First an apology as I'm late I should have started this last summer! But a friend in need got in the way. I guess I'll start with a little about me. I take a lot of time off during the summer just to travel with my camper. I've done this for many years and have had a campervan for most of my adult life. Never quite got cars not when you can have a campervan the size of a family estate and just use it as such but always ready for a jolly. Then one fateful day I happened to be talking to my now new best friend about my love of T2 bays, he's got 3! He also happens to own his own business in the trade. I'm always worried about buying a lemon but he informed me the best way was to get a project that way I'll end up with a lovely van that I will know for certain is all good. So totally up for the challenge and with the promise of much help I started my quest... 2 years later! I finally found one - yay. So to last summers work; OK guilty I had just bought her and wanted to go camping, so it was a rush to get me road worthy. New tyres, new front breaks, a service and some gaffer tape - All proudly done by me and I was gone. Just a couple of weeks but I loved it. Then time to start the project proper by attacking the worse bit at the back. Rear lower quarters, battery trays and one outer arch. As a carpenter builder I don't really get to do a lot of metalwork but I found myself actually enjoying messing around trying to fit panels, although horsing into my van with a grinder for the first time was rather unnerving! I'm quite pleased with the results and I was planning to do more but this was when my friend in need intervened. I'm here again this summer and will post when the next worse bit is sorted. Here's a few pics of my efforts so far including my new best friend helping out.
As in the last one? Head gasket went. 2nd time for me so my fair few years of Mazda Bongo's came to an end.
Gotcha, out of the frying pan into the fire eh? I agree with your mate sort of. Fix it yourself you know what you've got... but on the other hand they're not cheap to restore these days and a ready done one can be better value.
Something like that I guess. They were when we first had our conversation! But I'm in for more than a penny now so. I'm also doing this for the journey which has been mostly fun so far.
