Retrospaceman

Well-Known Member
So, my Mrs has just returned to work, which has been a god send financially. She doesn't have a driving licence yet so a few months ago I bought her a little 125cc moped to rattle over the fell to the train station.

All was good, until the rain hits! knowing that the moped was only a short term solution she has started her driving lessons again so come winter she can have a small car to run around in.

as money is still a bit tight she says:
!" I'm not bothered what car I get, just a cheap little run around £500 ish, and we can save for something bigger, maybe a disco 3"

No worries I say we'll have a look.

I've got a 110 2.5 TD - he thing is a bit under powered but perfectly usable for our needs and I use it to go to work. I've been looking at engine swaps recently and thought about grabbing a cheap ish Disco 200tdi to use as a donor as the prices seem to be rising.

You can all see where this is going.........

Any way was just having a flic on flea bay and the discos seem to be going at about £800. a bit much to justify at the mo, Then suddenly I happen across a Disco 1 200tdi with one bid at £250 and only a couple of minutes remaining. It has an MOT till end of July and thought that's got to be worth more i'll have a cheeky bid.

2 min later, and without really thinking I'm the proud owner of the vehicle for £255. Only then did I look at its location - just north of Glasgow.

So - Last night was spent trying to convince my mrs that the small learner car she was after may now be a 7 seat disco, with a bit of rot, and in no way was this a purchase for me, it was because I wanted to support her and it would be ideal for the fell..........

Long story short I'm on the train for 5 hours tomorrow to meet the nice chap who is kindly going to collect me from the station to collect our new family member.

Hopefully she will fall in love - however I think it falls a it short of her expectations. When I showed her the (Carefully selected) pics the comments was, "That's a it boxy".

But when we finally have the pennies for a disco 3 I have a new motor and spare gearbox for my truck so hopefully all will work out!

Anyway she's now resigned to the fact she will be driving it for at least the next year.

Any advice on where I should start the search for the rot which it almost certainly has. The rear inner wheel arches look like they need some TLC.

I'll post some piccy's of her first reaction when it arrives! and the "Rolling refurb" as it progresses.

If there are any ladies that could give advise on things that annoy them on these vehicles that would give me a useful heads up to my current predicament!
 
Disco collected, all pretty much as described. Drove back from Glasgow and all's o.k.
She needs some work but nothing major.
My Mrs is quite happy with the purchase!
 
Last edited:
Starting the strip down today ready for new metal.

Couple of questions I could you some help with:

Can anybody identify the colour?
Does anybody know a part number or supplier for the sender unit cover? The new boot panel doesn't appear to come with one.

Ta
 
Starting the strip down today ready for new metal.

Couple of questions I could you some help with:

Can anybody identify the colour?
Does anybody know a part number or supplier for the sender unit cover? The new boot panel doesn't appear to come with one.

Ta

Hi,

The colour code should be under the bonnet at the front (above radiator) - on the slam panel (i think that's what it's called).

I also replaced my boot floor, couldn't find a sender unit cover (I think the part number is MWC1420) for a reasonable price so i bought this one from eBay - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221590481733 - it looks like he's sold out, might be worth dropping him a message or something.

Foz
 
If there are any ladies that could give advise on things that annoy them on these vehicles that would give me a useful heads up to my current predicament!

SWMBO found the clutch too heavy, and I fitted a servo to sort this out - pedal effort down from 18Kg to 7Kg - there's a thread on here somewhere..

-----

That looks a good buy for the money.... provided you can weld (!!). As said above - colour code will be on the LR plate on the slam panel - search flea bay for the code, and you'll probably get the name too.

An alternative source of repair panels is "Easy-On" - they're on the bay - and I've used them with some success.

best of luck with it all - hopefully, she'll fall in love with it, and never want anything else:)
 
Yeah it was too much of a bargin to miss
SWMBO found the clutch too heavy, and I fitted a servo to sort this out - pedal effort down from 18Kg to 7Kg - there's a thread on here somewhere..

-----

That looks a good buy for the money.... provided you can weld (!!). As said above - colour code will be on the LR plate on the slam panel - search flea bay for the code, and you'll probably get the name too.

An alternative source of repair panels is "Easy-On" - they're on the bay - and I've used them with some success.

best of luck with it all - hopefully, she'll fall in love with it, and never want anything else:)

So getting ready to place my order for new bits, and have a tricky decision to make.

Do I go with the cheap britpart pattern parts (each wheel arch is about £45) or do I go with the "Easy-on" ones which come in at about £65 each delivered.

I've had a look at the videos on you tube and the easy on ones seem to have a bit of a "lip" to help locate and make the join.

I've also looked at the easy on sill panels - from what I can tell they weld on over the top of the existing ones once they have been cleaned up an treated.

Are the Easy-on ones much simpler to install than the cheap britpart ones? I.e worth the cash?

Cheers
 
I've used a few easy on panels/mounts and they're good. YRM panels are better.
I made my own body/sill mounts last year after the easy on panel rotted away and I easily improved on what they had done (my disco crash repair thread is here somewhere).

Same with the sills really - I did the box section/RHS steel sills from 3mm steel and it's a great mod to do. Just make sure you don't drill lots of holes in them afterwards for the trim - Glue on instead!
Not used britpart panels so can't comment really, but the YRM ones are a great deal so either go with those or make from scratch in my opinion...
 
I've used a few easy on panels/mounts and they're good. YRM panels are better.
I made my own body/sill mounts last year after the easy on panel rotted away and I easily improved on what they had done (my disco crash repair thread is here somewhere).

Same with the sills really - I did the box section/RHS steel sills from 3mm steel and it's a great mod to do. Just make sure you don't drill lots of holes in them afterwards for the trim - Glue on instead!
Not used britpart panels so can't comment really, but the YRM ones are a great deal so either go with those or make from scratch in my opinion...

Thanks mate,

Just checked out YRM and the rear wheel arch are the same as the ones I was looking at MWC4840.

Island 4x4 have them at 33.33 plus vat and free delivery (Over £50 spent) so I might give them a whirl.
 
I've done sills the easy on route, and the box section route. I used to be a bit anal with doing sills "properly" - I.E. more of a restoration type job.... Not now, IMHO, it's a waste of time. Do them with box section 120 x 60 x 3.6 box - it will cost less, and it will outlast the vehicle.

I would strongly advise against putting new steel over the old - you will more than half the life of the new doing this - cut out as much of the rot as humanly possible, and use the best wax protection you can afford at the end of the job. IMHO, do NOT use underseal.
 

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