new guy on this site short on time so i thought i would just ask some questions that i m sure have been asked before (sorry).
in my imagination women fear me and fish want me, no wait, never mind. i am a avid fisherman who if given the chance would fish all day everyday.in talking with a buddy of mine, he mentioned that the L300 was the perfect rig for me.
so in short i would like to get one that is low on km's do the veggie conversion and camperize it.i plan on keeping it for some time so i will be looking for one in great shape.
so step one for me is to talk to an importer to get the ball rolling, who should i be talking to ???
then of course who does the best work in town for the conversion ...?
check the wvo section for kits by AndrewH (or something very close) specifically made for the delica. I would recommend putting it in yourself though, for a couple reasons, firstly, if there are any problems, you have a much better shot at fixing them, and there aren't too many people you can pay to troubleshoot your wvo system if something does go down. Secondly, if you are planning to run WVO (the key part of this is the W for waste) and don't have someone else filtering it for oyu, you will need to set something up to do that, and if you think you are in over your head with installing the parts on your van then you may not really want to get into the potential for spilling 100+ (read wayyyyy plus) litres of oil in your garage/driveway.
My only advice is spend the money you have to to do it right the first time. Especially on filtration. The kits from Andrew come with detailed instructions apparently, so I think that is probably the best bet.
As far as picking something up, if you want it fresh from japan go with mardy (amazingautoimports) or something to that effect. But for a rig you will be picking apart I would say get a used one here that still has decent mileage and get EVERYTHING mechanical looked at and fixed if its below say 60-70%. If it is a vehicle that has been taken to cvi, which all lower mainland delica's probably should have been (aka don't buy a locally used one that wasn't in most cases) then they will be able to help you guess if the big money components are in alright enough shape to make everything else tip top.
Then you will have a ride that is mechanically superior to most that are coming from japan, for about the same price and you won't have to tear out the interior you payed that extra $1500 for because it was "mint"
"if its so hard to pull on your knob, put some greese/wd40 on the shaft and pull in and out, that should make it happen for you."
-westcoastnewbie
I agree that you're better off buying one that's been here for a while, with some proof of the mods and other work done. "asorenson" has a beautiful camperized van for sale that I'd buy myself if I didn't already own one plus 2 other vehicles and 2 motorbikes haha.
Welcome and happy hook-washing.
"I tell you, we are here on earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different" - Kurt Vonnegut
Youre buddy was right. It is a lil "killer fishin machine". Thats the #1 reason I got mine . 3 pontoon boats have been stowed in mine ( just the bladders deflated) along with standard fishin gear. My ATV should technically fit in it as well - provided I take out the bench and 2 chairs.
As far as buying one, there are plenty for sale locally, either via dealer or private, and you know by now ( only 3 days ) being a member that it wouldnt take much to verify what has and has not been done to them. Everyone who is anyone that is a member here wouldnt steer you wrong.
Good luck , happy hunting , and fishing.
( BTW - Skagit closes this Saturday, and this past Sunday was an excellent day on the water)
Gregg
By the time you realize that my signature has no real message or life altering words of wisdom, you're too far into it to stop reading until you are finished
i just got back from spending 7 weeks on the skeena and all the tribs, i know for sure i don't want the crystal roof. i want to be able to put my boat up top.
i m real busy getting back from that trip but i m doing my best to read a little every night about this awesome little ride.
Hi BD, just decide a date and time that works for you, and post it with the date/time in a new posting. Anyone can arrange a meet, the Cdn tire on Main st in North Van is good, public washrooms and fast food restaurants.
Please stop by our house in Burnaby if you want to spend a couple hours poking all over delica. I work from home, so flexible hours. We can talk non-stop for a couple hours on them thar delica's. We dry camp year round, and have got the system organized.
We built our own camperized interior by removing the rear seat and installing a sleep / storage platform, kept the 2 front captains chairs so one can sit to eat and cook, and do group shuttles when boating with others. Installed an inverter & microwave and electric blanket (if you can't heat the interior with a bulky woodstove then at least the bed isnt damp and moldy), removable dining table, roof racks for our whitewater canoes. We just add WVO veg oil to our existing tanks, can't do it in cold weather, but saved a $1000 full wvo install cost. I still want a little woodfire Dickinson, but havent found one cheap enuf. We installed a roll out awning on the roof rack, so now our campsite stays dry, and one can use the porta potty without getting rained on.
We tow our 17 foot Boston Whaler on the delica, tows beautifully, use surge brakes. Have towed Jay's 23 ft Whaler with all the gear around the block, but it's too heavy for long trips (it weighs more than the delica). Get an E&H Trailer Hitch, the only one I trust. The princess auto basket for $99 will take a heap of gear (500 pounds) and still keeps you under the ferry restrictions.
Stop by, bring your boat so you see if it will fit. Bring your sleeping bag and pillow to test if you could stretchout in the delica (Jay is 6'3).
Cheers, Christine and Jay.
Christine
Of The TardisDeli My TardisDeli travels thru time and space. Our house is nicknamed the TardisDeli Motel, as so many delii owners visit to share delii stories.
