so i've been meaning to do a build thread for ages...
**I'll come back and add some pics later**
i started looking for a van probably around 2007, found nothing for sensible money and carried on looking for the next few years. then i needed something 'sensible', so started looking seriously in 2013 and after seeing a few rotboxes (one for sale by a well known member of the 'scene' who acted surprised when i put my hand through the sills) i found a bashed up but solid van, which i bought from deano at CCR in baldock in september 2013. the plan was to make it a day van with a bed for festivals and camping, but then it ended up being my daily so progress has been slooooooow. and i have a 2 year old daughter, so progress got even sloooooooweeeer.
it's an india blue transporter, with the abl 1.9td engine. it's 'special' because it seems to have no extras whatsoever.
so if i summarise what i've done to it so far:
2013:
removed mesh on tailgate window
swapped passenger single seat for a double
swapped the dash speakers for some 10cm vibe speakers
bought a set of spare wheels, had them sandblasted, painted them and then binned them because the paint reacted with the primer
2014:
cut out the half bulkhead
replaced the bonnet release because it was stupidly stiff
smoked/clear lamps all round
replaced the driver's door handle because it broke
bought swivel bases for front seats (driver's one fitted, other still in the shed, waiting for me to fit some rear seats so i can put the passenger single back in)
found a diesel leak from the pump
bought a t5 caravelle rear seat and rails
cleaned out the rear of the van and removed the sound deadening ready for mounting the seat rails
bought a straight sliding door to replace the current dented one
discovered that the tailgate doesn't sit straight because the hinge panel seems to be bent
2015:
fitted 17" t5 steels from si coles, with a kwak green powdercoat
chopped a hole in my new sliding door for a window, dressed the outer skin back and plug welded it up
2016:
found rust breakig through on my powdercoated wheels. not impressed.
bought side windows, with sliding openers
replaced passenger door handle because it broke
made up mounts for the t5 seat rails
replaced the water pump as it puked its guts up in the carpark at work
blanked the EGR
2017:
fixed the rear windscreen wiper and heated window that have never worked
replaced passenger door handle, because it broke. again
fixed the gear linkage at the side of the road with cable ties, because it collapsed on the way to work leaving me with just 3rd and 4th
replaced all gear bushes and drilled for short shift
replaced the diesel pump because the MOT man finally noticed it was leaking. did the cambelt at the same time.
and i'll come back to some of that and add pics.
the plan now is to get all the dents pulled out, remove rust, respray satin black (i want nato green but my gf hates it), and fit all the parts i've collected - side windows, the bloody rear seats, carpet lining, interior panels, etc. and get it all done this year so i can start using it for camping.
**I'll come back and add some pics later**
i started looking for a van probably around 2007, found nothing for sensible money and carried on looking for the next few years. then i needed something 'sensible', so started looking seriously in 2013 and after seeing a few rotboxes (one for sale by a well known member of the 'scene' who acted surprised when i put my hand through the sills) i found a bashed up but solid van, which i bought from deano at CCR in baldock in september 2013. the plan was to make it a day van with a bed for festivals and camping, but then it ended up being my daily so progress has been slooooooow. and i have a 2 year old daughter, so progress got even sloooooooweeeer.
it's an india blue transporter, with the abl 1.9td engine. it's 'special' because it seems to have no extras whatsoever.
so if i summarise what i've done to it so far:
2013:
removed mesh on tailgate window
swapped passenger single seat for a double
swapped the dash speakers for some 10cm vibe speakers
bought a set of spare wheels, had them sandblasted, painted them and then binned them because the paint reacted with the primer
2014:
cut out the half bulkhead
replaced the bonnet release because it was stupidly stiff
smoked/clear lamps all round
replaced the driver's door handle because it broke
bought swivel bases for front seats (driver's one fitted, other still in the shed, waiting for me to fit some rear seats so i can put the passenger single back in)
found a diesel leak from the pump
bought a t5 caravelle rear seat and rails
cleaned out the rear of the van and removed the sound deadening ready for mounting the seat rails
bought a straight sliding door to replace the current dented one
discovered that the tailgate doesn't sit straight because the hinge panel seems to be bent
2015:
fitted 17" t5 steels from si coles, with a kwak green powdercoat
chopped a hole in my new sliding door for a window, dressed the outer skin back and plug welded it up
2016:
found rust breakig through on my powdercoated wheels. not impressed.
bought side windows, with sliding openers
replaced passenger door handle because it broke
made up mounts for the t5 seat rails
replaced the water pump as it puked its guts up in the carpark at work
blanked the EGR
2017:
fixed the rear windscreen wiper and heated window that have never worked
replaced passenger door handle, because it broke. again
fixed the gear linkage at the side of the road with cable ties, because it collapsed on the way to work leaving me with just 3rd and 4th
replaced all gear bushes and drilled for short shift
replaced the diesel pump because the MOT man finally noticed it was leaking. did the cambelt at the same time.
and i'll come back to some of that and add pics.
the plan now is to get all the dents pulled out, remove rust, respray satin black (i want nato green but my gf hates it), and fit all the parts i've collected - side windows, the bloody rear seats, carpet lining, interior panels, etc. and get it all done this year so i can start using it for camping.
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