Bongo Fury

Hi everyone, just after some advice.
We have sadly been told by the garage that our Bongo engine block is warped due to overheating and it will cost more than the Bongo is worth to fix it.
So I'm wondering what to do with it. It is a 96 N reg with aft and fully converted. It is quite an unusual conversion as it has 3 passenger seats at the back but therefore less storage space. I don't want to just scrap it if possible. Is there any chance of selling it for parts?
It's not drivable.

Thanks

Stick it on eBay as a classified advert or auction with a reserve as spares or repair or contact Bongo Spares who may well take it off your hands.

Is it a Bongo Friendly garage who have diagnosed a warped block?

I ask because it's common for the head to be damaged if overheated, much less likely the block is damaged.

Many non Bongo Expert garages will just say, 'Not worth fixing' as they don't want to do it so a second opinion is worthwhile.

With a good conversion, and assuming it's otherwise ok, it would be well worth repairing. Good luck.

If you pop a rough location in your profile we may be able to rcommend a garage, and there's at least one mobile chap who is well thought of and fair on prices.

If the conversion is really good, you could buy an unconverted bongo and move everything over then sell at a profit or keep. Then either break the rest for parts ( if you have space) and scrap the remainder of sell for a few hundred quid to one of the bongo breakers.

There are a few select parts which seem to fetch a lot on the bongos. Window switches, headlights, blinds etc. The big things like seats aren't that sought after though.

Thanks for your replies.
The garage isn't on the list of bongo friendly garages but we have been using them for a while and the head mechanic used to have a bongo. He demonstrated to us that the engine is warped. We're in Edinburgh.
Think it might have to go up for sale!

If the mechanic has shown you the problem is in fact a damaged block , has the engine been dismantled to that extent that you can see the problem?.

if so I would go for an eBay or Gumtree etc solution, stripping for spares can be a nightmare. I presume its a Diesel ?


Good luck.

Jennifa sent you a PM.

Just because "it ain't worth it" does not mean you shouldn't do it. A reconditioned engine can be bought and fitted for about two grand. It may not be worth it now but who is to say two years down the line and the use you put it to in that time you feel that the investment was much better than losing the depreciation on the replacement vehicle. What may not be value to your mechanic might just be a "bargain" to you.
Seven years ago I had a reconditioned engine fitted. I bit the bullet and in retrospect it was a brilliant decision. You pays your money and takes your choice. At the time I had it fitted it was really touch and go. All those holidays and miles covered since then have caused me to come the view that it was a brilliant thing to do. Obviously my bongo was that much younger then than yours is now. See if you can source a newish engine and do your sums. It may not be such a cut and dried decision as your mechanic has determined. Yours Ian G.

With this particular age of vehicle before you decide to spend £2000? on a reconditioned engine,the rest of the vehicle needs to have a full thorough inspection for other potential expense.As we all know these old vehicles can basically rust/corrode very quick.