Anything non-technical about the Mazda Bongo Friendee van
Moderators: Bongoplod, aitch
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cwilliams255
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by cwilliams255 » Tue Sep 08, 2020 9:13 pm
Had an unfortunate incident with a gatepost resulting in instant tyre deflation and subsequent leaning of bongo to one side resulting in it getting stuck onto said post perpendicular to road. Maybe I panicked but I didn’t see a way out other than to drive it off the post and accept the damage. How easy is rear quarter to repair, can it be done with side conversion in and how does one fix the silver bit which seems to be a decal? Can any decent body shop do it?

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It is a very tight entry to this drive with cars opposite but only have self to blame rushing about like a mad man all day
Sorry you’ll all have to tilt your heads for the photos

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Bob
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by Bob » Tue Sep 08, 2020 9:47 pm
I would think any good body shop could sort it, can't advise if the conversion needs moving, sorry.
But what a bloomin' pain.

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Bongolia
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by Bongolia » Tue Sep 08, 2020 9:47 pm
Ouch!
Its a bit difficult to tell from those images how deep and tight the damage is.
Ideally the interior trim would be removed and the dent dressed out on the other hand an alternative would be to use a nail puller, these weld a small series of nails to the panel and then these nails are pulled using a slide hammer or a frame work that allows multiple nail attachments so enabling the damage to be "reversed" out, whats left is filled and levelled with polyester fillers.
Some may frown on the latter but if done properly it is a perfectly acceptable repair technique.
These type of external pulling systems can be quite sophisticated.
https://prospot.com/products/propullcomplete/
https://youtu.be/OL5gcryPstQ
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cwilliams255
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by cwilliams255 » Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:48 pm
Bongolia wrote: Tue Sep 08, 2020 9:47 pm
Ouch!
Its a bit difficult to tell from those images how deep and tight the damage is.
That’ll teach me for uploading them at lowest quality. The overall indentation is obvious but small and nice and even. It’s just right on edges where the metal folds 90 degrees round to the rear where it’s much more like a point load hit it. The spot welds between the rear panel and this one behind the lights all held but it did bow the metal slightly in between
I’ve sent a query to a local body shop, they have a good reputation of work on classics as well as your every day stuff
At least it made my holiday plans easy - b&b’s all the way while bongo gets some TLC
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cwilliams255
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by cwilliams255 » Fri Sep 11, 2020 1:57 pm
Incase anyone’s interested, cost of repair £800 + light + tyre. Kitchen needs to come out to remove insulation as panel will need to be heated to re-stress the metal
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Bob
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by Bob » Fri Sep 11, 2020 3:21 pm
Painful.
Thanks for letting us know.
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Flanners
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by Flanners » Fri Sep 11, 2020 4:57 pm
Just the one quote? That's

2002 2.0 Aero with Outback Conversion and Roof Top Tent
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Northern Bongolow
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by Northern Bongolow » Fri Sep 11, 2020 7:27 pm
On the inside of the panel quite near to the damaged area are some strips of stuck on tar /foam based stuff, it's to stop the panel sounding very tinny and vibrating. watch it it burns well with acrid smoke.
The control box for the aft is also stuck on the lower rear of that panel.
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cwilliams255
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by cwilliams255 » Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:42 pm
Northern Bongolow wrote: Fri Sep 11, 2020 7:27 pm
On the inside of the panel quite near to the damaged area are some strips of stuck on tar /foam based stuff, it's to stop the panel sounding very tinny and vibrating. watch it it burns well with acrid smoke.
The control box for the aft is also stuck on the lower rear of that panel.
Thanks, actually the whole inside is sound proofed with dodo hex mat and then 2 layers of closed cell foam so I’ve got a bit of my hard work to undo. AFT box has been moved slightly so that if it went wrong I didn’t have to take the conversion out it’s probably far enough away
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cwilliams255
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by cwilliams255 » Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:48 pm
Flanners wrote: Fri Sep 11, 2020 4:57 pm
Just the one quote? That's
Yeh, just wanted to get it sorted and the bongo was in A1 condition so want it back this way and the garages recent work includes plenty of classic restoration and repair to a few exotics - they were very knowledgable so I’m happy to pay a little bit more. It was exactly the price I was expecting and most of the time quoted was painting and finishing