First off, thank you all for the amazing, never ending reads (and roads) and the great support that people offer each other. This was instrumental in my getting a Delica for sure!
Wow, if insomnia had a plus side, this (forum) is it.
I felt that in a quasi blog form I would add my own thoughts in long winded fashion in the spirit of some (but not all). So please do skip this post of course if that's not where you're at :)
Seriously, this is really long winded.
Second, we just bought a winter package (dual batteries, engine warmer) Delica in California (L300 Star Wagon, High Roof, 4D56, two tone) from another surfing / neat couple who couldn't register it there (no surprise, it's a '93). I've been inspired by the new Seattle surf crew to add some photos.
http://www.delica.ca/forum/new-delica-o ... 14797.html
Sadly, there are no wetsuits drying on NewDeli (aka, GB, previous owner's name for 'him').
- NewDeli1.jpg (71.39 KiB) Viewed 5195 times
Here is our NewDeli next to our '71 bus. They seem to get along pretty well. Can't neglect either of them, so I'll have to be back and forth between the great countries.
- New Deli2.jpg (111.1 KiB) Viewed 5194 times
Third, I'm not that mechanically inclined yet, so here are our own mods / adjustments, etc. so far, that in mind.
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A. Signal Switch: I myself switched the signal to the left side and wiper to the right. I know, what 'Chutzpah' -- but I couldn't resist. This consisted of removing the screws for the steering column cover and then just two screws to switch the two devices after gently rotating the wiring. I'll provide pictures unless deep offense would be taken at what we've done. Love this mod a lot.
- flipped signals.jpg (117.94 KiB) Viewed 5194 times
Glen is the 'man' for this:
http://www.delica.ca/forum/center-console-3927-30.html
and
http://www.vurv.ca/
C. Tray: I took a little bed tray (you know that type that was popular in the 1970s / 1980s) and put in little peg board hooks (to stay in the lower curtain track) and keep in the back and now I have a reminiscence of my '71 Westi (which we keep in Southern California). Good for laptop and small meals.
Here are the hooks that I wedgied in.
- table tray hooks.jpg (55.94 KiB) Viewed 5195 times
- interior tray table up and about.jpg (120.38 KiB) Viewed 5195 times
D. Cheap ridiculous beaded seat cover: Thank you for that suggestion from a previous Delica post. Works for now. If you're bead-voyeuristic, see my second post below in response to Konadog for stealth surf board layout along with glimpse of 'the beads' man.
http://www.delica.ca/forum/changing-fro ... -4230.html
Weird footnote, they drive pretty similarly in terms of the 'rollie' / floaty feel of the road (we have quasi off road truck tires on the Westi) and in reference to another user, the '71 does indeed have the classic parade effect. Pictures forthcoming.
We also have a 2002 Eurovan Weekender and that too is similar in some regards in terms of how solid the L300 and the Eurovan both feel, yet the Eurovan really feels heavy / stiff but in a good way (Billstein shocks).
D. Racks: Put on some Thule racks for surf boards / future basket (thanks again Craigslist), but might go from 50" to '58" loadbars in order to have some overhang.
Done; turns out a relative of mine had 58" -ers and the overhang is perfect and he wanted 50" ers. I'm imagining a piece of rebar or two in order to provide surf hangers that extend out when needed. I'll update pictures accordingly.
Also for new surfers, may I strongly recommend the NRS 1.5 inch straps (not the 1 inch ones, makes a world of difference).
http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp? ... eptid=1188
And, if you don't know how to do it, use the double strapping method.
Here is a vid. of the double strapping method (you have to modify it for Yakima / Thule racks):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rCIxgKuEoI
Ok, here is a better example, but the straps used here are too small (the one inchers).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNF5UMWqM7o
Another obvious note perhaps: On the interior side of surfboard storage, when I don't want to use the Thule load bars / surf racks, I run the surfboards under the passenger side given my height. My gal is more than a foot shorter so that works. I suppose for two tall-ish people, I might do something down the center as in my '71 Westi.
E. Interior Space: Pulled out middle seat (I wonder if that one does that really cool reversie thing that I saw on a youtube video). I can't get mine (so far to mimic CraigPollock's) seating reversing orientation on demand. Anyone have any ideas?
See for example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jZYOy0KRso
(2:24 in the video)
Craig says the middle row will flip in either direction. Is that true for mine too?
Regardlless, now that it's gone, I feel like I have a living room in there. But if I could flip it like Craig, maybe it would go back in? Thoughts?
Update: Ahhh, I just read the Japanese *well pictures anyway* and saw the foot petal. I just flipped the seat!!! It may have to go back in side! Arigato my Mitsubishi designer friends!
F. Interior Surf Board arrangement: Ran two straps in the back from the grab handles to hold surfboards. Works pretty good for long boards, but I do recommend a bungie at the back to keep the boards from moving forward.
G. Interior Sleeping: Costco sold me a thin self inflating bed on the cheap so that fits me in a diagonal way in the back. (About $55 less than the REI version) Wondering if I could stuff the step area with a pillow?
H. Interior food stuff. For now I'm using a Coleman cooler that plugs into the lighter. For my trips at the moment, I have just been freezing a gallon of drinking water and that's good for a couple of days).
Mods and repairs some of and some not of our own doing (some after and some before we bought)
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A. Tint: Tinting cost us $150 in California, but one mistake I made was spending another $20 on a front visor tint, too dark (at night), and too low. So I suppose I'll use my heat gun and take it off. And maybe if I'm brave enough, have a less wide one with a very low tint put in if I can track a tinter down for a such a small job. Update: Couldn't find my heatgun, so used a hair dryer and a razor blade with Windex. Gone. Much easier to see through again.
B. Rain / Vent Visors: During the tint, the original rain visors that sort of interfered with window closing (on Driver side) were replaced with $50 stick on ones that Mardy sold to me. Thanks Mardy for all the wonderful advise when a buddy of mine and I met Mardy the first week of June (2013) at Amazing Auto Imports in Vancouver. Mabuhai!!! Mardy's site below:
http://www.amazingautoimports.com/t/
I like that Mardy stands behind his work so I'm anticipating parting with some cold hard cash his way at some point.
C. Previous couple had most maintenance records (timing belt replacement about 40k before us, glow plugs, about 20k and regular maintenance - though I may amend this post as I more carefully peruse the records) and hound the previous owners a bit more.
H. We did change the oil (along with oil and fuel filter, air filter, transmission fluid, coolant and front brake pads and Costco front and rear wipers / slightly larger than ones that were there and seemingly much higher quality). This set us back several hundred U.S. buckies.
One mistake that we made, that I don't think / hope we're paying for was not using a wee bit of the older transmission fluid to make the mix friendlier (this according to a master mechanic at Japanoid). But, he seems to think we got lucky because the Delica is driving fine after the transmission fluid change and that is unfortunately not always the case. Maybe because we didn't change the gasket this time around and clean the tray? I don't know, beginner's luck! And we've put on over 600K since purchasing it a couple of weeks back.
I. I added a couple of drink holders off the top a/c/ vents ($6 or 7 each) and a drink holder caddy below ($8) from Pep Boys in the States. They are now in the center a/c vents based on a photo I saw here at the forum.
- top layout cupholders.jpg (115.73 KiB) Viewed 5194 times
Future pondering.
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Should we keep it (we're trial running it now, to see if my 6 foot body is comfortable enough in this) here are some things we would do at some point (lottery winnings not withstanding).
A. Camperize it somehow.
Curtains (I might have to learn how to use a sewing machine we have in the garage)
More clever bed arrangement (I'm still reviewing the posts and occasional videos)
Westi style pop up tent -- that's going to be pretty rad if we pull that off
Stove and sink (maybe out the back as in one cool posting here)
Anyone have success changing the flip out windows in the back for slide windows (with screens?)
B. Hmmm. What front seat options do I have? I've seen some cool posts, but more thought has to go into this. Swivel? Comfort? Captain's arm rests?
C. Cruise control. I would love this. It makes long journies that much easier. I saw one earlier post here but still can't find the right stuff to make that happen, key word 'for cheap' as no lottery yet.
see: http://www.delica.ca/forum/installed-cr ... -2329.html
D. Pyro meter. Ok, this is not a wish list item, this is a necessity. Any recommendations on good ones? Yes, yes, I'll read the posts that have been written already. I promise.
E. Marine battery somewhere and hooked up accordingly for accessories.
F. Hitch (but of course, I'd like to spend a lot less than $350, maybe something through Harbor Freight in the States welded on?)
Ok, that's it for now,
Peace out, and I'll give a heads up when we head back up to Victoria / Vancouver. We're planning on surfing up the coast on the way up, maybe in a few weeks.
Peace,
New Deli
p.s. more photos after this post (read down a bit)
Good Ship 
