Sorry for the ripoff of Old Nail's thread title. I can resist anything bar temptation
Having said that this will be different to his project. I won't be going for shiny. I'm getting into that French state of mind....
Since no bugger seems to want to buy my 250 AZU self assembly kit I thought I might as well cease being lazy and assemble the thing myself. I’m confident it is basically fine.
I’ve had a good trawl through the workshop to find all the bits I confidently told people I had for it.
The list so far stands as follows.
1) Van ready fitted with new floors sills and back end
2) Dating letter to get it registered
3) Pair of rear wings (new)
4) Pair of side rails (new)
5) Some legalish wheels and tyres
6) Used rusty front bumper
7) Ecas big V repro alloy grille
8) Ecas grille muff
9) Fuel tank
10) Lights front and rear
11) Big pot of paint
12) Small pot of matched matted blue paint
13) Spare 425 engine
14) Rear doors
15) OK ish spare wheel panel
16) OK ish fuel tank panel
17) Pair of old style wiper blades
18) Used door glass to replace the broken one
19) Master cylinder reservoir (thanks to Spanners)
20) Rear door hinges + some spare for the spare wheel well lid (thanks to Spanners)
21) Door handles
22) Rear reflectors in just about useable condition.
23) New brake hoses
24) New felt heater ducts
25) New inertia reel seat belts
I don’t want to spend ages on this, I’m just going to make it work safely and reliably and use it for a while. It is actually extremely solid. The chassis is excellent, the floor, sills cross members and back panel are all new.
Since I want it safe and useable I thought it would probably need brakes. Since the brakes are MIA a phone call to Roy’s parts emporium produced a new master cylinder and wheel cylinders. I also splashed out on some brake pipe seals and a fuel tank collar.
Safe and reliable I guess includes starting and having lights. There was nothing for it but to buy a nice new black case 6 volt battery; ouch.....
A quick look at what is left seems to indicate it needs a vent flap, I should have one. It needs front wings. I think I may have one used genuine early front wing but in the name of expediency I think I’ll bung on some modern ones and use the indicator holes. I’m sure a trawl through the useful bits hidden away will turn up a pair.
I need to drag it indoors. The first thing I’m going to do is fix the brakes and see it it’ll talk to me. I don’t think it needs much welding. A couple of patches on the bulkhead, a couple on the load compartment, but basically it is structurally sound.
I lack seats. I think I may simply cut the runners off a pair of modern seats and convert them to peg type. I’ve been wondering what to do with the German adjustable backrest seat I have. I think it has a new home. Bleu Ecossais fabric will look mighty fine against a surface rusty blue van.
All I need to do now is find my beret, a packet or two of Gauloises and the POP rivet gun. MOT test here we come!
