It has been the victim of a battery acid attack that seriously damaged the bodywork over quite an extensive area and over a number of years.
I have set myself and Bongo up on the end lift in our workshop and now I am there most days carrying out the work to get it back to good health.
Obviously it is quit noticeable sitting up in the air with an old frat mig welding bits in and has attracted a lot of attention from customers.
We have 4 Bongos on our books we really only see them at MOT times and for the odd oil change and pre holiday check overs, most Bongo owners I think carry out there own routine maintenance, One of the advantages of having a human oriented motor.
We had one of these Bongos in for MOT last week, I was off sick, but the owner was naturally interested in what was happening to the Wasp .
I had a text from Dave my partner to ask if I would like carry out an inspection of the box sections etc on this customers Bongo, I was interested in what I might find, so I agreed.
It came in today and after Frank had removed the panels etc I got to work with the camera.
This was a 1995 ATF 185 odd K on the clock unconverted except for a lift out rear pod reasonably good body condition from the outside with the not unusual faded paintwork to bonnet and wing tops and not what you would call showroom condition.
It had both arches done three years back, not by us, and there was some small bubbles appearing under the NSR paint where the weld had been made I suspected.
I was surprised when I looked into the areas I had found rusted on mine. Far from finding loads of rust I found very little! Most of the rusting was minor and would benefit from a waxing of the body cavities and a bit of stitch in time painting but apart from that nothing much to report!
Screen pillars and roof almost completely clean and inner sills all good with evidence of one nicely repaired and treated patch under the B pillar drivers side and two nicely treated and sealed rear arches.!
A 21 year old bongo that's not bad I reckon.What a contrast to my 4WD.
The customer was pleased and has booked in to have cavities treated in February so as to give me time to finish mine and we have his mates 97 4WD in for a similar look over on Thursday next week. I will keep yous posted as to the outcome on that one . I shall be interested to find out whose vehicle is the exception.
I should be posting some pixs on the 4WD refurb later Saturday but now my friend Lord Nelson is beckoning me to join him in a beer or two.
Spherical Visions