Davie's french attraction.

[Zelandeth]

That's a tidy looking van for the price!

Will clean up lovely I reckon. Replacement rear door would help a lot, shouldn't be hard to find one in silver either...and obviously the wheels.

Curious to watch how this progresses.

[daviemck2006]

It's quite filthy inside, but nothing a good clean won't sort out. It's lined to and it's all sound enough. Shaun knows the company that owned it, can still make it out on the vinyl over the back windows. It's a lorry firm that transports quarry products and shaun loads the lorries all the time. I would think it hasn't been worked that hard being owned by a lorry firm.

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[van ordinaire]

If there'd been a Birly around in anything like that condition, even for 1/2 as much again, when I was looking I wouldn't be the owner of a prematurely aged C15 now.

[daviemck2006]

I never cease to be amazed and sometimes disgusted by the standards of some previous "mechanics" on some cars I have bought, and this just reinforces my opinion to give every vehicle you buy a thorough going over. Changing the front wheels abd checking droplinks, ball joints etc for plat to try and find out the clonking from the front. The findings, no play in any bits I put the pry bar into. Brakes, yes it is very close to discs and pads, whoever changed them last, the caliper carrier bolts were slack....... Been like that a while as they needed a breaker bar to move them. The bolts werent coming off, but with the carrier and caliper being slack it could have sheared the bolts if used in real anger or emergency situation with unthinkable consequences. Rain has stopped play, still got rears to change/check. Its going to look ok with the wolfrace alloys which were on the activa and noone liked on the activa. When I det discs and pads the calipers and carriers and rear drums will get wire brushed and a coat or two of black hammerite. We used to say on the buses if the wheels are clean and the windows clean the motor looks clean. Thats one of the reasons i like doing wheels.

[CitroJim]

Gosh almighty Davie That really could have been bloody lethal... Thank goodness you found it!

You really do wonder how anyone could leave it in such a state. Trouble is, there's more cowboys in the trade than in 20 spaghetti westerns and countless ill-qualified bodging amateurs out there...

Hope it can be put right without too much bother and no permanent damage done; some new caliper bolts might not be such a bad idea...

[Michel]

The discs and pads aren't too bad on a Berlingo are they Jim? Mine needs new discs - they're getting thin again, but the pads have over half left on them. Very annoying to have to bin half worn pads to replace both discs and pads.

[CitroJim]

The discs and pads aren't too bad on a Berlingo are they Jim?

No, very straightforward indeed Mike...

I just hope the threads are not damaged on Davies caliper carriers resulting in his current issue... Hopefully a new set of bolts will make it good but a clean up of the threads with a tap might not be a bad idea, just to make sure all is good..

Use a drop of Loctite on them too...

[daviemck2006]

I did the discs and pads on the last berlingo. No real problem at all. I got the carrier bolts tightened, a quick run round the block and it seems less noise, and less vibration through the brake pedal. However as it needs discs and pads shortly I shall just get and fit them, and at that point the carriers will be taken off and bolts checked. If there is any doubt about the bolts they will be replaced. I think the van looks much cleaner with the different wheels, but they are too big really. I'm going to advertise the alloys locally for a swap for a set of 15's.

[myglaren]

Good road adhesion Davie!

[daviemck2006]

Good road adhesion Davie!

Im testing the grip on 17" wheels

[Michel]

They actually look pretty good on a Berlingo...

[Hell Razor5543]

Nah, that is average adhesion (I mean, I have seen BUSES with that level of grip). For GOOD adhesion you need to find a decent overhang, and then go hooning on it!

[Stickyfinger]

With 17" wheels you will break the eggs when you cross the ploughed field

Looks tidy Davie

[daviemck2006]

Its a big jump up from 175/65x14 rusty bald and perished steel wheels to 215/40x17 front and 215/45x17 back alloys with 4 relatively recent tyres! The rear wheels now look a bit /-\ I hope its just looking like that because they are much bigger and not cos the axle is going. I would not have put on that size of wheels if they had not been lying in the shed anyway, and I probably would not have bought the van needing 4 tyres if I didnt have the wheels and tyres lying. The wheels suit tha van far better than they did the xantia though

[daviemck2006]

So Beryl would not start. Volt meter out, only 11.4 volts. Jump leads, started no problem. Volt meter across the battery still 11.4 volts. Volt meter onto alternator and earthed on to alternator bolts still 11.4 volts. By my reconing that means end of alternator. 40 quid + vat for a scrappy one or 64 for a new bolk one from mr auto. Went for the new bolk one. It may be a crap one, but it has a years warranty and must be a better bet than the srappy one.

407 still driving phenomenally well returning nearly 40 mpg, very happy with it.

205 driving well too, but occasionally stalls at low revs, being an auto, always when sitting to come out a junction then ask for power and it stalls, maybe 1 in 10 times. Needs investigating now.

107 I have not been in it for a while now.

Going to add to the fleet tomorrow, a 07 plate 64000 mile c1. Then it will be sold to a lady friend approx 1 hour later. I will not make any money from it, if she wants to pay me then she can pay me without money. I shall leave you to work that out for yourselves. No suggestions required