Camper Woes

[Volksy]

A friend of mine has an early Hi-Ace camper sat rather folornly on her drive, due to various reasons it's not run for awhile, and been punted about the neighbourhood. The decision now needs to be made as to what to do with it. It's not a bad old bus, run's ok (it is a Toyota after all) and the cab isn't all that bad, apart from the flat paint and a few rust scabs.

 

The problem is the Coachbuilt Camper body, water has got in through the roof, and one of the main roof supports has rotted. I assume that the side paneling will have to come off to replace it, but it may be easier to replace the whole body if another could be found. I've seen similar ones pop up now and again in spotted threads. But they probably are in just as bad a state. Does anyone have any experience of repairing these, and any advice that could be offered would be appreciated. Sadly if something isn't done soon, I fear it's gonna have to get scrapped.

 

 

 

[Station]

Are the supports aluminium? I'd take the sides off and start from scratch, just gut everything out, I'd actually enjoy doing that if it were mine.

[barrett]

shame if it gets scrapped, these early Hiaces are pretty thin on the ground. the fact the the bodywork isn't totally fubar'd makes it a viable project though, shirley?

[Volksy]

The body frame is all wood, with plastic side panels and an aluminium roof, teh top side support for the roof is rotten, along with one of the central roof support crossmembers. I think that the whole side will need to come off to effectivley repair it, but to be honest these early Hiaces don't go for mega money.

 

My vote is to remove the camper body, and put a pick up body back on it, as my friend is a gardener it would then make a useful truck, rather than the elephant that it is, only getting used about twice a year. ALthough looking about for a pick up bed, most get exported, so building something may be the answer I guess.

[pogweasel]

A pick-up seems a good idea, but what would you do about the back of the cab - I assume at present it is a walk-thru, so it would need sorting in a way that doesn't look demented.

 

Lashing up a pick-up bed with timber & angle iron would a a piece of piss though.

[Volksy]

Funnily enough, it's not a walkthrough, the original cab rear complete with window aperture is still there, so as long as we can get a glass it would look like it was never a camper.

 

 

Chances of finding an original body are nill, although I guess a Cabstar one would be a pretty close match,

[Station]

Was this converted later on? Looks good as a pickup!

Shame to lose out on possible mobilehome though.

[Volksy]

Here's a pic of the back of the cab (Library shot)

 

[binhoker668]

Pick up body would be deadly Mr Volks. Would be happy to give a hand in any shape or form....

I'd be the only hiace pick up on the road as well...

I see nicely varnished wood sides.....

Also, with the camper body gone, it would be a lot less of an elephant - Liz'd get light back into her living room etc etc...

Keep me informed. I'd hate to see that scrapped - had a drive in it before and it was ace craic....

[Richard]

I've seen pictures of similar repairs on caravans. It looks deeply alarming but I think the procedure is relatively straightforward, if you stick at it and keep your nerve. I'll try and dig out a link.

 

Edit- found it. Not the best website but I reckon you'd get all the advice you need from him or one of the other people featured.

 

http://www.1carpc.co.uk/wcdr/index.htm

[HillmanImp]

Is it wood that's rotted or metal? Guess its wood? Are you just wanting to rip it off so that your front room does not look like a timberyard again?

[Volksy]

Thankfully it's not parked outside our house anymore, so It'd be L's house that becomes the timberyard..

 

Yeh its the wood thats rotten, if it was metal you would have probably had a call by now Mr Imp.

[Tayne]

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[Mat.T]

I've helped repair a MK2 transit coachbuilt, we took off the aluminium sheets on the side and fitted new lengths of wood. The paneling came of really easily. Most coach built campers will have been repaired in the past they arnt usually well made in the first place.

 

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1975-TOYOTA-HI-AC ... 0434865597

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TOYOTA-HIACE-1973 ... 0562543594

 

[binhoker668]

That one at the bottom looks ace!

Whaddaya reckon Mr Volks - street-cred gardening ute?

[Volksy]

They're both awesome, just need to convince L now!

[Volksy]

well something has had to give, so to save this old crate, i'm now the co-owner of the saggy mildewed thing.

 

Quite excited to be honest!

[Cavcraft]

Class!

 

Doing a w.i.p thread I hope?

[Volksy]

Aye, first job is to get it running. It's not run for about a year or so, so battery will be on charge tomorrow night, and see what happens..

 

The wheels are all being shotblasted and powdercoated as we speak, so things are already in process.

 

The decision as to what to do with the camper body is on hold. Going to start stripping the side off thats rotten, and see where it leads. I'm quite keen on fabricating a pickup body for it. But will see what horrors lurk once we get the cladding off.

 

Gonna need a few parts, I know trim is pretty much unobtainium, but if anyone has any contacts for that sort of stuff then any info is most welcome.

 

It appears to have been ziebarted, so apart from a few surface scabs the cab is pretty solid, especially for an old J-tin-bus built in '76 (IIRC one of the worst years for crap rusty metal), the chassis is solid too.

 

It's only done 24k by the looks of it, so the mechanicals, 1600cc petrol engine (I assume shared with the celica and other Toyolets of the era) should be spot on!

 

 

Woot!

[binhoker668]

Brilliant news mate - as I say, am up fer aid and assist in whatever form (although granted I'm rarely up there at the mo!). Just giz a bell. Will also have another look round the scrappys down this way - see what I can turn up...

[Volksy]

Cheers M.Hoker, Anything you can find scavenge will be more that helpful!

 

M. Imp is here at the moment, sizing up for a possible pickup bed. You're right on the wood sides!

[Tayne]

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[Angrydicky]

Bloody lovely. We had one years ago, OYH 36R. It turned up last year on Ebay, incredibly it is still on the road. Great vans!

 

Please, please, please don't scrap the body if at all possible, they are getting so rare now, it also started out life in this area (PJN plate like my 2CV).

 

Good luck with it!

[messerschmitt owner]

Doesn't somebody on here own one of those campers?

 

The chap with the Smart coupe and the bubble cars?

Sold mine and mine was the next model on a van conversion.

[Spottedlaurel]

Good save! No harm in trying to rescue the camper body before you definitely go the pickup route. Isn't there a classic camper club? Could they advise on such matters, or perhaps find a home for the body if it does come off?

 

I would suggest making sure this is always kept somewhere secure, due to their exportability.

[Guest]

Isn't there a classic camper club?

http://www.brmmbrmm.com/classiccamper

 

http://classiccamperclub.tripod.com/

 

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/ ... owforum=30

[Mat.T]

I've got most of the factory workshop manuals for the first and second gen Hiace, if you need anything scanned let me know. The 1600 12r engine always seemed a bit small for the size of the coach built body!

[mouseflakes]

I had two Hiaces, both 1972- a pop-top and a fibreglass coachbuilt Dormobile New World. The worst thing about both of them was the rot in the cab (a posts, steps, wheel arches, floor). If the cab on yours is as good as it sounds then stick with it (even if you have to junk the rear) - that was the most awkward thing to fix on mine. I loved them both and regret selling the pop top to a work mate who then trashed it at a few festivals.

[HillmanImp]

The worst thing about both of them was the rot in the cab (a posts, steps, wheel arches, floor). If the cab on yours is as good as it sounds then stick with it (even if you have to junk the rear) - that was the most awkward thing to fix on mine.

This camper spent about 2 years parked on my drive after it had travelled round Europe for 6 months. Has stickshift on it FTW. Took some getting used to.

 

It was rust free when it went, but the cab had suffered a bit by the time it got back and then again whilst it sat on my drive. Its just rust, not rot as far as i can see. Its not had work done on it before as far as i know, so there should not be any nasty surprises. Just need a bit of tarting up.

 

I love that blue pickup on the previous page. That is pretty fly. Do it like that and then lend it to me.

[Volksy]

The cab and chassis are in pretty good shape, there is a few scabs here and there, but apart from a little hole on the cab step it's all solid.

 

Even the door bottoms are clean!

 

It needs a new Indicator/sidelight Lens on the passenger side, but other than that the trim is all there.

 

As I said before the Camper body is the main problem, it's a soft wood frame, which is VERY soft/rotten in places due to water ingress, It also lost a rear wheel at one point trashing the arch, fold down step and a couple of other bits underneath.