A new Daisy?

So, 27th March, the MOT..... to be honest, we are hoping that there should not be too much amiss(!), but we have rather let the body work "go". Daisy had a "DIY" body refurb. some years ago, (before our ownership) but the fact it was a "DIY" job is now only too visible, with the filler used in the doors cracking, and all four wheel arches showing the results of a filler/weld combination!

So, we have decided that, bracing ourselves for a "fail" on the bodywork aspect of the MOT, (the rear inner valence has all but rotted away!) to get the "bottom" half sorted and send to the body-shop! Wheel arches, inner and outer, doors cut and patched, rear inner valance.... all topped off with a new coat of paint........

We are also taking the opportunity to have a small sort of the inside, with a little TLC on the interior units, these have never been great, with screws that are too long, "lids" that don`t fully open etc....

The whole "project" is too take four weeks or so... so we are hoping to have a better looking Daisy for the Summer... and beyond!      

But, this will just be the start, the plan will be to complete with a top half respray next year... but with several more items on the "to do" list - top is a new wiring loom... but we will need to get passed the bodywork "bill" before we think about more!  

Dub Freeze 2013

Dub Freeze, as so close to us we thought it would be rude not to pay a visit, (to be honest we have been promising to visit this and the "sister" show Bus Freeze for a while..... but something always crops up) so we downed tools on the MG pre-MOT work and took a drive over. A frosty start, and fog on route but what a great morning. Amazed by the amount of campers, is in those hardy souls camping over, we headed for the entrance, but the large queue gave us an excuse to view the "for sale" and general car park, with some great cars, vans, campers and Buggys. Its fair to say you could have spent 1/2 a day wondering the car park as there were some great examples, from "rat" look to "concours" and everything in between!    

The show itself, great, retail, auto-jumble, "show n shine"...... it was nice to see some parts of interest, chat about wiring looms, yeap another job that we need to address!, look at some interior ideas,  and generally immerse yourself in all that is VW!

This guy seems to have taken some good photos... Tom Cash .....and Hayburner looks to be a great magazine... that is FREE! All in all a great trip and we will be back for sure for Bus Freeze.

Exhaust all sorted.......

And with great thanks to Jonny Java and all at VWJava Daisy is back on the road....... but with the MOT on the horizon, for how long!

It was an engine "out" job, so the opportunity was taken and new CV and Axle boots where fitted, the old had split, and also a leaking oil seal on the flywheel changed as these were "easy" to do with the unit out. It seems it was not a straightforward job, (are they ever?) and several "adjustments" where needed, including a new accelerator cable as the old one was not "right", and some "messing" with the seating of the carb., as the new manifold dictated so.    

She seems to be running fine now, but Jon did point out some "little" things that need attention, most we are aware of, some not so, but taking these, or the cost of them, if we got them all done tomorrow, then we think that Daisy would be worth more than what we would have spent........................ But owning a camper is not about that, its about the experience... the fun, the freedom Taking what it has cost us to keep on the road, against what we would have spent per night on accommodation alone see`s in the "black".... but add the things we have done, the places we have been that we would not have without Daisy...... there is no value to be placed on these!      

Exhaust continues......

.........and so it seems at some point, and to some degree, Daisy has some Beetle parts!

The exhaust issue stems from the fact we have an "early" Beetle twin pipe manifold, these pipes are used to preheat the fuel, so easy to solve.... Well we could source an suitable exhaust, but this would then need work, welding etc..... or, we take the plunge now and change the manifold, so going forward we are as we should be. Either case means the cost  of a simple exhaust change has rocketed, with the on cost of the manifold and also garagee costs as the work as gone beyond my current skill / comfort levels!

New Inlet required!