Old van

[notsofast]

   
This is my 2001 M49 with the cooling system problems (if the image upload has worked...). Basic model, without the side rubbing bar. Image was taken in 2017. Since then I've had the screwdrivered driver's door lock removed (it's covered by gorilla tape in the pic), and the superficial scrape above the rear wheel arch repaired (was caused by a customer who reversed into it....). It still has the dent in the offside cargo door - done while at a garage, not me guv!

[Sol]

Looks good without the rub strips. Nice old thing eh!

[notsofast]

Yeah, I bought it from new and am attached to it. Bodywork is generally in good nick - only had a bit of welding about a year ago, where some minor rust was breaking out where the offside cargo side panel meets the sill (probably caused by carrying lots of damp stuff). Lacquer is peeling off on the roof (and was on the bonnet, but got that fixed at the same time as the welding work). (The lacquer peel started cos I didn't wash off some pigeon crap quick enough......).

[Sol]

Yeah my wife goes nuts if there's bird crap on the cars as it does attack the paint.

Now if you had the money to splash, it would make a great BEV conversion. Imagine it with a single Tesla gen 1 motor in it, that would be a dragster that could embarrass a 911 Turbo.

There's a show on Quest or DMax that convert old cars (some very nice classics too) to BEV - it's called Vintage Voltage....really interesting.

[notsofast]

Speaking of electric conversions of classics, a couple of years ago the Hubnut youtube channel did a quick test of a battery powered Fiat 500 (old style), and he said, "I'm having to hold back a Fiat 500 uphill"  -  lol (link below).  But the cost of conversion is prohibitive - approaching £20K for that liitle Fiat, more than I paid for my brand new van......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHnX0fObZmk