Bongo Update July 2020 !
So the bongo has been for its yearly checkup (otherwise abbreivated to MoT in the UK) but as well that I have also had other work done – everything essential to the longevitiy of a vehicle which is now in its 24th year !
Big thanks to RD Motors in Poole. Graham and his team have done an exceptionally good job in keeping my beloved bongo on the road. With C-19 still effecting everyone, more so thanks for that his welder was available, and what an amazing job they have done.
Having been using the bongo quite frequently before going to the garage, Monica had noticed a noise, which I recognized straight away as brake wear (familar when my first car was an Austin Metro !) – I called Graham up and arranged to get the brakes done right away which they were – front/back pads and discs as well as the hand brake adjustment. We had previously discussed (and I had the seals) to weld up the ‘cosmetic’ rust on the drivers side, so thought now is a good a time as ever to get it done. So along with the MoT I got the welding done. Am very impressed with the results !
new seals 
underside
The rust was pretty extensive on the drivers side as the photos that Graham sent me shows !
griding 
big ole in me bongo
There was also work done on the passenger side underneath, but I’m really happy with how the bongo is now looking and the worst of the rust on the body work is gone. I will be planning on undercoating now this autumn/winter but will explorer the options.
Once I got the bongo back i have had this problem with the back tailgate not opening. I tried opening from the handle with a wire ‘hook’ but to no avail, so started to remove the end kitchen unit, but that didnt give me the access to the handle I needed. Being a member of BONGO FURY i hit the forums for advice and further to my post was given some good advice on the electrics. Knowning that i had some issue with the interior lights working from the lesiure battery, thought that a good place to start. What some fuse diagrams dont show is that fuse 1 AS WELL AS fuse 4 are for the central locking. I got my soldering iron out to the bongo thanks to a couple of extension leads and hard-wired the #1 fuse wire from the lesiure battery into the back of the fuse section. Still no luck, i got out my volt meter and checked continiunity, i found that one of the wires is ‘playing up’ – i’m not 100% sure why, but swaping them arround got the central locking working and the rear door open !
Actually the picture above was done after i had refitted everything, which is a task initself, but i was really glad that i could open the door again and just a wire to fix for the driver-side blinds.
For the first time Monica is going to come on a ‘bongo’ camping holiday with me ! So with the bongo now MoT and physically in really good shape, its time to look after the cosmetics – i have a bit of time but have plenty of cosmetic jobs to do between now and then ! Hopefully with the help of my son and some good weather, we will get them all done.. Heres the before pics, hopefully there will be some ‘after’ pics soon 🙂
wire in the kitchen windo fan 
put the silver trim on the clock 
replace AM/MF radio with Ham Radio 
door handle 
window bolts 
more window bolts 
even more window bolts 
ok the window bolts need painting 
WINDOW 
BOLTS 
rear windscreen wiper 
did i mention the window bolts 
old stickers 
what were these called ? 
old AFT stickers 
dirty old stickers 
welding needs topcoat and clearcoat 
MOSS 
scuff on the arch 
scratch on the rear bumper 
scuff on the rear bumper 
rush on the tail-gate 
rust on the tailgate 
tailgate rust 
passgenger side rust 
rust and a dent rear passenger side 
cosmetic rust passenger side 
scuff passenger side 
cosmetic rust passenger side 
passenger side wheel arch 
windscreen wiper rust 
wind screen wiper rust 
windscreen wiper rust 
bonnet clearcoat
So there is a fair bit of cosmetic work to be done, but nothing too expensive or difficult, hopefully i will end up with a good looking bongo when we head of for our first bongo trip together !