The Art of Shedding
Discussion
I love this thread, can't believe I didn't click it sooner - thanks for the big update. When you factor in the £400 a day thing for the filming company that makes it even better! Half of the cars you listed in yesterday's update I've never seen on the road - quite partial to the Peugeot van funnily enough.
Blanco92 said:
And I thought I drove a shed...
Do you do much to tart them up before selling on, e.g service, wash and polish etc? I can see you weld a few... it’s that that puts me off a car! Clearly I’m doing it wrong.
The aim for me is to get the cars and drive them, some may need general maintenance, welding or minor fettling but I'm not "tarting them up" I'm just fixing them for my personal enjoyment. Do you do much to tart them up before selling on, e.g service, wash and polish etc? I can see you weld a few... it’s that that puts me off a car! Clearly I’m doing it wrong.
There's a strange satisfaction in taking a car nobody cares about which is probably one mot failure away from the scrappers and giving it a new lease of life.
From a financial standpoint it probably isn't worth the grief but for the entertainment factor I usually get some enjoyment out of.
I'm not shining them up and photographing them in a white room and selling them for extortionate amounts, I'm just preserving them for my own amusement and selling them on as honest used old cars.
I'm also not doing this for a living, I have a full time job as a welder on a submarine dismantling programme, this is just a bit of fun on the weekends. I love travelling to new places and buying crap old cars just for the adventure.
Very little puts me off buying stuff, if I want it I'll usually just go out and get it, I don't care if its dirty, needs welding, has moon miles on it, doesn't have service history, as long as it starts, goes and stops I'm easy.
I'll happily let everyone else avoid buying cars like these if it means I can get them for little money, enjoy them and move onto the next one.
funkyrobot said:
I guess being handy at spannering and welding helps with this?
As someone who has only done minimal spannering, I salute you. Seems like something that could be a world of fun if you have the experience, time and tools for it.
I have a unit/workshop/man cave equipped with a tyre machine, 4 post lift, some basic tools and welding equipment where I can work on cars at my leisure. As someone who has only done minimal spannering, I salute you. Seems like something that could be a world of fun if you have the experience, time and tools for it.
The fun bit is the novelty of driving something different, sometimes I don't have the time or enthusiasm for spannering and will farm the job out to someone else.
Excellent thread, I learned to drive in my mum's 305 estate and was sold a 305 van by my dad (well, strictly speaking his business) after I'd crashed a FS1E a week before my 17th birthday and his 505 three weeks after passing my test on my 17th birthday, I think he thought I'd be a) safer on 4 wheels but b) not his 4 wheels.
CornedBeef said:
I love this thread, can't believe I didn't click it sooner - thanks for the big update. When you factor in the £400 a day thing for the filming company that makes it even better! Half of the cars you listed in yesterday's update I've never seen on the road - quite partial to the Peugeot van funnily enough.
The pay isn't always as good as £400 per car, it depends on the film. I've had a car in the last episode of Still Game, a few in the David Walliams film Grandpa's great escape, one in a Netflix film called malevolent, my subaru pickup was in a bollywood movie last year called 83 and I had a couple of cars in a film called she will a couple of weeks ago.I'll post some more details about the 305 van shortly as a few people seem interested in it.
The story of the 305 van starts in 2017 with this...
DSC_0587 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0576 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0201 by srblythe, on Flickr
A Tata Loadbeta 4X4 which looks like a knock off Mercedes of some sort but isn't licensed in any way by Mercedes. It did have a knock off Peugeot XUD engine and knock off Bosch fuel pump and even with a turbo bolted to it was horrendously under powered. I bought it from a Scrapyard just outside of Glasgow for £250 and drove around in it for a month or two...
The 305 van appeared for sale around the same time as I bought the Tata, the owner of the 305 was a motoring journalist of some sort and the van had previously featured in a staff car bit of Practical Classics.
He wanted something like £1k for the van which was a bit rich considering the poor condition of it, it was located in Peterborough which made getting it here costly, it hadn't been roadworthy for a while and wasn't good enough to drive here.
Fortunately the owner after having little to no real interest in the van started to drop the price.
Believe it or not but there was someone else out there who wanted a Tata pickup, he lived further south than Peterborough so I made a deal that if he bought the 305 van and transported it here, he could have the Tata.
The Tata was very rusty and didn't have a lot of test on it and he wanted it for his college students to mess around with.
DSC_0180 by srblythe, on Flickr
By late October the 305 van had arrived.
DSC_0182 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0187 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0189 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0190 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0191 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0192 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0194 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0195 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0203 by srblythe, on Flickr
It was in a bad way but luckily I had a red 305 estate to swap some bits with.
DSC_0207 by srblythe, on Flickr
I focused my efforts in cutting out the rust.
DSC_0219 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0297 by srblythe, on Flickr
I discovered that rear arch repair panels were made of unobtainium so I improvised with some Volvo 340 repair panels.
DSC_0300 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0301 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0304 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0363 by srblythe, on Flickr
In classic car circles the van was affectionately referred to as the Knobvan because it had a gearknob made from a block of wood, I think the owner must have kept the wooden knob for sentimental reasons because it was missing when the van arrived.
DSC_0367 by srblythe, on Flickr
I fitted something I had lying around.
I started to fit replacement parts from the other 305 estate, I swapped the doors, headlights, taillights, struts, brakes and rear axle.
DSC_0373 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0377 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0393 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0396 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0634 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0694 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_9937 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_9942 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_9950 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_0126 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_0195 by srblythe, on Flickr
It wasn't going to win any beauty contests but was presentable, everyone still referred to it as the Knobvan even though in my eyes I had totally transformed it. I thought the best way to totally transform it was to paint it a different colour.
RJC_0237 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_0236 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_0231 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_0403 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_0396 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_0413 by srblythe, on Flickr
It was a pretty good winter steed.
RJC_0451 by srblythe, on Flickr
The 1.9 na XU diesel engine returned reasonable fuel economy for such a s
t old van.
RJC_1040 by srblythe, on Flickr
At the start of April 2018 the weather started to get a little warmer so I decided it was time to paint it, I don't have the appropriate equipment such as heaters or a spray booth so I sprayed it inside on my ramp and wheeled it outside to dry and cure the paint.
The cost of the "respray" came in at a total of £30 with a can of generic metal paint thinned and run through a spray gun.
RJC_1091 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_1095 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_1098 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_1104 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_1113 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_1119 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_1127 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_1131 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_1153 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_1166 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_1177 by srblythe, on Flickr
I know it's unlikely to appeal to the majority of people but I liked it. I sold it at the end of April for £1k
DSC_0587 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0576 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0201 by srblythe, on FlickrA Tata Loadbeta 4X4 which looks like a knock off Mercedes of some sort but isn't licensed in any way by Mercedes. It did have a knock off Peugeot XUD engine and knock off Bosch fuel pump and even with a turbo bolted to it was horrendously under powered. I bought it from a Scrapyard just outside of Glasgow for £250 and drove around in it for a month or two...
The 305 van appeared for sale around the same time as I bought the Tata, the owner of the 305 was a motoring journalist of some sort and the van had previously featured in a staff car bit of Practical Classics.
He wanted something like £1k for the van which was a bit rich considering the poor condition of it, it was located in Peterborough which made getting it here costly, it hadn't been roadworthy for a while and wasn't good enough to drive here.
Fortunately the owner after having little to no real interest in the van started to drop the price.
Believe it or not but there was someone else out there who wanted a Tata pickup, he lived further south than Peterborough so I made a deal that if he bought the 305 van and transported it here, he could have the Tata.
The Tata was very rusty and didn't have a lot of test on it and he wanted it for his college students to mess around with.
DSC_0180 by srblythe, on FlickrBy late October the 305 van had arrived.
DSC_0182 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0187 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0189 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0190 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0191 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0192 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0194 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0195 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0203 by srblythe, on FlickrIt was in a bad way but luckily I had a red 305 estate to swap some bits with.
DSC_0207 by srblythe, on FlickrI focused my efforts in cutting out the rust.
DSC_0219 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0297 by srblythe, on FlickrI discovered that rear arch repair panels were made of unobtainium so I improvised with some Volvo 340 repair panels.
DSC_0300 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0301 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0304 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0363 by srblythe, on FlickrIn classic car circles the van was affectionately referred to as the Knobvan because it had a gearknob made from a block of wood, I think the owner must have kept the wooden knob for sentimental reasons because it was missing when the van arrived.
DSC_0367 by srblythe, on FlickrI fitted something I had lying around.
I started to fit replacement parts from the other 305 estate, I swapped the doors, headlights, taillights, struts, brakes and rear axle.
DSC_0373 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0377 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0393 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0396 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0634 by srblythe, on FlickrDSC_0694 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_9937 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_9942 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_9950 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_0126 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_0195 by srblythe, on FlickrIt wasn't going to win any beauty contests but was presentable, everyone still referred to it as the Knobvan even though in my eyes I had totally transformed it. I thought the best way to totally transform it was to paint it a different colour.
RJC_0237 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_0236 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_0231 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_0403 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_0396 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_0413 by srblythe, on FlickrIt was a pretty good winter steed.
RJC_0451 by srblythe, on FlickrThe 1.9 na XU diesel engine returned reasonable fuel economy for such a s
t old van.RJC_1040 by srblythe, on FlickrAt the start of April 2018 the weather started to get a little warmer so I decided it was time to paint it, I don't have the appropriate equipment such as heaters or a spray booth so I sprayed it inside on my ramp and wheeled it outside to dry and cure the paint.
The cost of the "respray" came in at a total of £30 with a can of generic metal paint thinned and run through a spray gun.
RJC_1091 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_1095 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_1098 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_1104 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_1113 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_1119 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_1127 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_1131 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_1153 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_1166 by srblythe, on FlickrRJC_1177 by srblythe, on FlickrI know it's unlikely to appeal to the majority of people but I liked it. I sold it at the end of April for £1k
Paul S4 said:
Great reading...however, I reckon that White W123 would be my choice...they must surely go up in value and they still look good even today.
DSC_0975 by srblythe, on FlickrI picked it up in August 2017 for £350, looks good doesn't it?
DSC_0077 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0079 by srblythe, on FlickrHmm...
DSC_0034 by srblythe, on FlickrOn second thoughts...
DSC_0037 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0045 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0119 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0129 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0126 by srblythe, on FlickrSome welding and a few brake lines and calipers and it passed its mot.
DSC_0424 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0428 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0432 by srblythe, on FlickrI love smoking around in this. It's the later 2.3L injected 4 cylinder petrol engine with a 3 speed automatic gearbox, manual gearboxes are generally a bit rubbish in old Merc's especially for wafting around in.
DSC_0440 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0445 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0459 by srblythe, on FlickrIn September 2017 the car paid for itself when it was used in the David Walliams kids book turned film "Grandpa's great escape"
DSC_0635 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0643 by srblythe, on FlickrMy friend had his Imp in it and my Mrs had a Mk2 Polo also in the film.
Grandpa's Great Escape by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0647 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0654 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0660 by srblythe, on FlickrIt's such a great looking car.
DSC_0803 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_0668 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_9700 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_9689 by srblythe, on FlickrI eventually got a pair of second hand wings for it as new replacements are something like double what I paid for the car, I've yet to paint them.
RJC_1088 by srblythe, on Flickr
RJC_1087 by srblythe, on FlickrI don't think it's worth an awful lot, maybe in pristine condition it would be but It'll never be that in my ownership, I'm just going to continue to use and enjoy it when I can. Currently it's out of mot but I don't see it needing much to get through the next one, I've just had so many other projects lately the old Mercedes has fallen by the wayside.
idealstandard said:
this is by far one of the best threads I have read on Pistonheads.
Keep this up bloke, this is fantastic.
Thanks, I have plenty of stuff to share from the not too distant past and will also be updating the thread with stuff that's happening currently. Keep this up bloke, this is fantastic.
I'll continue with the yearly run downs too and elaborate on the stuff people take particular interest in.
I've bought some right f
king sheds over the years, in 2014 I had the notion that I was going to resurrect this heap of st...
What have I done by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_4012 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_4445 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_4349 by srblythe, on Flickr
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DSC_4448 by srblythe, on FlickrThere were some issues getting it on the truck!
DSC_4450 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_4454 by srblythe, on FlickrBut we got there in the end!
DSC_4457 by srblythe, on Flickr
DSC_4462 by srblythe, on FlickrIt was an FSO 125P pickup which is rare in it's native Poland and Super rare in RHD and UK registered. I paid something daft like £200 for it. I really shouldn't have bothered because it was way beyond my capabilities and I ended up abandoning it and leaving it in my unit when I moved to a new place.
It was totally f
ked.If I had it now, it might have been different but back then I was on apprentice wages and didn't have enough time, money or imagination to make it into something.
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