A few bongo questions

[mikeyc1]

Hi everyone, I'm close to buying my first Bongo, seen one I really like but need some advice and questions answered....

Do most Bongos suffer from small rust patches on the rear arches? this one has a few small spots

the decals along the side are peeling off, can new ones be sourced? and will the old ones peel off with some hairdryer help?

how easy is it to find a smart new front grill for a ford Freda?

Is the ford variant just the same? any pro's / cons?

the headlights seem a bit discoloured and dull, can new units be fitted easily or clear new ones?

Hope some Bongo owners out there can answer my questions , cheers

[westonwarrior]

Do most Bongos suffer from small rust patches on the rear arches? this one has a few small spots

Alot do yes but there is rust and rust small patches on the rim can be stone chips and easily repared if it has gon on the main part of the wing it may hold lots of trouble so this all comes down to how much they are asking

the decals along the side are peeling off, can new ones be sourced? and will the old ones peel off with some hairdryer help?

easy to remove with hairdryer and either meths or wd40 or sticky remover I perfer them without the OEM stickers but thats my preference

how easy is it to find a smart new front grill for a ford Freda?

Easy to get yours rsprayed about £50 and will look very nice

Is the ford variant just the same? any pro's / cons?

same, bit better cloth maybe

the headlights seem a bit discoloured and dull, can new units be fitted easily or clear new ones?

Its a film put on in Japan and can be tcut off mostly if you are careful

ask away if anything else crops up

[.co.uk]

Hi, I can't answer all your queries but here is the answer to some.

If the rust is only small patches you should get it treated or DIY before it gets any worse. There are many Bonho's/Freda's out there, of verging quality. Your own budget can be an influence on what you buy.

The decals are easily removed with the aid of a hairdryer and some petrol. You can source new decals online but some prefer their vans without decals.

The grille I'd easily removed. I resprsyed and laquered my own and it looks very good now.

Happy hunting!

[skater]

Hi,

Rust normal sooner or later, to a greater or lesser extent. Had mine 4yrs and rear arches starting to look a bit tatty.

New decals can be obtained ( think someone on here does decals ). Took mine off with hairdryer help.

Grill can be repainted if you're that way inclined ( haven't got round to doing mine yet ) or try various breakers advertising on here.

Freda same as Bongo.

Headlights may be improved with cleaning ( T-cut ? or similar ).

Tons of info about above if you have the time to trawl through the forum using the search facility. Can get abit

Others will be along soon to elaborate. been beaten to it , oh well, post anyway.

[bigdaddycain]

Hi everyone, I'm close to buying my first Bongo, seen one I really like but need some advice and questions answered....

Do most Bongos suffer from small rust patches on the rear arches? this one has a few small spots

Unfortunately, quite a few suffer from varying degrees of rust on the rear arches. Bongo's were never protected in the factory to cope with our salt laden winter roads. Some replace the arches completely, only time will tell if that is a permanent repair.

the decals along the side are peeling off, can new ones be sourced? and will the old ones peel off with some hairdryer help?

Sometimes the old hairdryer trick makes decal removal worse It's one of those "suck it and see" things in life... Try both ways of removal, see which way works best on any particualar decal.

how easy is it to find a smart new front grill for a ford Freda?

Unless your old grille is badly damaged, the grille's respond very well to a lick of new paint.

Is the ford variant just the same? any pro's / cons?

It's mainly a trim change, and there is a tendency for the Ford version to have less factory fitted options.

the headlights seem a bit discoloured and dull, can new units be fitted easily or clear new ones?

The headlights have a yellow film applied to them in Japan by some owners, this can often be removed at home by T-cutting, or try asking your friendly bodyshop to whizz over them with a glaze (carefully though, the lights are plastic)

Hope some Bongo owners out there can answer my questions , cheers

[dandemann8]

Here's a link for your grill but beware it could get pricey

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

[mikeonb4c]

From the general description, I would take time to get underneath the Bongo and have a very good look around for signs of rust (and prod with a screwdriver in one or two places such as where the chassis cross member joins the cills behind the front wheel arch, and along the cills themselves, rear cross member, cross member/tray underneath radiator etc.). You want to be confident that other than the wheels arches, which can be hard to stop from rusting even with the best treatment, the Bongo has had preventative work done ot in in respect of corrosion.

While you're at it, check for rust staining etc. in the header tank, as would be another sign of a poorly maintained cooling system that may be clogged up with rusty silt and/or have had a boiling over event.

Oh and welcome!