Introduction and electrical assistance

[andrewc]

Hello.    I've just joined the forum.

About Me:  Andrew, from Norwich.   Daily Driver TVR Chimaera.    Interests in photography and motorsport.   Work in Classic Car sector.

My problem:  Have just been given a '58' Berlingo Multispace.    It was owned by the daughter of a family friend, and was parked in her parents driveway in 2014 with a mysterious fault (possibly turbo).   

Subsequently it has developed an electrical problem, possibly due to rodents chewing wiring.    With a battery pack on the car to try jump starting it, smoke started pouring from the fuse box area.    If wires have shorted, there is the danger of damage to ECU and other sensitive electrical components.

The rest of the car is quite good and it may be a useful vehicle for me to have on the road.    Whilst so far the car has cost me nothing apart from recovering it on a trailer, there is a certain equity in the car.   I'd like to get it up and running (at minimal expense!) - especially as I know there is the fault that took the car off the road in the first place to consider.

As the fuse box and associated wiring has a nasty burnt smell, and the fuse box has signs of melting, I'm thinking replacing engine bay wiring and fuse box will be a good start.

So, anyone breaking a '58' new shape Berlingo Multispace?      Were there major changes during the life to the vehicle - if I found a 2010 car for breaking, is it a safe bet things will be the same or totally different?

or am I wasting my time trying to get this thing to go again?   '58' Multispace VTR 1.6 HDI 90 with about 100k on speedo.