got myself a Trident

Post by **elsid** » 18 Mar 2008, 22:26

After searching the net and buying loads of mags I have finally bought a 1985 Autosleeper Trident, it is a 1.9 watercooled auto. It looks fairly sound all round except for some duck tape along the back where the top joins the body. I drove it up from Cornwall and it seemed to go OK, I have never driven a T25 before so I have nothing to compare it with. At 4 grand I think I have paid over the odds for it but it seems pretty solid and apart from a split in the rear cushion it is tidy inside. When I got it home I found the C.L.I Hotbox heater had given up the ghost and refused to start up, not even a fan running! the following morning which was very cold it took about 4 minutes of ticking over before I could use the accelerator! I will have to get the auto choke etc checked over. On looking for a VW I was surprised at the number of vans that had to have new engines fitted at very low mileage. This one had a new auto box at 56,000 and a new engine at 60,000 miles. It has now done 68.000. I am looking forward to tidying it up a bit, getting it sorted and going to a few events in it.
Sid

Post by **kevtherev** » 18 Mar 2008, 22:51

well done...your journey begins me thinks

nice choice of conversion...though I thought sleepers only fitted propex heaters?
make sure all the connections are good and the aux battery is charged and in good nick

the auto choke is a fairly simple affair...

if your engine has only done 68 thou...it's just run in mines done 130 thou now

Post by **elsid** » 18 Mar 2008, 23:55

The original engine only lasted 60,000 miles! The new one has done 8,000.
I 'phoned CLI and they told me that their Hotbox heater was taken over by Propex. Propex said they no longer make the Hotbox but their HS2000 is a close replacement. They cost about £400 so I will try to fix the old Hotbox.
Sid

Post by **Bowton Lad** » 19 Mar 2008, 02:25

My 1984 Auto-Sleeper VT20 has a red 'Hot Box' lpg heater under the small o/s seat which forms part of the alcove seating. The heater outlet in the van interior & the thermostat are the same as the Propex ones.

Post by **1664** » 19 Mar 2008, 11:34

Welcome, you've chosen a nice conversion. As prevoiusly mentioned re the heater, check the battery and connections as the heater won't run without sufficient 'leccy.

Post by **mikey9** » 19 Mar 2008, 13:04

Good choice mate, and good luck fixin er up.

Plenty Trident owners on here - if you need any pointers on what should/shouldn't be there - give us a shout.

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 19 Mar 2008, 19:53

Hello and welcome . . . got any photos of your van?

Tony

Post by **elsid** » 19 Mar 2008, 23:15

Hi, yes I have a few pics but don't know how to post them!
I removed the tape from the joint at the back of the hi-top to reveal a lot of rust! I will have to buy a bucket full of filler and take the tailgate off to do a repair and spray.I have looked at the Autosleeper owners club website to try and find out what colour it is without much success. I will have to drive it into Halfords and compare the top of the spray cans. I am in the process of modifying the hinges on the bottom locker to the right of the fridge in order to get a Bi-Pot 30 cassette toilet in. I will also have to move the water pump back a bit. While messing about in the van I have found that at least the radio/CD player works OK. I have decided to forget about the heater until I get some of the other problems sorted.
Sid

Post by **kevtherev** » 19 Mar 2008, 23:21

What is the colour ?

The paint code on your van can be found on a silver sticker under your passenger seat, inside the front cover of your service book or on the white paper sticker that was attached to the door post above your accelerator pedal.

85 sleepers where usually Beige or white

see the wiki ^^^^ above for posting pictures with Photobucket

Post by **elsid** » 20 Mar 2008, 07:12

Thanks for that. My van is a sort of white. I looked in the service schedule as you suggest and find the paint code is L90D. I have ordered a load of books on the T25 in order to find out more about them.
At the back of the gas locker there is what appears to be a double skin, the side of the bus steps in by about 2". Does anyone know what is behind there. Would it be OK to drill 4 holes there to mount the water pump, I need to move it back a little in order to get the Bi-Pot in?
Sid

Post by **Bowton Lad** » 20 Mar 2008, 12:01

elsid wrote:Thanks for that. My van is a sort of white. I looked in the service schedule as you suggest and find the paint code is L90D.

L90D:-

90D = Pastel White (aka sort of white)

L = Laquer

Post by **elsid** » 22 Mar 2008, 18:38

Tony
I have tried to post some pics of the van without success. I can't get the drift of this Img thing. I typed in the mega long URL for the pic but it didn't appear so I have given up. I managed to post a small pic as an avatar, that was easy using the browse facility. I will try again when my blood pressure has come down!
Sid

Post by **Nicola&Tony** » 22 Mar 2008, 20:35

Hang in there Sid! The photo posting is a bit fiddly at first, till you get the hang of it. Which site are you using to host your images? Photobucket seems to be one of the easiest and most reliable to use, you don't have to type out the url with P'bucket, it lets you just copy it across into your post (a copy + paste manouvre).

An easier alternative might be to set up your 80-90 Garage section (see menu options at the top of this page), iirc you can upload photos directly from your computer to the Garage and they don't have to be hosted somewhere else on t'internet before they will appear.

Tony

Post by **elsid** » 22 Mar 2008, 23:00

I set up a photobucket account and loaded the pics on to it. I then resized them and copied them onto my PC. That's how I did the avatar. I couldn't find a way of getting them on to here using the stupid "Img" thing. I will have a go at the cut and paste as you suggest.
Cheers Sid

Post by **squarepants** » 23 Mar 2008, 00:38

Don't sweat the piccies. enjoy the T25. And in God's own county too...

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