# My first van



## abarhs (Jul 2, 2012)

I had been looking for a good starter van for about eight to ten months when this one cam along at a dealer in Southampton. So after a bit of a discussion we set a price and picked it up a week later.Then came the fun, “sorry I haven’t had time to do the habitation check so here is two hundred quid back”  OK I said but anything other than this and I will be back for more! 

Issues were minor, my mate (registered gas fitter) had a look at all the appliances and with the exception oven burner (burner needed cleaning, never been used and was full of dust) and the water heater, everything was good. Soon sorted both of those and three weeks later decided it was time to use it. 

It appears that it had been laid up for some time and someone had managed to free off the seized  clutch plate, to my dismay it had ceased again. No problem I thought (had my own garage for seventeen years). Not that easy though so got more money back and arranged to have it towed in for a new clutch. Two guys turned up and said it’s probably just seized we can free that for you. No they couldn’t, so they lifted it and off it went for a new clutch. 

Since then we have used it as a day van at the West Wittering Beach most weekends but took it out for it’s first long weekend on Thursday last week got back yesterday.

Fantasssssstic !! Did some of the POI’s starting off near Kingsclere and ending up overlooking a fabulous view of the Dorset Coast, the wife has just emailed me at work to ask if I can take another few days off for another long weekend soon !!! 

Anyway here are the pics, it’s a 1992 Talbot Express with a Compass Drifter body. It had only 32K miles on it when I got and according to the service book was due its next service at 34K or December 2006 whichever was the sooner. My guess is it’s been dry stored for some years. So it has had a great deal of TLC from me and my wife to make it spotless and looks a proper stunner.

What do you think??


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## Funky Farmer (Jul 2, 2012)

It looks very nice. I hope you will be very happy together:lol-053:


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## Robmac (Jul 2, 2012)

Lovely van


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 2, 2012)

She looks a cracker!


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jul 2, 2012)

Does she have a name?

Oh and welcome to the forum.


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## abarhs (Jul 2, 2012)

Whilst I would like to be very happy with it, I fear not for long, her who should be obeyed is already hankering after something with a better shower (sell your TVR she cried) Not sure I want go there but it may be that something a little newer will be forthcoming next year. 

Abarhs AKA Grumpy of Hampshire or Alan.


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## abarhs (Jul 2, 2012)

*Name*

My wife named her "our little cottage"  so when anyone asks what are we doing at the weekend she can reply “oh we are going to our cottage” that's so when they ask "where is your cottage" she can tell them it's by the sea, or in the country or in the mountains, it just depends where we are going.

Last week we were in the country one day and by the see the following day. Next weekend we will be in R Gate, that in R garden !!  

So no real name but lots of TLC gave her a good rub down on our return yesterday and a full interior valet before tucking her up for the week!


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## ellisboy (Jul 2, 2012)

Nice looking van Chap :banana:


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## oldish hippy (Jul 2, 2012)

well fit better shower better than buying a different van as you seem to think that you have a good one surely that would work out cheaper than selling that one and looking for another one  and thinlk of all the hassle of going to look at one then another and the other half dont like it because the curtains are not pink or it has a light switch in wrong place


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## abarhs (Jul 2, 2012)

I had thought of fitting a new shower but am now going down the lines of "well dear the newer vans don't carry as much water so you would only have a few gallons to use" :banana: "just think of all that soap in your hair"  and how much beer I could buy with the money I save.:beer:


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## oldish hippy (Jul 2, 2012)

abarhs said:


> I had thought of fitting a new shower but am now going down the lines of "well dear the newer vans don't carry as much water so you would only have a few gallons to use" :banana: "just think of all that soap in your hair"  and how much beer I could buy with the money I save.:beer:




just be economical with water and fit another tank as it looks ;ike four berth and if only two then fit it under one of seats just more to freeze up in winter


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## REC (Jul 4, 2012)

She looks lovely..I think you should appeal to your wife that the cottage needs more of your lurve as she has been left on her own for so long! Like the dog too!:heart:


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## lotusanne (Jul 4, 2012)

*Wow*

It looks amazing, i always love that u-shaped rear lounge, great views and dead comfy, i am jealous, I wouldnt swap it... but also know the feeling of wanting "the perfect van".  i wouldnt swap cos of shower though, personally i dont rate them, if you go way in it for long you soon find out that you keep running out of water and a shower becomes a quick wet, turn water off, soap down, water back on..not the greatest shower experience!


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## kimbowbill (Jul 4, 2012)

Nice cottage :banana:


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## abarhs (Jul 4, 2012)

Thanks Guy's,  I have to say it was the U shaped lounge that did it for us. You can get fabulous views when you park up and of course you get the added bonus of a king size bed.:sleep-027:  I am trying to introduce the wife to dry shampoo then who needs a shower.

I think after some discussion since getting back from the long weekend the trick is going to be three days wild camping then a day at a site (so Jane can have a nice long warm shower) then back to wild camping. That would appear to satisfy all the needs and let me carry on giving more lurve to the cottage, and the dogs love it too.

Alan


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