Refurbishing idle van

Eire-Dearg

Hi all. I'm refurbishing a Nissan Kubistar van, it's the old fella's but he hasn't had a reason to put it to use for a long time so it's been left idle for about 2 years or so. I'm looking to fix it up again and look to either hold onto it or sell it on to fund a car.

All the problems are aesthetic, except for the battery and the wheels which seem to be locked into place. Is there a handy way to releasing them? Someone said give them a whack of a sledge but I don't know Inside is perfect except for the steering wheel!

Other then that I'm just looking to see how i can go about fixing these problems:

1) Bonnet, back and top paint work have all faded to a lovely pink and gone all botchy. Would a buffer do the job? I've seen some fairly cheap or I could find someone who could give me a loan of one.
2) Plastic bumpers have all faded to a kind of bluey colour, they were a nice strong black.
3) Wheels are rusting.

I've attached a few photos.

Any help would be great.

no1beemerfan

For the brakes I assume the handbrake was left on? Start the car and keep rocking it back and forth between reverse and 1st and eventually it should move.

After you get the wheels free I'd check all for to make sure the back of the pads/shoes haven't come off their frames as if they have you'll need new ones.

A good polish with T-cut and colour restorer will have the pink back to red, Auto glym do a brilliant bumper restorer paste that you rub into the bumper...brings it up as new. With the wheels any motor factors should have aersol alloy paint....sand down the wheels, prime them and respray them. The van will look totally different with all that done.

Also don't forget to give it a full service after lying up that long.

Eire-Dearg

Nice one, cheers! I'm not sure if the handbrake was on or off for most of it's time there, at the moment its off.

Need to get a battery for it first, tried jumping it but its dead. How much does one go for?

Hopefully I can get it as good as new, its a fantastic little van.

I assume I can get the paste, T-cut and colour restorer in a place like Halfords?

no1beemerfan

A good diesel battery will be around €80 to €100 if I recall correctly. Everything can be got in Halfords or a local motor factors.

Hal1

Leaving the aesthetic's aside for a moment you have to ask why the van can't be moved. Given the time she's be sitting there, the brake disc's and drum's, handbrake cable's have more than likely seized.

Some wd40 will probably free them up, but depending on condition they could need replacing.

A good servicing will also be needed. Be sure the change the engine oil, brake oil and check pad's and shoe's for wear. Spark plugs and leads may be ok but if there is a misfire I would change. That's just for starters...

Eire-Dearg

no1beemerfan wrote: »

A good diesel battery will be around €80 to €100 if I recall correctly. Everything can be got in Halfords or a local motor factors.

That's not too bad, cheers.

Hal1 wrote: »

Leaving the aesthetic's aside for a moment you have to ask why the van can't be moved. Given the time she's be sitting there, the brake disc's and drum's, handbrake cable's have more than likely seized.

Some wd40 will probably free them up, but depending on condition they could need replacing.

A good servicing will also be needed. Be sure the change the engine oil, brake oil and check pad's and shoe's for wear. Spark plugs and leads may be ok but if there is a misfire I would change. That's just for starters...

Of course, its been sitting out for so long I can't take anything for granted, will get it a full servicing.

After all that though, I don't know if I'd want to sell it or not. A car would be grand but I've no problem going around in a van either...

Eire-Dearg

Picked up a bottle of Auto Glym Paint Renovator today and Back to Black for the bumpers, the lad in the shop said both will do the job fine.

no1beemerfan

Don't forget to put up pictures of the finished product!

Eire-Dearg

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

and Back to Black for the bumpers,

I think you may well be disappointed with the B to B.

GTDolanator

Hal1 wrote: »

Leaving the aesthetic's aside for a moment you have to ask why the van can't be moved. Given the time she's be sitting there, the brake disc's and drum's, handbrake cable's have more than likely seized.

Some wd40 will probably free them up, but depending on condition they could need replacing.

A good servicing will also be needed. Be sure the change the engine oil, brake oil and check pad's and shoe's for wear. Spark plugs and leads may be ok but if there is a misfire I would change. That's just for starters...

a diesel engine dosent have spark plugs or leads

Hal1

GTDolanator wrote: »

a diesel engine dosent have spark plugs or leads

Oh sorry, I wasn't firing on all cylinders when I posted that :pac:.

Eire-Dearg

RoverJames wrote: »

I think you may well be disappointed with the B to B.

Ah. This is a spray I think, I was recommended a paste in here.


I want to move the van before starting anything, its tucked away in a corner and I want to move it near the shed and the tap but that's proving difficult without a battery and locked wheels.

Slidey

Take off the wheels that are stuck and hit the drum a few hard shots with a hammer with the handbrake off.

That will release them more than likely

Eire-Dearg

Slidey wrote: »

Take off the wheels that are stuck and hit the drum a few hard shots with a hammer with the handbrake off.

That will release them more than likely

A friend of mine mentioned hitting them with something alright, although I didn't know how exactly. How do I figure out which are stuck?

Slidey

Jack the wheel up and try and turn it, if it doesn't turn... well then it is stuck!

Eire-Dearg

Slidey wrote: »

Jack the wheel up and try and turn it, if it doesn't turn... well then it is stuck!

Haha oh yeah!

Eire-Dearg

Washed her today! The grime, fungus and film of dirt over the whole car was unreal.

But it sure scrubs up nicely, lovely shine off the red that's there!

Was using a power washer and when I touched the alloys the silver began to give way very easily though.

The interior is in absolute fantastic condition though, which is a huge bonus.

Still uncertain whether to sell it on when its all done or hold on to it. If I hold onto it, tax and insurance will probably cost a bomb.

Eire-Dearg

I got this silver spray by Simoniz, will that do for the wheels? I tested a tiny bit and it seems very darkish silver.

Have everything else done, I'll post her up when the wheels are done!

Oh - and she's running a beaut. Jumped it and it runs for a while but the battery isn't charging at all, it's completely dead.

HevyKevy

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

I got this silver spray by Simoniz, will that do for the wheels? I tested a tiny bit and it seems very darkish silver.

Have everything else done, I'll post her up when the wheels are done!

Oh - and she's running a beaut. Jumped it and it runs for a while but the battery isn't charging at all, it's completely dead.

Cells in the battery are probably banjaxed. Make sure there's water in them. If not top up with de-ionised water and then run the van for a good while again to see if the battery then holds a charge. After this long chances are it won't be saved though.

Also is it all 4 wheels stuck or just the rear drums, if it has rear drums that it is!!

Eire-Dearg

HevyKevy wrote: »

Cells in the battery are probably banjaxed. Make sure there's water in them. If not top up with de-ionised water and then run the van for a good while again to see if the battery then holds a charge. After this long chances are it won't be saved though.

Also is it all 4 wheels stuck or just the rear drums, if it has rear drums that it is!!

They're no longer stuck! Gave them a whack of a sledge and they freed up, not a bother.