This project was born out of a desire to build something completely unique on a limited budget. To that end in 2007 we acquired a 1987 Polo Squareback or a Breadvan as they were known. A decision was made to try and build a mini pick-up and what you see is the result of 22 months intermittent work. An early decision was made just to go with the standard engine as there was no guarantee that the project would ever be completed or that we could get it to a street legal condition. The car is finished in VW Casablanca white over Porsche Riviera blue with orange highlights.
All the work on this project inc. the paint has been carried out by the owner Dean Anderson with assistance from his father Bob. It is hard to put an exact figure on the project but we reckon it stands us in the region of £1400 - £1500 and somewhere in the region of 1000 hours work. Feel free to ask any questions and thank you for looking
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ENGINE BAY
The engine is the standard 1 litre which has been removed and detailed. The engine bay has been heavily modified with the removal of the original bulkhead. The strut towers have been extended and blended into the new bulkhead and the complete heater set up has been removed. The battery and washer bottle have been relocated inside the car behind the seats and the fuse-box and ECU are now behind the dash. Every effort has been made to keep visible wiring in the engine bay to a minimum to give a smooth effect and a splash of colour has been added to provide visual interest.
BODY WORK
The main work was on the actual shell to achieve the pick-up appearance. This was achieved by cutting across the roof just behind the B pillars and along the base of the C pillars. The roof was then removed and reconstruction began. The tailgate was cut in half just below the window. The upper half was then welded onto the rear edge of the remaining roof and onto the rear quarter panels and any gaps were plated over. The lower half of the tailgate was welded in between the rear lights as a base for a new sheet metal rear panel. All four wings were replaced and widened to fit the new wheels. The rain gutter has been removed and the top rear corners of the doors have been rounded with the door openings plated to match. The front panel has been plated over to give a smooth finish and all the swage lines (joints between adjacent panels) have been welded up. The original front indicators have been removed and silver indicator bulbs have been fitted into the original driving lamps in the grill.
INTERIOR
The seats are from a 1994 Boulevard Coupe as are the door panels which have been modified to accept the Alpine speakers and tweeters. A custom box has been created behind the seats to house the battery and washer bottle and to provide storage space. The dash has been colour coded to match the exterior, narrowed to fit the later door cards and all air vents etc. have been smoothed over. A new head liner has been installed and is trimmed in Alcantara to match the door cards and storage box
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RUNNING GEAR
Every component in the braking and suspension set up has been either re-furbed or replaced. The rear axle has been blasted and powder coated and all bushes have been replaced. The suspension is a Phil Jackson Racing set up and the whole braking system including all the brake lines, discs, drums, calipers etc. has been replaced with new parts. The wheels are 15x7 by AEZ and have been polished and colour coded by the owner.
Was it worth it? Considering the reception that the car received at Castlewellan, the answer has to be yes.
If it made you smile ………… excellent, that was the name of the game.
