# Modded van



## karl0308 (Mar 11, 2009)

Hi people,

New to all this modified vehicle malarky and wanted to 'mod' my renault kangoo valeting van to make it stand out abit more. Front bumber/Rear bumber/skirts - anyone know which type of kit will be the best fit for my van? any links and info appreciated. would love it to look like the Dodo Citroen 'Blingo'


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## Dodo Factory (Apr 11, 2007)

The Blingo has a standard rear bumper, custom front bumper and grille, custom lights and a real mix of bespoke and 'standard' aftermarket bits. Not the easiest conversion and a fair amount of fabrication.

The vans based on cars are easier to mod, like James B's Vauxhall Astra van. It can sometimes be worth selling your standard vehicle and buying one that has been modded already. For example, the Blingo was a 500 GBP van the original owner spent 10k converting... rather than spending loads on the Kangoo, you could buy Jame's Astravan for 8.5k...

Otherwise big wheels will be a healthy start, but remember vans aren't as easy to lower as cars as you can't get the kits for them and they often have weird rear suspension. So plan any mods carefully.

Good luck though...I love modded vans, as I'm sure you can tell


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## karl0308 (Mar 11, 2009)

Yeah I have seen his astra van and fell in love with it! :argie: If I had the 8.5k I would snap his hand off!
My bro owns 2 garages so fitting ect is not a problem. 
Was the rear bumper just colour coded then?
The modded front bumber? was it a mod for another car and 'adjusted' for the blingo or a totally new custom bumper?


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## adam87 (Dec 11, 2008)

I don't think their are many, if any, bodykits available for the kangoo. A nice set of alloys and colour coded bumpers would jazz it up quite a lot. Could lower it a touch but then you might be compromising the amount of weight you can carry. Being a renault I'd probably put the 'bodykit' funds in a piggybank for when something goes wrong 

The shiney paintwork should make it stand out from others 


The blingo is heavily modified. Probably cost a few thousand eh Dom 

It's for an Audi A3 front grille for starters. The kit and bonnet probably would of been made up around this as it's such a big difference.


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## coxy (Aug 3, 2006)

lets see the dodo juice blingo! im intreuiged!


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## adam87 (Dec 11, 2008)

Good pic of it about half way down this studio thread http://www.detailingworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=133398

Has a 210bhp pug 406 V6 in it apparantly!

Perhaps Dom can post some better pics of it...


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## coxy (Aug 3, 2006)

Thats cool as, a little maxpower but i bet it gets some looks and when your advertising that helps! Should go/sound good too


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## Dodo Factory (Apr 11, 2007)

karl0308 said:


> Yeah I have seen his astra van and fell in love with it! :argie: If I had the 8.5k I would snap his hand off!
> My bro owns 2 garages so fitting ect is not a problem.
> Was the rear bumper just colour coded then?
> The modded front bumber? was it a mod for another car and 'adjusted' for the blingo or a totally new custom bumper?


The Blingo goes OK for a van as it has 200bhp but it is normally laden with stock when going to a show, so it is a bit slower in reality. It sounds quite loud as well, due to the twin bazooka exhaust arrangement. We didn't do the work, but we met the guy who did at Fast Ford. It is testament to him that we use it as a working vehicle and with a little love and care and maintenance it behaves like a normal production car.

The rear bumper is just colour coded but has exhaust pipe cut outs.

The front bumper is a modified Fiesta bumper that has been cut to accommodate the grille and new width etc. The whole front end took a lot of work, with modifications to the bonnet and wings as well. Looks good, but not an easy transformation.


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## karl0308 (Mar 11, 2009)

adam87 said:


> A nice set of alloys and colour coded bumpers. Being a renault I'd probably put the 'bodykit' funds in a piggybank for when something goes wrong


Yeah my bro says ALOT goes wrong with renaults and citroens...Well all french cars :lol:

Would I just be able to get my original bumpers painted? Thats the way Ill go. Set of alloys also and a nice exhaust. The van in question is a 98 model, but is in great condition. only 69k genuine miles, FSH. Paint was quite swirled, but that was easily sorted :buffer: 
only thing wrong with it when i got it was the engine mount was loose or something like that my bro said. (not very clued up about mechanical side of cars):lol:


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## Dodo Factory (Apr 11, 2007)

I imagine the bumpers will spray ok but I didn't do it, so can't give definite guidance.


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## Dodo Factory (Apr 11, 2007)

Pics for the curious:



















Matt at i4detailing will vouch for it


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## powelly (Aug 9, 2007)

The Blingo looks great, I'm planning on having mine chipped, getting the bumpers colour coded and looking out some alloys, I beleive Xsara Pcasso ones fit.


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## karl0308 (Mar 11, 2009)

Blingo and Auto Finesse Astra are 2 of the best vans ive seen. What ive got planned now is colour code the bumpers, Alloys, Lower it as much as I can, Which wont b that much due to the weight (watertank ect.)new exhaust. Seen mercedes style wing mirrors which fit also. Not all that expensive but will make the van stand out and look a whole lot better


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## adam87 (Dec 11, 2008)

karl0308 said:


> Would I just be able to get my original bumpers painted?


Should just be able to spray the bumpers. Might be a dimpled effect if not filled or smoothed. As the plastic texture will stand out if not prepped well.


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## karl0308 (Mar 11, 2009)

Cheers Adam, Just asked this guy who has a unit next doot to one of my bro's garages. Hes going to get back to me regarding pricing ect. So will be all prepped correctly


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## *MAGIC* (Feb 22, 2007)




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## Auto Finesse (Jan 10, 2007)

Modding vans is one of those things you can easily make them look "cheap" if you dont do it right, the Blingo looks great as its had every thing done, no cutting corners, and they have gone nuts on it then Dom has done en even crazier job with the signs, the van is so heavily modded it can pull it all off, but i feel if you only done half or a third of the mods it would not pull off some of them so well.

Same with my astra, personally i think my van looks good but i feel alot of it was to do with planing and i used all GM parts off of a high spec astra (VXR) (bar rims what are reps but hey close enough) i think the main thing is getting the rims right (size wise) and drop it on to them so it dont look like a beach buggy (robbie  LOL)

Im not sure a Kango lends it self to modding, as its tall and slim so slammed it wont look chunky, and has alot going on panel wise, id go for this type of look, http://www.vanstyle.co.uk/acatalog/Kangoo.html with bigger rims (maybe clio 182s) the bull bars and side steps look pretty smart, and the front bumper off the people mover, with the fogs looks ace, colour code it all and it would look even better 

PS: thanks for all the comments on the Astra


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## karl0308 (Mar 11, 2009)

yeah I understand where your coming from James. I just hate the black bumpers on them, Makes it look 'cheap' Thats why I am just settling for colour coded bumpers and wing mirrors. all vehicles look so much better with the colour coded bumpers. Also looking into getting Alloys that look good on her and dropping her onto them. I agree about the beach buggy look:lol:

If I had 8.5k ur van would of saved me a whole lot of bother :lol:


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## *MAGIC* (Feb 22, 2007)

Boys, boys, boys you know there is only 1 van make to buy and it starts with a V and ends in W.
Now I would post some pics of mine but I dont wanna make you guys hate your vans :lol:

Keep it real, WESTSIDE MASSIVE :thumb: 

Robbie


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## Phil H (May 14, 2006)

Dodo Factory said:


> Pics for the curious:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


can i ask what tyres you have on it? are they recommended van tyres? i'm wanting to put a set of 15" alloys on my pug Partner.


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## David (Apr 6, 2006)

most vans that have anything done to them look tacky in my opinion

especially fully colour coded, the grey bumpers split it up a bit

I've got a set of audi wheels on my VW and it stands out (caddy stands out without doing anything anyway)

I'm with Magic on this one - the only bling you need is the big chrome VW front badge


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## nicp2007 (Apr 25, 2007)

when moding vans as james says you do need to be carfull,

it is somtimes best to be subtle, nice wheels and lowered, like my caddy (wich i just sold)

if you are goin to go the whole 9 yards then you have to be preparred to spend big money as a load of off the shelf parts chucked on will look cheap,

ps

the front lights on the blingo are from a corsa "i think" so there is even more fabrication work going on there,


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## Dodo Factory (Apr 11, 2007)

Yup, Corsa lights with angel eyez, innit!!!

LOL, it's sad I find it all so appealing, really 

Anyway, tyre wise it runs 18 inch 215s but because the van only weighs 1300kgs (I had it cornerweighted and it is within 2kgs from n/s left to n/s right... obviously front heavy though, mainly due to that sub  ) you don't need to be so careful with maximum load, especially as you can't get much in such a small van. If it was larger or heavier I'd be more cautious as you don't want to get above the max load for the tyres. Something to consider if modding a Vivaro or something, and chucking any old rubber on it.


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## Auto Finesse (Jan 10, 2007)

*MAGIC* said:


> Boys, boys, boys you know there is only 1 van make to buy and it starts with a V and ends in W.
> Now I would post some pics of mine but I dont wanna make you guys hate your vans :lol:
> 
> Keep it real, WESTSIDE MASSIVE :thumb:
> ...


When i park my van next to yours it makes me really appreciate how low it is, hows the air up there :thumb:


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## *MAGIC* (Feb 22, 2007)

james b said:


> When i park my van next to yours it makes me really appreciate how low it is, hows the air up there :thumb:


Its all good :thumb:

Its the HIGH life


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## alan_mcc (Oct 28, 2008)

^ Ooh now robbie, your van is something special aswell isn't it?


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## *MAGIC* (Feb 22, 2007)

alan_mcc said:


> ^ Ooh now robbie, your van is something special aswell isn't it?


Thank you :thumb:


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## David (Apr 6, 2006)

james b said:


> When i park my van next to yours it makes me really appreciate how low it is, hows the air up there :thumb:


was there a big insurance increase when you lowered your van? i'd like to lower one of my vans as it only carries passengers


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## Dodo Factory (Apr 11, 2007)

Robbie can't drive his van within 10 miles of Heathrow as it's so high.


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## *MAGIC* (Feb 22, 2007)

Dodo Factory said:


> Robbie can't drive his van within 10 miles of Heathrow as it's so high.


PMSL :lol: Its all about the Bentleys baby


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## Auto Finesse (Jan 10, 2007)

David said:


> was there a big insurance increase when you lowered your van? i'd like to lower one of my vans as it only carries passengers


I dont know as i done all my mods together in the space of a couple of weeks, its insured with all the mods and yer its a bit more than it would be standard but thats just part and parcel of modifying any vehicle. it went up around a 3rd with mods, inc engine work, body work, rims, interior, suspension install the lot.

im not sure how much difference lowering made on its own, i doubt much compaired to some of the other stuff on it, had a lad off here who was 19 wanted to insure it and the cheapest was 3K so he said :tumbleweed: woops im 26 so it dont cost me much.


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## David (Apr 6, 2006)

james b said:


> I dont know as i done all my mods together in the space of a couple of weeks, its insured with all the mods and yer its a bit more than it would be standard but thats just part and parcel of modifying any vehicle. it went up around a 3rd with mods, inc engine work, body work, rims, interior, suspension install the lot.
> 
> im not sure how much difference lowering made on its own, i doubt much compaired to some of the other stuff on it, had a lad off here who was 19 wanted to insure it and the cheapest was 3K so he said :tumbleweed: woops im 26 so it dont cost me much.


thanks James, i'm 22 and only pay 600 and something to insure 3 vans on the same policy (caddy, astra and transit).

Probably continue to work on the caddy as the other 2 arent worth spending the money on :thumb:


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## Auto Finesse (Jan 10, 2007)

It costs a fair bit more than all three of yours together lol, but that's any driver ( old school policy)


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## David (Apr 6, 2006)

2 of my vans are kept in my unit and one in my house garage so that brings the premium down, but again - only me driving.

your van looks great though, like the leather - even though i'd destroy leather in mines lol


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## Auto Finesse (Jan 10, 2007)

Honestly its much better than fabric in a van, harder wearing and easy to keep clean, id have leather in every van from now on.


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## billybob9351 (Feb 14, 2008)

if i had a kangoo i'd get a 182 clio lump for it and get the brakes and suspension etc from a clio sport for it that would be some van


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## David (Apr 6, 2006)

billybob9351 said:


> if i had a kangoo i'd get a 182 clio lump for it and get the brakes and suspension etc from a clio sport for it that would be some van


yeah until you go to use it for work and its gutless at pulling anything


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## Dodo Factory (Apr 11, 2007)

I'm sure it will have enough torque


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