Tekforums
Chat => Sports, Hobbies & Motors => Topic started by: knighty on June 22, 2014, 00:21:57 AM
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just about to start (or I guess have started) the renovation of my transit county (county = 4x4 in transit talk)
haven't really done anything yet, just stripping some stuff out/off... but I guess I have to start the thread somewhere...
plan is to rip everything out, strip it all down, have it sand blasted then rebuild it
with a massive pop top, massive bed, big fridge (for beer), microwave, tv+pc (I promised my nephew I'd fit these), sink and hob, some kind of fold out shower at the back (still can't decide how), hydraulic bike carrier on the back, so it lifts up and down at the press of a button, (for 2x electric bikes) erm... other stuff
and a V8
I've already bought a 4.0 32v V8 Audi ABZ.....
but now I'm thinking the 4.0 supercharged V8 from a jag XJR might be more fun :-)
here's a link to the album of photos so far...
http://imgur.com/a/UciNi (these are in reverse order, start at the bottom!!!)
front wings are no good, rear arches are no good, one sill is no good, above the windscreen is rough... other than that it looks like it's only small patches here and there... remarkably the chassis is all pretty immaculate... which is odd for a transit.. I wonder if being higher up off the road helps, and maybe so much time spend in the desert helps too ?
(guy I bought it from went off to Africa in it and didn't come back for 2 years, and he bought it from a guy who did something simmiler - the photo of the map shows where the guy I bought it from went)
and here's a massive album of photos from before I got it...
http://imgur.com/a/UgtQ3
I've had it sitting outside my work for about... 2 years now, maybe more... with nowhere dry to work on it... but I bought the building next door to my work to expand into, so I'm going to get this done quick before I start work converting it from a truck garage to a dog food factory extension :-)
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Crazy stuff :lol: Can you turbo the Audi lump?
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Having seen it in person when it was fresh from Africa I can only attest to how mad/cool it looks, it should be awesome when it's finished :w00t:
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Awesome DIY project.
Whats the intended use once its fixed up?
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Crazy stuff :lol: Can you turbo the Audi lump?
you can.... but I don't really think it's worth it... van was 76hp when new (less now)... the big V8 is more for the sound than anything else... mud tyres, high soft suspension etc.. mean I won't be going very quick
V8 sounded like a good plan.... supercharged V8 sounded even better
Awesome DIY project.
Whats the intended use once its fixed up?
I've got no idea.... I wanted a 4x4 transit van since I was a little kid... saw this one on ebay and bought it on a whim... originally I was going to strip it out and turn it into a van... but the giant sh*t eating grin on my face the entire time driving it back from Birmingham changed my mind
I'll make it back into a camper, but just with short stays in mind... or with the plan to go away in it but stop places (nice pub etc..) for proper meals etc..
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engine is out
gearbox is out
dash is out
wiring looms are out
battery trays are out
loads of trim etc.. all out
moving a bit quicker now :-)
(http://i.imgur.com/5Idq63h.jpg) (http://imgur.com/5Idq63h)
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love this project! will keep a close eye on it.
i would be going for a more modern common rail or PD diesel engine though, if you did go touring a v8 might not be very fun filling up every 150miles.
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I did buy a turbo diesel engine for it (newer version of the original engine, 2.5turbo di) but... then I decided I wanted something.... more fun
I'll probably do an LPG conversion on it anyway - bonus is I can use the same lpg system for the hob and heater :-)
bought myself a pro sandblasting kit on ebay, I'll probably still get the shell professionally done, and then do things like axles, hubs etc.. myself
another idea I had today... I'm going to move the handbrake to the right hand side of the drivers seat... so there's more room to walk between the eats and into the back
used to have a talbot van like that and it was pretty good once you got used to it :-)
I'll have to shift the leasver for the 4wd control forward a bit too, but that's no biggie :-)
some more seats I could clip in/out of the back would be nice too :-)
took more photos, but nothing to see till I start putting things back together tbh
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hows the project going mate?
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since I posted those photos I've done.... nothing (to the van anyway)
I bought an XRJ with a 450hp supercharged V8 to go in it tho!
I've been crazy busy at work, another 3 or 4 weeks and I'll have plenty of free time to work on it, should be able to work on it at least 12hours/day 3 days a week
I need to start thinking about the inside, I know what I need to do mechanically, and I've planned out all the practical stuff in my head... just not sure on the interior...
I'll get the captins seats in the front re-trimmed, but I'm not sure in what, cloth? leather ? and what colour ?
in the back I'll have a counter down the wall behind the drivers side
on the other side, after the side door I'll have a seat which slides down (electrically) to make a bed, a bit like a footon...
but I've got no idea about colours, or what kind of finish
I want the van to look really old/rough/used on the outside (but no rust etc..) and then the inside to be super clean and modern to contrast it...
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I'll get the captins seats in the front re-trimmed, but I'm not sure in what, cloth? leather ? and what colour ?
Gingham, the choice of school girls, picnic sets and of course Mr Flibble.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9sFsvYgvFe4/TxEM3e4uFvI/AAAAAAAADrI/T1OO19FtMZY/s1600/red_gingham.jpg)
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I think cloth seats are better all year round tbh
Shame i can't really offer you any build parts, a: your too far away and b: all the vans we seem to get in are sh*t. :w00t:
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I'm putting in aircon, so leather seats should be ok for year round use
one thing I'm stuck on is the dash... I really like the shape/look of the mk3 dash, but it's a pretty plain gray colour, and pretty bland... I'd really like to make it a bit more.... luxurious... but I have no idea how without it looking sh*t
I wonder if I can go somewhere and have trim put on it ?
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I'm putting in aircon, so leather seats should be ok for year round use
one thing I'm stuck on is the dash... I really like the shape/look of the mk3 dash, but it's a pretty plain gray colour, and pretty bland... I'd really like to make it a bit more.... luxurious... but I have no idea how without it looking sh*t
I wonder if I can go somewhere and have trim put on it ?
have a look into 'flocking', its pretty cheap and tidies up old hard plastics dashes nicely.
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I'm putting in aircon, so leather seats should be ok for year round use
one thing I'm stuck on is the dash... I really like the shape/look of the mk3 dash, but it's a pretty plain gray colour, and pretty bland... I'd really like to make it a bit more.... luxurious... but I have no idea how without it looking sh*t
I wonder if I can go somewhere and have trim put on it ?
have a look into 'flocking', its pretty cheap and tidies up old hard plastics dashes nicely.
I was going to say flocking but a couple of the lads that come into work with T4's have painted their dashes too.
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Knighty, you also need to look into Hydrographic dipping! :heehaw:
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I'll google flocking and dipping
picked up the jag today
just got back 3.30am
it doesn't have any front break calipers (and a few other cosmetic bits, which is why it was cheap)
tested it as much as you can test a car with no brakes, in the street, outside your work at 3am... it's not quick, it's a f***ing spaceship... tiny flick of the pedal and it's off like a shot..... I'm considering buying calipers for it just so I can test it properly before I take the engine out for the camper
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I'm predicting a repeat performance of you giving the old Beemer one last thrash down the roads of the industrial estate, I remember struggling to keep up :lol:
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Its so much faster that that.... Floor it at 50 and it spins both back wheels instantly...
(Traction control isn't working)
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Fingers crossed the giant twin wheels on the back of the transit are enough to make it drivable.....
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Looks extremely interesting project Alan, something a bit rarer than the standard camper conversion. Much progress since the summer?
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I've done... erm... nothing to it at all :-(
just been too busy with work... got a fair few jobs out of the way, so hopefully will be able to start work on it soon