Help Please! Old Hiace Camper '80

[Brian the Snail]

Hello,

I'm new to this site and this is my first posting. I'd really like anyones help and advice with regards my restoration of a 1980 Hiace Rio Camper. The old girl has seen better days but with some welding and a bit of sweat she's just passed her MOT. Only problem now is a very rusty fuel tank that keeps clogging the carburetor and idler jet, non original front seats that some muppet has bolted to the floor by very peculier means (straight to the floor so no movement back or forth ), an ignition barrel that's not locking the key in, a fuel tank sender that's given up the ghost, etc, etc.

Does anyone know of one that's being broken down, looked on eBay for scrappy ones that I could use as a donor but they're out of my price brackett unfortunately. I'd love to get this one looking good so it can outshine the hoards of boring, common, old VW camper's that litter the roads of the Yorkshire Dales where I live.

Anyone who's worked on one of these old beauties or knows of any good places for tips, parts, info etc. please let me know. I'd love to get some proper original front seats back in her or if that's not possible at least some that fit properly and look the part. When she's resprayed she'll be back to her original bright Yellow, seems a fair way off yet though. Already have a 1986 model in the family that's mint (bought the father-in-law it last year, should've kept it myself!) would love to get this older version somewhere near to that so any help would be greatly received.

Regards,

Frazer

[mcallistersmith]

i'm in the same boat as you, i have a 1983 hiace camper diesel and i can't get spares for that