Roxy the '71 Panel - So That's What's Wrong With the Engine

[gvee]

I was introduced to the T2 back when I was only small.

Back when I was under 10 years old a family friend lent their bay window (I think it was an early) to my folks and we left Brizzle for our first ever camping holiday. We set off with Scotland in our sights with my parents up front and me and my two brothers in the back, sat in an L-shaped configuration around a table where we enjoyed the best way to be a passenger; card games, a distinct lack of sibling rivalry and incessant "are we there yet".




...we broke down...

I remember it quite clearly. IT wasn't the first time I'd been on a hard shoulder (my parents had an old Renault and a Morris Minor, ahem) but it was the first time we had left a tell-tale trail behind us.

Luckily we weren't far from my auntie and uncle's farm so after a little fettling in the engine bay by my father we made the last few miles and plonked the van in one of the barns.

I barely saw my dad for 3 days as he rebuilt the engine. Once ready we said a gracious farewell to the extended family and pointed ourselves north once more and hit the road.

... a few miles later we broke down again! Yep. Seriously.

My uncle towed us back to the farm with one of his tractors and the RAC were called out to help.



Why am I telling you this story? Well, this is the reason I am addicted to these lovely vehicles!





A few years back I bought my first bay. A 1972, RHD, twin-slider (in metallic pink)! She was dubbed Lily and she is lovely... She's currently up for sale (PM me if interested).

But that's not what this thread is about. It's about my second van; Roxy.

This is my dream van! A 1971 panel van 8)

 

[gninnam]

At last - the van surfaces :lol:

Nice story dude about the early days (you were under 10, so only a few years ago then )
Looking very nice and loving the stance 8)
Any chance of some interior shots young man

 

[trebor]

Very nice, I wanted a van but the missis wanted windows which put paid to that idea.

 

[Gwar72]

Cool story and Ace panel..!! 8)

More photo's please...!!!!?? :lol:

 

[woz]

8) Story, funny how they get under your skin, if that was a modern car and it broke down twice on the way to your holiday you would never buy one again.

Oh ye cool van - enjoy

 

[gvee]

Looking very nice and loving the stance 8)
Any chance of some interior shots young man

I love the stance. Much to my surprise I don't have to be much of a pothole dodger as it is tubbed up front with some seriously good shocks (Toxic, methinks?).

I'll try get some interior shots over the weekend if I can get enough done before daylight fails me. It has a full-width Westy bed in the back along with a basic parcel shelf and a buddy seat.

Very nice, I wanted a van but the missis wanted windows which put paid to that idea.

My girlfriend wasn't sold on me getting a panel initially. I think once we had camped in it she was swayed 8)

More photo's please...!!!!?? :lol:

I'll get some more up soon. There's a tale and a half about my first few weeks of ownership to come yet!

8) Story, funny how they get under your skin, if that was a modern car and it broke down twice on the way to your holiday you would never buy one again.

We never actually made it to our holiday destination but I had a cracking time any way :msn4:
I remember before buying my first classic I rang these family friends for some advice and it was a quick and stern "buy a T4 or T5!" :lol:


Thanks for all the nice comments

 

[bluebay]

Did you buy it of Junglefacejake ?
It is a cool looking van dude.

 

[junglefacejake]

Roxy???? :lol:
I understand when you have a new baby you give it a name but "Donk" sounds like he has had a sex change.
Hope you are having as much fun with him as we did

 

[junglefacejake]

Did you buy it of Junglefacejake ?
It is a cool looking van dude.

Hey Phil, how's things?

 

[vwcanuck]

Best looking red panel I've ever seen. Awesome how the logos are still visible ... you're not going to cover them are you? :?

 

[gvee]

Did you buy it of Junglefacejake? It is a cool looking van dude.

Aye. Mine now

Roxy???? :lol:
I understand when you have a new baby you give it a name but "Donk" sounds like he has had a sex change.
Hope you are having as much fun with him as we did

"Donk" is the sound she cries when hitting a pothole :lol: Fretted over a name for ages but then it hit me: Roxy. Simple, obvious, feels right.

Best looking red panel I've ever seen. Awesome how the logos are still visible ... you're not going to cover them are you? :?

Cheers mate but the credit is from previous owners. The logos have washed off now in the rain; was chalk put on by Jake for a wedding. Might not be the last time it's sign written (long term plans)!






So today is my birthday. I had planned to get the van running by the end of today but things were against me. I was ill today so wasn't feeling up to facing 4 degrees. Got down to the van at noonish after picking up the fuel clips I needed. Spent the rest of the daylight hours fitting my Firetec and getting the engine back in situ.

I'm sure I'll get better with practice but getting it back in was a b*tch!

Ran out of daylight so hoping to get back down there straight from work tomorrow, run an extension lead, inspection light and get the exhaust and electrics fitted up. All fingers crossed that she'll fire straight up!

Hopefully a positive update tomorrow night!

 

[junglefacejake]

Happy Birthday G
Hope you've had a good day sickness aside good luck tomorrow

 

[aspro]

Cool panel. Love it. 8)

 

[gninnam]

Happy B'day G

Good luck tomorrow also

 

[gvee]

Damn.

Spent a wet, cold evening after work finishing off the bits of the engine in situ (exhaust fitting, oil, electrics).

Unfortunately it didn't start. Think my battery is a bit too low and I'm not getting a proper spark... that and perhaps having the timing too far out or I've got the leads in the wrong order or something?

Got some reading to do this evening and unfortunately can't make it down tomorrow so fingers are crossed for Thursday!

 

[gvee]

Chapter 2 - Roxy's first trip!

A little more than 2 weeks after bringing the van home off we went on a long trip to probably my favourite show: Oktoberfest!

We set off from The North at 11am on the Thursday morning and took our time cruising down to Slimbridge for an overnight stop. The journey was a little too leisurely (lovely, long lunch break) and with a tiny spot of trouble about 15-20 miles from our destination we didn't arrive until 4:30pm.

I love camping in a van. 5 minutes later we were "set up", beer in hand and going for a wander! 8)

By 6pm we were in the pub enjoying some wonderful ales and some hearty grub. Well fed and well watered we stumbled back to the van and lights were out as soon as the head hit the pillow.

We stayed at Tudor Caravan Park, which has great shower facilities that have underfloor heating for goodness sake!

We left the site around 10:30am after a little breakfast headed south. Unfortunately things really did go this way from then.

As soon as we hit 55mph the van would cut out. Would start first time, every time after though. So we spent a long time dawdling along at 45 and after a few too many crap-outs we manage to limp to Gordano services. From there I put in a call to Nick @ CJ Motors and told him we'd be appearing soon :msn4: After leaving the motorway the van drove very merrily on the A roads without missing a beat. Pulling like a train up the hills without needing to go down a gear! Curious...

Spent 4 hours at Nick's yard trying everything. He is a true master and a gent - I am incredibly grateful! Unfortunately no matter what we tried we were simply stumped. Could not explain what the heck was going on as it wasn't rev related but it was consistent when we hit the right (or should that be wrong) speed. In fact, that speed was getting lower after each attempt.

Any guesses?

Better break this rhubarb with another picture, right?

8)

In the end we had to give up. We had kept Nick too long already. After all, he was going to the show too!

We decided to plod on and keep it slow and sensible. At this stage I have to throw out another thank you; this time to my girlfriend. Without her I would have given up on the long, long, long journey to Devon. "Just one more try" was repeated more times than I can count!

We were continually cutting out. I think the longest stint we managed was 11 miles It was getting dark, late and we weren't really sure what we were going to do. I have no idea what the time was when we finally found a reasonably flat layby in the middle of nowhere to cut-out.

I barely slept (stress) and dawn arrived too soon. Back on the road we kept going.

Long day, too many stops. Hills started becoming the biggest problem. Every hill - especially on corners - we prayed that we'd make it round safely. Eventually it wasn't restarting properly. I coasted more yards than physics should allow to make it to a tiny layby on the flat. It was at this point that the lightbulbs started going off. Phone calls to Nick (and Oz and Si) narrowed it down to a fuelling issue and the main culprit was found!

...a blocked fuel filter! Something so little, so stupid, causing such big problems! There was just enough length left in the pipework to remove it and get a direct join from the tank to the hose. Just.

As an aside: I love this vans stance. But it is fooking impractical, especially when you don't know how to get the wheel off :lol:

After a brief fire safety talk with the mrs trouble free motoring then ensued! A little underpowered because of fiddling with bits but with the biggest grins on our faces we cruised on!

The taste of petrol was a little too much so I pulled in to the first place to buy a drink. One of the fire extinguishers had toppled over in the walkthrough and when I went to grab it the thing went off! Scarface would have been jealous of the mess :lol:

Anyway, we finally, barely, made it to site (repeat issues in the last 10 miles, plus a distinct ability to idle was added to the mix). 4:30pm on Saturday :roll:

You can't but laugh :lol:

What was left of the weekend was awesome!

So that's Nick's panel, Oz's ex-panel and my beaut!

Sadly the big yellow truck had to come to our rescue for the return journey. The AA provided us great service. Neil, the mechanic spent 2.5 hours with me trying to get the engine running right. Two steps forward and one step back at every try! Eventually we got it idling, running, but not sounding right. He refused to let us take it any further.

So, home we went!

We eventually got home at 2:10am on Tuesday morning.

Despite it all; a really cool weekend away :mrgreen:

 

[gninnam]

Sad story well told

Hope you get the engine sorted soon so I can give it the once over :mrgreen:

 

[junglefacejake]

Gutted to hear your woeful first trip tale.
Sounded like extreme symptoms for just a blocked fuel filter.
Hope it all gets sorted

 

[gvee]

SHE LIVES!











Football training was called off last night so my father and I spent 2 hours in the peeing rain tinkering with the engine.
We revisited first principles and worked our way around possible fault points and we finally got the beast to come alive!

No idea if it will start second time but that ignition firing was the highlight of my week

 

[gninnam]

Great news :mrgreen:

What was it then