Advice on Restoration / Respray / Fit Out

[max and caddy]

Nasty....but maybe not as bad as it looks...I'm a Kendal lad..

[Plasticman]

i like kendal, go there a fair bit
aye fire is messy but you should be able to profit nicely from that,was your engine lid a metal one by any chance
mm

[300CE]

Any ideas on how I may have started? Good luck with getting it sorted

[lozhedgehog]

300CE - Just guessing but I would say a ruptured fuel line spraying over something electrical (alternator?) as I had not long started up and the fire took seconds to develop.

mm - It is a mess in there. Yeh the lid is metal and amazingly it's top powder coat is only a bit yellowed with heat, considering it looks like even the carb head melted!!!! PROFIT? I like profit

max and caddy - the charring and burnt plastic does make it look 10 times worse, the smell multiplied that even further!!

Our thing now is, once we get that work done (insurance and quote dependant), then do as we were planning with the much needed bodywork and interior, will it end up worth it!!
We would really hate to see Lucy go but say we got £2K from insurance for "fire" work and then the 6-8K we have set aside would we end up better off finding a 8-10K new-to-us?
Decisions decisions??!?

[ghost123uk]

We would really hate to see Lucy go but say we got £2K from insurance for "fire" work and then the 6-8K we have set aside would we end up better off finding a 8-10K new-to-us?

My vote would be get another "ready to use" van. Reason = Time off the road, hassles, possible disappointments. (My judgement might be "coloured" by my recent experiences though ) 10K can get you a very nice T25

[New Kentish Campers]

Trouble is with any vehicle fire, it will be getting rid ,or not, of the ongoing smell, particularly in hot weather. This is why Insurers tend to write off fire damaged vehicles, as for much smaller fires than this one too. I've seen plenty written off over the years, trust me

[ghost123uk]

I know this has been talked about before but if it is written off and a payout agreed, might it be worth asking if you can keep the van (perhaps after paying some money) and selling it on as it is ?

Then you have the insurance pay out, the money from the sale of the damaged van, plus the money you had set aside for the restoration.

Just a thought...

[lozhedgehog]

I can already tell the smell may well linger :-S

A chap I spoke to on the phone regarding a quote yesterday mentioned about salvage after an insurance write off. Interesting idea.

[Plasticman]

I know this has been talked about before but if it is written off and a payout agreed, might it be worth asking if you can keep the van (perhaps after paying some money) and selling it on as it is ?

Then you have the insurance pay out, the money from the sale of the damaged van, plus the money you had set aside for the restoration.

Just a thought...

come on, you Dont ask to keep the van, its yours till you sell it, you take a payment and retain your van,
mm