New member East Midlands

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Dave Hardwick

New Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Messages
13
Location
Bingham
Car
CLC 220 cdi, Vito 115 Sport, Sprinter 312d, 316 CDI Motorhome.
Hello!

I've run a 312d sprinter now for 12 years and its just had its 20th Birthday, this has been one of the best vehicles ive ever owned but is starting to suffer from a bit of "tin worm" not bad for its age though. Ive replaced this with a Vito 115 Sport which I'm very happy with so far.

I have just bought a CLC 220 CDI as since owning the Sprinter I have fancied a Merc car. Here it is, 25000 miles from new, excelent condition, I just hope it serves me as well as the 312d.

Dave
 

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Thanks for the welcome.

I spent a few days working on the vito cleaning and applying measures to try and keep corrosion at bay, I removed wheel arch liners, Bumpers, and Front Wings and applied loads of wax to these areas and to all the box sections. I will do the same with the CLC which is a 220 CDI.

Dave
 

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What year is the Vito, Dave? It's probably galvanised if it's newer than 06 anyway so wouldn't suffer from much tinworm tbh.. welcome to the forum

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The Vito is a 59 plate with 45000 miles on it so yes it is a Galvanised one, I found a small amount of rust where stones have hit behind the front wheels on the sills and a small amount behind the rear wheels which I have removed and repainted. Very pleased with the van so far, a lot more refined its almost like driving a car!

Dave
 
Welcome! I've got a curious pleasure out of driving vans when I've had the chance. Transits, LDVs, Fiats, but not yet a Merc - mostly like the first few yards of acceleration and the roomy cabins

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I enjoy driving the vans, vision is great I've even used the van in preference to a car when on a camping trip!
 
Bit of van envy here Dave, you have a 59 plate 45k Vito115 where I have an 07 with 250k Vito 109.
Still love it, and fwiw mine still gets admiring looks when we go to racetracks.
 
I look after a class B MG Midget in the Lackford Callenge. I'm sometimes in the Sprinter or the 316 Hymer Motorhome. I will be fitting a towbar soon as no doubt I may end up towing a car to s circuit. Good to know they have some mileage in them! What are you up to around the circuits?
 
Fwiw my dad has an old MGB roadster, but being in his 80's now it won't be long before it'll be up for sale I expect.
I'm afraid I find "cages" all bit tame, & get my thrills on two wheels (my avatar, if you're viewing this on a computer).

My Vito is primarily a track-transport-module. I do have a towbar, but the bikes & gear fit in ok. See below 2x Bikes. The space between is then filled with the spare wheels, spare tyres, gazebo, generator, tools, tyre warmers, paddock stands, jerry fuel cans etc, etc, etc.. & room to spare.

Two%20bikes%20loaded.jpg



Allowing for.:


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Looks good!!! I have to say the bike racing on the to is much better to watch than the cars. I just can't comprehend oversteering on a bike and leaving a black line in the process!!

A long time since I've raced myself but did a few track days in a HS Chevette...Track Day In Chevette HS | Dave Hardwick Engineering
 
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Is that Donnington, some good pace there IMHO.

We were at Cadwell last saturday, and it was as wet as that but with a good covering of wet leaves over Barn to really allow for some interesting sideways action.

FYI the vito also actually drifts quite well, until the electronics kick in & spoil things. ;)
 
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Yes that's Donington. Yes I have been playing in the Vito in the wet and then the esp kicks in.... I must try turning it off and see what happens!!
 
Love that section of Donnington, because a combination of the two hairpins & short straights between suit my little Triumph perfectly so I've usually carved my way past some of the bigger bikes by the time we're out onto the Wheatcroft straight.
Mind you they often come past me again before we get to Redgate. :mad:

I've just been looking at your website, made me a little nostalgic.: My aforementioned dad had an old 100/4 in one of his barns when I was a boy.
I had dreams of doing it up & having it as my first car.
 
I enjoyed that part of the circuit too. I had a few Drivers of modern stuff come up and say they couldn't keep up through the corners even with all their electronic aids! Like you the more powerfull cars are better in a straight line.

Do you still have the AH100 in the Barn? They fetch good money now!
 
.....Do you still have the AH 100/4 in the Barn? They fetch good money now!
Nope.
He had a few classics, all projects that he had brought & not progressed. When I was 17 I was pestering him to let me get it back to roadworthy as I said.
Eventually he offered to sell me an old Mini Moke that I could do up instead. The deal being that if I managed to do a decent job of it he would re-consider the Healey.
I did restore the Moke, fitted a cooper engine (donated from a 1300gt that I brought from a neighbour, then sold to a scrapyard engine-less for more than I'd paid).
I went into the forces later that year, by the time I left his cars had all been sold.
 
That's a shame, have a look on fleabay at the price of AH 100, sit down first!

I remember being driven around Malta in a Moke, fantastic!
 
It was quite fun, probably would have been more so in Malta than a rainy 70's UK. As my first car it did have plenty of character, and I taught myself some basic skills along the way.
Fwiw he had sold my Moke at the same time as his other cars. When I pointed out that I'd brought it from him he paid me,,,,,,, back the £100 I'd paid him for the engineless crashed car that had been stood for 6 years. :rolleyes:

Like I said, I learned from that little Moke. :cool:
 
Looks good!!! I have to say the bike racing on the to is much better to watch than the cars. I just can't comprehend oversteering on a bike and leaving a black line in the process!!

A long time since I've raced myself but did a few track days in a HS Chevette...Track Day In Chevette HS | Dave Hardwick Engineering

Ooo HS CHEVETTE one of my dream cars as a lad... only to be overtaken by the HSR CHEVETTE...MEGA

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Yes my dream car as a lad and I learnt to drive in a 1256 hatchback. I always wanted a HS after seeing them rallied on the television. I also had a HPF Firenze "Droopsnoot" for a couple of years.
Dave
 

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