New car needed - Thinking caps on, please !

[simonandjuliet]

We have a small vineyard in the S of France (Minervois region) and we have just completed our second "vendanges" or grape harvest.

The subject of my request is to find/design a suitable replacement for my current grape-transporter ....... we pick by hand into boxes and then transfer the boxes to the de-stemmer a couple of km's away

The photos show an extremely able form of transport, BUT IT'S NOT A LANCIA ! It is a Renault Rodeo, built on a R4 chassis. Similar in concept to a Citroen Mehari, but less pretty.

List of requirements as follows:

A Lancia (or Lancia-based special)
Narrow, 1.75m max, pref narrower - to get between rows
Short - to turn around at the end
Good turning circle - see above
1/2 tonne carrying capacity
Low platform - so as not to break our backs lifting off the boxes of grapes
Open topped - the sun shines here
Good ground clearance - dodgy tracks
Supple suspension - gentle on the grapes
Good looking - anything is prettier than a Rodeo

I am currently thinking of an Aprilia-based special (à la David Laver) or open topped version of "the thing",  but am open to ideas and suggestions

Many thanks

(ps this is only a semi-serious request !!!!!!)

[Sliding Pillar]

It doesn't meet all of your criteria, but would be fun...... see below.

[Sliding Pillar]

or this...

[Sliding Pillar]

and when you get into larger scale production.......

[Sliding Pillar]

and finally for when you have done too much tasting......

[Sliding Pillar]

Which might lead to....

[Martin D]

I was going to suggest a Camioncino (if you can find one).

If you buy something from the UK, as you live in my favourite part of God's-chosen-country I'd be happy to drive it down to you !

Martin.

ps I'll be lynched for this suggestion but, what about a Fulvia Zagato with the back cut off ??
  or a Montecarlo spider with the luggage cover/bonnet removed ??

[simonandjuliet]

I would especially like the Appia, but there would be uproar when I cut the roof off - maybe that would lead directly to your last picture, Ade !

I inquired about a camioncino in America recently, but unfortunately it would have cost several years of production to buy it ....

Fulvia Zagato - very pretty but turning circle a bit of a problem - probably needs rear wheel drive and sliding pillar front suspension

[DavidLaver]

What I have is an Augusta platform chassis - and its not so different from what lurks under the 'proper' Augustas and Belnas so expect either could provide a good start.  Its finding the one that runs well but beyond saving body-wise...   From time to time I ponder a flatbed or drop side truck as well as Woodie shooting breaks.  In the far reaches of Cloud Cookoo Land a whole wardrobe of bodies to drop on depending on the occasion.

There was an Appia based special in Holland a while back.  From memory a tube chassis and terrible home made Lotus 7 type body.  There's an Augusta special with an English engine that did a season or so of VSCC (Robbie Coltrane?) for sale in Germany.  Not pretty and advertised with sketches of an alternative body so again nobody would worry about you stripping back and making something useful from it, with or without an engine swap back to the original or some other Lancia engine.  I'd have thought Appia would be the cheapest option but Augusta engines are out there still - I get tempted every now and then.

As well as the Augustas (and Belnas) and Appias and Aprilias don't forget to add Ardeas to your searches.

...and whatever happend to that Fulvia pickup someone you knew was using to transport boat bits?

A bit large but there was a Flavia based camper van I looked at at Richard Thornes and ran way from.  Whatever happend to that one...  It wouldn't take long to remove the camper body!!

David

[ColinMarr]

It's simple! All you need is a Trojan. See this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ais64mPRzhs

Colin

[fay66]

Simon,
Get a cheap Panda 4x4 & cut the back off then you nedn't feel guilty about cutting down an Appia

Brian
8227
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=fiat+panda+pickup&hl=en&sa=X&rlz=1T4ADRA_enGB420GB424&biw=955&bih=545&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=6K0mU3oeoZIUcM:&imgrefurl=http://fpcd.iphpbb3.com/forum/57860722nx58/fiat-panda-foto-gallery--foto-des-monats-f26/foto-des-monats-2007--t5471.html&docid=hWJJAaXCXww3rM&imgurl=http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/708/pandabierwagen02sd2rj0.jpg&w=640&h=312&ei=9QdZUJycN-ec0AX7g4H4BQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=468&vpy=269&dur=140&hovh=157&hovw=322&tx=138&ty=113&sig=110305812843766570042&page=2&tbnh=97&tbnw=198&start=6&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:6,i:101

[the.cern]

Chugga will knock something up for you !!!!!!!!!!!

I mean, it's not as though he's busy and we all know he loves a challenge !!!!!!!

                           Andy

Sorry James, see you soon, maybe in the Appia (fingers crossed !!)

[peteracs]

Trojan gets my vote, seems to tick all the boxes, except the Lancia one..... Oh dear. ( or did I miss whose chassis it was??)

Peter

[DavidLaver]

After watching the Trojan film I wonder why we ALL don't drive them.  Perhaps because of what he had to do to it to get it started.  Most cars need a bit of TLC but that was ridiculous.

If you are going to play the Brit then an Austin 7 would just about do it with a light body and some tuning. A Landrover is the obvious small holder transport - other than the stiff springs but maybe it softens up with a load on.

Of course here in the UK - the home of elite cycling - we'd expect you to uphold the honor of the mother country and do it all by peddle power.

David

[Martin D]

A bit large but there was a Flavia based camper van I looked at at Richard Thornes and ran way from.  Whatever happend to that one...  It wouldn't take long to remove the camper body!!

David

This one?

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/136308

it seems to pop up every year or so, I fell in love with the idea a while ago (but not at £20k) and another club member was quite serious about it, (don't worry Mark I won't mention your name). Don't know what happened though. Anyone?

Martin.