Been loving the aussie road tests. And now you just got a Deli, how good can it get ! Had mine since '05. Great for family touring and camping. Top tip - carry a portapotti in the back. High seats and narrow body make it so easy - alpine passes, paris rush-hour, whatever, no worries. I've been calling it a del-eeka (?). Brilliant owners club MDOCUK has great contributors and all you need to know. Good luck !
What a surprisingly versatile vehicle this is. It would make a perfect fit for carrying our workers around here in Greece. Thanks for having me given the idea, Ian.
Fabulous, this is the sort of vehicle I love to see on here. Quirks galore! I think when you pushed the hazard light panel into the dashboard was about the most authentic hubnut moment I’ve ever seen.
Regarding your 4WD selector, do not drive anywhere but snow, sand or mud with the centre diff locked as the slightest attempt to steer, or even different tyre pressures, will wind the diff up and cause the wheels to skip. It really won't like that. 4 low range with diff lock, the furthest forward the gearstick can go, can only be achieved with the auto box in Neutral, it won't go there in Park or and other position. There are three ballbearing switches on top of the gearbox, which can be accessed from underneath if you have long, slender arms. These control the green lights for the 2WD and 4WD and the orange centre diff light. They do get sticky inside due to heat and also seize up through lack of use as most people run around in 2WD for the most part and hardly ever use 4WD. They can be removed without lowering the box if you're patient and can be freed off and cleaned. The front diff has freewheeling hubs that are disengaged via electronic solenoids located by the brake servo that create and release a vacuum depending on the setting. When setting the box to 2WD High a vacuum is generated that operates a dog clutch that pulls a ring and releases the driveshaft from the diff. If your front green lights continue to flash after a 50 yards or so it is because your driveshaft are still engaged, so although you are in 2WD the motion of the road wheels is turning the driveshafts in the diff. This will eventually lead to diff wear and poor(er) economy. Dring in reverse can sometimes help disengage the shafts but more often than not it is down to a vacuum pipe leaking, the vacuum reservoir leaking or a faulty electronic solenoid. I love Delicas, I've been rebuilding them for many years and am genuinely pleased for you that you've acquired one. Good luck and all the best with it.
That short nose reminds me of the Toyota Previa. Last seen in the US in 1997. It was unique because it had the engine under the front seats at a 75 degree angle. It was replaced by the 1998 Sienna. Apparently, one of the problems of that design was that it prevented installing a larger engine. Yours is an interesting vehicle. Hope it works out well for you.
My mate had a top of the range one of these, with all the electric curtains on the windows. It was fully loaded. But boy when we went off road it did feel like it was going to topple over. It was quite funny. It is a great motor.
I must say, I do feel enormously gratified, I like it, a lot. Good choice of vehicle Ian. And great to have a drive around New Quay, I am missing the place.
Excellent vehicle would never have guessed a Delica. Quite envious now cos there don't seem to be any for sale in Northern Ireland. Good health to enjoy her Mate.
Totally jel always wanted one, great to see one used by someone who knows a bit. Hope ur doing OK and bring it to bognor, like u did the invacsr and ill catch up with u this time, chris
I quite like that. It's different...which is always good in my book. I agree about New Quay. Was a pretty little place when I visited a few years ago. Had some lovely fish and chips there !
Wow! If you have to be locked down somewhere, that is the best location option I have seen in quite a while. Envy overload. Everything is better by the sea. 😃 Lots of fluids to be changed perhaps. I foresee a sump pump in your life very soon. My 80k CRV automatic was utterly transformed by a partial fluid replacement.
I did consider one for a long time. They're supposed to be indestructible. I went for a petrol Bongo in the end and have no regrets thankfully, although I will be waiting for you at the bottom of the mountain munching on some van cooked food.
I feel it is rather delightful! A combination of many different vehicles; seat that slide like a Mazda MPV, turn around like a VW EuroVan, gear lever like a Toyota Previa, dashboard like a Mitsubishi Montero. A mish-mash of everything, but it feels so right! And the engine, I love the sound! I definitely hope this works out for you, sure it will, it is so HubNut. Once the problems are sorted, most likely will be quite reliable. I enjoyed the live reveal despite technical difficulties, HubNut as well, but that is why I tune in, you keep it real, that is something I like and appreciate, especially now during these difficult times. And yes, what stunning views of the ocean! And the village is so quaint, unlike anything I have ever seen here in the US. Delightful! Another brilliant find, review and video!
Yup... my parents managed to nurse their '88 L300 along until about 2010, then it fell apart within two years. Still passed in 2011 but failed spectacularly in '12. 250k km, new clutch at 200k, no repairs other than plenty of welding. Their previous '82 was rusted to bits by 89, the wheel arches had already been bad when they bought it in '86. That one was a bit of a lemon, the brakes kept sticking even after they had all the calipers replaced and on a family trip to Italy the alternator developed an open winding that only showed when the engine was warmed up, i.e. on extended drives. Interesting memories of riding in a tow truck down the mountains (Italian border down to Innsbruck) ;-)
Loving this! It is better looking, more spacious and practical and more off-road capable than any modern SUV. Being a complete MPV-fanatic I applaud your choice of new vehicle, just epic. The endless possibilities movable/turnable chairs provide is quite addictive - from my own experience with my Scenic, where I can have a delivery van one day and a limosine the next day, it just puts all other cars to shame. Funny anecdote: A few years ago, I helped moving the sound system at my sisters wedding. Her husband and the best man (both engineers working at Volvo Cars) was a little sceptic that all of it would fit inside my (in their eyes) modest car. With all rear seats removed it engulfed everything with no problem at all, to their amazement - I told them it was a pity there was no Volvo capable of the same feat anymore (the V70 was recently discontinued). The protested and told me the biggest one, the XC90, surely would manage... I found it hilarious that the only car they could see challange my car was a monster SUV, twice as heavy, a meter and a half longer and at least 10 times more expensive... Enjoy your new life with your can-do-anything-machine!
usual things to watch for on those old mitzy diesels , injector pump seals and any sign of overheating, if it has neither then its probably a winner for family transport in all weathers while towing a house or your convoy of other cars.
I remember the days when every video started like: "HubNut - sponsored by Lancester" I liked the L300 panel van though... my dad had one and the weird manual column gear shifter amused me... It also had that old commercial vehicle smell and vibe surrounding it...
Yup, it's incredible how much stuff you can fit into one! Three weeks ago I did discover one downside: the tailgate prevents loading/unloading with a forklift.
well well well Ian, this L400 original test drive is was what introduced me to your Hubnut channel while I was in procurement of my 97 series 1 with a rare 5 speed. Since then i have spent twice what i paid for it but I would never let it go. Things to check. the radiator expansion tank are notorious for cracking/exploding and then killing the engine. the EGR systems gets clogged and block intakes around the valves typically resulting in a cracked head between cylinders. Also clean the intercooler as it fills crank case oil. relocating the fuel filter isn't to hard with a diy bracket then lmounted on the brake booster existing 2 nut/bolts with some hose and wire extensions using the factory for aftermarket filter unit. The older mechanical zexel/bosch fuel pumps on series 1's have some known issues too possibly due to fuel quality. The biggest drama i have had was the rear trailing arm bushings being seized and requiring a 50t press to budge before replacing them all with poly bushings. I could keep going. bit of diesel pig but for a hippo of a vehicle its a fair trade off. I approve highly and my hubnut sticker feels legit now. 4llc superselect is a push down on the stick and shift while stationary.
Now THAT'S an ideal dog transporter! Low enough at the back end for ageing big boned dogs, sliding side door, air conditioning, 4x4 for getting further up the track with the mutt. Superb! And a ,ot cheaper than buying am actual ex-police K9 van. Yup, if it were mine, I'd have all the rear seats out, and a nice wood box made that ran full length behind the drivers & passenger seat to store all the essentials (bowls, bags, leads, first aid kits, boots, towels etc). - As a motorcycle man and not really a car guy (unless it's a Land Rover, Morris Minor or A45 Farina Countryman), I approve of this choice of vee-hickle. Thumbs up! (Erm, I'd paint the bull bar black though - that white doesn't go well with the green)
Great video I used to go on holiday in Newquay Wales when I was in my teens. I remember going on a fishing trip from the harbour and being sick for the whole 3 hours and coming back looking rather green, good times.
I had a mk2 fiesta diesel 1600 perkins seems to come to mind. I was at a land Rover MD and it was chopped in and I was told to get rid of it, so it and 25 gallons of red came to live with me, I loved it, went all round south England in it
This is fabulous - great buy and oh so HubNut. Excited to see adventures in this! But paint that rear wiper! Love the gruff engine note too. Haha Newquay is beautiful btw.
Excellent. Slightly obscure, Japanese, lots of dials and buttons. Rotating seats ! I believe the first mass market car with “swivel seats” was the 1st Gen Renault espace - Until this video i didnt realise anyone else had done it.
Nice to see New Quay again , I was there this time 2 years ago blundering about in my Mitsy, a Shogun Sport which has a similar agricultural feel to it !
I've always liked those things for some reason, but never had one. That one certainly has plenty of 'patina'. I think we can look forward to a good number of tinkering videos. Mike
There's a few of these running around with motorhome bodies on them,great for getting into off road camping areas,I had a Shogun for a few years which was great until it blew the head gasket.
Ooh, good find. I ran a 2.8 Pajero for 320,000 miles, mechanically the same. The twin core radiators fur up causing head failures, new rad is good insurance.
I think that will be a lovely vehicle to have on the fleet. The Delica's are more of a Multi Purpose Vehicle than most. That 2.8 TD is fairly bombproof if a bit unrefined, but should prove very reliable.
The key looks like an aftermarket replacement to me, the original ones were usually partly plastic. Only the MK1 (1980-86) L300 came with bare metal keys like this. We've got plenty of those metal ones too though because we always needed more than the stock three keys. Check the manual on those revolving seats! The L300 GLX has a flip-back mid-rear seat and the manual explicitly states the passengers must always face forward when the car is moving. I'm fairly certain that's because the seatbelts only work in that direction. I don't think we've ever used that feature in my parents' GLX in the 8 years they've owned it. I intended to go to a music festival in it this year, then Corona struck. The idea had been to avoid something as horrible as last year's return trip, five adults plus camping gear and instruments stuck into a Toyota Yaris with an inexperienced and very tired driver in the middle of the night. What a nightmare! We started around 1 AM (instead of 10 PM as planned), spent the better part of an hour trying to find a working and open petrol station and finally arrived home at 5:30 AM. Around two hours into the trip, the driver finally agreed to let me drive even though she'd promised the owner of the car she wouldn't let anyone else drive.
Great family car! Perfect for family camping holidays! Looking forward to seeing a service video on it. Best of luck accessing fuel filter!. Perfect Hub Nut material to enjoy 👍
I had an L400 delica chamonix, here in OZ. You will be shocked how well that block of flats can change direction, when needed. Your 4wd issue is quite likely to be the little black vacuum solenoids. (Drivers side rear of engine bay, against firewall) They cost about 90aud to replace (ebay) and an easy hubnut task. Make sure to keep the contacts on the front and rear of the sliding door perfectly clean, to avoid it locking itself shut... Feel free to ask any questions on how to work on it, as they have some weird tricks to them. Enjoy Enjoy
Yep, my 4M40T I describe as sounding like a fishing boat- love it. A friend had one of those and endo'ed it at 100 kph, taking her scalp off in the process but survived intact otherwise. Watch yourself.
Great choice! The L300 4WD would have been better, but I guess I'm biased because I drive an L300 4WD myself. You've seen it in The Netherlands (even put a picture of it in the Retro Japanese magazine!). I'm glad to have been able to inspire you. ;).
For prospective foreign visitors who might get confused, this is New Quay, a seaside town in Ceredigion, Wales and not Newquay, a seaside town in Cornwall, England.
I was seriously considering a Delica for a long while. They’re an unlikely combination of very sensible and totally insane. Instead I’ve bought a high top T25 camper that doesn’t start. By the time it starts the summer will probably be over but next year I’ll have fun (how many people said that last year).
Like the car! We never had those type of 4wd vas over here (at least they were never a hit like in the UK) But my god, it could do with a good interior clean!
More than a couple of greys came into Queensland under that state's more lax import laws and a few into other parts of Australia. Like the Toyota Vellfire/Alphard and similar large people movers, they were imported with the supposed intention of being converted into campers. A lot were bought by people with large families.
Tow car/family car seems like an excellent addition given the shambolic nature of some of the fleet! 😀 Be interested to see how it performs towing a loaded car trailer
Oh wow, what a beauty! It's seducing me. Fantastic new car choice. I cannot wait to see what you get up to in it. *Edit: Am I the only subscriber interested to hear more about the family that's now in your life?
So I make it 3 vehicles bought since you said “I’m not buying anymore” 🙂 Excellent. When you said low 20s I thought it was a 2.8L petrol! The boy racers with their loud exhausts have nothing on this one. 😁
2.3 Tonnes empty + old school slopomatic + low top gear + very old school injection system, mine was quite a shock having managed 40+mpg in a well sorted Discovery 200 Tdi
@@idrisddraig2 Its predecessor (L300 1986-1998) is below 1400 kgs (1350 or thereabouts) and I've only ever driven the 5-speed manual (2.5 l naturally-aspirated Diesel) but it isn't that much more efficient. High 20s if you baby it (80 MPH on the motorway). Go faster and fuel efficiency rapidly drops even further. 28 was manufacturer spec for the 2.5D 2WD, 20 for the 2.4 petrol 4WD.
A Spacegear was my last car before emigrating from New Zealand and my favourite of all time ( even funnier than my first ever car which was a splitty Kombi). Slow, fun, especially given the enthusiasm for the tyres to squeel at stupidly low corner speeds
You're going to have me looking up Shogun's again (dad's was a 2nd gen, 1997)..That engine sound brings back some childhood memories. Want to say his was a GLS, but can't remember the trim. Was a dark blue SWB. I remember it going through a lot of exhausts, but suspect in hindsight that was probably the quality of the KwikFit exhausts he kept having fitted... Went through some tyres too which weren't cheap, but expected with a heavier vehicle like that. He only sold it in 2009 (it was over 200k miles, not sure because the odometer at one point wasn't working for 2-3yrs) because he was travelling a lot from work and he reckoned he was averaging 25mpg from it. Sold it privately and then bought a Peugeot 207 1.4HDi (knock Peugeot all you want, but it had 250k miles on it when he sold it in 2017), how he's got a company car..Mercedes B180D (1.5diesel, Renault engine I believe), he isn't fond of it, or how much it's costing him with the company car tax every month... Look forward to seeing more with this. What a great vehicle. Much better than a Terracan, lol
I've been to that chippy, was there for almost a week a few years ago, stuck during work when the fuel crisis and couldn't drive home, as had insufficient fuel, so had to stay in the hotel, luckily it was a hot July!
About 15yrs back it was a choice of one of these or a Hilux in blue, chose the Hilux because all the rest were purple hahahaha, but a month later it started drinking fuel at an alarming rate so I went back to where I got it from and did a straight swap for a 2.5ltr, straight 6, twin turbo Toyota Soarer...to this day THE best car I've owned👌
Very Hubnut for these times Ian... Great project and looking forward to a more in depth review of this old lugger.. Had flash backs of the Toyota Hiace the when I clicked!! 👍
Thank you for putting this video out so quickly. There's exactly the same model Delica here where I live, same age, colour etc, I did think it was on a Pajero chassis before it was imported because I've only ever seen that one before but no.
These are great! I had one briefly and named it Stompy. Very comfortable, eager engine and surprisingly fun to drive. As an aside, would love to see you drive a Vauxhall Sintra.
Nice choice, nicely left-field but relatively sensible being as most of the mechanics are shared with the UK-market Shogun. You'll be pleased to know that those are a lot less prone to falling over than the previous, L300-based ones, which could fall over quite easily, think Mercedes-Benz A-Class before the ESP became standard...
I've never heard of an L300 actually falling over! They do like to go in circles from oversteering, especially when empty. We always keep two bags of sand on the rear axle!
@@Ragnar8504 Not the L300, though I do know of a few cases of unladen ones falling over, probably due more to driver over-exuberance than the vehicle itself, but the older Delica that was based on the L300 was quite fond of falling over...
That's the perfect workhorse for you. An A frame will be ideal to move your fleet once you've got a towbar fitted. Are you going to cull any of the fleet? I know that Elly & Myrtle have sentimental value for you and your good lady loves the Cityrover. I would imagine that the Delica would make Foxanne and possibly the Tercel redundant.
The chippy is open.
All is well in the world!
Covid19, chips and curry sauce. Yum, yum.
Been loving the aussie road tests. And now you just got a Deli, how good can it get ! Had mine since '05. Great for family touring and camping. Top tip - carry a portapotti in the back. High seats and narrow body make it so easy - alpine passes, paris rush-hour, whatever, no worries. I've been calling it a del-eeka (?).
Brilliant owners club MDOCUK has great contributors and all you need to know. Good luck !
What a surprisingly versatile vehicle this is. It would make a perfect fit for carrying our workers around here in Greece. Thanks for having me given the idea, Ian.
Lovely motor, but the '76 International tractor I drove was marginally quieter 😀😀😀
Very cheeky little bus, looks very versatile. Lots of fun times to be had in it.
Fabulous, this is the sort of vehicle I love to see on here. Quirks galore! I think when you pushed the hazard light panel into the dashboard was about the most authentic hubnut moment I’ve ever seen.
That really is a proper HubNut vehicle. Love collapsing dashboard and slightly 'past it's best' interior. Wonderful.
Regarding your 4WD selector, do not drive anywhere but snow, sand or mud with the centre diff locked as the slightest attempt to steer, or even different tyre pressures, will wind the diff up and cause the wheels to skip. It really won't like that. 4 low range with diff lock, the furthest forward the gearstick can go, can only be achieved with the auto box in Neutral, it won't go there in Park or and other position.
There are three ballbearing switches on top of the gearbox, which can be accessed from underneath if you have long, slender arms. These control the green lights for the 2WD and 4WD and the orange centre diff light. They do get sticky inside due to heat and also seize up through lack of use as most people run around in 2WD for the most part and hardly ever use 4WD. They can be removed without lowering the box if you're patient and can be freed off and cleaned.
The front diff has freewheeling hubs that are disengaged via electronic solenoids located by the brake servo that create and release a vacuum depending on the setting. When setting the box to 2WD High a vacuum is generated that operates a dog clutch that pulls a ring and releases the driveshaft from the diff. If your front green lights continue to flash after a 50 yards or so it is because your driveshaft are still engaged, so although you are in 2WD the motion of the road wheels is turning the driveshafts in the diff. This will eventually lead to diff wear and poor(er) economy. Dring in reverse can sometimes help disengage the shafts but more often than not it is down to a vacuum pipe leaking, the vacuum reservoir leaking or a faulty electronic solenoid.
I love Delicas, I've been rebuilding them for many years and am genuinely pleased for you that you've acquired one.
Good luck and all the best with it.
That short nose reminds me of the Toyota Previa. Last seen in the US in 1997. It was unique because it had the engine under the front seats at a 75 degree angle. It was replaced by the 1998 Sienna. Apparently, one of the problems of that design was that it prevented installing a larger engine. Yours is an interesting vehicle. Hope it works out well for you.
Also the Sienna was pretty much a van based on the Camry, which was redesigned to be built in and for North America.
A fine old wagon, Ian. And thank you for the tour of New Quay. A fine place to be...
I recon if you spend half a day straightening out those mashed intercooler fins you will gain an extra 0.2 bhp.
A horse with an extra leg!
My mate had a top of the range one of these, with all the electric curtains on the windows. It was fully loaded. But boy when we went off road it did feel like it was going to topple over. It was quite funny. It is a great motor.
Again a most entertaining and informative video from the master of car test reports
I saw one of these in service as a rural ambulance outside bristol around february. took me very much by surprise
I must say, I do feel enormously gratified, I like it, a lot. Good choice of vehicle Ian. And great to have a drive around New Quay, I am missing the place.
Excellent vehicle would never have guessed a Delica. Quite envious now cos there don't seem to be any for sale in Northern Ireland. Good health to enjoy her Mate.
Delica is a very humble name for this rugged van
Totally jel always wanted one, great to see one used by someone who knows a bit. Hope ur doing OK and bring it to bognor, like u did the invacsr and ill catch up with u this time, chris
I quite like that. It's different...which is always good in my book. I agree about New Quay. Was a pretty little place when I visited a few years ago. Had some lovely fish and chips there !
Wow! If you have to be locked down somewhere, that is the best location option I have seen in quite a while. Envy overload. Everything is better by the sea. 😃
Lots of fluids to be changed perhaps. I foresee a sump pump in your life very soon. My 80k CRV automatic was utterly transformed by a partial fluid replacement.
This is classic Hubnut! Brilliant, and brilliant car
I did consider one for a long time. They're supposed to be indestructible. I went for a petrol Bongo in the end and have no regrets thankfully, although I will be waiting for you at the bottom of the mountain munching on some van cooked food.
I feel it is rather delightful! A combination of many different vehicles; seat that slide like a Mazda MPV, turn around like a VW EuroVan, gear lever like a Toyota Previa, dashboard like a Mitsubishi Montero. A mish-mash of everything, but it feels so right! And the engine, I love the sound! I definitely hope this works out for you, sure it will, it is so HubNut. Once the problems are sorted, most likely will be quite reliable. I enjoyed the live reveal despite technical difficulties, HubNut as well, but that is why I tune in, you keep it real, that is something I like and appreciate, especially now during these difficult times.
And yes, what stunning views of the ocean! And the village is so quaint, unlike anything I have ever seen here in the US. Delightful!
Another brilliant find, review and video!
Love the sound of a proper diesel engine, very satisfying.
I love these retro Japanese vans. Top video HubNut.
Full approval on the new oil burner Ian.... yes will be most joyous working on that engine given limited access lol 👍🏻
Mitsubishi of this era were superbly engineered but they LOVE to rust. My old Galant basically dissolved over a few winters. Still miss it though.
Yup... my parents managed to nurse their '88 L300 along until about 2010, then it fell apart within two years. Still passed in 2011 but failed spectacularly in '12. 250k km, new clutch at 200k, no repairs other than plenty of welding. Their previous '82 was rusted to bits by 89, the wheel arches had already been bad when they bought it in '86. That one was a bit of a lemon, the brakes kept sticking even after they had all the calipers replaced and on a family trip to Italy the alternator developed an open winding that only showed when the engine was warmed up, i.e. on extended drives. Interesting memories of riding in a tow truck down the mountains (Italian border down to Innsbruck) ;-)
Loving this! It is better looking, more spacious and practical and more off-road capable than any modern SUV. Being a complete MPV-fanatic I applaud your choice of new vehicle, just epic. The endless possibilities movable/turnable chairs provide is quite addictive - from my own experience with my Scenic, where I can have a delivery van one day and a limosine the next day, it just puts all other cars to shame. Funny anecdote: A few years ago, I helped moving the sound system at my sisters wedding. Her husband and the best man (both engineers working at Volvo Cars) was a little sceptic that all of it would fit inside my (in their eyes) modest car. With all rear seats removed it engulfed everything with no problem at all, to their amazement - I told them it was a pity there was no Volvo capable of the same feat anymore (the V70 was recently discontinued). The protested and told me the biggest one, the XC90, surely would manage... I found it hilarious that the only car they could see challange my car was a monster SUV, twice as heavy, a meter and a half longer and at least 10 times more expensive... Enjoy your new life with your can-do-anything-machine!
Coolest car you've had to date. Now you're ready for your next big adventure... across Africa!
usual things to watch for on those old mitzy diesels , injector pump seals and any sign of overheating, if it has neither then its probably a winner for family transport in all weathers while towing a house or your convoy of other cars.
Well done with the new purchase and I look forward to the tinkering videos.
I remember the days when every video started like: "HubNut - sponsored by Lancester" I liked the L300 panel van though... my dad had one and the weird manual column gear shifter amused me... It also had that old commercial vehicle smell and vibe surrounding it...
Yup, it's incredible how much stuff you can fit into one!
Three weeks ago I did discover one downside: the tailgate prevents loading/unloading with a forklift.
Very nice motor I like it ...and what a lovely place you were driving around that's made my birthday very enjoyable 1st of June 50 year's old today
Welcome to the Delica community, had ours 14 years and now living in Northern Ireland where you don't see so many.
Lovely Jubbly, now that's much better Mr HubNut.
well well well Ian, this L400 original test drive is was what introduced me to your Hubnut channel while I was in procurement of my 97 series 1 with a rare 5 speed. Since then i have spent twice what i paid for it but I would never let it go. Things to check. the radiator expansion tank are notorious for cracking/exploding and then killing the engine. the EGR systems gets clogged and block intakes around the valves typically resulting in a cracked head between cylinders. Also clean the intercooler as it fills crank case oil. relocating the fuel filter isn't to hard with a diy bracket then lmounted on the brake booster existing 2 nut/bolts with some hose and wire extensions using the factory for aftermarket filter unit. The older mechanical zexel/bosch fuel pumps on series 1's have some known issues too possibly due to fuel quality. The biggest drama i have had was the rear trailing arm bushings being seized and requiring a 50t press to budge before replacing them all with poly bushings. I could keep going. bit of diesel pig but for a hippo of a vehicle its a fair trade off. I approve highly and my hubnut sticker feels legit now. 4llc superselect is a push down on the stick and shift while stationary.
Now THAT'S an ideal dog transporter! Low enough at the back end for ageing big boned dogs, sliding side door, air conditioning, 4x4 for getting further up the track with the mutt. Superb! And a ,ot cheaper than buying am actual ex-police K9 van. Yup, if it were mine, I'd have all the rear seats out, and a nice wood box made that ran full length behind the drivers & passenger seat to store all the essentials (bowls, bags, leads, first aid kits, boots, towels etc). - As a motorcycle man and not really a car guy (unless it's a Land Rover, Morris Minor or A45 Farina Countryman), I approve of this choice of vee-hickle. Thumbs up! (Erm, I'd paint the bull bar black though - that white doesn't go well with the green)
Great video I used to go on holiday in Newquay Wales when I was in my teens. I remember going on a fishing trip from the harbour and being sick for the whole 3 hours and coming back looking rather green, good times.
Newquay is lovely - there are so many UK seaside towns that are gorgeous and I suspect are about to be discovered this year...
I had a mk2 fiesta diesel 1600 perkins seems to come to mind. I was at a land Rover MD and it was chopped in and I was told to get rid of it, so it and 25 gallons of red came to live with me, I loved it, went all round south England in it
Friends of mine here in new Zealand had one of these. Did over 200000km and gave no problems
This is fabulous - great buy and oh so HubNut. Excited to see adventures in this! But paint that rear wiper! Love the gruff engine note too. Haha
Newquay is beautiful btw.
Excellent choice. Much more interesting (and practical) than a Frontera.
Excellent. Slightly obscure, Japanese, lots of dials and buttons. Rotating seats !
I believe the first mass market car with “swivel seats” was the 1st Gen Renault espace - Until this video i didnt realise anyone else had done it.
Love this! Dual airbags too
Nice to see New Quay again , I was there this time 2 years ago blundering about in my Mitsy, a Shogun Sport which has a similar agricultural feel to it !
I've always liked those things for some reason, but never had one. That one certainly has plenty of 'patina'. I think we can look forward to a good number of tinkering videos. Mike
Same here. Always fancied owning one. I did have a 90s Shogun and liked it a lot.
My aunt and uncle used to live in Llanarth, just above New Quay. It is a beautiful spot, but boy the journey from Teesside to Llanarth is a long one.
You could use the mounting rails of those middle seats to bolt down dividers to stop toolboxes sliding about.
See a few of those here in Aus, certainly an unusual looking vehicle, nice choice for the HubNut fleet!
Lovely car Ian great choice for a family and travel brilliant video
I have had one since 2009 and love it dearly I hope you keep it for a bit.
There's a few of these running around with motorhome bodies on them,great for getting into off road camping areas,I had a Shogun for a few years which was great until it blew the head gasket.
Ooh, good find. I ran a 2.8 Pajero for 320,000 miles, mechanically the same. The twin core radiators fur up causing head failures, new rad is good insurance.
Great design and looks comfortable. As Ian would say "Lots of velour loveliness"
I used to see tonnes of these back in the 00''s along with Mazda Bongo Freindee's/Ford Freda', Toyota Townace's etc.
That is! They've all just disappeared now, haven't they?
This reminds me of the 4wd Mitsubishi van I used for off road field trips at university. Except that was forward control.
Always loved these. They're quite a common sight in western Canada
And it even comes with a lovely HubNut patina!
Excellent. Great to see a Badgertronix sticker. I almost bought a similar Delica many years ago to explore NZ. Very HubNut 👍
Those Delicas along Toyota Previas/Taragos (non 4x4) are dogs bollocks. Congratulations and looking forward to some very entertaining videos!
I think that will be a lovely vehicle to have on the fleet. The Delica's are more of a Multi Purpose Vehicle than most. That 2.8 TD is fairly bombproof if a bit unrefined, but should prove very reliable.
The key looks like an aftermarket replacement to me, the original ones were usually partly plastic. Only the MK1 (1980-86) L300 came with bare metal keys like this. We've got plenty of those metal ones too though because we always needed more than the stock three keys.
Check the manual on those revolving seats! The L300 GLX has a flip-back mid-rear seat and the manual explicitly states the passengers must always face forward when the car is moving. I'm fairly certain that's because the seatbelts only work in that direction. I don't think we've ever used that feature in my parents' GLX in the 8 years they've owned it. I intended to go to a music festival in it this year, then Corona struck. The idea had been to avoid something as horrible as last year's return trip, five adults plus camping gear and instruments stuck into a Toyota Yaris with an inexperienced and very tired driver in the middle of the night. What a nightmare! We started around 1 AM (instead of 10 PM as planned), spent the better part of an hour trying to find a working and open petrol station and finally arrived home at 5:30 AM. Around two hours into the trip, the driver finally agreed to let me drive even though she'd promised the owner of the car she wouldn't let anyone else drive.
had the exact same vehicle years ago same colour as well did many happy miles in it too
Great family car! Perfect for family camping holidays!
Looking forward to seeing a service video on it. Best of luck accessing fuel filter!.
Perfect Hub Nut material to enjoy 👍
I had an L400 delica chamonix, here in OZ. You will be shocked how well that block of flats can change direction, when needed.
Your 4wd issue is quite likely to be the little black vacuum solenoids.
(Drivers side rear of engine bay, against firewall)
They cost about 90aud to replace (ebay) and an easy hubnut task.
Make sure to keep the contacts on the front and rear of the sliding door perfectly clean, to avoid it locking itself shut...
Feel free to ask any questions on how to work on it, as they have some weird tricks to them.
Enjoy
Enjoy
Yep, my 4M40T I describe as sounding like a fishing boat- love it. A friend had one of those and endo'ed it at 100 kph, taking her scalp off in the process but survived intact otherwise. Watch yourself.
Great choice! The L300 4WD would have been better, but I guess I'm biased because I drive an L300 4WD myself. You've seen it in The Netherlands (even put a picture of it in the Retro Japanese magazine!). I'm glad to have been able to inspire you. ;).
Smashing Ian loving the vlogs, i had a 2.8 Pajero but it was not at all economic though, never the less i loved it ha ha...
For prospective foreign visitors who might get confused, this is New Quay, a seaside town in Ceredigion, Wales and not Newquay, a seaside town in Cornwall, England.
What d'you mean "Cornwall, England"?
For us Cornish, Cornwall's a nation too. We just got conquered a while before Wales, England.😁
I was seriously considering a Delica for a long while. They’re an unlikely combination of very sensible and totally insane. Instead I’ve bought a high top T25 camper that doesn’t start. By the time it starts the summer will probably be over but next year I’ll have fun (how many people said that last year).
I enjoyed driving around New Quay in my 1973 vw camper, made lots of noise on the narrow hilly streets!
Looking forward to returning to West Wales. New Quay looks lovely. Just watch out for someone hooning in a Delica 👀
I'm looking forward to getting out of (Mid-)West Wales...
big ol' things. look good but hate to tax one. oh that chippy is brilliant, it's one seaside i love going to.
Like the car! We never had those type of 4wd vas over here (at least they were never a hit like in the UK) But my god, it could do with a good interior clean!
More than a couple of greys came into Queensland under that state's more lax import laws and a few into other parts of Australia. Like the Toyota Vellfire/Alphard and similar large people movers, they were imported with the supposed intention of being converted into campers. A lot were bought by people with large families.
Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream guessed your new purchase first. He was heard to scream a Delica!
Always wanted one of these, I would definitely search one out if my Volvo 940 ever dies. No signs of that though.
I used to have a toyota lucida a brilliant car. Very practical and reliable
One of my neighbours has one with a decent sized roof tent on it. Nice
Tow car/family car seems like an excellent addition given the shambolic nature of some of the fleet! 😀 Be interested to see how it performs towing a loaded car trailer
OMG! Never thought I would see the day. A HubNut road test with no wiper action! What is the world coming to!
Oh wow, what a beauty! It's seducing me. Fantastic new car choice. I cannot wait to see what you get up to in it.
*Edit: Am I the only subscriber interested to hear more about the family that's now in your life?
Really practical car, rugged, versatile with go anywhere capabilities! 😎👍
Love the sound and smell of a diesel exspecislly in the morning
So I make it 3 vehicles bought since you said “I’m not buying anymore” 🙂 Excellent.
When you said low 20s I thought it was a 2.8L petrol!
The boy racers with their loud exhausts have nothing on this one. 😁
2.3 Tonnes empty + old school slopomatic + low top gear + very old school injection system, mine was quite a shock having managed 40+mpg in a well sorted Discovery 200 Tdi
@@idrisddraig2 Its predecessor (L300 1986-1998) is below 1400 kgs (1350 or thereabouts) and I've only ever driven the 5-speed manual (2.5 l naturally-aspirated Diesel) but it isn't that much more efficient. High 20s if you baby it (80 MPH on the motorway). Go faster and fuel efficiency rapidly drops even further. 28 was manufacturer spec for the 2.5D 2WD, 20 for the 2.4 petrol 4WD.
A Spacegear was my last car before emigrating from New Zealand and my favourite of all time ( even funnier than my first ever car which was a splitty Kombi). Slow, fun, especially given the enthusiasm for the tyres to squeel at stupidly low corner speeds
That looks like one beautiful part of the world.
You're going to have me looking up Shogun's again (dad's was a 2nd gen, 1997)..That engine sound brings back some childhood memories. Want to say his was a GLS, but can't remember the trim. Was a dark blue SWB. I remember it going through a lot of exhausts, but suspect in hindsight that was probably the quality of the KwikFit exhausts he kept having fitted... Went through some tyres too which weren't cheap, but expected with a heavier vehicle like that. He only sold it in 2009 (it was over 200k miles, not sure because the odometer at one point wasn't working for 2-3yrs) because he was travelling a lot from work and he reckoned he was averaging 25mpg from it. Sold it privately and then bought a Peugeot 207 1.4HDi (knock Peugeot all you want, but it had 250k miles on it when he sold it in 2017), how he's got a company car..Mercedes B180D (1.5diesel, Renault engine I believe), he isn't fond of it, or how much it's costing him with the company car tax every month...
Look forward to seeing more with this. What a great vehicle. Much better than a Terracan, lol
Brilliant and very HubNut too!
What a glorious family lugger!
I've been to that chippy, was there for almost a week a few years ago, stuck during work when the fuel crisis and couldn't drive home, as had insufficient fuel, so had to stay in the hotel, luckily it was a hot July!
About 15yrs back it was a choice of one of these or a Hilux in blue, chose the Hilux because all the rest were purple hahahaha, but a month later it started drinking fuel at an alarming rate so I went back to where I got it from and did a straight swap for a 2.5ltr, straight 6, twin turbo Toyota Soarer...to this day THE best car I've owned👌
Very Hubnut for these times Ian... Great project and looking forward to a more in depth review of this old lugger.. Had flash backs of the Toyota Hiace the when I clicked!! 👍
Nice buy they go for ever, Japanese reliability ,have fun with it
Congratulations man. I love these.
Thank you for putting this video out so quickly. There's exactly the same model Delica here where I live, same age, colour etc, I did think it was on a Pajero chassis before it was imported because I've only ever seen that one before but no.
nice van Ian! rotating seats handy.
These are great! I had one briefly and named it Stompy. Very comfortable, eager engine and surprisingly fun to drive.
As an aside, would love to see you drive a Vauxhall Sintra.
Nice choice, nicely left-field but relatively sensible being as most of the mechanics are shared with the UK-market Shogun. You'll be pleased to know that those are a lot less prone to falling over than the previous, L300-based ones, which could fall over quite easily, think Mercedes-Benz A-Class before the ESP became standard...
I've never heard of an L300 actually falling over! They do like to go in circles from oversteering, especially when empty. We always keep two bags of sand on the rear axle!
@@Ragnar8504 Not the L300, though I do know of a few cases of unladen ones falling over, probably due more to driver over-exuberance than the vehicle itself, but the older Delica that was based on the L300 was quite fond of falling over...
That's the perfect workhorse for you. An A frame will be ideal to move your fleet once you've got a towbar fitted. Are you going to cull any of the fleet? I know that Elly & Myrtle have sentimental value for you and your good lady loves the Cityrover. I would imagine that the Delica would make Foxanne and possibly the Tercel redundant.