Restoration, restoration, restoration.

[mikey9]

Ok - so here is the van.... hopefully looking rather well after a good wash and brush up a couple of weeks ago.

[IMG576]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... before.jpg[/img]
and
[IMG576]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... efore2.jpg[/img]

however - this is after I had spent 2 hrs with the sponge and the "mer".

The real story when you look closely is the following

240v hookup hole
[IMG:800:450]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... HoleBF.jpg[/img]
Fridge Grille
[IMG:800:735]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... ille-1.jpg[/img]
.....and behind it (I have had a play with the vactan - but it is going to be cut out!
[IMG:800:450]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... HoleBF.jpg[/img]
Water Filler
[IMG:576:1024]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... llerBF.jpg[/img]
...and behind it!
[IMG:576:1024]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... arNSBF.jpg[/img]
Front panel
[IMG:800:600]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... acheBF.jpg[/img]
[IMG768]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... t_GrBF.jpg[/img]
Fuel Filler (or Filler and more filler!)
[IMG:576:1024]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... ler_BF.jpg[/img]
Arches
[IMG576]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... rcnrBF.jpg[/img]
[IMG:800:450]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... WingBF.jpg[/img]
[IMG576]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... WingBF.jpg[/img]
OS Jacking point - but fortunately it is solid under the surface rust and underseal....
[IMG:800:450]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... JackBF.jpg[/img]
Drivers Step
[IMG:800:450]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... StepBF.jpg[/img]
Those big bumpers cover rotten rear corners both sides.
[IMG576]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... rcnrBF.jpg[/img]

[IMG:800:450]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... anelBF.jpg[/img]

[IMG:800:735]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... Grille.jpg[/img]

It is amazing what a load of elbow grease can cover up - and we bought it from the previous owner who had obviously spent some time covering up the shortcomings of the body

No point looking backwards so it is in tomorrow for new wings (x4), lower fridge panel, steps and rear bottom cnrs - also the nasty holed B pillar behind the water filler and the bits I found whilst stripping bumpers and trim off (fridge vent and hookup vent)

All this on a 1991 H reg (with Gen 80k miles) - just goes to show even a "young" T25 can need plenty of work (we suspect it has sat outside for some time - and was used all through the year).

I am posting these just so anyone thinking of buying a late Autosleeper knows where to look for the worst bits - I have looked at a few others of similar age with similar (and often worse) problems. It is relatively easy to cover much of this up to the enthusiastic buyers eyes (I speak form experience here) -

I intend to update the story when the van is back in a months time with afresh lower half.

Any comments welcome and sorry for the long one.

[junior]

hi mate had a look at your pics ,it all started so well but its amazing how some vans are affected more than others the main thing is youve got a pukka conversion there and it can be sorted ,unfortunately at the expence of your wallet

the seams can give big probs if you dont keep an eye on them i personally at least once a year take all bumpers off an check panels behind make sure the waxoil is doing its job.
my van was bought 6 years ago and it had just had a respray to sell it im sure did not take long for rust to appear on some of the seams which i sorted straight away.

what doesnt help is that being a high top its unlikely to have been stored under cover so gets all the weather, id love to keep mine in a nice warm barn
look forward to seeing pics in a months time

[Strange Brew]

Bought my Hitop auto-sleeper a few weeks ago . All seems well at the moment but i can see glaring similarities with your pics .. oh well time will tell !!!!!!

[lhd]

Funny that...
Most of the nicest original campers at bustypes this weekend were Autohomes.......
Don't know if any one else noticed that but it did stick in my mind.
My westy is a lot worse on one side than the other, parked on the same kerb year after year maybe?
How a vehicle is kept and parked makes a massive difference to its un-rustability....
you may have one thats been garaged or one thats been parked on the same kerb next to the beach.
That lower fridge panel does seem to be somewhat of an achiles heal to the Autohomes though as my brothers and many other owners have had the same problem.

[jaylo264]

Mikey , you did tell me who is gonna do the bodywork but i forget , tell me again please as my Autohomes kamper is in pretty much the same state , being in salty cromarty for 10 tears cannae help . Certainly rusts up my seams , anyway . By the way , are you a member of highlandubbers , inverness based ?
jaylo

[mikey9]

Jaylo -
Neil Finney
Barnyards Bodyshop
Beauly
is doing
is doing the work - he didn't seem phased by any of the bits I had found when i dropped it off yesterday - it should be under the blaster this week - hope it stayes sunny ;-0.

I drop by on the Highland dubbers site occasionally but haven't met any of them yet.

T25s seem to be multiplying in Beauly at the moment (3 at last count!)

[mikey9]

Van has been away a few weeks now - dropped by to get some pics last week - arches are off (back on now tho) and blasting was in progress.

Some pics of the position a couple of weeks ago follow:

[IMG:800:450]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... r_cnr1.jpg[/img]

[IMG576]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... _vernt.jpg[/img]
[IMG576]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... asting.jpg[/img]
[IMG576]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... arcnr2.jpg[/img]
[IMG:800:450]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... inprog.jpg[/img]
[IMG576]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... inprog.jpg[/img]

More pics when we get it back Tuesday....

Hope to pick up early next week for a week in the Western Isles the following week

We have new floor to put in - de-carpeted rubber mats (now there is a job you only want to do once - what did Autosleeper use as glue.......).

[mikey9]

...Oh and the fuel filler top end is being replaced completely - not that we use petrol.....so the lock has jammed.
[IMG:576:1024]http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk21 ... ogFuel.jpg[/img]

[gdr77]

Jaylo -
Neil Finney
Barnyards Bodyshop
Beauly
is doing
is doing the work - he didn't seem phased by any of the bits I had found when i dropped it off yesterday - it should be under the blaster this week - hope it stayes sunny ;-0.

I drop by on the Highland dubbers site occasionally but haven't met any of them yet.

T25s seem to be multiplying in Beauly at the moment (3 at last count!)

You two need to join Highland Dubbers I was at the meet in Findhorn at the weekend, the club only has two T25 (I am 1) we need some more, the vans looking good by the way

[ding-dang-dhu]

It must be quite exciting to get all the work done at last Mikey. Youe van from the photo's looked great, just goes to show Bucks Fizz were wrong. Cant wait to see the finished result.

The quote on the filler around the filler made me laugh out loud, nice one.

Don't suppose you will be heading to Volksfling then, where in the west side are you heading?

gdr77, will have to check out highlanddubbers i would have gone to Findhorn as its a great place and not too far from me.

Pete

[gdr77]

highland dubbers are heading down to volksfling convoy style we aim to bring the A9 to a standstill

If you join as a member you will get all the info about meets its only £6 we have a few things coming up in the pipeline

[mikey9]

May be up for a local meet with the Highland dubbers - unfortunately Volksfling or the 1445 from Oban to Barra - and the ferry won - the beaches are better on the western isles

Maybe next year tho........

[gdr77]

That sounds good better scenery and clean toilets, I hope to do the islands myself shortly but will prob ditch the camper for the quad as will be cheaper hope the weather holds up for you

[mikey9]

Got the van back with a couple of days to spare for vital last minute prep (replace flooring with cheap vinyl tiles from B&Q) - curtains, loose interior back in, clean out grit from blasting , sort out water filling - put bumpers back on and all trim etc.

And off to Western Isles for the last week (see post under camping)

Will post some pics of the the half finished job when I have taken some to compare with before - above.

We agreed to go with corners back on, waxoyledunder - primed and brush painted over as we were running out of time for the proper job.
Also left the fridge panel for the return to the bodyshop for lower half spraying and refinishing of panels in September (wife due to give birth so not much use for the van for a few weeks then.

As much as I am dissapointed we didn't get the whole thing done - I am happy with the welding job done - and that the finish we have now has stopped those bits deteriorating (by cutting out and replacing!).

Just for yourself when i get the pics up.

Has cost £800 for four wheel arches, two little rear corner bits, plating of hole in B pillar behind water filler, lots of rust spots grit blasting - grille surrounds same and one front drivers step - and a bit of lower seam rust blasting- waxoyl under wheel arches and temp paint on all work doen so far.

[KarlT]

My westy is a lot worse on one side than the other, parked on the same kerb year after year maybe?
How a vehicle is kept and parked makes a massive difference to its un-rustability....
you may have one thats been garaged or one thats been parked on the same kerb next to the beach.
.

I don't mean to up-set anyone but I've learnt, through trail & error, try to never to buy a car/bus from North of Bristol or North/west of Plymouth.
Salt sea spray & road salt are the total killers to old buses!