General Scrapyard hunting in Italy

[Fozzybear]

Hi everyone,

After the excellent panda ing around North Yorkshire, thanks AndyPanda, and a few comments re scrapyard hunting.
We are tentatively thinking of going to Italy in May to rescue any panda bits from scrapyards. Or at the very least see more pandas on the roads.

Well its bound to be sunny, and have 2 ish weeks booked from work.

So, now have planning to do, to see if its do able.
Route, we are unsure if Dover Calais or Hull Zeebrugge.
To take a small trailer or not, or just strip the back seat out either/or.

Any feedback/help would be good, as have just less than 4 weeks to go.
S

 

[pandamaniac]

Best answer is to hire a 40ft artic and bring back all you can.
You may also make money especially for 4x4 bits and doors by the dozen!
Thereafter the forum members will worship you like a God if you do.
Dave

 

[onemanmade]

Hi everyone,

After the excellent panda ing around North Yorkshire, thanks AndyPanda, and a few comments re scrapyard hunting.
We are tentatively thinking of going to Italy in May to rescue any panda bits from scrapyards. Or at the very least see more pandas on the roads.

Well its bound to be sunny, and have 2 ish weeks booked from work.

So, now have planning to do, to see if its do able.
Route, we are unsure if Dover Calais or Hull Zeebrugge.
To take a small trailer or not, or just strip the back seat out either/or.

Any feedback/help would be good, as have just less than 4 weeks to go.
S

If it was me going (I cant this year due to money and holiday reasons) I would remove the back seat rather than take a trailer. I would make a list of everything I wanted to get, have a rough idea of how much space that would take up, and I would ask anyone else on the forum if they wanted anything from the scrapyard, and again if you decided to get things for other people make a list, and make sure you will have enough space to do so!

 

[aquamarine]

Would definitely recommend! We're planning to do a trip too but not back til Sept. Hull-Zeebrugge/Rotterdam is much more relaxing. How about come back via Dover so you can drop the panels on a Panda Express route home.
Trailer might cost you more on the ferry, and will make things slower, but will make a great difference to capacity!
Can help with route suggestions/places to stop if needs be - pm me if interested.

David

 

[dave]

are you sure they have pandas in their scrap yards?

 

[purple haze]

I've seen pandas in French scrapyards too.

 

[Fozzybear]

Thanks for your replies, we are hoping to research the crossings/routes
this weekend.Ive heard weekend Hull crossings, don't charge for caravans.
Hoping it also applies to trailers, also thought if we don't take a trailer, we
might buy one out there.
At the moment, the bits to bring back are
1...Doors (of course mk 2
2...Bonnet
3...Tailgate

Anything else that's small ish, and we can find room for.

We might be driving thru France, but Ive never thought of looking for scrapyards, so never noticed any.
Hope we see loads now.

 

[pandamaniac]

NO, NO, NO, FOZZYBEAR, YOU HAVE GOT IT ALL WRONG!
It isn't
At the moment, the bits to bring back are
1...Doors (of course mk 2
2. Bonnets
3...Tailgates

It should read
10...Tailgates
20. Bonnets
30. Doors (of course Mk2)
Dave

 

[Dragon Man]

door electric central locking motors/units
tail gate central locking motor and boot lock (!!!) just cant get these anywhere
electric window motors/fittings/switches (just from in the doors no need for dash wiring)

electronics!!

shame you cant retro fit an ECU to a carbed 999 engine. get rid of the annoying distributor and the ignition module.
something i'd like to do with talon is get rid or make a new spark ignition system as my faith in standard one is somewhat reducing.. this is its 3rd fault ive had with the ignition system since having him. hmm..

 

[Fozzybear]

Ha, ha, your replies made me laugh...
We will fit in, under, around, behind, on top of anything we can get our hands on.
We know, if its no use to us, then someone will find a use for it..
You never know, it has been mentioned - what happens if we find a panda
we want to bring home???
S

 

[aquamarine]

Ha, ha, your replies made me laugh...
We will fit in, under, around, behind, on top of anything we can get our hands on.
We know, if its no use to us, then someone will find a use for it..
You never know, it has been mentioned - what happens if we find a panda
we want to bring home???
S

You rescue it, and have double the carrying capacity for parts!

Although buying a car in Italy isn't easy (or cheap) - there's quite a lot of red tape.. Not sure how France is though.

 

[Fozzybear]

Hi Aquamarine (David),

I haven't PM you, as we are already in contact via email.

At the moment we are thinking Dover- Calais, stopping at a little campsite
we know. Then drive to Italy , approx. 3 days driving we think, at Panda
speeds.(Usually done on motorbike!).

1...Doors (mark 2)
2...Tailgate
3...Bonnet
4...Carpet/rubber flooring (like in Fizzy!)

This is all open to change and fine tuning.
S & K

 

[pandamonius_maximus]

This sounds like a most noble quest! I would like to join but I already have a plan to go to Spa / maybe Nürburgring much later in the year. And I have blown a tonne of monies as it is!

For parts to bring back don't forget mk1 doors / tailgates as well please actually anything mk1...including a whole mk1 haha!! Joking Joking!! I have enough!

 

[panda panda]

If you can find one with aircon whip the bits and pieces off it for me will you (extra set of vents under the radio give it away).

Ta,

John

 

[Bougainvillea Rosso]

Good idea! I would recommend some radius rods as you can't even get these new from Italy anymore. If you get a few I would happily purchase one or two

 

[firstcar-Y10]

Good idea! I would recommend some radius rods as you can't even get these new from Italy anymore. If you get a few I would happily purchase one or two

The front tie rods? I think I bought the last new one of these IN THE WORLD off ebay a couple of years back after mine snapped, after buying the second last from Italy a couple of months before that then waiting for another to come along.

 

[onemanmade]

I will take two sunroof straps from a twin sunnie if you can get them. They are hard to come by in this country and having spares seems sensible

 

[VmanC]

I've seen pandas in French scrapyards too.

Me too!

I also second the sunroof straps, I'll take 10 please.

 

[onemanmade]

Me too!

I also second the sunroof straps, I'll take 10 please.

I don't need any just yet but I am conscious they are only rubber and will eventually perish, best to have a couple of spares around

 

[VmanC]

I don't need any just yet but I am conscious they are only rubber and will eventually perish, best to have a couple of spares around

Panto needs one for the back but the rest of my ten would be spares .

Actually second hand ones could well be a waste of money, they may only have one more tug in them, but if no new ones are available what do you do?