Have you rollered van & going to vanfest?

[purplecrocs]

Is anyone thats rollered their van going to Vanfest? I'm thinking of doing this with our newly acquired van but the wife doesnt seem convinced! It would be good to see how it looks in the flesh!

[illzlee]

same here, i'd love to see one done up close!

[eatcustard]

Purple

Tell your wife

"WOMAN, Know your place"

Then run

and yes I would like to see a finished one

P.S. ask the Higher being what prezzy she would want with the £1000+ savings you get with rollering over spraying

[CovKid]

I think you'll find many at Vanfest and not all of them easy to spot. I believe Chickenkoop is going in his so look out for the one the colour of chicken soup with a white top.

[peteabbott]

Sorry not going to Vanfest but I did this with MASONS Coach Enamel with 10% clear varnish added to make it shiny.



Mind you I am not saying this is the best I have seen as I only gave her one coat. A good friend does coach finnishing (40years experience) and pointed me in the right direction but he said I should have let it harden off, wet flat it and then 2nd coat with the varnish added. The "hard" sponge roller must be well soaked to eliminate the air bubbles but I found they dissapeared anyway. It is therefore as good as the ammount of work you put into it.

[peteabbott]

AND one more. If you get up close it does have an orange peel type of appearance like too much air with a spray job. Might have another go at it this year and take a bit of time to get it a bit better as all I wanted to do when I did it last time was to get her on the road. I recomend that you have a play with the garage door or an old wing first. Everything on the van is what I have done myself and I am proud of that fact, welding, painting and engine swap all on me todd......finance available dictates this so please dont take it as a boast its just a bit of ol boy pride. Good luck.

[purplecrocs]

yes, it all looks very tempting... more tempting than 2K on a re-spray! But would still like to see one first... so please give us a shout if your going to be at vanfest... or if anyone living near me in Brighton has done it...!

[CovKid]

I get the impression here that some are looking for an exact match to a £2k spray job on a budget. Let me point out the obvious here. Even those that have achieved a mirror finish will have spent a great deal of time flatting so I'm not sure that even seeing a rollered van will tell you anything at all. If you want to know, buy a tin and test it yourself on an old washing machine or unwanted door or panel. Its not exactly expensive to buy and in the end it'll be you doing all the rollering which many will tell you is the deciding factor when it comes to a satisfactory finish anyway. The paint is less important than prep and practice.

[purplecrocs]

sure understood.... which is why it would be useful to see one - to see what people have managed to achieve. (and I have neither a spare washing machine or door panel...!)

[eatcustard]

I have spent 4 million hours prepping mine and I'm not happy yet.

Prep is 99%, paint is 1%

[jake1953]

I have spent 4 million hours prepping mine and I'm not happy yet.

Prep is 99%, paint is 1%

Good to know i'm not alone then. I've replaced quite a few panels and now i'm filling in and buffing back.
IT'S SO BLOODY BORING looking forward to the rollering bit.

[eatcustard]

No panel replacement, just small dings and key scratches, and a little seam and surface rust.

Every time I think I am there I find another dent

I have to keep saying it will be worth it

[CovKid]

Chickenkoop and I are of the opinion that dings and dents tell a story and become part of the vehicles life

[peteabbott]

Yep believe me it is hard work to do it yourself but how much do you charge yourself an hour? I met a chap a few weeks ago with an old Bedford Dormobile and he had brush painted it and he was well pleased with the result because he had done it himself and thats the important bit, it is you that has got to be pleased with it and not anyone else. I have had loads of comments from people who are suprised that it is rollered (some pull a face) I get a lot of pleasure in working on the van and doing it myself and even if I had the funds I wouldnt pay anyone else to do it for me as I wouldnt see any pleasure in that. To me my T3 is a very good usefull hobby. Lets keep up the fight and keep these lovely old vans on the road the best way we can regardless who does what.

[Alice]

There was a guy opposite me at camperjam had a rollered van, his username was andy then loads of letters and numbers, sorry I can't remember it. He said he was going to vanfest so you could have a look at his.looked great to me though I didn't go dead close.
I'm def doing mine next year, I'mnot expecting it to be as good as a spray job (which i can't afford anyway) but if it will add life to the van then it's great. Anything is better than rust