Well, I thought I should probably start a thread for the building up of rusty trusty.
Some info first...
I bought him off the brother in law in February this year, so I know the history of him for the last few years (trusty is definitely male). He's been pretty well looked after and had work done mechanicaly when needed. He's only covered 125,000 (ish) miles, which is not much at all. He had been used for launching a boat and a jet-ski but the chassis was always kept tip top. I think this may be one of the things that contributed to the rot in the body at the rear though. He needs plenty of welding, mainly the rear inner arches and the passenger side front inner wing. Other issues are the creeping clutch pedal, bloody air bag light (still stays on after the reset procedure), Lights out in the dash (that sort of thing drives me mad) and the standard CD player won't work. The suspension is erm, interesting. You don't so much drive him as sail him :lol . So that will all be replaced. The issue of the large appetite for front tyres, on the inner edge, will need looking at. Wearing a brand new one down to the canvas in 9000 miles isn't good :eek . Also a new exhaust is needed. Well, the front and rear section, the middle is only a few months old. I think for now that maybe it. Im sure more issues will come to light when the work starts.
So..the plan.
As well as all the remedial work for the above all the suspension bushes etc will be replaced along with the drop links.
He won't be going back as standard. Hopefully he will become our overland type vehicle (the kids have gone to uni this year so FREEDOM
) and the re-build will be with that in mind. So no huge suspension lifts, big mud tyres etc. A mild 2 inch lift with a lift kit to make room for larger tyres (around 31 inch in English) which will be shod with some good all terrains (probably Cooper, I have never had any issues with those in the past). Obviously a snorkel (would be rude not to), extended breathers etc. Maybe a winch.? Thats something to be thought long and hard about. It's a lot of extra weight hanging off the front and with no 'hardcore off road' use it may be overkill. Saying that, I have been caught out a couple of times where having one would of been great. Luckily there were people there to drag me out. One stuck moment on a beach or out off the way could ruin a holiday. I have winched out before with a hi-lift so thats one way but it was long hard work.
The interior will be a big part of the build though. The rear will be kitted out with storage etc. I haven't broke the news to the boss yet but if I can get away with it I will remove the rear seats totally. I would like to have a sleeping platform in the rear incase the weather is bad but mostly it will be a tent, roof or ground (probably ground, roof ones are expensive and will need some saving for) . A roof rack will have to be sorted as well. Power points etc will need to be installed in the rear along with a split charge system.
Thats kind of the outline anyway. It won't be a quick build, if I can get the basics done for next April I will be happy, but that will still be far from finished. (April is isle of Arran time. Also we have a trip to the outer Hebrides planned for next summer).
There may be long gaps in-between flurries of work so if I don't update this regularly thats why. For now he will sit for a while as I finish a bike build for a guy (working gets in the way as well).
Some photos of him and some of the rust problems in the rear.
this is when we first got him.
A journey to the isle of Arran earlier this year.
Some of his rusty death.
I guess that it is for now.
Some info first...
I bought him off the brother in law in February this year, so I know the history of him for the last few years (trusty is definitely male). He's been pretty well looked after and had work done mechanicaly when needed. He's only covered 125,000 (ish) miles, which is not much at all. He had been used for launching a boat and a jet-ski but the chassis was always kept tip top. I think this may be one of the things that contributed to the rot in the body at the rear though. He needs plenty of welding, mainly the rear inner arches and the passenger side front inner wing. Other issues are the creeping clutch pedal, bloody air bag light (still stays on after the reset procedure), Lights out in the dash (that sort of thing drives me mad) and the standard CD player won't work. The suspension is erm, interesting. You don't so much drive him as sail him :lol . So that will all be replaced. The issue of the large appetite for front tyres, on the inner edge, will need looking at. Wearing a brand new one down to the canvas in 9000 miles isn't good :eek . Also a new exhaust is needed. Well, the front and rear section, the middle is only a few months old. I think for now that maybe it. Im sure more issues will come to light when the work starts.
So..the plan.
As well as all the remedial work for the above all the suspension bushes etc will be replaced along with the drop links.
He won't be going back as standard. Hopefully he will become our overland type vehicle (the kids have gone to uni this year so FREEDOM
) and the re-build will be with that in mind. So no huge suspension lifts, big mud tyres etc. A mild 2 inch lift with a lift kit to make room for larger tyres (around 31 inch in English) which will be shod with some good all terrains (probably Cooper, I have never had any issues with those in the past). Obviously a snorkel (would be rude not to), extended breathers etc. Maybe a winch.? Thats something to be thought long and hard about. It's a lot of extra weight hanging off the front and with no 'hardcore off road' use it may be overkill. Saying that, I have been caught out a couple of times where having one would of been great. Luckily there were people there to drag me out. One stuck moment on a beach or out off the way could ruin a holiday. I have winched out before with a hi-lift so thats one way but it was long hard work. The interior will be a big part of the build though. The rear will be kitted out with storage etc. I haven't broke the news to the boss yet but if I can get away with it I will remove the rear seats totally. I would like to have a sleeping platform in the rear incase the weather is bad but mostly it will be a tent, roof or ground (probably ground, roof ones are expensive and will need some saving for) . A roof rack will have to be sorted as well. Power points etc will need to be installed in the rear along with a split charge system.
Thats kind of the outline anyway. It won't be a quick build, if I can get the basics done for next April I will be happy, but that will still be far from finished. (April is isle of Arran time. Also we have a trip to the outer Hebrides planned for next summer).
There may be long gaps in-between flurries of work so if I don't update this regularly thats why. For now he will sit for a while as I finish a bike build for a guy (working gets in the way as well).
Some photos of him and some of the rust problems in the rear.
this is when we first got him.
A journey to the isle of Arran earlier this year.
Some of his rusty death.
I guess that it is for now.
