Club 80-90 Forums

Hi all, new member here.

we have been looking for a t25 hard camper for ages, found one we like the spec of, my friend who knows Lots about vehicles has looked at it’s underneath and engine and said it’s all good. But it’s also got quite a bit of rust on panels. Any idea what it will cost roughly to get done, so I can work out if we can afford it?! Thank you!! !

thats not going to be cheap, it would be impossible to say how much, because untill you start the job you wont be able to see whats gone on where all that artex is where the seam used to be 

and show big caution with the mechanics of this van, some fool has put a plastic petrol filter in the return line in the engine bay .
 

As Moki says, its hard to say - but there is a lot of work on show and you usually find 3 x as much when you start digging.

The pic with the 'Artex' is a worry - its not even a good bodge.  Its above the jacking point.  The rust looks very well established and therefore has likely gone deep.   Attempting to jack the jack the van would likely result in collapse.   

Yes it’s impossible to be exact with a cost. If you are going to pay a reliable professional to carry out the body work and paint then you can say goodbye to a minimum of £5k. That’s from personal experience and then there’s likely to be mechanical work as well. So unless you are going to be keeping the van for a long time and want the piece of mind knowing what you have from the inside out, I would say look elsewhere for a van that has had work done or has been better cared for. The cost of work on these old buses far outweighs the eventual monetary value!!

This white (cheapest factory paint option) van started life as a panel van. Cutting windows and a hi-top into a panel van, will always cause problems with rust later on in its life, as this ones proves that. It has lots of rust; bodywork is very expensive to fix. This one is marginal scrap. It's not financially viable to save.

I recommend you find a Caravelle to convert, as they have factory windows and a factory interior.

... and to answer your question; £5000 per side, minimum.

DoubleOSeven wrote: ↑02 Aug 2023, 13:20 This white (cheapest factory paint option) van started life as a panel van. Cutting windows and a hi-top into a panel van, will always cause problems with rust later on in its life, as this ones proves that. It has lots of rust; bodywork is very expensive to fix. This one is marginal scrap. It's not financially viable to save.

I recommend you find a Caravelle to convert, as they have factory windows and a factory interior.

... and to answer your question; £5000 per side, minimum.

Nice to see a prompt reply!

hahah! What are the chances of this van still being on the road? I'd say: slimmer than Jill Dandos cat

^^^ 2023 update 

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