Brightwells Auction (Uk)

Hi,

Popped up to Leminster yesterday to take a look at a couple of 110 CSW that were going under the hammer. Was interested in a 1998 R plated

300tdi CSW with 79,000 (warranted) but a bit disappointed in the general state of it upon closer inspection - windscreen hinges, bottom of doors (lots) and rivets on the tub where all very scabby. Also the last three years services were 'handwritten' which rang a few alarm belIs.

I could'nt believe it when it went for 8850ukp + 500 for the indemnity

- that's 175% over the guide price!

Back to fleabay it is for now but will take another look up there next week - perhaps it was a one off what with the high price's. Nice part of the country though.

cheers Gavin

Reply to
GS
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On or around 21 Feb 2007 13:21:03 -0800, "GS" enlightened us thusly:

110 CSWs go for big money, it seems.

If you fancy a project, I may be changing tack with my minibus idea, in which case, I'll be selling the 110 again.

It's a 3.5 V8 auto on LPG...

Reply to
Austin Shackles

Oh blimey now what are you up to? Half-track?

Reply to
Ian Rawlings

In article , GS writes

Been there, done just the same. I gave up on the idea of anything decent from Brightwells, simply because it was too dear. I went up on several occasions to look, and couldn't believe the money flying around - there are a lot of dealers who go there, but that seems to push up, rather than reduce, prices.

I dunno about you, but I looked at a few and thought "might need welding" or "might need the input shaft sorting out", but even these went for silly money. They were putting some specialist and very tired AA patrol vehicles through at the time, balding tyres, 150,000+ miles, etc., and even these seemed to go for £lots. There were a couple of National Trust 110 CSWs though, but they went into the stratosphere and I could only watch the vapour trail...

You gotta give Brightwells credit where it's due - they work for the sellers, after all.

Regards,

Simonm.

Reply to
SpamTrapSeeSig

On or around Thu, 22 Feb 2007 08:33:51 +0000, Ian Rawlings enlightened us thusly:

tempting, but no. I've been eyeing up VW transporter 4x4s, which could easily be made into a minibus from a van.

other possibility is to get hold of another transit to do the conversion on. Having studied it in more detail, I quite fancy fitting LR running gear to the transit monocoque, retaining the transit engine if I can get it to mate with the LR gearbox - the latter is I think going to be necessary to avoid a Q plate[1] - rather than fitting the body to the complete chassis. This is a technically nicer solution and results in minimal excess weight, but there's more work involved and more potential pitfalls to make it take too long and louse things up. Hence I either need another vehicle to convert, or another one to run while I convert the current one.

[1] I'll check again, but ISTR "chassis plus one other major component" is the rule.
Reply to
Austin Shackles

Spot on Simon - I'll give it one more go I think and take it from there. They really do sell for mega money, so much so that I'm seriously thinking of driving my Disco ES up there and putting it through.

My other option is a TD5 ES Disco - and they went for around 85%/95% of retail so slightly better value and they did look tidy and direct from lease/dealer.

Gavin

Reply to
GS

Aha, the VW Transporter Synchro, pre-1993 another one of the Steyr Daimler Puch family, they even had axle diff-locks. 1993 onwards IIRC the 4wd system was a sissified one by VW.

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Not enough ground clearance though.

I can't remember if you ever explained why you want to do this in the first place, but I'd have thought landy running gear would be a better bet for off-roading, the VW Synchros were a bit low to the ground. Then again I suspect that you'll not be trialling the thing ;-)

Reply to
Ian Rawlings

On or around Thu, 22 Feb 2007 20:48:52 +0000, Ian Rawlings enlightened us thusly:

twere the 93-on ones I was looking at. pre-93 tend to be old and shagged. Also they have rather a nice-sounding 2.5TDi in the newer ones.

not for trialling, but it'd be fine for what I really want it for, which is w*rk

Oh, I dunno. I've got me eye on a couple of Ford Tourneos to work over now.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

On or around Thu, 22 Feb 2007 20:48:52 +0000, Ian Rawlings enlightened us thusly:

I've so far failed to find any specs for the T4 ones. I gather that they're FWD as standard, but I don't know if they're fulltime 4WD in the syncro version or whether for example they're electonically switched if they lose grip at the front, say.

One of the best 4WD systems I've had is on the sierra - 2/3:1/3 rear-front torque split, viscous diff in the rear and also in the middle. The middle diff is an epicyclic gear set and thus is not only a diff but a torque biasser as well, in one unit. which is dead clever; having seen it, I can understand how it works, but I'd never have invented it.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

Not sure, but a quick poke around seems to suggest they were 2WD unless the syncro version, which used a viscous diff at first then moved to some other type of clutch, possibly using electrickery.

There's a UK-based T4 forum here, might be some useful links hanging off it.

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It's details like this that make a car interesting, the pinzgauer/tatra diffs are fascinating and very clever too, doing away with the need for CV joints and also having the diff locking mechanism external to the diff, while allowing power to be easily passed through the diff and out the other side for the next axle. I have a spare one which I might just polish up and mount in a case for the lounge ;-)

Reply to
Ian Rawlings

The only problem with the Q plate is reselling isn't it? This hybrid you propose will have the limited market of 1, so you may as well keep it till it's worn out.

What about a Nissan Serena 4wd?

AJH

Reply to
AJH

On or around Fri, 23 Feb 2007 11:15:58 +0000, AJH enlightened us thusly:

not 9-seat. the 9-seat aspect (8 pax) is critical, and none of the off-the-shelf ones are, except the super-rare VW caravelle syncro, possibly.

I can easily downgrade a 12 seater to 9.

There are quit a bunch of those mitsu Delica things around now, but again, only 7 or 8 seats, not 9.

and as for limited market... well, you never know, if it comes out good enough I might go into production :-)

Not sure of I run into problems with insurance for school work on a Q-plater. I'd prefer to avoid it if possible; and the ford TDi lump is pretty good and long-lived. The nonturbo one is also good but a bit lacking in power :-)

Current bus is a TDi non-intercooled, rated 85HP but it goes pretty well, and weighs almost as much as a LR, about 1950Kg unladen.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

9 and 12 seat Toyota Hiace minibus variants are quite common used ex-Japan. 4WD ones are significantly less common, but I'm sure you could manage to do something with a 4WD van and the seats ex a minibus one. The 3.0 litre TDI ones perform very well and even the NA ones go pretty well.
Reply to
EMB

Being very local to Brightwels I pop in from time to time.

My impressions have always been that they sell very few 110s, 90s or indeed many real working LRs at all.

What they do sell tend be be in short supply, high demand and make a premium.

If you want a bargain Disco or RR, you're in with a good chance, but

110s and 90s are definitely a sellers market unlesss they have serious problems
Reply to
Tim Jones

On or around Sat, 24 Feb 2007 09:29:22 +1300, EMB enlightened us thusly:

hmmm. that's one I've not thought of. Toyota spares tend to be silly money over here, mind. It's no real problem making a van into a bus, especially a more or less current model which you can get windows for. Seats are no problem and neither are seat anchorages, and since any conversion has have an installation check, it's largely irrelevant whose van or seats you use. Most of the modern seats are designed with integral belts.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

On or around Sat, 24 Feb 2007 09:29:22 +1300, EMB enlightened us thusly:

Only ones I can see on ebay here are either well out of the price bracket I want or not suitable. Dunno about NZ, toyota are much more common in Oz than this end of the world.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

What sort of budget are you looking at?

Reply to
EMB

On or around Sun, 25 Feb 2007 09:26:52 +1300, EMB enlightened us thusly:

buggerall. if I abandon the project trasnit-rover, and sell the vehicles, I might be able tio swing about 4K for a replacement.

Current-favourite theory is to buy another transit to do the conversion to, which removes the time constraints more or less compeltely, then sell the current one when (if) the 4x4 one is OTR.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

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