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Jul 26, 2020 22:54:34 GMT
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Some very quick and dirty paint has been thrown at the van.   It's not pretty by any stretch of the imagination but I think looks a bit less horrendous than it did. Doesn't need to last forever given that both of the panels involved will be replaced eventually anyway. At least the rust should be a bit less conspicuous at a passing glance now. |
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Current fleet: 73 AC Model-70. 75 Rover 3500. 84 Trabant 601S. 85 Sinclair C5. 06 Peugeot Partner 1.6HDi.
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Jul 28, 2020 17:09:03 GMT
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I was mostly cleaning up the Xantia's interior today as she's heading in for an MOT at the start of next week, but as the cab of the van was really dusty so have it a quick scrub up too.  Really do need to do something about the threadbare carpet on the engine cowl. If it wasn't glued on I'd just remove it and have that match the rest of the dashboard. Finding a second hand one may well be the easiest solution there. Shame as the rest of the cab is really tidy. |
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Current fleet: 73 AC Model-70. 75 Rover 3500. 84 Trabant 601S. 85 Sinclair C5. 06 Peugeot Partner 1.6HDi.
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I made a point of borrowing my husband in the evening yesterday to get a bit of exterior footage of the Jag at something other than idle...
While we were at it, I was curious to see if the van actually sounded as ridiculous from the outside as it seemed based on my hearing it bouncing off buildings and such.
Yep...That's about what I expected...Sound clip that could well be from a good few decades ago!
Really needs be tried again with a better vantage point and when the traffic is quieter though...
Also looks like my nearside indicator repeater is out, will check that later today.
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Last Edit: Aug 4, 2020 12:29:20 GMT by Zelandeth
Current fleet: 73 AC Model-70. 75 Rover 3500. 84 Trabant 601S. 85 Sinclair C5. 06 Peugeot Partner 1.6HDi.
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It's nice when simple jobs actually stay simple. I noticed during the video clip of the van yesterday that the nearside indicator repeater wasn't working. Had a look today and it turned out to be nothing more sinister than a slightly dirty lampholder. Quick clean and we were back in business.  This has obviously had issues with water ingress over time so might want replacing at some point in the next year or two. They're not hugely expensive at least. |
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Current fleet: 73 AC Model-70. 75 Rover 3500. 84 Trabant 601S. 85 Sinclair C5. 06 Peugeot Partner 1.6HDi.
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village
Part of things
Always carries a toolbox. Because Volkswagen.......
Posts: 567
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If you're disappointed with the noise, an OM606 sounds mint.......
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"The White Van is strong with this one...."
Chris "Chesney" Allen 1976-2005 RIP
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Oct 13, 2020 10:42:17 GMT
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Yesterday I stumbled across a box of things I bought a few weeks ago for the van and promptly forgot about. Some little self contained rechargeable lights which have IR sensors so they can detect when doors in front of them are opened. These have been deployed in the kitchen cupboard and a couple of lockers which are kind of black holes without illumination. The results speak for themselves I think.  They have magnets in the back and just attach to metal plates which stick or screw in place where you want them to go. The package quote something like three months of runtime on one charge. I've little interest in that, this is the sort of thing that we'd just make a point of charging them before we were actually going out to use the van for camping.   Under sink cupboard is probably the biggest gain.  Really quite impressed with them to be honest. £11 for the set of six I think it was from Costco. As with most things from there, they feel really well made. |
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Current fleet: 73 AC Model-70. 75 Rover 3500. 84 Trabant 601S. 85 Sinclair C5. 06 Peugeot Partner 1.6HDi.
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Apr 26, 2021 22:55:09 GMT
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Later this week I've got a couple of portable split system air conditioners to collect. I reckon that I *might* just about be able to Tetris both of them into the back of the Xantia...maybe. I'm quite braced for having to make two trips though. At the end of the day it's only an hour each way so if I need to make to trips it's hardly the end of the world. However if I had the van available that would make things far, far easier as I'd have bags of room to spare then. Following a few recommendations on the MK Modern Classics group on Facebook, I've got it booked in with MOTest in Newport Pagnell on Wednesday morning for a test. My usual garage can't do me an MOT on this as it's too big and too heavy for their test bay. I've been out and given her a quick once over. The brake hose ferrules are a bit more crusty than I'd really like. I wouldn't say they're bad, but I'd definitely expect them to at the very least to be an advisory. They'll be getting changed either way - just not before Wednesday.  Still slightly irked that the garage last year didn't even get a mention last year given the number of as far as I can tell non existent faults with the braking system that they found and charged me for sorting...Would have expected the rigid lines to have got a mention too - though those at least just need a clean up I reckon. The front shock absorbers, particularly the offside one look quite crusty (and it has a dust cover held on with a cable tie), but they both work as far as I can tell. Like the brake flexible lines, I'm going to plan on swapping those out in the near future anyway for peace of mind.  I've sorted the spurious brake pad wear warning light issue - by disconnecting the sensor leads. I'm not proud of it, but the problem is a simple fundamental issue with the system design which results in false triggering with modern brake pads. Rather than the way for instance BMC did where they just have a light in series with a metal tab in the brake shoe, which grounds the circuit through the disc when the pad gets worn down, Mercedes have the switching done by a transistor - meaning that even the tiniest bit of leakage to ground at the brake end of things brings the light on. I don't think I've ever actually seen one of these vans where the wiring wasn't snipped off decades ago... guessing this may be why! I've not cut anything, no need to. There are two connectors that can be unplugged in the engine bay. So if somewhere down the line I feel like modifying the system to be less hyper sensitive I can easily get it going again. Though being honest on a van that's doing a couple of thousand miles a year it's really not necessary. Obviously would be far more important a feature if she was a van in heavy commercial service doing thousands of miles a month! Discovered the nearside indicator repeater was out. This turned out to be a bit of poor design. The ground for the repeater is via the mounting screw - however that's just a self tapping screw into a plastic plug on the inside of the wing. A bit of rust on the screw where it passed through the wing = dead light. I've done away with that and replaced it with a nut and bolt with a shake proof washer, and a big blob of grease over it to keep water out. There could be a thousand things I've missed though...it barely moved last year. Obviously being an old Merc rust is the biggest fear! I then went and cleared what felt like about two tonnes of dead leaves and dog hair out of the interior.    I'll get back under there tomorrow and give all the rigid brake lines a rub down and see if I spot anything else needing attention. I will say it's really nice having a vehicle that you can comfortably work underneath without needing to faff about with jacks or ramps! In the interests of seeing off Murphy's Law, I do stick an axle stand under the chassis rails though just in case a spring decided to snap while I was crawling around under there. Unlikely? Yes. However I know my luck and it takes all of thirty seconds to do. So let's just play it safe. I'd by absolutely lying through my teeth if I didn't say I that even just on the run to the testing centre that I was massively looking forward to driving the old bus again. It's been far, far too long. I do find it highly amusing the degree of decision paralysis that I sometimes suffer as to whether to go out driving in a Citroen Xantia Activa, 2.8 tonnes of camper van with 78bhp, a V12 Jag XJ-S, or an Invacar. I enjoy driving all of them...Though honestly the Invacar probably has caused the biggest grins from me lately. They all have their moments though... Xantia: Seeming ability to totally ignore the laws of physics where changes in direction are concerned and the addictive shove in the back when it comes on boost. Jag: The sheer degree of torque from a standing start is absolutely ridiculous...oh, and the noise when you go anywhere north of 3000rpm. Comfort goes without saying...and the looks. Van: She's just a lovely old thing to drive. Gearchange, steering, ride and strangely enough, the smell all say vintage bus to me. Invacar: Hard to point at any one thing, as it's just such an utterly unique driving experience...and far, far more capable a vehicle than you'd ever think to look at. |
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Current fleet: 73 AC Model-70. 75 Rover 3500. 84 Trabant 601S. 85 Sinclair C5. 06 Peugeot Partner 1.6HDi.
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75swb
Beta Tester
Posts: 1,052
Club RR Member Number: 181
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Good luck with the test. Fingers crossed for you
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Apr 28, 2021 11:02:03 GMT
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Well that could have been worse. One sticky brake caliper (41% imbalance on the machine - though it felt like it was improving on the way home) and a couple of silly minor things that will take five minutes to sort.  I've got it booked in for next Tuesday to have the brakes sorted - though if I have the opportunity before then I may well whip the wheel off and see if it will respond to a clean up and grease of the caliper slides. Bit irked at the headlight aim...that was last touched by the previous test station and I always reckoned it was off since they fiddled with it. Though given the overall standard of their workmanship I shouldn't be surprised I guess... |
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Current fleet: 73 AC Model-70. 75 Rover 3500. 84 Trabant 601S. 85 Sinclair C5. 06 Peugeot Partner 1.6HDi.
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Really do need to do something about the threadbare carpet on the engine cowl. If it wasn't glued on I'd just remove it and have that match the rest of the dashboard. Finding a second hand one may well be the easiest solution there. Bit late to the party here, I have missed this for a bit, but, it's not so much the glue you need to worry about. It's the psycho with the staple gun. |
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So the van was back in for remedial work and a retest this morning. Something became immediately apparent pretty much the moment I pulled out of the driveway - and that was that she was now pulling up in an absolutely perfectly straight line, rather than pulling hard to the right under braking. Apparently whatever was causing the nearside caliper to be lazy has cleared itself. Sure enough, on the rollers at the test station the brake balance was spot on. One headlight adjustment later...  Advisories: [] Corrosion on brake hose ferrules. Knew that going in. I'll look to get the flexible brake lines changed in the near future as I agree they've seen better days. While I can't see any perishing the rubber just has that "old" look to it that doesn't inspire confidence. There are only three on the van and they're not expensive. [] Corrosion on rigid lines. They're fine I reckon and just need cleaning up and given some protection. If anything looks even vaguely suspect though I'll change it. [] Frayed nearside seatbelt. It's been on every test back to about 2003 I think. Someone obviously used to regularly shut it in the door. If I come across a breaker at some point I'll change it, but I'm not worrying about it in the meantime. [] General underbody corrosion. Yep...It's an 80s/90s Merc. The underside of the cab is basically a series of patches held together by some bits of vaguely cab-shaped metal...Though it doesn't look to have got any worse over the last couple of years - I do think that a Vactan/Dinitrol party will be in the van's near future though. I did actually think about doing that before the MOT, but I'd rather the tester be able to see it warts and all given it's the first time they've seen the vehicle. [] Missing exhaust rubber. It isn't...There are about half a dozen exhaust layouts used on this van and the hangers are present on the chassis for all of the variants - the one that's "missing" is positioned in such a location that on this system there is physically no way you could fit one there, it would pull the pipe into direct contact with the bodywork - not that there's a hanger on the pipe there for it to attach to anyway. The initial issue with the brakes though is a clear signal that she's telling me that the calipers need to be given a good clean and inspection though. Aside from anything else the front brakes squeal horrendously when you're coming to a halt and have done as long as I've had the van. I'm seriously tempted to just to fit the new pads I've got in stock to see if that stops the squeaking as it's absolutely maddening in stop/start traffic. Did mean I could get her out for a decent run this afternoon though which I'm sure has done the world of good. Also finally got around to replacing the horrible aero hybrid wipers which just looked daft.   If you couldn't see them so obviously from in the cab it might have annoyed me slightly less. Anyhow, standard wipers now on...and again have confirmed that there's nothing for making you realise how badly degraded your old wiper blades were than fitting new ones. |
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Current fleet: 73 AC Model-70. 75 Rover 3500. 84 Trabant 601S. 85 Sinclair C5. 06 Peugeot Partner 1.6HDi.
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May 17, 2021 13:52:31 GMT
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I have dim memories of someone on here wanting the rear cover for a headlamp for one of these vans ages ago...just discovered the one I saved in the garage.
If you still want it drop me a PM with your address and I'll get it posted to you.
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Current fleet: 73 AC Model-70. 75 Rover 3500. 84 Trabant 601S. 85 Sinclair C5. 06 Peugeot Partner 1.6HDi.
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May 17, 2021 20:29:26 GMT
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Ooh yes 100% I was looking at ours the other day and scratching my head thinking "I'm sure I had figured something out"
Pm incoming!
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May 27, 2021 10:23:52 GMT
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will post a pic
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Last Edit: Jun 29, 2021 10:34:32 GMT by kells6
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May 27, 2021 10:34:13 GMT
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Nice looking van.
If you still have the trims I'd definitely like them! The wheels on this are quite deeply dished which has prevented any I've come across so far from fitting.
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Current fleet: 73 AC Model-70. 75 Rover 3500. 84 Trabant 601S. 85 Sinclair C5. 06 Peugeot Partner 1.6HDi.
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May 27, 2021 22:14:01 GMT
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Hi
Will look them out and post some pics up not sure if all the rear clips are good but the trims are good no dents
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Actually got a decent run out in the van today over to Basildon and back to collect some more air conditioning units.  Definitely easier than trying to shoe horn them into the Xantia. Nice to get out for a proper run with the old girl even if the M25 was precisely as busy as expected. |
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Current fleet: 73 AC Model-70. 75 Rover 3500. 84 Trabant 601S. 85 Sinclair C5. 06 Peugeot Partner 1.6HDi.
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Ooh yes 100% I was looking at ours the other day and scratching my head thinking "I'm sure I had figured something out" Pm incoming! Finally had something else arrive today in a box the right size for this! It's been boxed up now and will hopefully be in the post to you on Monday. |
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Current fleet: 73 AC Model-70. 75 Rover 3500. 84 Trabant 601S. 85 Sinclair C5. 06 Peugeot Partner 1.6HDi.
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Hi Will look them out and post some pics up not sure if all the rear clips are good but the trims are good no dents Hi Kinda spoke to soon this set has scratch's on the rims and no clips which i had forgotten about i had bought them along with other sets off a fella clearing out his Mercedes spares if there any good to you let me know ,,,looking for what i paid for them which was £40   |
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