WARNING - contains a lot of waffle
This is my first ever thread. Some of the work I carried out on this old wagon unfortunately wasn't photographed. Mainly because I never intended to write a thread about it.....I only decided to do so after starting the body work. A good friend of mine that also frequents the pages of Retro Rides ( austinpowers ) agreed that I should start a thread as there's bound to be someone out there that might be interested. I have lots of photos and a lot to say. I'll start the thread at the beginning and over the next few weeks will try and get everything posted and catch up to where I am with it presently.
So, here it goes.......I hope you can relate and enjoy.
Right......what's the best thing to do when you have 14 cars in various states of repair/restoration and absolutely no time for them because of other boring responsibilities like work, house projects, bills, kids (not boring.....just time and money takers.....the little buggers.....how dare they!) and just life in general.......? That's right......you go and buy yourself a VW LT 35 2.4D Tipper Truck of course!
Well.....there's method to my madness (or though some might see straight through this brilliantly concocted excuse and see it as my sneaky way to owning a truck!). You see, we live in a small 2 bed bungalow situated on a busy dual carriageway. There's my missus, two boys ( 10 and 7 ) and myself.
At the beginning of 2019 it was crunch time......we move to a bigger property or we/I extend what we have. Despite changing our minds four times since we first decided to move....we're currently on the 'extend what we have' decision.......again. You see, like so many others within this forum, I like to do everything myself. Mainly because, to get anyone else to do anything is always so expensive, but also because I enjoy the challenge. With that in mind, I want to build the extension. I have experience in ground and building work alike, so it won't be completely alien to me.
So, this is when my selfish plan was hatched. The following conversation with the missus went a little something like this, "skips are very expensive and the drivers won't like trying to reverse their wagons into our drive off of a busy dual carriageway......they'll probably charge us more. Not only that.....getting materials in will also be equally as difficult for delivery drivers.......maybe having my own truck might solve these very difficult issues?.....it'll also come in handy for picking up logs.....and stuff".
..........she fell for it!.......pimm's o'clock!!!
As well as loving classic cars, I also have a fascination/passion for classic plant machinery and classic trucks of all sizes. As a result, I just love a clattery old diesel motor.....even better if its turbocharged.
I knew what I wanted.....it was either a Mk2 Transit or a VW LT 35. Now....my dad had his own building company back in the 60s through to early 2000s. In that time, he had (amongst others) a Mk1 Transit flat bed, two Mk2 Transit tippers and a long wheel base high top single wheel Mk2 transit van ( this one being the one that I wish he kept.......I've never seen another like the model he had). Being a 'Ford guy' the transit was what the heart wanted......but the finances said NO! Transits are rude money these days.....as are most old Fords. Still.....I've always had a soft spot for the Mk1 LT. The roofer that use to work with my dad had a 5 cylinder petrol LT van.....it was literally a box on wheels.....but the sound it made was amazing!
My budget was £1500 and I started looking at the beginning of 2019. As LT tippers don't come up for sale that often I had a 9 month wait. I'd of loved an early LT as they have a much better looking front to them. But, the later LT has improvements such as power steering and double seat for 2 passengers. Plus, early Mk1s are few and far between......so a later model it was then! I missed out on a few that either went way over budget or I just simply didn't act quick enough.
Back in September 2019 I was looking through the completed listings of eBay and spotted the perfect wagon. It had sold a week before for a buy it now price of £1250 within an hour of being listed. I was gutted that I'd missed out. But, I thought I'd message the seller in case the sale hadn't gone to plan. Unbelievably ( for me......and me only!) the sale had gone wrong and the wagon in question was re-available. I live in Bournemouth and it was not so far away in Winchester. So off I went to have a peek.
Right......hands up all those that ALWAYS see a rusty old motor for what it could be.....rather for what it is.......a rusty piece of you know what. Honestly, I've done it my whole life. Even I thought I'd of learnt by now......but no, I'm stood in front of an old LT with rusty bits dipping off of it, while in my head I'm thinking " yeah....this could be good......really good........I'll take it!!! "
Part of the attraction was the fact it had 11 months MOT on it ( later I'll realise that it was obviously MOT'ed by the sellers mate or something, as there's no way on this planet that it should have had a legal MOT ). The chap selling it was genuinely a really nice bloke. He told me it had a new starter, new glow plugs, had been regularly serviced and the cam belt was good....( none of this turned out to be true). He could of been 100% honest with me.....and I'd of still bought it! Me being me couldn't get the money in his hand quick enough. He took me out out for drive in it and the 6 cylinder diesel motor sounded sweet as a nut! A deal was done and I was to pick it up a week later. The owner told me that it was affectionately know as 'Lloyd' due to the registration.
So, let me show you what all the fuss was about........Lloyd, as he was pictured on eBay.
Things I don't like about it are the horrible plastic front grille and that massive ugly bumper. They'll have to go!
I do however, really like the name board across the top of the cab. I've not seen another like it.....yet.
This is my first ever thread. Some of the work I carried out on this old wagon unfortunately wasn't photographed. Mainly because I never intended to write a thread about it.....I only decided to do so after starting the body work. A good friend of mine that also frequents the pages of Retro Rides ( austinpowers ) agreed that I should start a thread as there's bound to be someone out there that might be interested. I have lots of photos and a lot to say. I'll start the thread at the beginning and over the next few weeks will try and get everything posted and catch up to where I am with it presently.
So, here it goes.......I hope you can relate and enjoy.
Right......what's the best thing to do when you have 14 cars in various states of repair/restoration and absolutely no time for them because of other boring responsibilities like work, house projects, bills, kids (not boring.....just time and money takers.....the little buggers.....how dare they!) and just life in general.......? That's right......you go and buy yourself a VW LT 35 2.4D Tipper Truck of course!
Well.....there's method to my madness (or though some might see straight through this brilliantly concocted excuse and see it as my sneaky way to owning a truck!). You see, we live in a small 2 bed bungalow situated on a busy dual carriageway. There's my missus, two boys ( 10 and 7 ) and myself.
At the beginning of 2019 it was crunch time......we move to a bigger property or we/I extend what we have. Despite changing our minds four times since we first decided to move....we're currently on the 'extend what we have' decision.......again. You see, like so many others within this forum, I like to do everything myself. Mainly because, to get anyone else to do anything is always so expensive, but also because I enjoy the challenge. With that in mind, I want to build the extension. I have experience in ground and building work alike, so it won't be completely alien to me.
So, this is when my selfish plan was hatched. The following conversation with the missus went a little something like this, "skips are very expensive and the drivers won't like trying to reverse their wagons into our drive off of a busy dual carriageway......they'll probably charge us more. Not only that.....getting materials in will also be equally as difficult for delivery drivers.......maybe having my own truck might solve these very difficult issues?.....it'll also come in handy for picking up logs.....and stuff".
..........she fell for it!.......pimm's o'clock!!!
As well as loving classic cars, I also have a fascination/passion for classic plant machinery and classic trucks of all sizes. As a result, I just love a clattery old diesel motor.....even better if its turbocharged.
I knew what I wanted.....it was either a Mk2 Transit or a VW LT 35. Now....my dad had his own building company back in the 60s through to early 2000s. In that time, he had (amongst others) a Mk1 Transit flat bed, two Mk2 Transit tippers and a long wheel base high top single wheel Mk2 transit van ( this one being the one that I wish he kept.......I've never seen another like the model he had). Being a 'Ford guy' the transit was what the heart wanted......but the finances said NO! Transits are rude money these days.....as are most old Fords. Still.....I've always had a soft spot for the Mk1 LT. The roofer that use to work with my dad had a 5 cylinder petrol LT van.....it was literally a box on wheels.....but the sound it made was amazing!
My budget was £1500 and I started looking at the beginning of 2019. As LT tippers don't come up for sale that often I had a 9 month wait. I'd of loved an early LT as they have a much better looking front to them. But, the later LT has improvements such as power steering and double seat for 2 passengers. Plus, early Mk1s are few and far between......so a later model it was then! I missed out on a few that either went way over budget or I just simply didn't act quick enough.
Back in September 2019 I was looking through the completed listings of eBay and spotted the perfect wagon. It had sold a week before for a buy it now price of £1250 within an hour of being listed. I was gutted that I'd missed out. But, I thought I'd message the seller in case the sale hadn't gone to plan. Unbelievably ( for me......and me only!) the sale had gone wrong and the wagon in question was re-available. I live in Bournemouth and it was not so far away in Winchester. So off I went to have a peek.
Right......hands up all those that ALWAYS see a rusty old motor for what it could be.....rather for what it is.......a rusty piece of you know what. Honestly, I've done it my whole life. Even I thought I'd of learnt by now......but no, I'm stood in front of an old LT with rusty bits dipping off of it, while in my head I'm thinking " yeah....this could be good......really good........I'll take it!!! "
Part of the attraction was the fact it had 11 months MOT on it ( later I'll realise that it was obviously MOT'ed by the sellers mate or something, as there's no way on this planet that it should have had a legal MOT ). The chap selling it was genuinely a really nice bloke. He told me it had a new starter, new glow plugs, had been regularly serviced and the cam belt was good....( none of this turned out to be true). He could of been 100% honest with me.....and I'd of still bought it! Me being me couldn't get the money in his hand quick enough. He took me out out for drive in it and the 6 cylinder diesel motor sounded sweet as a nut! A deal was done and I was to pick it up a week later. The owner told me that it was affectionately know as 'Lloyd' due to the registration.
So, let me show you what all the fuss was about........Lloyd, as he was pictured on eBay.
Things I don't like about it are the horrible plastic front grille and that massive ugly bumper. They'll have to go!
I do however, really like the name board across the top of the cab. I've not seen another like it.....yet.
Tell us more about the 14 cars....!
