Interesting to see how well those stickers have lasted - my original plan was to get stickers cut in PVC, but instead of sticking the stickers to the van, stick the sheet they had been cut from on there, and use it as a stencil effectively and paint over it. However, seeing how good just the straight stickers look and how well they last, it might be easier and just as effective to leave the ordinary PVC stickers on there...

Anyway, that's still all a long way off, Jolly Jack's can stay a bit longer.

There's not a great deal to say about this stage, I'm just fitting the jigsaw puzzle back together. The electrics took a little bit of figuring out, the original Citroën wiring I'm sure I could have coped with, but someone has fiddled about with it at some point in the car's past. There was an indicator warning light on the dashboard that had been wired up to only the N/S set of indicators, and the brake light switch (the actual switch, not the fluid level) was connected to another light on the dashboard for some bizarre reason? I liberated the brake warning light and used it as a full beam warning light. I know we don't technically need one, but I don't want to cause hassle at the MOT.



Everything on the dashboard working, even the fuel gauge!

The rest of the wiring didn't put up too much of a fight, I fitted 55/60w headlights, and relays for them. The rear lights were still terribly intermittent despite my repeated fiddling, so for now I have just fitted land rover rear lights, which are very similar really. I think I'll persevere with the originals and get them back on there eventually, but it's just too much faff - I want to drive again!





Had a bit of a panic when I found it nearly impossible to fit myself in, I have cleverly moved the light switch in between the washer pump and the wiper switch, and moved the indicator switch up, but it's still quite a tight fit.





On a normal car you can just take the pin out of the runners and move the seat back as far as you like, whereas the cross member prevents the seat from moving very far back at all in the van. I'm not particularly tall, but I don't think it's going to be very comfortable driving for any distance like this. Any tried and tested solutions, or am I going to have to look at modifying the seat? It'll have to do for now anyway.

Other than that, I spent the day greasing everything that could be greased, and finishing off the engine bay, which I think is mostly done now;



The breather didn't seem to be having the slightest effect on the air going through it, so I fitted a CPD valve, now getting close to 30cm difference in the LHM, which I assume is plenty. There's still lots I want to change, but for now getting it on the road is the priority and I can do everything else then.

Tomorrow I think I'll fit the glass back in, and maybe try fitting the cover back on the shortened rear seat. Then it just needs the ride height setting, brakes bleeding again... A few other bits fiddling with no doubt, but I don't think it's far off an MOT!

More to follow...

George

It's looking great! I may have imagined it, but something in the back of my mind suggests the original Citroen lenses will fit straight onto those Land Rover light units. Or is it the other way round? Worth a go, maybe, anyway..!

Luke, your memory is not playing tricks, the Citroen lenses do fit onto LR units.

Well who'd have thought it, a perfect fit! Thanks, what would I do without forums?

Unfortunately one of the brake lights was a LR one all ready, but I shall get another 2cv brake light lens and swap them all over. Think I might add a rear fog / reversing light as well, but that can wait until after it has passed an MOT - less to go wrong!

With all the electrics behaving correctly, I decided to put the rear seat back together. It was missing several rubber bands, and of course it's now slightly shorter so the seats even saggier. Having seen the price of more rubbers ( ) I decided to cheat;



It'll do for now, the cover is also shot but the drivers seat is quite nice, so the state of the rear seat doesn't overly bother me.





I then fitted all the glass back in, without too much hassle, although the windscreen put up a bit of a fight.





And with that, it was ready for it's first test drive since I got it!







Whoop whoop!

Got up to third gear and 30mph without anything falling off. It was a gravel surface, but the brakes were quite happy to lock all wheels up so hopefully there shouldn't be any issues there for the MOT. It felt so good to drive again...

I still need to bring the rear ride height up a little, and fit the rear shocks back on again. Dump tubes, rear reflectors. However, I really think that is about all it needs now.

Here's a quick video of the drive, truly awful quality but I don't care, I'm just happy it's all working.



I am working all of next week, but I'm tentatively hoping to book an MOT for early the week after that. Now accepting bets on the number of fails / advisories...



(Might also give it a wash at some point )

Very Impressed. Most people would have lost interest before it was even half finished.

I certainly would have done, top job.

Well, it is only about half finished, so wait and see if I manage to keep up the enthusiasm for the next few years

It's a little upsetting driving it around in this state after all the hard work that has gone into the metalwork, but as long as I can keep the rust at bay for a few years then I think it is the best option. Now booked in for an MOT on Tuesday, I think the windscreen washer pump is the very last item left to fix...!

If you don't hear from me on Tuesday, I'll either be driving around the country with a stupid grin on my face or frantically spannering in time for a re-test.

Awesome!

Good luck.

Fingers crossed !!!

Nice work George it looks great. The restoration vs usage is an interesting seesaw but personally I'm with usage every time!