1979 Toyota Hiace RIO GRANDE CAMPER!

fitted some new kyb front shocks, new fan belt and took it for its mot last month - passed with a couple of minor advisory's that shouldn't be to hard to sort ;D

also new seats, I've been looking to replace the stock seats for a while as they don't have much support or adjustment. I think I've found a solution
Porsche 924s seats, they are a very similar design shape and size to the Hiace ones (just not brown vinyl!)

i've now got a pair of scruffy ones for sizing up, but really i'm holding out for the brown velour ones if some ever come up on ebay. ;D

Progress! With the funds from my 323 I have been able to buy a decent welder!. For the last week or so I have been de-rusting. I don't have to many pics as I keep forgetting to take some.

van currently looks:

There are various bits of welding I need to do on the van but as it keeps raining I have been focusing on removable panels.

example of the rust, i ended up cutting out the drain hold bit and remaking that, then did this:


currently the door looks like this

Also have done a repair on the bottom of the door.

have done a few repairs on the front quarter panels too.

One step forward several backwards and one sideways, Got a mate round to help with the removal of the front screen. He has done plenty of screen removals before so were in good hands. Spend and hour playing about but the screen wouldn't budge until the inevitable happened:

Although this was after I'd checked screens were still available!
The screen did eventually come out, just about in one piece.

With the screen out i could asses the rot:

80% of which I've now done, I should finish tomorrow. As for the screen a local place can get one for £105 inc fitting and is coming on tuesday. I'd wanted to replace the old screen anyway as it was scratched to hell but didn't expect to be doing it this soon.
edit : the rest of the screen surround was like new only that one corner that had rotted

nice one mat..should'nt take to long to get it up to scratch..
were did you get the new screen from??

I like your van a lot.

Keep up the good work!

only a little bit today;

This hole on the inner arch was under a lump of fibre glass

So it got cut out

I attempted a continuous weld after a few tack welds. Mostly worked although I didn't get brilliant penetration in a few places, so had to go over them again.

metal now




given the door a coat of 'rover diamond white'! When the time comes to re spray the entire van it will be this rover white, similar to the original slightly cream white.

nice work mat.. should be ready for the summer?!!
did you see my write up on my modded points dizzy to electronic?? might be of some use to you,maybe??

it should be the same dizzy as mine mat.. if your enigne is the 1.8.. its a 2Y lump..
mines the 2.0.. 3Y and the 2.2 was the 4Y and from i can work out.. the dizzy is the same on all of them..