Bongo 4wd refurb *DO NOT DELETE*

[mikeonb4c]

It's not so much the money as the appalling treatment of an innocent customer. But let's wait and see if they come good.

[Bongolia]

Yup that`s the kiddie. Used to be small claims then money order now rebadged again as money claim!
Here is the correct link to what should have been the last image in the seat post.
Ha I made a funny ,
seat post geddit!
Oh don`t bother.

https://goo.gl/photos/b7CbGuoCD8haLnRC9

[mikeonb4c]

Yup that`s the kiddie. Used to be small claims then money order now rebadged again as money claim!
Here is the correct link to what should have been the last image in the seat post.
Ha I made a funny ,
seat post geddit!
Oh don`t bother.

https://goo.gl/photos/b7CbGuoCD8haLnRC9

Looks fab. You definitely need to make an elegant cover plate for the step through, both to remove trip hazard and as a place to put foot on if need be when walking through. So wipe clean but non slip surface might be best. That industrial bobbled lino stuff in grey/dark silver, as facing on a plywood plate....Could be good? And those seats need a bloody good clean ha ha. Are they Bongo front seats?

[Bongolia]

Yup that`s the kiddie. Used to be small claims then money order now rebadged again as money claim!
Here is the correct link to what should have been the last image in the seat post.
Ha I made a funny ,
seat post geddit!
Oh don`t bother.

https://goo.gl/photos/b7CbGuoCD8haLnRC9

Looks fab. You definitely need to make an elegant cover plate for the step through, both to remove trip hazard and as a place to put foot on if need be when walking through. So wipe clean but non slip surface might be best. That industrial bobbled lino stuff in grey/dark silver, as facing on a plywood plate....Could be good? And those seats need a bloody good clean ha ha. Are they Bongo front seats?

Yes covering thinking is in hand,though that last image was the "easy" solution i.e. leaving rails in place. I may put covered ply boards to the sides and lacquer the bottom tube. The seats are the originals from the front. I have been speaking to George and he can match me four "front" seats in good nick at a reasonable price they would need to be pallet-ed for courier so I have the quote on hold as I may well need a few more bits to add to that pallet. Currently every spare space in the garage is stuffed full of Bongo interior.I wonder how its all going to go back in!
George has a couple of rare Bongo captains seats available if anyone out there is interested.

[mikeonb4c]

Very interesting. I wonder if the seat frame could have been left as in the photo and a virtue made of it. I found myself thinking a platform between the seats would give perfect storage for a coolbox when travelling, especially since i presume both seats can be moved forward and one tilted as per original Bongo set up in order to allow ingress/egress to rearmost seats. For me, travelling solo and sleeping in the Bongo, one side could be left permanently flat as a single bed with one of the rearmost seats. I wonder if a pair of flip up rearmost seats could be adapted to go on the middle seat carrier as they might give the flattest bed (but do they tip forward enough for rearmost access hmmm.)

[Bongolia]

Very interesting. I wonder if the seat frame could have been left as in the photo and a virtue made of it. I found myself thinking a platform between the seats would give perfect storage for a coolbox when travelling, especially since i presume both seats can be moved forward and one tilted as per original Bongo set up in order to allow ingress/egress to rearmost seats. For me, travelling solo and sleeping in the Bongo, one side could be left permanently flat as a single bed with one of the rearmost seats. I wonder if a pair of flip up rearmost seats could be adapted to go on the middle seat carrier as they might give the flattest bed (but do they tip forward enough for rearmost access hmmm.)

Yes I think that would make good use of that space and retain the integrity of the original carriage.
The carriage moves as per the original set up but the seats are fixed. This needed to be that way to get the seat heights the same.
The individual seat runner could be adapted but it increases the height by about 2".The seats will only tilt as per the original front seats they will not fold flat like the centre does.
The only reason we lowered the tube is because I have hip problem and lifting my leg at times can be awkward.
If that were not the case then I would have gone with the simple setup using the space between the front cross rail and the release bar for two cup holders inset into a flat panel and maybe a USB port or two leaving the gap behind to step into. It would make a relatively easy conversion and probably look better.
It would also retain all the under seat storage area.
As to the rear fold ups being fitted it is possible but they dont fold forward completely and they are as wide as the original centre seat so no real advantage other than having a flatter bed and that could be achieved in other ways like reshaping the foam of the squab.

[mikeonb4c]

DOH yes forgot the flip ups have full width together.

Butchery on a bench seat would be good but expensive

[Bongolia]

WASP ENGINE REFIT.
Well we have all been going bonkers here trying to get the paying work out of the way to allow us to focus on refitting the lump ( and it is a lump ) back into the Wasp or more accurately getting the Wasp back onto the lump.

This is Dave the guy who rebuilt the engine, fame at last!
https://goo.gl/photos/Y1FrrHy1vQ3Ax3wh8
Not sure if he is in shock at its completion or that now he has to get it back in... or under.

Here are various shots of the box and engine back together.
https://goo.gl/photos/ugPXo9Ee1wWtMyXv8
Shiny Shiny

Once this is back in I can get on with finalizing the Webasto, start installing the electrics and insulation.
Thanks to Freshgoat for the awning brackets I can get that bit underway now as well.
Busy time ahead!
I just hope we can remember where everything went!

[mikeonb4c]

Wow, best looking WLT engine I've even seen. Shame to hide it. Maybe you could work on some perspex engine covers?

[BongoBongo123]

Serious Bongo undertakings going on here. Nice to read through and see the immenase progress with body and engine. Must be awsome having the know how and facility to do such extensive works. Very interesting and inspiring (at the least to try and stop rot as best as one can, doing well here) And yes that is a very clean engine !

Are you a mechanic/body work person by trade or is a it a friends garage etc. ?

[teenmal]

When you stripped the engine did you need to bore the engine or fit pep pistons, what sort of wear did you find on the cranks / balance shafts etc.
And the old chestnut, how did the cylinders head/valves look.

Looking good.

[Bongolia]

Serious Bongo undertakings going on here. Nice to read through and see the immenase progress with body and engine. Must be awsome having the know how and facility to do such extensive works. Very interesting and inspiring (at the least to try and stop rot as best as one can, doing well here) And yes that is a very clean engine !

Are you a mechanic/body work person by trade or is a it a friends garage etc. ?

Yes been in the trade since shortly after leaving school, started in commercial vehicles for a large Dennis/Vauxhall agency in Mitcham mainly re bodying Dennis chassis.

When that closed I went self employed.
We had a two workshops, one mex and the other bodywork a good few years back that dealt with accident repair and a large portion of restoration stuff for three London dealers.
When we had the recession the market for resto stuff died off and at that time a lot of insurers started to carry out their own repair work. We were an authorised repairer for several insurers but the main feeder, Direct Line, opened a repair shop just down the road from us and that effectively killed of the bodywork side. So we downsized and moved to smaller premises carrying out general servicing, MOT and mechanical repairs been here about 20 years now.

[Bongolia]

When you stripped the engine did you need to bore the engine or fit pep pistons, what sort of wear did you find on the cranks / balance shafts etc.
And the old chestnut, how did the cylinders head/valves look.

Looking good.

Surprisingly, given the condition of the body, the engine was in good nick! Just serviced pistons, didnt need to hone bores, a set of crank and shell bearings general tidying up and inspection really.
It would seem from the reports from Japan, HPI and MOT records etc that the mileage , about 80000mls IIRC, is correct. As this was previously Ian Allens own it was probably very low mileage to start with.
The head was badly coked up possibly from veg oil?
So that was stripped and checked for the infamous cracking, manifolds were matched up but no flowing,exhaust manifold refaced to correct distortion, head gasket was starting to let by and we found a tiny crack in the hose spigot and all gaskets & core plugs renewed.
The injectors matched up (one odd one!) pump was overhauled as was the box, prop UJ`s changed as they were very tight.
Other than that all good!
Next up when all is back and running will be swopping out the rear diff for an LSD and the front diff needs a bearing, then the brakes and that should be that mex wise
Dave was meticulous in the build and so we let him choose the colours and paint the lump. Ahh bless.

Engine and box back in now but everything has ground to a halt while we try and find the brackets etc and dont ask about the cold start valve that seems to be in hiding!
I would guess about two months more and it should be back on the road,looking forward to that.
https://goo.gl/photos/VDdXskSPv6hvagZF6

[mikeonb4c]

What a great tale this is. Can't wait to see the finished result

[Bongolia]

Lump in, as Mike says hardly noticeable

https://goo.gl/photos/s6Nk7ZwVRQ7B17bw7
Werbasto plumbing tomorrow and start up Friday