Ex-BG MAXI build, OEM+

[Ambrose2KN]

I bought this for just under 2-and-a-half, 198k miles on the clocks and only 2 previous owners. (3 inc the guy i boughy it off who only did 10 miles in it.) I've seen British gas flip other vans around 30k so assuming they did something similar with this one then it means the building contractor who had it next did the best part of 170k miles. I'd say it's reasonable to believe they looked after it well (even if all the sevice history was sharpie'd onto the underside of the bonnet) and after a couple of checks comparing it to the MOT history and giving the tyres a kick, I snapped it up.

By no means was this a sweet deal anything other than mechanically (touch wood). Every panel has either a dent, surface rust or decal shadows. Rear lock was cut open at somepoint, cabin and cargo was FILTHY with black mould and 200k worth of crusted mud in the floors.

My plan is, after giving it a cambelt and full service, to make this sorry looking donkey look like the proud stallion it once was. Very OEM+ for now as it will be a daily driven work van.

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[Ambrose2KN]

First things first, gave the cabin a decent scrub with bleach and mould remover. The seats had carpet cleaner brushed in, left to dry and hoovered.. cabin still smells like old oil and diesel though, any advice on getting old smells out please! ..Old shifter had seen enough action, so has the steering wheel.

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[Ambrose2KN]

Done a bit of insulating over the weekend, still more to do. 14mm closed cell foam on the roof and side panels, 3mm over any fiddly bits and nooks & crannies (pic of inside skin of the wheel arch within the walls) ... Trying to eliminate basically any dew points but mostly I just want the sound-deadening for it to drive reasonably quiet in the cab without a bulkhead.

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[snuffegull]

nice progress so far!
I dig this BG blue, probably the same color they use on the postal caddys here

[Ambrose2KN]

Thanks @snuffegull nothing special it its honest work.

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[Vanmandan]

looking good so far mate, always love a pre face BG van. looking forward to seeing where this goes

[Ambrose2KN]

Thanks @Vanmandan slow progress atm with limited funds but got a few parts to sort out. Did the front speakers today as tbe factory ones were totally busted.

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[Ambrose2KN]

My replacment front speakers and some other bits arrived yesterday so i spent most of this morning mess around in the sunshine for a bit.

Very much a case of "(OOOh look at me, I can curse)-around and find out" as im already insulang rhe rest of the van, i knew at somepoint id do the front too, so naturally i figured i may as well get the front doors done whilst i change the speakers.

Obviously it was more involved than i realised at first glance; after removing all the 10mm bolts and drilling out the rivets i realised the rivets were holding the electric window mechanism and i figured i could just replace them with some m6 nuts and bolts, which i did. A bit fiddly but not too difficult and allowed me to put a layer of 3mm closed cell foam on the outer skin. Should reduce some sound lost out the doors, nothing major but every little helps.

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[Ambrose2KN]

Was tempted to transplant the OEM speaker clip but decided it was unnecessary so chopped it of and soldered some extra wire on and used spade clips which makes any future changes easier. Drilled through the metal door card behind the plastic adapter rings to run the wire through. New Focal 165AC, nothing too fancy but I like the movable tweeters which you can angle to fire them more up into the cab, bit annoying the branding is upside down but noone will know apart from me

Anyway still on the stock headunit but these speakers are great and the vans half way to being insulated so its becoming a much nicer space to be in acoustically.

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[snuffegull]

Nice! Something i want to do soon aswell

[Ambrose2KN]

Nice! Something i want to do soon aswell

@snuffegull super easy to do and you look handy with tools anyway so can get around any of the problems removinf the inner door skin. Bit fiddly but only took me a morning to do both sides and probably im a bit slow

[Ambrose2KN]

Began touching up any surface rust or deep scratches. Its all going to be covered in soundproofing and insulation anyway and eventually ply-lined so you wont see it but atleast i will know it will all be in good condition underneath. Barn doors had some done too, still debating what to do with the rear windows.

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