Pleasure Wagon - Finding its replacement.

[KruJoe]

A couple more memories have surfaced, first up, collecting a RAV from @gadgetgricey 

A WVO collection...

We had a BX estate, this, and a trailer loaded to the max on that run. 

And then we spent a day or two helping @SambaS shift some shite to his new unit:

 

 

[vulgalour]

It's wiv da angle grindaz nao.

 

I remember falling asleep in this on purple car collection day because I was so fucking knackered. 10/10 would snooze in again.

[KruJoe]

Anyone want this? (copied and pasted from a PM I sent one of you lot - turned out unsuitable for him but maybe someone can make use of it?)

 This evening I had 5 minutes with the seat, a tape measure, and my phone. And a mechanic kitty. 

Here is the seat from the Pleasure Wagon, it is from the middle row, right hand side and center seat, seats two. It is slightly grubby in places but not disgusting or smelly. The mounting holes are 42 centimeters apart front to back and 21 centimeters side to side.

The base swivels 180 degrees and I think it can be locked in facing forwards or facing backwards positions, maybe even sideways too, I can't remember, it's tricky to test with the base not screwed down. The seat is also adjustable for leg room, the base slides fore and aft. 

Only after turning the thing over to photograph it for you did I see this inertia reel lap belt. This was news to me! This makes it possible to use two seat belts either facing forward or facing backwards. While fitted normally in the car facing forwards there is a normally mounted seat belt that would clip in here.  The other seat belt is a normal type lap belt.
In a normal seating position the bench is 83 centimeters wide and about 60 centimeters from the front of the squab to the back of the backrest, of course it reclines so that is variable. From the floor to the back of the seat is about 74 cm at its highest not including the headrest. There are only holes for the one headrest, though I think I still have some of the other headrests, and indeed some of the seats that I previously took out to make the Pleasure Wagon more useful for me. They would be a single seat from this same middle row that would make a row of three together, along with one from the back row that is basically one and a half seats, that one was mounted atop the rear wheel well, hinged to fold up flat against the side. Those have been in a scrap RAV4 up the field for several years so won't be in such good condition but I can dig them out if you are interested. Or just the headrests if you wanted to try to mount them to a bulkhead or something. More measurements... If the seat is mounted to a flat floor, the front of the squab is only about 33 centimeters from the deck, so quite low, and slopes down towards the back of course. Sorry this is in essay from, I used voice typing as I battled with the wind and a tape measure!

More pictures...

Any good?

It's well engineered, and heavy!

You're welcome 🤗

 

[KruJoe]

So thoughts turn to more permanently replacing the Pleasure Wagon. It's a tough act to follow. Ideally I need something to as good as that and be even better if possible. Obviously it needs to be a large MPV with 4WD  or AWD. I don't like "off roader" type 4x4's and SUV's because high floors and big wheel wells are the thief of interior space. Which defeats the object. I don't need OLLI capabilities, just the traction in wet/steep fields, occasionally with a heavy trailer. A major plus of the PW for me was the long, low, flat floor, and the height inside, and the fact the body was usefully slim on our little roads where it spent 90% of its time. I swear it felt narrower than the Bini we had.

Anyway, here's a sample of what we've been considering:

Mk 3 Estima E-four, it's a hybrid by way of an electric rear axle. Too sleek? Too taxi?

Bigger, less sleek, Toyota Alphard. These look awkward, can't get excited by them.
 

Mk1 Elgrand. I really like the look of these, there's a choice of several petrol and diesels, in 2.5 - 3.5 sizes. I missed out on this one, good 4WD ones are super rare now. Starting to rot away.

Mk2 Elgrands are much more common, but do feel special inside. I went to look at this fresh import, 3.5 pez, 4WD with a new LPG kit. A good size for us, but they're nearly all black or white, and I'm not keen on the styling at all. And perhaps a but low to the ground for field-based activities?

I should maybe have bid on this one, much better in pale blue with beige, but was put off by it's location and the lack of a free day to get to it. It finished up about £3500.

The same local importer as that white Elgrand had this Mk5 Delica. I've admired the ambiguous look of these but until then hadn't seen one in the wild. They're rare and not cheap. Mrs_KJ really liked the Tonka styling so the seller took us for a ride out. Inside it didn't feel that special really, just like an average modern car. All black. And it didn't feel at all grunty from the passenger seat. They had a pearl white one which looked better but even more expensive.

4WD Bongos are not uncommon, but they're getting to the bottom of their curve, used, abused, and starting to rot. I'm not keen on the huge centre console between driver and passenger, also they just look a bit too camper/bus-ish. Same applies to Granvia/Regius Toyotas.

This Cadillac SRX Sport. 4WD 3.6 petrol was an odd one, tempting, but too much of an unknown for me, and probably not much height inside. 
Same for the R-Class:

There's more of them to choose from, though 90% seem to be silver. I'd be scared of the bills.

This Ssangyong Turismo is 4WD and a nice colour, and the right size, but in flipping Cornwall, and not cheap. I know just how crap they can be, and it's neither pretty nor interesting to look at. Ho hum.

I need to compromise on something.

[KruJoe]

We've made a decision. 
I found the cheapest example in the country of one of the models above, and bought it. Seems alright. 
To be revealed at Shitefest!

[wuvvum]

I've been tempted by those R Class Mercs in the past, but they're all in a stupidly high insurance group for some reason.

[KruJoe]

The winner is...