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Panda (Classic) Digger the Yellow 4x4

Introduction

So, I've been after a 4x4 for using on the rough stuff for a while, and today I've finally got one:D

Let me introduce Digger:


Named by my Dad due to his JCB yellow paint job! He's been off the road for 12 years in dry storage and as to be expected he needs all the usual Panda stuff attending to, the biggest problem being rust of course! Mechanically, he has faired well, and should just need a recommissioning rather than any major surgery.

After going to see it last weekend, I was outbid in the last few seconds of the eBay auction, lucky for me, (not so the for the seller) the winning bidder was a complete time waster so I got a second chance offer and arranged collection for today. As usual my Land Rover was on towing duty:



Good job the 4wd on Digger works as I needed it to get onto the trailer! Anyway we dropped him off at my workshop (actually the corner of my Dads warehouse:eek:) and tomorrow I'll give him a good clean (including evicting the many spiders living in the engine bay) and a proper look over.


I'd like to get him back on the road fairly quickly, in time for AndyPanda4x4's next Yorkshire weekend;) And then a few mods to improve his off road ability will be on the cards I think.
Well not too much to report today as I only got time to give Digger a hoover out. I did find a mouse nest and the remains of its inhabitants behind the bulkhead insulation under the bonnet though. Also a few chewed through wires, that'll explain the funny dash lights then! Only two spiders though, the really big ones must have already moved out:p
 
Well not too much to report today as I only got time to give Digger a hoover out. I did find a mouse nest and the remains of its inhabitants behind the bulkhead insulation under the bonnet though. Also a few chewed through wires, that'll explain the funny dash lights then! Only two spiders though, the really big ones must have already moved out:p


That must be well known spot in mice world.
is it worse then on mine was?
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Got Digger on the ramp this afternoon and had a poke around:









Not looking that great, but it could be alot worse and was pretty much what I was expecting. I was able to lift him up on the ramp without too much difficulty so there is some solid metal there. Hes going to need both sills replacing and the rear axle and springs will have to come out aswell as there is a hole on the chassis rail above the front spring mount on the N/S. The rest isn't too bad, although I'm yet to remove the arch liners so we'll see how it is under those, bound to be a few smaller repairs required.

I did manage to pull off a previous sill repair with my hands, the patch itself was still fairly solid, just the original metal around it had rotted:rolleyes:


I was hoping I would get away without buying any panels, but I am going to have to remove the bottom of the rear quarter and arch to sort the rot properly so I'll be sourcing some sills and doing a complete replacement on both sides like I did with the mk1s passenger side.
 
So some progress on Digger over the weekend. I've stripped the wheel arch liners and bumpers off aswell as the interior to give me proper access to the rusty bits. (Sorry for the photo quality, taken with a tablet in poor lighting so not the best)



The sills are as expected:




But it turns out the boot floor is mostly made of filler and some badly attached patches:rolleyes: All fixable of course and could be alot worse(y) It also means I will have good acess to repair the hole in the chassis rail from above, which is no bad thing:




There is a hole right in the middle of the front floor under the passenger side seat, a funny place for it to go rotten I thought:confused:



I've also got a broken leaf spring on the N/S, explains the lean to the left hand side. Another common 4x4 problem it seems.

Did manage to find a company that could supply sill panels (http://carz2.co.uk/), however I was looking at a 4 week wait for them as I had just missed the cut off for the latest shipment, I then remembered John Dragon Man had bought some for his blue Sisley but never used them, he was more than happy for me to have them, so I took a trip over the Derby last week to pick them up. John has many sheds full of Panda bits so there is no doubt I will back over there for more parts once I work out what I need!

I'm hoping I will be able to make a start on the metalwork repairs this weekend, I will be doing the sills first, I will then have somewhere solid to support the car whilst I remove the axle to sort out the back end.
 
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