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Feb 10, 2016 10:58:49 GMT
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OK, so we know from RR folklore that the hero that is Mr B Holder made a very cool green one. But what's to know about these tiny little vans that used to be the bastion of the small tradesperson?, they seem to have all gone, and been replaced by Car Derived drivel these days. I saw a pickup parked up locally at a large house with some other disused cars near by, turns out the proprietor of said joint is a friend of the wife who runs a pub under one of the theatres in town. A chat later, and he's offering it to me, it needs a small bit of welding for the MOT apparently.. I seem to remember these were savages for rot. It'd badged as a GMC Rascal (I guess it's just a bedford?) I understand these are all based on Supercarry Suzuki's of the time? It's an 87? (D reg) cab/bed type affair. Anything I need to know?, would I be making a terrible mistake? workshop duty dictates I could do with a small tat carrier, I've got engines at mine, at mates and such like that all need to get to my workshop, and my current daily isn't a horrible mess of a vehicle, so I feel bad loading it with oily bits. Pics for pennance...
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The lurker formerly known as Cappuccinocruiser.. or wedgedout..
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Feb 10, 2016 11:14:10 GMT
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You can have fun with them as standard:
Or you can fit an LS1 V8!
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Davey
Posted a lot
Resident Tyre Nerd.
Posts: 2,163
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Feb 10, 2016 11:15:17 GMT
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They carry more than you think and fall over very easily.
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K11 Micra x3 - Mk3 astra - Seat Marbella - Mk6 Escort estate - B5 Passat - Alfa 156 estate - E36 compact Mk2 MR2 T-bar - E46 328i - Skoda Superb - Fiat seicento - 6n2 Polo - 6n polo 1.6 - Mk1 GS300 EU8 civic type S - MG ZT cdti - R56 MINI Cooper S - Audi A3 8p - Jaguar XF (X250) - FN2 Civic Type R - Mk2 2.0i Ford Focus
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Feb 10, 2016 11:31:05 GMT
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They are brilliant little vans and pickups and now being imported from Japan more and more.
They can be badged Subaru, Toyota, Nissan etc...yet all are similar...
They do rot, so inspection is a musr
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Feb 10, 2016 11:42:32 GMT
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Feb 10, 2016 11:53:15 GMT
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Feb 10, 2016 12:02:24 GMT
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What are they like to live with?
I used to do a catering job at a private school in Rutland where some of the Rugby and cricket starts of the UK were educated, they used fleets of them to move food and stuff around.. I remember doing a stopping in a light one when a student walked in front of me as I came at some turn of speed into the courtyard.
It was a while ago, but I remember it drove OK for a van, but that was just between sites, so no more than 20mph across relatively smooth road.
My workshop is 5 miles from my gaff and it's a very sketchy road to it, with a hump back bridge, some tight bends, and some nasty camber near a cross road.
And my tat collection is likely to be nation wide, I've got some wheels at Dez's place to collect, an engine from 20 miles north and two engines at my house to move.
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The lurker formerly known as Cappuccinocruiser.. or wedgedout..
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Feb 10, 2016 12:29:06 GMT
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My folks had one, used to strip hub splines with boring regularity.
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muffy
Part of things
Posts: 78
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Feb 10, 2016 14:22:24 GMT
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You can get a Honda acty. Also there are plenty of hijets around cheap.
Ben
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Feb 10, 2016 14:37:33 GMT
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I only asked because I have been offered (and may well have agreed to have) the GMC Rascal pickup I mentioned.
I assume they're all the same underneath?
How's lowering work on these? I'd just tweak it, run some decent rims then use it as a truck.
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The lurker formerly known as Cappuccinocruiser.. or wedgedout..
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muffy
Part of things
Posts: 78
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Feb 10, 2016 14:49:47 GMT
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Well you could cut the springs to lower it. Apart from that it's custom made front shocks. Can't go super low because you sit on top of the wheel wells. The rears are leaf spring. Flipped axle or lowering blocks is usual way to go with leaf springs - after that custom made.
Ben
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VIP
South East
Posts: 8,293
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Feb 10, 2016 14:57:36 GMT
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The fetch good money for export, so if it's very cheap and you end up hating it, you'll more than make your money back, even if it's a rotbox.
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Feb 10, 2016 15:29:13 GMT
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Ok.. I just rang the bloke, to ask him while he wasn't at a pub and was sober. He said it needs a battery and the coil wants looking at, speedo doesn't work (has a cable, not fitted it) and he didn't bother to re-MOT it. As I'm a friend of his, and he's known my wife for years, if I want it, we can work out a deal. He's alluded the fact it's in the way and potentially a free van.. I'd make a suitable beer based donation . Oppps..
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The lurker formerly known as Cappuccinocruiser.. or wedgedout..
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Feb 10, 2016 23:05:37 GMT
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I do like the Carry's. I wish we still sold them rather than the terribly noisy APV's we now sell (I work for Suzuki).
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I don't know if the GMC is a reshell, but I've always liked the f10 (1litre 4cyl) Suzuki engine - which is in the Suzuki super carry. my friend had one in his Suzuki sj410 and it was great, not powerful but it always felt quick as you had to keep the engine on song, my Suzuki samurai had the G13 engine which was the larger 1.3, and it didn't feel anywhere as lively as the f10,
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Ive got a Silver 2004 Daihatsu Extol for sale if anyone is interested, 14600 genuine miles.
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I don't know if the GMC is a reshell, but I've always liked the f10 (1litre 4cyl) Suzuki engine - which is in the Suzuki super carry. my friend had one in his Suzuki sj410 and it was great, not powerful but it always felt quick as you had to keep the engine on song, my Suzuki samurai had the G13 engine which was the larger 1.3, and it didn't feel anywhere as lively as the f10, I think it's actually a GME, which is a Bedford sold in mainland Europe.. being between a couple of RAF bases that would have been active when new, chances are the original owner self imported it... I'll know when I go on Saturday. But yeah, they're the Suzuki Super Carry TX with the 1000cc 4 pot Suzuki engine, they're basically the same van. GM at the time needed a small van, and had shares in 'zuki, so they sold them in knock down and they got built in Luton. I was having a chat with my dad last night, who's ex Vauxhall (Luton), he'd left by then but still knew a few of the folks who were working on/with them, the joke was that Rascal means Really A Suzuki Cobbled At Luton He doesn't rate them... He likes bigger cars and wishes at 34 I'd grow up a bit and stop messing with silly little cars and vans.. So that's kind of re-enforced my want for it
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The lurker formerly known as Cappuccinocruiser.. or wedgedout..
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Feb 11, 2016 13:57:31 GMT
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They carry more than you think and fall over very easily. Stick fat wheels on and they don't tip.
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Koos
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Wilk
Part of things
Posts: 528
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Feb 11, 2016 14:11:42 GMT
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We used one of the early creations as works vans in the mid 80s. Worked for a kitchen fitting company. The vans were always stacked to the ceiling with tools and stock so driven around probably way overloaded... And then a 4m length of worktop strapped to the roof rack For the amount of abuse they took they were really reliable My work mate finally killed it when he rolled it... Never seen such a mess created as a result of an accident. You'd have thought it was a juggernaught that had rolled over and shed all its load. Lol
The dad of my lads mate is currently building a rascal with a 1300 Busa engine. It'll be big fun when it's done. His last one had R1 engine and it was stupidly quick!
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Last Edit: Feb 11, 2016 14:12:17 GMT by Wilk
If it can be fixed with a hammer, then it must be an electrical fault
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Feb 11, 2016 14:13:18 GMT
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They carry more than you think and fall over very easily. Stick fat wheels on and they don't tip. I'd have thought you'd want less grip and more slip... As they're not reputed to be much in terms of stability, and as I could use a shop truck to stop be destroying car interiors, there's a chance I'll be making something silly but usable out of it, should the deal materialise. Anyone know if you can run and load up quad tyres on the road?
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The lurker formerly known as Cappuccinocruiser.. or wedgedout..
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