Rustoration

For documenting and technical details of T25 restorations and major repairs
This section is for major restorations only.where to buy a panel or where to buy window rubbers belong in the bodywork seats and glass section.
Also please note,we need pictures of the restorations,without them posts are pretty useless.[\b]
Picture heavy and detailed threads , not for general banter or advertising
Traders welcome to post but not to advertise blatently
Threads will be cleaned of chit chat.

Moderators: User administrators, Moderators

RogerT
Registered user
Posts: 1808
Joined: 10 May 2013, 11:59
80-90 Mem No: 13706
Location: Central Scotland

Re: Rustoration

Post by RogerT »

Thanks multisi.

So tonight, cutting.

Image

The view along the inside of the sill...
(after I cleaned it out)
Image
Image
Image

But wait, what’s that I spy? Right at the front over the jacking point.
Image

Silly me, it’s that bit of polystyrene that someone reinforced the jacking point with!
Image

On a positive note, the inner sill doesn’t look too awful, it might even be salvageable?
I’ll try to get a spot weld drill tomorrow and see about cleanly removing the rest of the outer sill.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Have you ever seen an unhappy fool?

88 Transporter with hitop camper conversion, 1.6td.

Porkscratching
Registered user
Posts: 616
Joined: 23 Feb 2012, 22:50
80-90 Mem No: 17422
Location: Mid Warwickshire

Re: Rustoration

Post by Porkscratching »

My god sir. I doff my cap to you. I'm strapped in for this one. Best of British and fingers crossed for you.

Regards, Max.
1990 Westy HiTop 1.6 JX
Time is precious, waste it wisely folks.

RogerT
Registered user
Posts: 1808
Joined: 10 May 2013, 11:59
80-90 Mem No: 13706
Location: Central Scotland

Re: Rustoration

Post by RogerT »

Spot-weld drill purchased from http://www.stilltools.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, who are based just round the corner from my work, so no need to give my money to Amazon etc!
Have you ever seen an unhappy fool?

88 Transporter with hitop camper conversion, 1.6td.

RogerT
Registered user
Posts: 1808
Joined: 10 May 2013, 11:59
80-90 Mem No: 13706
Location: Central Scotland

Re: Rustoration

Post by RogerT »

Had a closer look at the inner sill. Here is the inner face of the where the join between the inner and outer sills should be.
Image

From underneath the sill, showing a messily welded area, devoid of protective coating.
Image

And seen from towards the centre of the underside of the van, looking outwards. I think that is the edge of the welded on plate. (And my thumb...)
Image

Not much keeping that inner sill, is there. Next to remove the trailing arms, and investigate above the front and rear jacking points. I know the rear JP swing arm mount is only held by a plethora of patches, and the sill above the front JP was filled with polystyrene, and was pretty knacked.

So maybe best to start from scratch with the sills.

I guess my plan is to create a solid foundation and move upwards from there.

But before I take the rear wheels off and put it on stands, I’ll need to get rid of a piece of furniture that’s tucked behind the van, before I render the van immobile! I’ll get my wife to put it onto FB or Freecycle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Have you ever seen an unhappy fool?

88 Transporter with hitop camper conversion, 1.6td.

mshaw1980
Registered user
Posts: 588
Joined: 10 Aug 2015, 06:50
80-90 Mem No: 14800
Location: Peel, Isle of Man

Re: Rustoration

Post by mshaw1980 »

Deja vu!
I am currently in the process of doing this job but I replaced the inner sill and rear jacking point. I would do the inner sill if I were you. Will post pics later.
1987 VW T25: Subaru EJ20 using RJES parts (If it was meant to go fast it wouldn't be brick shaped!)

RogerT
Registered user
Posts: 1808
Joined: 10 May 2013, 11:59
80-90 Mem No: 13706
Location: Central Scotland

Re: Rustoration

Post by RogerT »

Oh, pics would be fab! I'm relying on memory mostly from reading Metalmick8y's threads, but actual pics would be great. One of the reasons for doing this thread is to help anyone else learn from my mistakes! I've gained so much from this forum it's only fair to put some back.
Have you ever seen an unhappy fool?

88 Transporter with hitop camper conversion, 1.6td.

mshaw1980
Registered user
Posts: 588
Joined: 10 Aug 2015, 06:50
80-90 Mem No: 14800
Location: Peel, Isle of Man

Re: Rustoration

Post by mshaw1980 »

Ok. So the cutting begins...

ImageSide centre panel removal by Mark Shaw, on Flickr

Floor where it joins the lower outer sill is shot...

ImageSide centre panel removal by Mark Shaw, on Flickr

Inner sill is not looking too good...

ImageInner sill and front jacking point by Mark Shaw, on Flickr


Rear jacking point opened up and is bad. You can see the holes in the inner sill where it has completely corroded away...

ImageRear trailing arm mount by Mark Shaw, on Flickr

Inner sill removed leaving a 'floating' rear jack point...

ImageInner sill removal. by Mark Shaw, on Flickr

Another view of the rear jack point...

ImageInner sill removal. by Mark Shaw, on Flickr

View with the inner sill removed. Not much of the driver side left :-)

ImageInner sill removal. by Mark Shaw, on Flickr

Rebuild pics to follow :-)
1987 VW T25: Subaru EJ20 using RJES parts (If it was meant to go fast it wouldn't be brick shaped!)

mshaw1980
Registered user
Posts: 588
Joined: 10 Aug 2015, 06:50
80-90 Mem No: 14800
Location: Peel, Isle of Man

Re: Rustoration

Post by mshaw1980 »

So the jig I made to fit the rear jack point. It was screwed to the floor and fitted to the old jack point. I then cut it off, fitted the new jack point to the jig and tacked it on to the rear crossmember. Looks crude but I did lots of measuring...

ImageRear jack point jig by Mark Shaw, on Flickr

ImageRear jack point jig by Mark Shaw, on Flickr

ImageRear jack point jig by Mark Shaw, on Flickr

Inner sill fitted on top of tacked rear jacking point. I then fabricated the rear stiffener with 1.5mm steel...

ImageRear Jack point welded on and boxed in by Mark Shaw, on Flickr

Rear view of the stiffener tacked in...

ImageRear Jack point welded on and boxed in by Mark Shaw, on Flickr

Rear jack point now fully welded on and the box section above filled in...

ImageRear Jack point welded on and boxed in by Mark Shaw, on Flickr

Box section seam welded. Wont bother grinding flat as it will be stronger and it wont be seen behind the rear quarter panel...

ImageRear Jack point welded on and boxed in by Mark Shaw, on Flickr

Hope this is of some help :ok
1987 VW T25: Subaru EJ20 using RJES parts (If it was meant to go fast it wouldn't be brick shaped!)

RogerT
Registered user
Posts: 1808
Joined: 10 May 2013, 11:59
80-90 Mem No: 13706
Location: Central Scotland

Re: Rustoration

Post by RogerT »

That is helpful, good to learn that the inner sill is fitted on top of the JP. My problem is that th JP is not fixed to the chassis outrigger any longer. So I’m planning to create a jig to hold the trailing arm (with the bolts for the hub carrier?) and take the JP position off that, once I have the arm lined up vertically and horizontally (the inner mount looks ok). And I’ll likely have to have the jig in two parts, with bolts to allow adjustment, so I don’t have to build it super accurate. Thinking aloud. A few steps to go before I get there. But thanks, they’re really helpful.
Have you ever seen an unhappy fool?

88 Transporter with hitop camper conversion, 1.6td.

mshaw1980
Registered user
Posts: 588
Joined: 10 Aug 2015, 06:50
80-90 Mem No: 14800
Location: Peel, Isle of Man

Re: Rustoration

Post by mshaw1980 »

If where the jacking point has come away from the outrigger you can see the outline of where it was originally welded you could try and tack it back into position and then make your jig. Probably be more accurate?
1987 VW T25: Subaru EJ20 using RJES parts (If it was meant to go fast it wouldn't be brick shaped!)

User avatar
bigbadbob76
Registered user
Posts: 1733
Joined: 07 Nov 2016, 14:41
80-90 Mem No: 15707
Location: Isle of Skye

Re: Rustoration

Post by bigbadbob76 »

Al the best with it Roger, see you and it on sunday. :ok
'86 1.9 DG, 4 spd, tintop, camper conversion.
Split case club member.

RogerT
Registered user
Posts: 1808
Joined: 10 May 2013, 11:59
80-90 Mem No: 13706
Location: Central Scotland

Re: Rustoration

Post by RogerT »

Mark, that’s a good idea. From that, I’m also wondering about measuring the location of any mark and just transferring that to the new JP, then tacking and offering up the arm to check alignment. Of course the JP may well be too rusty, and I know I might need to build up the outrigger first. But it’s good to have alternative plans available.

Bob, see you on Sunday :ok
Have you ever seen an unhappy fool?

88 Transporter with hitop camper conversion, 1.6td.

RogerT
Registered user
Posts: 1808
Joined: 10 May 2013, 11:59
80-90 Mem No: 13706
Location: Central Scotland

Re: Rustoration

Post by RogerT »

Went to remove my hub nut so as to get the assembly off the swing arm. Bent my 1/2” breaker bar. Ordered a 3/4” sliding T-bar instead.
Have you ever seen an unhappy fool?

88 Transporter with hitop camper conversion, 1.6td.

mshaw1980
Registered user
Posts: 588
Joined: 10 Aug 2015, 06:50
80-90 Mem No: 14800
Location: Peel, Isle of Man

Re: Rustoration

Post by mshaw1980 »

Scaffold pole over your breaker bar :-)
1987 VW T25: Subaru EJ20 using RJES parts (If it was meant to go fast it wouldn't be brick shaped!)

multisi
Registered user
Posts: 1730
Joined: 03 Apr 2016, 12:01
80-90 Mem No: 12
Location: jersey

Re: Rustoration

Post by multisi »

You could remove hub assembly by undoing the 4 big bolts that hold it on to the swing arm without undoing the hub nut , ive done it with a carefully positioned ring spanner and used a trolley jack to do the work. Drive shaft can be undone at the gearbox end and pulls through the swing arm.
1992 red lle 2.2 subaru 1990 rhd caravelle 2.2 subaru 1986 california import vanagon

Post Reply