Scrapped my VTR and bought this 4x4 Campervan

[Lionsden]

Well, after 6 years of thrashing my old VTR to within an inch of her life, she finally gave up on me, or I gave up on her. She'd been in and out of Manic Motors in Boldon each month and was costing me over £150 a month just to keep her running, so I broke her up and flogged all the nice bits on ebay and scrapped the rest of her.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x245/Lionsden-Newcastle/My%20old%20saxo/DSCF0033.jpg

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x245/Lionsden-Newcastle/My%20old%20saxo/DSCF0017-1.jpg

I paid her a visit last week in the scapyard when looking for a new washer jet for my new truck. She'd been totally stripped, well at least most parts of her have gone to good use.

My new vehicle is a little different from my old Saxo, she's a Grey Import from Japan (only imported in 2006), Mitsubishi Delica L400 Space Gear 2.8td Exceed(try saying that in one breath!!!) , 7 Seater, 4x4(with difflock and hi/lo ratio gears).

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x245/Lionsden-Newcastle/Delica/02122010090.jpg

She's basically a monocoque body people carrier on a Shogun/Pajero running gear. I've removed one of the back seats to allow for a campervan unit I built with 2 ring burner and grill and a sink with cupboards below it for storing the gas and water and other bits & bobs.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x245/Lionsden-Newcastle/Delica/Hob%20Grill%20and%20Sink%20Unit/DSCF0608.jpg

The Seats are captains chairs which swivel and fold into loads of different seating positions so you can sit backwards, forwards, sideways, and they also fold into beds.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x245/Lionsden-Newcastle/Delica/Hob%20Grill%20and%20Sink%20Unit/DSCF0771.jpg

I've fitted a small fold up table and I've now re-registered her as a Motor-caravan with the DVLA and insured her on camper conversion insurance as motorhome insurance is half the price of normal, just less than what I was paying for my saxo and covers me for loads more than standard insurance.

I've also fitted the biggest set of Khomo KL71 Mud Terrain Tyres I could fit (without removing parts of the wheel arches and getting a 2 inch lift.) Check these out for a bit of tyre porn!!!

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x245/Lionsden-Newcastle/Delica/05112010055.jpg

I've been having fun in the snow pulling cars out of the snow and ice last month...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvCvrx3eKVM

I thought my old saxo was fun to drive but this is in a different world.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x245/Lionsden-Newcastle/Delica/Page_1.jpg

[Pieface]

Your first post is about this?

[Lionsden]

Yep I'd never posted on here just browsed it, just got reminded I was a member today as it's my birthday and I had an email from site. So I thought I'd pop this up.

[haz_pro]

ROFL good spot pieface.

[Rodney]

The VTR looks clean "Apart from the rear wiper and exhaust" Shame u thrashed it about. Poor Saxo :n:

[Lionsden]

Yep she was imaculate outside and engine was great. CV joints, drive shaft, ds bearings, wheel bearings, all front suspension needed replacing, and although I'd thrashed her I looked after her well, replacing any parts as they needed it, but after my son was born I needed something bigger and couldn't keep paying so much to keep her running, I got more by breaking her than I would selling her as she was, and put the cash towards my new truck.

[bonesvtr]

delica's are ace! its basiclly my pajero with a camper body on it. i was looking at them but the missus hates them! and i woulnt be able to do he sorts off stuff i can in a paj when im offroading! what do you think of it so far?

[daveyb1987]

Where bouts in Shields you from m8?

[Moke]

Happy Birthday :y:

[jeffchiz]

looks like a lot of fun mate lol

happy birthday!!

[Lionsden]

Cheers bonesvtr. I'm loving it, only been proper off-road in it the once to a pay and play site, I followed two disco's in A/T's round as I'd never been there before, they said they'd buy me a pint if i could follow them in my "minibus" and I ended up towing one of them out the mud then driving through the same patch he'd been stuck in. They are a little higher and longer than the Paj so not quite as stable, but you feel like king of the road up that high. I was suprised at how quick they can be if have to put your foot down.

I'm actually from Boldon but livin in Jarra at the minute.

Cheers!

Sorry this multiquote thing is confusing the hell out of me.

[bonesvtr]

theyre a lot more cabable than people give them credit for! ive shown up some serious bits of landrover kit! with them being IFS people think they wont go anywhere, i take mine to tong all the time and end up with a crowd watching me tackling bits that 90's are getting stuck in! then theres one of my mates with a 90 and me and him get really competative. tried doing a a REALLY silly bit.......ended up rolling it onto the drivers side...........he wouldnt dare try it after that! :homme: thats part of the fun!


you havent had any grief with the pump seals yet have you? 2.8's are renowned for that!

just noticed the YD aswell, are you in MDOC?

[Pixie]

2.8 Delica not bad.

If ya need any parts call Milner off road :y: (i work there)

Might give ya discount lol :P

[bonesvtr]

2.8 Delica not bad.

If ya need any parts call Milner off road :y: (i work there)

Might give ya discount lol :P

handy person to know! ;)

friend request inbound!haha

[Pixie]

Why Thank you :A:

[bonesvtr]

no worries. :y:

[Lionsden]

S666HSH, Ahh yes cheers I get the service kits from Milners, that's all I've had to buy so far but, it's inevitable that I'll be after various bits and pieces in the future Thanks!!!
bonesvtr, Yes the seals were done not long before I got her, I had looked around for a nice reliable feeling one for ages after reading all the tips on MDOC (yes I am a member - fantastic forum!!!), I looked at loads locally (well as local as you can get when looking for one of these) not many up this end of the country. I ended up getting one from Delica World Bristol as all the ones I'd looked at needed major work like timing chain, fuel pump seals, or egr refurbished or blanked etc... I paid a little more than what I would have privatley but it had just had it's timing chain done 5000 miles before I got it, pump seals done, new glow plugs, copper bus bar, injectors, expansion tank, egr blanked off, full service and they gave me a warranty, which gave me a bit piece of mind especially on the drive back to Newcastle from Bristol, they had some proper blinged up Delis there asking nearly £8000 for some.
I was a little gutted when a couple of months after getting her I saw a V6 Petrol Deli for sale on ebay just 10 miles from me, but again they are even more rare and parts would be very hard to source. Touch wood all she has cost me so far is in servicing her, and building the cooker/sink unit, oh and a s**t load of diesel, I had been treating her to V Power Diesel all the time but prices at the minute have put a sharp stop to that.

[Bound]

Gotta say mate.. Seems like a step down for me, Guess the van is pretty imcomparable to the saxo though.. only thing they have in common is they are both cars :p.

Do really like your old Saxo though.. bar the rear wiper, and that's saying something because I don't like MK1's and think silver is the worst colour for Saxo's, yet I really like that.

[Saxguy]

Nice saxo mate..
never liked the Delica its a camper on steroids lol :)

[Lionsden]

Yep I wasn't overly keen on the silver wipers, Taking a step down I'd have to totally disagree!(You have to take a massive step up to get in this!!! Even has steps and handles on the door frame to help you.) Serioulsy though, Ok the truck is 16 years old but she's only been in this country for five years, hence less winters of salty roads, so on the body work, chasis, and under the bonnet there is no signs at all of the dreaded tinworm at all. She's done less than half the milage my Saxo had done. I also spend a lot of the summer helping run sound systems at festivals and am planning on taking my son to a lot more this summer and the saxo was not best suited to driving through muddy festival sites. Also I've wanted a 4x4 for years, and I've wanted a camper for years, so killing two birds with one stone. She doen't have the looks or the speed of the VTR but she makes up for it in every other way, and it's a pleasure to see X5 and Range Rover drivers looking up at you rather intimidated for a change.

[Lionsden]

Nice saxo mate..
never liked the Delica its a camper on steroids lol :)
Cheers I did like her a lot!!!
Think you may have missed the point though that's exactly what I was after!!! A camper on steroids!!! Lol

[Dave_P]

Nice one! I'm looking to buy a jap import mpv for towing duties this year.

Are mud terrain tyres road legal? I always thought they had to be a/t tyres for road use.

[Lionsden]

Nice one! I'm looking to buy a jap import mpv for towing duties this year.

Are mud terrain tyres road legal? I always thought they had to be a/t tyres for road use.
Excellent I'd recomend a Delica to anyone!
Yes they are legal the I think the legal tread amount differs slightly on Mud tyres I think you have to have a few mm more than on road tyres, but the tread on these is massive and provided I don't do any damage offroading in them they should last for years! I'd highly reccomend the KL71's they are fantastic in the mud, on rock, on snow & ice, and they have great road manners as well. Plus they look very aggressive which suits the truck.

[LVC]

Nice VTR (was) and nice Truck - you'll find the MPG and road noise high due to the MT's - my 90 runs Goodrich MT 31x10.50R15's which are enormous and only fit due to the hi-lift kit and if you do plenty of mileage the tyre wear can be heavy.

Play with the tyre pressures to get better grip especially in the snow - it's quite amazing how low you can go with the MT's.

Always interesting to read how many people slag off 90's, Disco's and Hang Overs - in the right hands they're as good as every other 4x4 and in their day the 90 was the best available - not so sure now as there's a much wider choice available. Just cos the "wannabefarmer" owns a Land Rover doesn't mean that he knows how to drive it (as is often the case). Best 4x4 I've ever driven was a 4.0L Wrangler with massive sand dune tyres and an autobox - virtually instoppable in the desert (Saudi Arabia) when everything else just bogged down and dug itself a hole. In the mud there's a local froggy with a "Lada Niva Cossack" that seems to go absolutely everywhere without hesitation. A chap in a LWB Pajero with road tyres went round a very muddy quad circuit the other day and us quaders just stopped and watched open mouthed - he had serious control and skill. Would love to get my hands on a military Wolf though :y:

[Lionsden]

Nice VTR (was) and nice Truck - you'll find the MPG and road noise high due to the MT's - my 90 runs Goodrich MT 31x10.50R15's which are enormous and only fit due to the hi-lift kit and if you do plenty of mileage the tyre wear can be heavy.

Play with the tyre pressures to get better grip especially in the snow - it's quite amazing how low you can go with the MT's.

Always interesting to read how many people slag off 90's, Disco's and Hang Overs - in the right hands they're as good as every other 4x4 and in their day the 90 was the best available - not so sure now as there's a much wider choice available. Just cos the "wannabefarmer" owns a Land Rover doesn't mean that he knows how to drive it (as is often the case). Best 4x4 I've ever driven was a 4.0L Wrangler with massive sand dune tyres and an autobox - virtually instoppable in the desert (Saudi Arabia) when everything else just bogged down and dug itself a hole. In the mud there's a local froggy with a "Lada Niva Cossack" that seems to go absolutely everywhere without hesitation. A chap in a LWB Pajero with road tyres went round a very muddy quad circuit the other day and us quaders just stopped and watched open mouthed - he had serious control and skill. Would love to get my hands on a military Wolf though :y:


Cheers,
I was thinking of the 31's but I'd have to knock the seems of the wheel arches out with a lump hammer and even then may still have to give her a lift I wasn't too keen on that, so I got the 30 9.5's instead. The road noise on these KL71's is very little as the rubber is quite soft, you only really notice it if you are on very smooth tarmac. After they re-surfaced my street last week I got back from work and turned into my street and nearly stopped my truck wondering what the weird noise was I'd never really noticed it before this. Yep you can give someone the best 4x4 in the world but with no driving skill they would probably still get stuck or topple it. I used to drive a Def 90 when I worked in france pulling mobilehomes on and off their plots on the big campsites. It was that which made me want a 4x4 for years.

[bonesvtr]

ive got 32" insa turbo saharas on the paj at the minute, going for special tracks when these wear out, going for the 285/75 16's they come up at just over 34" with them being retreads. ive got a 3 inch lift and 2 inch bodylift already, im just moving onto nissan patrol rear springs wit hilux extended shocks, then lower the front diff 1 inch, ball joint flip and crank the torsion bars slightly more. even though mine is quite highly modified i still get grief from the landrover boys saying that my "jap crap" wont get where they get...........it does!:cool:

LVC, where abouts in saudi were you? ive just come back from working in Taif on the typhoons at the beginning of september.

oh and a few of my paj......:wacko:

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/padjy/DSC00043.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/padjy/DSC00042.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/padjy/DSC00039.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/padjy/36221_435824921969_657431969_625792.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/padjy/36221_435824091969_657431969_625788.jpg

[Dave_P]

Excellent I'd recomend a Delica to anyone!

Its a 3.0 TD Nissan Elgrand Highway Star i'm looking to buy.

http://images.drive.com.au/drive_images/dealer/preaut/00000669/1_m.jpg

[LVC]

LVC, where abouts in saudi were you? ive just come back from working in Taif on the typhoons at the beginning of september.

Based in Al-Khobar and Rastanura - although did spend some time in Jubail & Jeddah diving and a few trips to deliver the "wet stuff" ;) to Riyadh and of course the mandatory trip over the causeway to Bahrain - several times.


http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/padjy/DSC00039.jpg


Awesome photo - had a similar experience with my quad ... lol

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll38/LVC1/Quad/Oops.jpg

and who said Land Rovers don't roll >>>

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll38/LVC1/Disco/Dsc06909-sm.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll38/LVC1/Disco/Dsc06901-sm.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll38/LVC1/Disco/Dsc06905-sm.jpg

[bonesvtr]

haha, that "wet stuff" have lost many memories with that stuff!

one of our lads used to go down to jeddah nearly every weekend to do diving. did you ever drive the escarpment? used to love that road! and the road to riyadh! just plant it and keep the wheel in a straight line!:cool:

what happened the disco? my mates got a TD5, there actually not too bad offroad.........except he cant get it where i get mine......so hes just bought a .......jimny!:homme:

i went through it......he tried to follow.......:wacko: he failed......

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/padjy/DSC00038.jpg

[LVC]

haha, that "wet stuff" have lost many memories with that stuff!

one of our lads used to go down to jeddah nearly every weekend to do diving. did you ever drive the escarpment? used to love that road! and the road to riyadh! just plant it and keep the wheel in a straight line!:cool:

what happened the disco? my mates got a TD5, there actually not too bad offroad.........except he cant get it where i get mine......so hes just bought a .......jimny!:homme:

Don't know the road - missed that one. My trips to Riyadh was always from Al-Khobah but the road it pretty much the same as the Jeddah/Riyadh one I would imagine - end up playing swerve the dashed lines just to stop being bored - all OK as long as you disconnect the 120kph bing :wacko:

The TD5 had a rear right blow out on a left hand bend in France - I kept her on the road but when she gripped again she went across to the LHS and up the embankment and ended on her roof. Prior to that she was a great car - 7 seats (small legs needed for the back 2) and really comfy - never really went off-road with her as I had the 90 - too clean and shiney for the muddy stuff...lol :homme:

You work for BAE?

[bonesvtr]

ouch! in france aswell!:wall:

i do like d2's a lot, they're proper nice inside!

the escarpment is amazing! ill dig out some pics, we used to play dodge the lines aswell! and i thought it was just us!:wacko:

yeah i used to, never again!!!!:n: worse than being in the RAF! im re training to be a plumber now and waiting to find out about a job with Jet2.

Who were you working for out there? and what were you doing?

[LVC]

I was there more than 15 years ago working for an independent co. as an Oil and Gas IT Consultant but spent most of my off-time with the BAE lads from Khobar (Eagles RFC) and the US guys from Aramco (Dharhan) - weird life, got off the ride before it was too late :wacko:

[LSOfreak]

thats epic, your my hero

[J222JRA]

Why...just why???????????????????

[dave_1]

bet you cant corner as fast......

But in all fairness think its a good motor should have some good times in that.

[Lionsden]

ive got 32" insa turbo saharas on the paj at the minute, going for special tracks when these wear out, going for the 285/75 16's they come up at just over 34" with them being retreads. ive got a 3 inch lift and 2 inch bodylift already, im just moving onto nissan patrol rear springs wit hilux extended shocks, then lower the front diff 1 inch, ball joint flip and crank the torsion bars slightly more. even though mine is quite highly modified i still get grief from the landrover boys saying that my "jap crap" wont get where they get...........it does!:cool:

LVC, where abouts in saudi were you? ive just come back from working in Taif on the typhoons at the beginning of september.

oh and a few of my paj......:wacko:

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/padjy/DSC00043.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/padjy/DSC00042.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/padjy/DSC00039.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/padjy/36221_435824921969_657431969_625792.jpg
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/padjy/36221_435824091969_657431969_625788.jpg

That's a nice looking Paj!!!! I'd love one to Mod for pure off road!!! Very Nice!!!

[bonesvtr]

cheers mate, theres still a big list of stuff to get fitted when the weather gets better, snorkel, bigger tyres, bigger lift, got to fab up a winch mount to get my winch to fit, me and a mate are pulling all the soft top back off it and putting a bulkhead in so its effectivey a pick up.

i love it though, 238k miles and still showing no signs of stopping any time soon!

[Lionsden]

cheers mate, theres still a big list of stuff to get fitted when the weather gets better, snorkel, bigger tyres, bigger lift, got to fab up a winch mount to get my winch to fit, me and a mate are pulling all the soft top back off it and putting a bulkhead in so its effectivey a pick up.

i love it though, 238k miles and still showing no signs of stopping any time soon!

I'll look forward to seeing how it goes!!! Yep my list is getting bigger and bigger, I'm after a Terzo Ladder, Expedition roof rack, more spots, bumper and winch, lift kit, I'm going to have a go at making a snorkel it looks pretty simple, just need to buy the top section that channels the water out, my main priority was fitting all the camper components so that I could re-register it with the DVLA, that's sorted now so I should get chance to start on my list as soon as Christmas is paid for!!!

[bonesvtr]

i love the safari snorkels for delis! the way they come right up the body!:cool: that might be the l300's though, and they do look good with the expedition look
about them!
sometimes have a butchers over on MDOC, (POCUK's sister club infact:y:) just to look at a few of the ones on there, theres a lot of potential with a deli! but still cant get the missus to like them! cant even get her to like a VW transporter!

SHE FAILS!!!!!

[bonesvtr]

actually ive got some pics of some massive ones somewhere....ill have a quick look for them....

[Lionsden]

Have you seen Bruce's Mystery Machine and Mud Monkey,

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x245/Lionsden-Newcastle/Delica/Other%20Delicas/MM04.jpg

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x245/Lionsden-Newcastle/Delica/Other%20Delicas/BP28.jpg

they are amazing L300's I'd love an L300 aswell, I love their boxey looks. Yeah the snorkel on the L300 goes up the side behind the door the L400 goes up the A pilar like the Paj.

I love the look of this one aswell!!!

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x245/Lionsden-Newcastle/Delica/Other%20Delicas/DSC02923.jpg

I'd like to get mine looking like this one...

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x245/Lionsden-Newcastle/Delica/Other%20Delicas/DSCN2248-1.jpg

I would'nt like to go any higher than that, for fear of making it too top heavy!! Like this I think this is a bit too much!!!

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x245/Lionsden-Newcastle/Delica/Other%20Delicas/delica.jpg

[bonesvtr]

yeah ive seen the mystery machine, and that olive drab one looks ace!

ive got a pic of that last one kicking about somewhere aswell!

these are two i really like, love the one on the swampers!!!!:cool:

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg268/padjy/deli2.jpg

[Lionsden]

Yep I do like that!!! That's the thing if you do start going that high you need to go a lot wider with it to keep it stable. Another plan of mine is to get a couple of B&Q bins and cut them up to make new arches and pop a set of 30mm spacers on each wheel, but at the minute my tyres are just flush with the body work so I'd need the arches sorted first.

[bonesvtr]

haha! bins!!!!!:zainy: im going to use cheap car mats for my arches, im just sticking out of my arches at the minute, ill see what its like with the new tyres and see if i need spacers or not, if i use standard paj wide arches id ust rip them off!.......and they probably wouldnt fit anymore....all the arches are a bit wrinkley now........:oops:

[Lionsden]

haha! bins!!!!!:zainy: im going to use cheap car mats for my arches, im just sticking out of my arches at the minute, ill see what its like with the new tyres and see if i need spacers or not, if i use standard paj wide arches id ust rip them off!.......and they probably wouldnt fit anymore....all the arches are a bit wrinkley now........:oops:

That's a good idea!! I know I thought that but lots of people i've spoken to say B&Q black bins work perfect they use the lip where the lid would sit to attach to inside of regular arch and they look like a professional job, well it's worth a try for a couple of quid an arch!!!

[bonesvtr]

That's a good idea!! I know I thought that but lots of people i've spoken to say B&Q black bins work perfect they use the lip where the lid would sit to attach to inside of regular arch and they look like a professional job, well it's worth a try for a couple of quid an arch!!!

might even give that a go myself!:y: