue - it's the default Datsun commercial vehicle colour. 😊 howe, Asimo, Skizzer and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howe Posted April 9, 2021 Author Share Posted April 9, 2021 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? mk2_craig, Braddon81, Skizzer and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardK Posted April 9, 2021 Share Posted April 9, 2021 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bezzabsa Posted April 9, 2021 Share Posted April 9, 2021 Colour - surely this has to be the ultimate DO NOT PAINT??? Or hearing aid Beige Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkyarddog Posted April 9, 2021 Share Posted April 9, 2021 It amazing that it wasn't loaded up with Japanese engines and shipped to Africa years ago. Looks in decent shape for an ancient Datsun commercial vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoadworkUK Posted April 9, 2021 Share Posted April 9, 2021 Phenomenal. That's all. howe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 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. This one was at Medlers in the late '90s, even then they were a rare sight. Looks like I must have a JDM brochure: 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? ProgRocker, danthecapriman, warch and 13 others 15 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UltraWomble Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 Yes that builders pick up was kicking around Blackpool in the 90's and early 2000's.Im not based there any more so can't say if it's still about or not. Sent from my EML-L29 using Tapatalk howe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howe Posted April 10, 2021 Author Share Posted April 10, 2021 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. 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 500tops, Lacquer Peel, Heidel_Kakao and 15 others 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownnova Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 What an awesome project!!! howe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidel_Kakao Posted April 10, 2021 Share Posted April 10, 2021 Cool project 😎I will be following with much interest 😀 howe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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