Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

I'm the pilot guy on this project...

We (I) think that Delis would be the cat's meow for our business, but first we (I) have to prove it.

My partners and I have a medium-sized Wireless ISP in Central Ontario. For the last six years I've been leasing Fords of various persuasions, two at a time for two years each. Costs about $1200 per month for the two vehicles total.

Recently, I've been bitching like crazy about the lack of affordable (or even unaffordable) diesel vehicles configured as either a pickup or van that would get close to 30 cdn MPG on the highway. I am totally fed up with the running costs of a domestic pickup, but we HAVE to have the functionality of a 4WD as some of our tower sites are pretty remote and the drive up to them would make your hair curl. My son and partner has a Golf TDi and has ripped the sump out of it twice on the road to one tower site!

Then I found Delica.ca!!!!

So now we are puzzling over how to make this work, and I am the guinea pig. I'm probably going to renew the Ford lease on the Fusion, except this time its going to be an AWD instead of the current vanilla version I have today.

In addition, I hope to get a Delica, rebuilt to a standard that will gain me a reliable 120K kms over the next three years, vs the Ford Ranger pickup I currently have. The Ranger has been great, but its gets 16-23mpg Imperial which makes it VERY expensive to run. I'm eyeing Coombs/Five Star as they seem to have a terrific reputation on the forum, as well as Glen participating extensively providing support for free.

To add to the confusion, I am considering removing the carpet in the Deli and seeing if my Artic Cat 500 ATV could fit?? I will likely ask if any of you kind folks could run a tape-measure over the rear liftgate to see if this is possible. If so, a coat of RhinoLining would possibly be the answer to keeping everything in good shape.

If the Delica works out, I can see eight or more in our future, as on paper, its the answer to prayer.

Comments are very welcome!!

George
http://www.candlelight.ca

ghmorris wrote:I will likely ask if any of you kind folks could run a tape-measure over the rear liftgate to see if this is possible.

I get about 51" on the outside measure, and it looks like the Artic Cat 500 ATV is 47.5 in wide. You'd have the rear wheel wells to contend with, but it might work. I'll try and get an inside measure later tonight.

If you want to look at a Delica that has been transformed as a work vehicle similar to what you're looking for (fully gutted) check out this post from the UK forum, you want to look at page 2 and on.

http://www.mdocuk.co.uk/forums/viewtopi ... c&start=15

Enjoy!

Adam wrote:

ghmorris wrote:I will likely ask if any of you kind folks could run a tape-measure over the rear liftgate to see if this is possible.

I get about 51" on the outside measure, and it looks like the Artic Cat 500 ATV is 47.5 in wide. You'd have the rear wheel wells to contend with, but it might work. I'll try and get an inside measure later tonight.

Thanks Adam!

I just pulled the ATV off the Ranger and put it inside where I could get some good measurements. (Its -30*C here this morning, so slightly more of a project than it sounds )

The widest section are the fender flares above the front wheels at just under 46"
The tallest pieces are the handlebars at 46".
Its a total of 82" long.

Sounds like it might fit... I have to drive over the wheel wells to get the ATV in the Ranger now because of the narrow bed, I guess the question is going to be whether the handlebars will still have enough clearance from the roof while the tires are up on the wheel wells. The ATV has a winch so at least driving it on while ducking won't be an issue.

George

delicat wrote:If you want to look at a Delica that has been transformed as a work vehicle similar to what you're looking for (fully gutted) check out this post from the UK forum, you want to look at page 2 and on.

http://www.mdocuk.co.uk/forums/viewtopi ... c&start=15

Enjoy!

Very cool. I would like to be able to keep the second row seats instead, (likely Capts chairs), and would probably use RhinoLining or LineX rather than plywood for the floor. The concept is identical to what I need.

Thanks!
George

Welcome!

I loved my Deli as a work van, and it's a long list why; I'm 6' so ladders are easier to get of the tall roof, the high floor height is easier on the back for heavy items, no worries about steep slippery driveways, exiting on the curb side which is is safer IMO, narrow vehicles just fit more places and get out of the way better, great driver visibility, and I could think of more. Only downside I found was the front seat are designed for narrow backsides, so tools belts have to be taken off for driving.

Sounds like you ATV would fit, roof height would be the only thing making it difficult. Every body here knows I like pictures, so here's a couple I have posted before of my Deli.

My Cable Van.


A 8' Walker Bay dingy in the Back.


Cheers

If you are super concerned about the fuel mileage... then you have to convert to WVO and get mileage like Kev (170mpg, isnt that right Kev?)... because otherwise you will be disapointed to know that the average Delica is not getting any better fuel mielage than your ranger.

Josh

josh wrote:If you are super concerned about the fuel mileage... then you have to convert to WVO and get mileage like Kev (170mpg, isnt that right Kev?)... because otherwise you will be disapointed to know that the average Delica is not getting any better fuel mielage than your ranger.

Josh

Well to be honest that 170 isn't to good. What with trips over the holidays to Vancouver and Victoria for a several days each actually had to burn through more diesel then norm (ran out of veggie - the horror). The way it should is not being able to remember your last bought fuel, diesel, fill. How about a goal of 350-400 mpg of dino diesel?

Kev

BCDelica wrote:Well to be honest that 170 isn't to good. What with trips over the holidays to Vancouver and Victoria for a several days each actually had to burn through more diesel then norm (ran out of veggie - the horror). The way it should is not being able to remember your last bought fuel, diesel, fill. How about a goal of 350-400 mpg of dino diesel?

Damn, I think my best to date is 88 mpg, I guess I need to track down and fix that air leak. I was hoping to wait until the weather warmed up, but it is messing up my stats, so I might have to deal with it this weekend. At what engine temp do you switch over to WVO after start up? I've been switching after the needle hits the second bar above Cold on the Delica temp sensor, maybe I'm waiting too long.

Thanks to gizmos like the veggie therm, I believe you can switch over right away on start up. Unless it’s -26c or colder you should be fine. It’s a great test for air leaks switching over at -6c with the only heat the 12v kind. Really also believe that thermocouples pay for themselves, they dumbie up your system - add two. Plantdrive sells one as a early switch over preventer.

Here's my actual mileage in UK MPG:

21.5, 23.2, 22.5, 22.4, 21.6, 23.2, 21.9, 23.5, 25.8, 23.5, 23.0, 24.2, 26.0, 23.4, 26.3, 25.1, 23.6

I drive on a lot of hills, so fuel economy is not the greatest, nor has my engine been fully tuned up.

BCDelica wrote:Thanks to gizmos like the veggie therm, I believe you can switch over right away on start up. Unless it’s -26c or colder you should be fine. It’s a great test for air leaks switching over at -6c with the only heat the 12v kind. Really also believe that thermocouples pay for themselves, they dumbie up your system - add two. Plantdrive sells one as a early switch over preventer.

Not to hijack the thread (I know, too late), but I did buy the 50 degree C early switch over preventer from Plant Drive. I installed it in one of the VegMax ports, but I haven't wired it up yet. After buying it I thought it might end up taking too long to switch over, and I didn't want to lose the control. You are using two thermocouples? Where do you have them installed?

Not to hijack the thread (I know, too late)

Happens here plenty and can you remember anyone ever getting upset by a little hijack? Always good manners on board here, right?

Both van's have a thermocouple in place on the output side of my converters (before the IP), they shut off the 12v heat when they reach 110c (or 96c, can't remember). Mine has a thermocouple strapped to my inline filter (B4 the IP), as an early switch-over preventer, that switches to WVO when the filters housing hits 50c - doesn't take too long at all with the 12v heat heating the diesel. Was a trial originally that works fine, starting up this morning to drive the kids school and the system switched to WVO within a 2 minute warm up. This is with switching too WVO right after starting and checking (for you) when I got in the van to go. Planed to install a light to indicate when this TC is switched, but there's no need. KISS - keep it simple stupid - words (edit) to drive by....

Money down, Glen has the refurbishment in progress, pick it up next month on our vacation.

Glen is also hunting a Mercedes 300D for me.

Yippee!!

If there is any kind of a meet on the Island or Lower Mainland around the 1st of April we would love to attend.

George

Apologies for the off topic, but we picked up our "new" Merc 300D in Ottawa today.

Its a lhd JDM import, 1989 in truly cherry condition, 116K on the clock. Got just over 37MPG (7.5l/100km) on the trip home on snowy two-lane country roads.

2 1/2 weeks and counting until we can pick up our Deli!! Can't come soon enough.

George