campa dilemma

[eddy]

The missus booked us into a caravan park late Dec and covers New Years partys at the Nagambie Caravan Park, funny thing is that she spent a week with her sista and her kids from Shepparton (the hubby had to work) at Echuca a little while ago in their caravan and thought that it would be nice to spend some time with them again over xmas. But wait heres the good bit .... we ain't got a caravan!   
So we only got a beddie campa and she nows says that I have to get the beddie mobile and registered again so we can spend time at the Nagambie Lake Caravan Park 

So now its decision time, lets just say that I had a 253 and trimatic and 9" diff in the campa and to get it registered I have to now get the mods passed by an engineer yeah? ..... okay, thats not saying that I have had those mods for a while and didn't adhere to the legal obligations and register it with the V8 while it was fitted so lets not say that. Lets say instead that when it was registered it had a 6 motor, and that whammo! I went out to the van one weekend and some one had stolen the 6 and put in the V8 (and may I add that person did a sterling job if I may say so myself).

Okay, so moving on, ....... after road testing the beddie I have found that the valves need replacing (that is after I paid $400 for a carby rebuild and $400 worth of twin exhaust) the motor I am told was duel fuel and the lpg frigged up the carby somewhat so I am now wondering what other parts have been frigged. The motor is a bit tired and lacks punch through the bottom end and is very very thirsty  not to mention that I paid to service the trimatic but it thumps between gear changes 

I have a black efi 6 and tri box in the garage thats been sitting for about 4 years and was intending freshening that up and replacing the V8 with it. Missus quote, "I don't want a gutless 6, how we gonna pull a caravan with that, we need a V8" (smile creeps upon face).

What do I do? either way I will have to remove the V8 to freshen it up and replace the valves, maybe source another trimatic and then theres the cost of an engineers report estimate: $1200 and there is the frightening prospect if the engineer suddenly tells me that he has to pass all of the other mods (seats, diff, etc.) before he will certify the vehicle ....
or freshen up the 6 and fit it myself running standard manifold and carby to get us going over xmas estimate $800?   then the cost of rego $500? won't even consider lpg this side of xmas and those estimates don't even come close to covering the cost of painting 

ummmm ...... hmmmm .... dunno dunno
   

[John Abbott]

Tell her she's dreaaaammmmmiinnn......Ha Ha.  Have you thought about maybe trying to hire a caravan just for that time away? dunno what the cost would be, but gotta be less stress! cheers...Johnno

[eddy]

hey Johno .... don't mention caravan hire, that makes too much sense ...... her offer is an opportunity to get the beddie back on the road, we currently got two car regos and her argument is that we can't afford three regos when really one car will do both of us .... so I fully intend to take the opportunity ..... take the opportunity my friend, grab it with as much gusto as a fledging duckling takes to the water, like a new born grabbing that first breath, then when you have that opportunity in your grasp, run my friend, run like you never have before! run like the wind, and keep running untill your legs fail you, then crawl my friend knowing that each effort will take you towards your ultimate goal ..... towards beddie heaven ,,,, or at the very least a roadworthy & registered beddie   

uhhh sorry ... please pardon the exuberant explanation .... what do you reckon? the V8 or 6? actually I think I'll surf ebay see whats the cost of a standard 6 

[eddy]

woops over shot the mark .... any Melbourne folk got a holden 6 in reasonable condition for reasonable price available?

[Marishka]

take the opportunity eddy go the 6 for rego then change to V8 when its regoed,
u might not get the go ahead again for yonks,
this is the perfect opportunity to get it back on the road.
with the missuses ok.
hope she doesnt read this post, lol. 
i might have to change my name,
marty

[Warren]

Oh Eddy, choices, choices 

I'd start with how much money an time do you have ?

Xmas is not that far away, do you have to tow a van this xmas ?

Seeing as how the V8 is in there already (I want one of those garage fairies) and you say it has reasonable, if not exciting preformance, and your only going to Nagambie, I would talk to the engineer and see what he's asking to do his report, and if you can get that done, do it, reg it, and do the engine rebuild later.

Just my two bobs worth

Warren       

[eddy]

thankz boyz, walked into the garage this morning still wondering which engine? an engineers will cost in the vicinity of $600 just for the engine cert alone, don't reckon I'll have it all done this side of xmas. I read Chris Ryan's post on 202 grunt and it was really interesting since I got the efi 202 already but again I don't reckon I'll get anyone to do the internal work this side of xmas, probably cheapest option is to put the 202 in and run a standard manifold and carby set up till next year, my only thinking is that come the end of the happy hollies the minister for finance (who is also the minister for defence)  will say that the beddie gets no more pensioner assistance from the budget ... if yous knows what I means .... I will have to spend money on the 202 for bits and pieces and an exhaust system and thermo fans, apparently just removing the fan gives more horses. And to make it more intriuging ... I have to work Saturday after which I am owed 5 days off, so I thought take a week off and at least get the V8 out and finish painting the bonnet and go and get my V8 diff back from the mate who is supposed to change the centre and redrill the stud pattern to suit HQ (shee-ite I forgot about the diff!!)

buga .... all that to do and today she says "It would be really nice for us to spend some valuable time together my sweetness and flower of my life, we will go away for those 5 days to Adeliade, it is such a wonderful place on earth to visit and what better surroundings to invigorate our love for each other " (not actual words but you get my drift) .... waaahhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!! WHAT ABOUT THE BEDDIE !!!!

[Warren]

Well Eddy

If the purse is open NOW, strike while the iron is hot, get the engineers report, get it rego'ed, go to Adelaide, do the schmoozing thing, and do it good, so you can keep the finance department doors open 

If not I have a spare 202, with trimatic, on a front end that you can borrow.

What internal work do you have to do for the EFI 202 ?

I'm happy to help out if I can.

Warren 

[eddy]

Wow, thanks Warren, I have to work this weekend but will definately call you, just about to go out the front door on my way to work, either way I have to take the V8 out cause I can't remove the rocker covers to get at the valves, haven't planned when I will take the 5 days off yet, have to check my work calender but it be in a coupla weeks,

cheers eddy

[Tweaker]

Hi eddy,

about having to get everything engineered at once. Look at getting just the obvious engineered first up. Most rego places don't and won't hit you up for eveything but they have to hit you up for something, especially if it's an old car or they're asking for a posible inspection on themselves. Whe I got my seats engineered the engineer wouldn't certify the seat belts, so on his report he stated that the original seat belts were still fitted at time of report. This enabled me to get my seats certified as they passed with flying colours. Since I was only hit up about the seats for the blue slip I was sorted!

I would say, that if at the end of the day you want a V8 in your van, jump on it now. If you want to see a hot 6 under your bonnet, then take this opertunity to to fatten that 6 up!

As you said in your first post. You gotta be ready to pounch!

Good luck!