Ok, so I had a thread on here a few weeks ago about how to go about purchasing a step van from America. The rough plan was to import a big American delivery van and turn it into a food truck for my American style burger restaurant.
ironmighty07 spotted a British alternative on Facebook Marketplace, so I got in touch with the chap and a price was agreed. Obviously purchasing vans from strange men on the internet sight-unseen isn't the best of plans, but vans like these are quite rare, and the money he wanted for it wouldn't have even covered import costs on an American van.
SO! I gave him my address and waited patiently for it to arrive. I was told it would be a few days. A month later, he's finally found someone more reliable to deliver it, so at 5:30 this morning I met the chap at the garage and we attempted to get it up the driveway.
After wrecking his light bar on angle between the road and the driveway I called my stepdad and asked if I could leave it in his car park, just down the road instead. That is where things sit now. I have to work out a way of getting a big ol' van up a hill with no brakes, lights, plates, MOT, tax or insurance. Then I have to work out where I'm going to work on it, because this thing is tall and is only going to get taller!
Onto the photos;
As it sat at around 7:30 this morning. Note it doesn't sit in a parking space, no, it sits RIGHT in the way!
Looks a little sad, definitely seen better days.
This concerns me more than a lot of the rust. The position of the doors suggest it is leaning over to one side. To be honest though this thing needs a whole new body and roof so it probably makes little difference!
Passenger step, or not as the case may be.
Drivers side floor, there's actually some metal here, which is novel. No pedals though.
Engine and gearbox. Looking good!
If I did it as a camper conversion there'd already be a shower installed!
This is where the engine goes I believe.
Added security!
The basic plan is thus;
Get it somewhere safe, then somewhere I can work on it.
Clear it out and take note of parts.
Strip the body, keeping anything worthwhile, valuable or important.
Get the chassis blasted, any repairs needed, painted and rolling.
Get the engine and gearbox sorted and running.
Build a big box out of box section to make up a basis for a new body.
Look into raising the height of the roof (fibreglass or make a steel one somehow).
Fit air suspension to make things a little easier further down the line.
Repair the bodywork around the front end.
Make up a basic wiring loom that covers all the legalities.
Get the thing MOT'd and road legal.
Fit an entire kitchen inside it.
Sell burgers.
Do it all by July 2021.
Be honest, how f**ked am I?
ironmighty07 spotted a British alternative on Facebook Marketplace, so I got in touch with the chap and a price was agreed. Obviously purchasing vans from strange men on the internet sight-unseen isn't the best of plans, but vans like these are quite rare, and the money he wanted for it wouldn't have even covered import costs on an American van.
SO! I gave him my address and waited patiently for it to arrive. I was told it would be a few days. A month later, he's finally found someone more reliable to deliver it, so at 5:30 this morning I met the chap at the garage and we attempted to get it up the driveway.
After wrecking his light bar on angle between the road and the driveway I called my stepdad and asked if I could leave it in his car park, just down the road instead. That is where things sit now. I have to work out a way of getting a big ol' van up a hill with no brakes, lights, plates, MOT, tax or insurance. Then I have to work out where I'm going to work on it, because this thing is tall and is only going to get taller!
Onto the photos;
As it sat at around 7:30 this morning. Note it doesn't sit in a parking space, no, it sits RIGHT in the way!
Looks a little sad, definitely seen better days.
This concerns me more than a lot of the rust. The position of the doors suggest it is leaning over to one side. To be honest though this thing needs a whole new body and roof so it probably makes little difference!
Passenger step, or not as the case may be.
Drivers side floor, there's actually some metal here, which is novel. No pedals though.
Engine and gearbox. Looking good!
If I did it as a camper conversion there'd already be a shower installed!
This is where the engine goes I believe.
Added security!
The basic plan is thus;
Get it somewhere safe, then somewhere I can work on it.
Clear it out and take note of parts.
Strip the body, keeping anything worthwhile, valuable or important.
Get the chassis blasted, any repairs needed, painted and rolling.
Get the engine and gearbox sorted and running.
Build a big box out of box section to make up a basis for a new body.
Look into raising the height of the roof (fibreglass or make a steel one somehow).
Fit air suspension to make things a little easier further down the line.
Repair the bodywork around the front end.
Make up a basic wiring loom that covers all the legalities.
Get the thing MOT'd and road legal.
Fit an entire kitchen inside it.
Sell burgers.
Do it all by July 2021.
Be honest, how f**ked am I?
