New member with 3-cylinder mpv

I am a 1995, 993cc carb Piaggio owner from Malta. I owned this van for these last 19 years and is still going strong... or better still, was going strong because last week I was rammed in the right hand side by a Z3. The insurance wants to scrap my van but I would like to assess the damages and possibly repair.

Hi ColAro. Welcome to Our Forum. Looks as though that will cost a bit of " Flouse" to pay for that. Where do you live ?? I lived in Sliemma in 1997 to 1998 at Grace Arrigos massive house there the Mother of David Arrigo the Times and Sunday Times Maltese Motoring Journalist. Their house was used extensively in the filming of The Maltese Falcon as it was the Headquarters where the Secret Services grilled a German Pilot pulled of the bay during the War.

I went over to Malta with my mate Jack Sears in 1997 to erect the Roller Coaster at Popeye Village and met David on the Ferry from Italy. We turned Popeye Village into a huge Tourist Attraction with some 250,000 visitors a year. But as usual the two brothers who were leasing Popeye Village from the Maltese Government got greedy and after a good few years we ended up moving the Roller Coaster down onto Buggibba seafront .
( Popeye Village was the Film set where the Robin Williams/Shelley Duval film POPEYE was made in a specially constructed bay and Film Set )

David Arrigo payed me to move to Malta to build two of his Peking To Paris 1948 V8 Allard Roadsters and also the London to Cape Town Rally where one of the two made it to Cape Town. David owned the largest Private Collection of cars on Malta including the oldest car -- a 1904 5 Litre Single cylinder Caddilac.
I have recently supplied supplied Naomi Montebello of The Montebello Group in Zejtun with some small bits and pieces.

I am coming to stay in Bugibba in April for a month at The Royal Dolman on the front and have a catchup with a few old friends around the Island.
Would be good to meet up with you when I come over. Woody.

Welcome along
I've been to Malta as well....

welcome

Thanks for the welcome, it seems that some of you are familiar with our small island. You may be aware that over here the roads are not well suited for hijets. A constant watch for potholes is a must in most side roads. Woody I live in Zejtun and the Montebello Group you mentioned is just a mile up the road,

Today I found a replacement sliding door from a breaker complete with a good working winder. At the moment the van is in the good hands of a friend who is tackling the seemingly impossible task to mend the floor bed and the crushed sliding rails. Lots of banging taking place and high pressure tools to restore the side to its original shape. Things look promising.

Well if it's one thing that the Marvelous Maltese are good at - it is mechanical mastery of improvisation.

Let me know how you manage to get on with repairing the upper door rails in the roof sides. They are a swine.
Well done finding a door. Bet you were well pleased.
I am so looking forward to coming back to Malta for a long stay in April after I officially retire at the end of March.
If you need any small spare parts then please ask. Good luck with breathing life back into your Hi-Jet.

Repairs are getting along well, the top roof sliding rail didn't get damaged but the lower sliding rail was really battered. The option was that if the lower rail could not be fixed the door would be welded in place restricting access to the back via the rear passenger side door. But luckily we managed to work around and now we have an operating sliding door, it slides a bit rough but its the best that we could do. This weekend with the help of my brother-in-law will be preparing the door and rear side panel for spraying. We will soon be on the road again.

Well done Col. As I said - - the Maltese are Masters of improvisation. Looks a really tidy job.

nice to see you saved it

Morning Col. I have some pictures you might well like to see of an identical MPV I bought and sold last year. It was absolutely immaculate and I bought it for £250. It was a real bargain.
I sold it to a woman who fell in love with it immediately she saw it and still has it now and waves her hand off every time we pass on the road.
And before we get the obvious from Logi NO its not because she is hopping mad and trying to flag me down

If you would like some pictures of it send me your email address to : hi.jetmaniow@gmail.com

Two fingers isn't a wave mate.........

Well done Logi. Knew you would come up with something funny.

You kind of expected that sort of comment Woody. Logi I like your sense of humour and how you manage to do it every time. Besides the wealth of information about hijets, it's these types of posts which makes this forum fresh and healthy. Keep it up.

Woody, have you not thought she is waving you to move into the middle of the road.

Yes Waz but that's the beauty of these skinny vans. Can sqeeze them through the tiniest of gaps. She'd miss me every time. Well has so far anyway. .

It has been a busy but productive weekend. Paint job completed, waiting for the paint to dry.