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Yorkshire Suntrekker

Posted: March 14th, 2017, 7:27 pm
by Amanda_P
Hi all - just joined, although I've owned a Suntrekker - the all-GRP, Island Plastics version for P100s, Hiluxes etc, since 1994.

I bought it about three years old from a Toyota dealer in Hampshire who mainly used it once a year for holidays in the south of france, mounted on whatever Hilux he had on the forecourt at the time. I think he was a bit sorry to finally sell it.

I collected it on a rented P100 - the hire company tried to give me a Transit pickup when I went to collect, and there was quite a runaround getting a P100 to the depot for me, but all was well in the end.

I carried it on an elderly diesel P100 for quite a while. That truck was a lovely drive, just like a Sierra, but such a fragile engine... I think I got through three or four engines while I had it, and Ford paid for three of them, fortunately. It made going away in it a real adventure; you never knew whether it would get you there and back or not! Nevertheless, it took us to Finland, Italy, France, Switzerland, Scotland, Ireland... all over.

When the P100 finally bit the dust, I got a 2WD Hilux which was great for another ten years. In the end its diff sprang a leak and I wasn't quick enough getting it fixed, and it wore out. When I sold it, I had three dealers bidding against each other to buy it for export to Africa. I expect it's tooling around in Congo somewhere with a machine gun bolted to it.

Next was a red 2WD Hilux which I still have, and I'm thinking of buying another, a 4WD this time.

The camper itself has had a few adventures too, and some extras. It's well into its second set of upholstery; in fact it might be time for a third. It gets a lot of use, and I love it, which I guess is why I worked so hard to buy it and why I've still got it after 23 years!

While I'm here, its acquired a couple of nasty scuffs, one that's punctured the gelcoat. I'm looking for someone to repair them at reasonable cost, with a reasonably-matching gelcoat finish as I don't want to paint it. Any recommendations in Yorkshire, anyone?

Re: Yorkshire Suntrekker

Posted: March 14th, 2017, 8:03 pm
by zildjian
Welcome Phil always fun to see another Suntrekker turn up, many of our members started off with these campers, the P100 reliability I knew about from a haulier I used to work for who owned one
the capricious nature of Dagenham's finest utility vehicle is well documented :D

send me a pictures of your current outfit and i'll add it to your post
slowdown.Zildjian@gmail.com

Re: Yorkshire Suntrekker

Posted: March 14th, 2017, 8:59 pm
by Big Jim
Hi
I am doing some mods to mine . I am painting the new fibreglass . I went through all the RAL colours at the paint suppliers . Although mine looks pale grey it has a tint of green . In put some paint on today and the colour is a little dark . I think it would be very difficult to match a gel coat .
Jim

Re: Yorkshire Suntrekker

Posted: March 14th, 2017, 10:27 pm
by derestrictor
Hello Uncle Phil, welcome to the site :D

Think a P100 featured in the suntrekker adverts actually

Re: Yorkshire Suntrekker

Posted: March 14th, 2017, 11:00 pm
by Amanda_P
send me a pictures of your current outfit and i'll add it to your post
I'll do that - when I get around to it.
I think it would be very difficult to match a gel coat .
I'm sure it's beyond me, but a specialist can certainly do it. Years ago in Surrey, a colleague of mine drove a work Hilux with a Truckman canopy on under a tree and impaled the canopy on a low branch. You truly couldn't see the repair we got done.

It's just finding that specialist. A GRP boat builder/repairer, maybe?

Re: Yorkshire Suntrekker

Posted: March 15th, 2017, 12:01 am
by TrueDink
Sadly I cant help with your repair but welcome to the site.

Re: Yorkshire Suntrekker

Posted: August 30th, 2018, 12:04 am
by Amanda_P
I asked around in Hereford, where I was working during the summer, and found a chap in Rockfield Road industrial estate there who specialises in repairing plastic body work on cars and motorcaravans. His colleagues at other bodyshops called him Plastic Pete; I don't know his actual name!

Anyway, he repaired the damage and painted it. You have to look very carefully in strong sunlight to see where he's feathered in the paint; the match is very, very close, and I'm impressed. The price was keen and he only had the camper a couple of days, although, to be fair, I had to wait a month to get to the top of the list of jobs he had on. Good workmen are always busy!

Re: Yorkshire Suntrekker

Posted: August 31st, 2018, 6:55 pm
by zildjian
May we have 'Plastic Pete's' contact details later please Amanda,
as you say, its difficult to locate the right people, and there are a few Island plastic products around to maintain

ta
Zildjian

Re: Yorkshire Suntrekker

Posted: August 31st, 2018, 9:26 pm
by Amanda_P
zildjian wrote:May we have 'Plastic Pete's' contact details later please Amanda,
as you say, its difficult to locate the right people..
This website: http://motorhomerepairsuk.com has all the details you require.

Re: Yorkshire Suntrekker

Posted: August 31st, 2018, 9:55 pm
by zildjian
:)