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Panda (Classic) Snatch Panda

Introduction

It's taken a while but I'm going to try uploading some photos..

Inspired by Snatch Land Rovers deployed to Gulf War I, Afghanistan and previously in Northern Ireland, I wondered how the Panda version might have turned out..

Dragonman gave me a useful kick early on and David, Aquamarine has been wonderfully helpful throughout -thank you both.

Things got a bit loose with the interpretation as I got carried away - so the mudflaps aren't necessary (but I like how rally cars look) and the bonnet lamps are because of a soft spot for the Matra Rancho. - Please be reassured that only a rusty bonnet was harmed in the making of this modification.

Similarly - all the changes can be undone fairly easily if Sisley prices continue to head for the stratosphere.. So I didn't paint the grill and I have kept a good unmodified bullbar to one side.

Hope you like it. Let me know what you think.
oh no!! :( :(

do you have any pictures of the damage?

if not for the front panel it would not be that bad of a repair..
is there no way you can pull that back into shape? my dad had the same sounding crash with a mk 3 ford festa and he pulled the front back into shape with a winch fixed to a tree..

after that he replaced the rad and fan, hammered the headlamps mounting points into shape, replaced the broken headlamps and grille, bent the bumper mounts back into shape and the thing looked fine. passed its MOTs for another 5 years till the timing belt tensioner pulley broken up and caused the valves to smash into the pistons.

i am very interested in how much damage the bull bars are in too.. i want to see how they held up in the accident.

sadly i dont have many spares from bex.. the rad is really tiered and shows signs of previous weeping.. i have the headlamps already claimed (for Fallout) and i have sold the bumper. the bonnet is undecided yet, a forum member i think already wants it. :/

shame i didnt cut the front panel out. though it was a little rusty, i was not too bad. hmm i could still cut it out if the scrap yard has not yet moved the shell on... but it would be in a weeks time till i get back home.

i have bexes blue grille.. and also a non painted modern 750 grille.. if needed?
oh i guess you could have the bumper from off Fallout? i am going to be making my own metal one anyway..
i have a fan and the thing the fan sits in, if needed too.

im sure others on here will help out :D
 
Sad to hear this:( at least you are ok.

If the rest of the car is solid and the damage is confined to the front panel only then its worth repairing I reckon, aslong as ofcourse it does not go down as a Cat B, in which case you have no option.

Replacing the front panel will be fairly time consuming due to the number of spot welds that hold it on and some time needs to be taken to make sure it is positioned correctly, but it is certainly doable. You may find the inner wings will need work aswell depending on where it was hit.

Just to let you know the front panel Homeward has linked to is for a Mk1 as it has one round and one square opening rather than two square ones.
 
Thank you for the good advice and wishes.

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And particularly to AndyPanda4x4 for the offer of parts to fix. Think I'll give reshaping the front panel a try, thanks DM, it's almost doable by hand. Second decision is to give the insurance company a swerve because that's never fun and could get seriously silly too.

So. Looks like I've been lucky - inner and outer wings, front cross member/radiator support are all untouched. Radiator is okay apart from one top mount.

Sisley grill was in the garage for safe keeping and headlamp washers have survived.

Phew!

Thanks again all.☺
 
ahh good man, sounds like an easy fix :D glad you are all fine.

wonder if i could get that bonnet into the boot of Talon... better than it being scrapped i could use it for Fallout.. just hammer it back into shape.

all adds to the effect..

hey!! i could swap you! sadly the fallout bonnet does have a rust hole in it though .. but if you are good it could be fixed.

let me know if you are interested :D
 
Ouch, sorry to see your Panda looking sorry for itself. I'm sure the mystery forum member asking about Dragon Mans bonnet would rather it went to a car that really needs it;).
Got a bumper, fan & mounts, and I think a decent bumper mount lying in the garage if you come up short locally.
 
Eek, late in the day to this. Most important thing is you're ok. I have headlamps, rad, fan, bumper, brackets, and a bit of time and inclination to help. Wings are cheap. We know a good welder if time an issue. September deadline then? The Snatch Panda will ride again in Masham.

You weren't trying to create another Panda trailer now were you?
 
It lives!

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Thanks to aquamarine 's generosity and extensive spares hoard, we're back on the road and in the field.

Adapted Dragonman's suggestion and substituted the garage for a tree to pull the front panel back and even if I do say so myself - the panel fit is no worse than it was and the bonnet release is better than ever.

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AndyPanda4x4 has offered a replacement bonnet to finish off. Would it be inappropriate to add a Skoda Fabia with a cross through in the manor of the Red Baron?
 
How on earth did I miss this story! haha! I went through all the emoticons in a very short period of time! :eek: :doh: :( :hug: :idea: :D :slayer:

Glad all back together, pandas are surprisingly easy to bend back into shape! Make sure all the metal is re-painted though, it rots out fairly quickly once paintwork is damaged... as I discovered :(

Also I vote yes to proposal to paint Skoda Fabia with a cross through it.

And definitely avoid any involvement with insurance if you can afford to. So stressful and they try to make out panda 4x4s to be worthless.
 
Picked up a lovely orange '99 Punto 85SX today.


- 87K, I'm it's second owner, red key, all the original books, etc. but where the rear floors should be, only fresh air. Shame.
With the benefit of hindsight I ought to have lied when the lady selling, asked me what I was going to do with her car.
Sorry Debbie.


Still, at least the donkey will live on and with a bit of luck, visit Italy again this year.
 
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