Home from ccautos and ready for action

[konadog]

We finally got Hazel home after getting the ccauto road ready overhaul. We bought her from Derek at Bonsai motors in Campbell River and had Coombs Country Glen do the makeover. Very happy with both Derek and Glen and enjoyed the whole process. Glad she's ready for action now though. I took some good shots at ccautos but lost them in the download process. Oh well, here she is in her home driveway just waiting to get out on some adventure! We were planning on working tomorrow so we can start paying for her, buuuuut...
Another new Delica on the road.
Scott

[mararmeisto]

Interesting colour scheme. What is that: bronze over black? Looks good. I find there isn't a 'bad' colour scheme with these vehicles. Ever find that, how some vehicles don't have good colour combinations?

[konadog]

I don't know about combinations, but I think some of the VW buses of the mid 70's the worst, ugliest coloured vehicles ever. Haven't seen a deli colour I don't like, so far. And I really do like the bronze over black scheme of ours - I see Mystery Machine's new AWESOME-DEAL ride looks very similar. And call me different, but I esp. like the steel rims on ours. Looks like a really old time 4x4. Strong and simple like the p25 itself.

[windsnob54]

love those rims! very syncro 16" (and you can think what you want about vw's but syncro 16"s are bad ass) do you know where they are from?

oh, and i object to the 70's vw poor colour choice comment. green plaid interior, c'mon!?!

[mararmeisto]

...And call me different, but I esp. like the steel rims on ours. Looks like a really old time 4x4...

What about a slick coat of simple black paint? I've seen that look quite sharp.

[delicat]

How could anyone not like plaid green? (Only in VW's though...)

But nice bus you got anyway (not to hijack the thread!)

[konadog]

OK, you got me on this one! Green plaid works. I do have a soft spot for the V-dubs - even through the questionable colour years they were always original I see you have a pre-68 split there in your avitar... Nice, what year?

[delicat]

It's a '65, my bachelor's bus...

[mararmeisto]

How could anyone not like plaid green? (Only in VW's though...)

Did the baby throw up on the seat... or is that the actual colour of the seat fabric? (sorry, couldn't resist). Now are those just the colour schemes the Germans exported to us in the New World or did they subject themselves to the same as well?

[Blackberry]

During a weekend auto-camping trip mid-island recently, I visited my good friend "konadog" who graciously agreed to trust me with a sample drive of Hazel... stipulation being that a ride impression recorded herein would be forthcoming.

I'll try to describe my impressions in the form of a comparison to the VW van I was driving at the time and I intend to replace with a Deli sometime soon. Although I wouldn't concur that "VW vans are a piece of crap" as the unmistakably proud Deli owner told me while I sat comfortably in the downstairs living-room of the Westy (to his credit he later qualified and recanted the judgment a little)... I do, though, accept that VW vans, like mine, are high-maintenance "period" pieces not without their idiosyncrasies. However, like Delicas, aspects of VW vans were extremely well engineered for their time. Their design, in the hands of those who appreciate it and are willing to invest the necessary effort for their care and feeding, will serve the owner well. Anyway, I think it's worthwhile describing my impressions of a Delica relative to the VW Van because some (like I) are considering replacing his VW with a Deli or are choosing between a Deli and a VW for his next purchase.

The contrast between the '76 Westy I was touring in and Hazel is significant. The automotive world saw much technological change in the 16 yrs. following the birth of my VW. That time was the real golden-age of The Rising Sun ... when their economy rocketed skyward, "driven" by their automotive and electronics' industries. Their vehicles evolved from skateboard-on-wheels Civics and rusty-but-trusty Celicas to Lexus's and sturdy, well designed ahead-of-their-time Delicas.

The first thing I noticed when I looked at the underside of Hazel was that she looked almost like a new vehicle. The underside was clean - not just free of rust, but nearly-new clean paint. The 2nd thing I noticed was the shockingly exposed radiator and (what I presume are the) auto-trans oil coolers. A skid-plate is forthcoming I was assured... (hmm, and you'd better do something about those even-more-exposed trans coolers). Another thing I noticed and much appreciated being a backyard wrencher is the relative vast open spaces underneath in which to work. The space around the trans and rear of the engine from below is, when compared to the VW, absolutely vacuous. The new-vehicle feeling continued when I climbed into the driver's seat. Clean, tight... everything in near perfect condition. Kind of a surreal time-warp effect when one's sitting in what he knows is a 16yr old vehicle.

After learning the diesel starting trick on the 2nd try she fired-up instantaneously. The idle-speed vibration was a surprise, but not annoying. Of course it went away as soon as the revs increased when we began moving. Notwithstanding my VW's obligatory holey muffler, the VW was still a little quieter from the driver's seat (probably because of extra engine-compartment insulation I've installed and because the Delica's engine is so close by). The VW appears to be slightly larger inside than the Delica, although the versatility of the large empty space available in the Delica when the seats are removed, including the absence of a rear engine compartment, is as an attractive feature to me as is the comfort and convenience of the Westy's interior design.

I'm not a fan of automatics and it did seem like the Delica's shifting was a little soft...but then I wasn't in a situation to be able to really "step on it" hard, so don't know for sure how solidly it shifts under load. When I get one I think I'd prefer to try for a 5 spd. Yes, they're quite rare... yes, the wife may struggle with it at first, yes maybe they rev higher at hwy speeds and, possibly, get slightly poorer fuel economy...but I like the idea of being able to bump-start it if needed (hmm...being a high compression diesel would that be a problem?)...and that there'd be no exposed trans oil coolers to worry about ...and would be straightforward to tow should (perish the thought) it come to that, etc.

Hmm...let's see... what else...oh yes, I was very impressed with the visibilty - huge vast windows and great mirror coverage as compared with the VW. I felt very aware of the road around me and felt safe. The right-hand drive wasn't an issue at all... it felt comfortable and normal. The new-vehicle-feeling theme continued while driving it as well... everything felt very solid and tight, like a new vehicle. I did notice an odd little wiggle in the front if I abruptly turned the wheel to one side and then quickly back (like one would do to avoid a pot-hole). I was traveling at about 30 kms/h when I tried this. It felt almost like the side-walls of the tires rolling, but Hazel is outfitted with very heavy-duty, sturdy tires, so I know that likely wasn't what was happening (though it may be due to the rugged/agressive off-road tread of the tires?). Anyway, a very minor effect.

I've been looking at Delicas and intending to get one for a while now. It was my first experience driving one and I'm more enthusiastic than ever about getting one. Thank you Konadog for the opportunity and I look very much to exploring the backroads together with you, Hazel and the rest of the clan once I get my ride.

- BB

Konadog in a past life...struggling to ascend from van purgatory

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[Fishtank]

Very informative perspective Blackberry, good post.

UMMMMMMMM, as for the picture... I've seen alot of things, but Spandex with a Stanfield ???? Very daring Konadog.

[mararmeisto]

Very informative perspective Blackberry, good post.

UMMMMMMMM, as for the picture... I've seen alot of things, but Spandex with a Stanfield ???? Very daring Konadog.

"Ahhhh, you Canadianz, you don't know zis stsing called 'fashion'. You don't understand, no? Sis is why you still wear the stsings you wear - c'est horible! Pah!" (in the thickest Parisian french accent I can muster).

On a serious note, it's interesting how many VW owners have pictures like that: tools laid out on a blanket before the gaping maw of the inner sanctum, Haynes manual in hand, praying at the altar of the VW gods for just another mile or two of propulsion. It kinda reminds me of Harley riders - spending most every weekend putting the damned thing back together, but loving every minute riding it. I'm torn, because I've always wanted a microbus, but been too reluctant to spend that much time nurturing it.

[marsgal42]

I've checked, and while there is a Haynes manual for the Pajero, there isn't one for the Delica, nor for any derivative of it.

I put in an order for one of the newer Haynes manuals http://www.pitstop.net.au/view/products ... plu/20032/ through my favourite car bookstore last night but it's on back-order. Always wondered what the torque specs were on Merlin cylinder heads.

...laura

[konadog]

I've seen alot of things, but Spandex with a Stanfield ???? Very daring Konadog.

You like that!? How about what I'm wearing now! Still wool and spandex. Jo says I look like the incredible hulk, only skinny and not really very incredible

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"VW vans are a piece of crap" as the unmistakably proud Deli owner told me while I sat comfortably in the downstairs living-room of the Westy (to his credit he later qualified and recanted the judgment a little)...

I actually recanted that statement completely. I simply meant that the old VW's need pretty much constant tweaking and really need to be owned by someone mechanically inclined. Thanks for saying how nice and clean and new Hazel looks!

I've checked, and while there is a Haynes manual for the Pajero, there isn't one for the Delica, nor for any derivative of it.

I'm waiting for Bruce or someone to produce an "Idiot's Guide to Delicas"

[mararmeisto]

I've seen alot of things, but Spandex with a Stanfield ???? Very daring Konadog.

You like that!? How about what I'm wearing now! Still wool and spandex. Jo says I look like the incredible hulk, only skinny and not really very incredible

I'm waiting for Bruce or someone to produce an "Idiot's Guide to Delicas"

There isn't a Hayne's manual, but there is the copy of the Russek's-like-manual that the UK club is selling, usually on ebay such as at this link.

As for the picture: MY EYES! MY EYES!