After the “high” of the delivery day (Evening) , came the bright light of day the next day.
I had actually closed shop the moment Michael and I were done with looking at the wheel arch extension in the last post and video.
So I had my mug of morning tea and breakfast, after which I went down to start the Cube, now known as
Spartacus and then reversed it back up to the house for unpacking the parts in the rear and pressure washing the outside and the inside of the load-bed and canopy.
I had to go to town and did a few other jobs as well before I could get back to
Spartacus
Eventually I got back home and resumed my discovery journey. Unpacking and pressure washing it all. The keen zoomers will notice that I skipped the center part of the canopy or cap roof as the American contingent says because I was tired (time frames moved about a bit)
Cleaning stuff always allows you to look a bit more closely at what you’re working with. One can see old signwriting residue and it reads with the details of a painting and decoration company in a previous life.
Mickey came around tutting and was not overly impressed.
There were shelves fitted in the rear that unfortunately meant that the photos in the ad did not show just how bad the rear shock towers are rotten away.
On inspection they seem to have been repaired twice before. Plates welded over plates. Fist sized holes rusted right through. I was absolutely gutted at seeing just how bad it is rusted away.
At this point, Michael my lodger came back from work. So he and I removed the painters shelves, exposing just how badly this is actually rusted away.
Of course I then removed the hard but broken plastic floor lining as well…… exposing even more chaos and trauma for myself.
Big parts of the unseen, and under the floor protector floor are rusted completely through and three to four fingers will easily fit through the floor holes. I have not bothered taking more photos of those discoveries.
At this point I realised Caveat Emptor was a very real thing. I failed on the Buyer Beware warning that surrounds any business deal. I failed to ask for more information, photos or a video walk around. I failed to research these little oddities more. I failed to drive the 90 miles to go look at the little van that……. [ put in your own caption here ]
I am not sure if I would have bought it today, 10 days after agreeing to buy it on the 8th of May (my brothers birthday) armed with the knowledge I now have and having inspected it on my drive.
The point is, The seller was a good salesman (I actually complimented him on that) he never withheld any information that I asked for. I don’t think he had seen or inspected the vehicle in the 9 years it lived inside the body shop where they had done some of the easier work on the body to a pretty ****** standard imho. (YES I HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY THIS, GO LOOK AT THE RUST REPAIRS ON MY C10 RESTO. IT IS PURE METAL ON ALL BUTTED JOINTS AND REPAIRS) and whoever did the rear turret MOT repairs previously should get a hot lead enema. Criminally badly done.
Replacement Patch panels are available at £250.00 each. You are welcome to sponsor me for a pair of them.
So the video and photos will give you an idea as to why this car has been named
SPARTACUS
Video link:
So I cleaned out the van on 12 May and today is 19 May.
I am expecting a £70.00 cylinder of Argon/CO2 mix gas delivery today. Also ordered some “Tip Dip” because I am not expecting this job to be quick and easy.
The scrap man and crusher are still firmly in the front of my mind. Seriously.
I have actually been quite crestfallen by this whole thing. But giving up is unfortunately not really clearly written in my DNA.
SPARTACUS WILL RISE AGAIN
It may just be a matter time.
I will not decline help here.
Don't be a **** with dickish suggestions. They don’t help and just make you look like a *****.
Is that a harsh comment?
I guess if you have been at the receiving end of these, you would recognise them.
So in order to muster up some courage and try build some relationship with
SPARTACUS I decided to go do some more cleaning over three days. Seriously, I was that disinterested that I only managed a couple of hours at a time.
Photos.
.