History

Mike gave me a number of documents with Coco.

MOT documents, tax discs, a few V5's.



First registered in July 1960

Not sure what colour..



OYM 609A

Was given to the vehicle after the previous registration number SJD 977 was sold on, probably for the profit, as old three numbers, three letters, are more desirable than a suffixed number plate. It was still on the vehicle on 27th Oct 1989.

And the first time I have found OYM 609A is on paperwork from 18th July 1990 on a V5c document when the ownership changed from Ms Sarah L.L. to Mr Hugh E.B. Also found between MOT certificates from 1989 to 1991 the mileage makes sense too, gaining only 7000 miles in the two years, so it all looks pretty good.
So somewhere in that nine months the registration number was changed over. I wonder where the old plate went ?

I've also read that the OY in the OYM 609A, refers to the county or city from where the vehicle is registered. OY = Croyden. So i'll look into this some more and see where the vehicle was registered at that time. I also think that it was given a suffix plate as early or as close to the original first registration date as possible. So the ABC 123A type plates were only released a couple of years after the car was first registered, from Feb -31 Dec 1963.

So i'm the 5th owner, and I have some correspondence between a couple of the previous owners in the form of letters and notes on payments or changes to the standard vehicle.

This page on Wikipedia helped today Understanding UK registration numbers

Original sales brochures

Bought these..  just had to share them with you..

I need a little help..

Wednesday this week, I met up with Matt.

He's the guy that will be making Coco look cool. He gets to paint her whatever colour I choose.

We looked around her for a while and went through some of the ideas that I had. Matt actually wanted to go very radical with the paintwork..for me a little less is preferable..

You'll see..

Lots of work to do, and I think Tom and I will be going over to do some of the dismantling and then help out as much as we can on the rubbing down.. because shes going to go back to bare metal to make sure that all is ok. I don't want Matt to do all of the graft and hard work..

I'll try to do my share..


Then..



Yesterday I met up with a designer that I used to work with at Sealine.

David H can draw..he really makes images come alive, and over the years we both worked on some fabulous projects. His artwork can fool you into thinking that you are looking at a photograph of the subject..

I went through the background story of Coco and David loves her..

So I've scribbled out my ideas for Coco, and asked David if he can make my scribbles look like we mean business with this lovely little van..

more very soon

all the best


Jamie

Commer Cob photos

Just to get the van in good working order..

More pics and issues..

Where do I start.. Needs a new back door

The original panels were cut out to make it into a car..The last owner took the glass out to make it back into a van.. sort of.. with plywood..

Passenger side door is buckled..

After removing the sticker off the bottom of the door.. and this passed a current MOT ? with just a sticker over the issues..

Bonnet doesn't fit properly, bumper brackets are miss aligned 

Just found out on Wednesday that the front wings are glassfibre..

Original steering wheel is great.. everytime I drive it the wheel gets cleaner..

and I have to scrub my hands to get the paint and crud off ..

Wires hang all over the place.. hate the drinks cup holder..

Interior roof is the underside of the van roof..

Back seat that lifts to make a flat floor.. a small fire.. just a mess..

original and 'new' panels made by previous owner..

oh dear.. lots to do in here.. That plywood panel will be replaced with Solid Oak on the outside..

On the inside it will be storage for work tools and paperwork

Back seats folded flat to make into a van.. all needs looking at..

Someones carpet.. not car carpet.. 

Back door, I have a replacement door.. in better condition on the outside

and worse on the inside..

I haven't looked under here yet..

The very bright red panels are homemade by the previous owner.. 

There are some original panels ..

I will be making Oak strips and wooden paneling for the headlining.

I hope by just changing the rear door, this will help lift the rest of the back..

Matt can help with this part..hopefully

hmm a patch..or two..best not look..

The petrol filler will need a new rubber gromit..

Filler. The aluminium grille will need a little work..

Bumper bracket has been welded on the the body.. bolt is locked up..

needs cutting off and body sorted out

Great 'Face' love the 'grimace' the twisted bumper..the bent number plate need fixing.

Solid Oak panels, will sit in the window recess, with hand carved details

Awful red panels have to go.. I can see solid wood panels going on here.

I do have the original red panels too..

Quarter lights need all new rubbers.. as do all of the windows.

Blimey.. lots to do under here. All of it has to come out and be sorted.

Wiring loom..what wiring loom.. just wires..

No heater. This is where the heater would sit.

I think I'd like a heater. Is that too far..

VIN plate, shows that it is a Commer Cob, and not a Hillman Husky.

Next post will have all the artist impressions of how the van will look, my plan for the storage, the systems I have designed to fit in all of the places where I can see an opportunity.

Even if I have to do the artist impressions myself, with the old 'etch-a-sketch'. I can't use Photoshop..yet. But as a last resort, I may have to..

All the best

Jamie

The first morning after the day before..

Well, I've done it..

Yesterday I took a train from Birmingham to Marylebone, London. To later to go over to somewhere in Finsbury, Skinner Street. to pick up my first classic car..

Mike, the previous owner had had her since 1988 and had look after her really well, considering the availability of parts etc.

I'm not going to write loads, just snip-its here and there..

And pictures, hopefully lots of pictures..

Here she is then..

I don't know who the guys is climbing in.. It's not Mike

These three pics above were the one's I saw on Classic Cars for Sale website..

Anyhow, after Mike going through some of the unusual ways to treat her. And ringing back the insurance company to get me insured, I started my 117 mile journey, from very near the City University London, and Sadlers Wells, to Bromsgrove in, Worcestershire.

I stopped for petrol, there is no working fuel gauge, Mike has left a dip stick in the back..

And people look at her..a lot..I only stopped twice, once for directions to a petrol station, then again for petrol and both times people were asking loads about her.. 

'What is it..' 

'she's cool.'

and one person couldn't even ask me herself..

 'My wife has told me to come and ask you what the car is, mate'

These next photos are ones I took a couple of weeks before fetching her..