Hey everyone.
Time for an update
After fitting the main panel, we were left with a gap inbetween the panel and the rest of the van were the inner arch should be. Hard to photograph, but if you look at the photo long enough you can make sense of it.
Its a thin gap with a lovely curve down one end. Nice and tricky to make a panel up then!
Here goes. First we made the easy flat bit by cutting a strip:
Marking a line along where it meets the outer panel and clamping it in 'The bending Machine™'
Bent and cleaning up:
Clamped in ready for welding:
Don't have any photos of it welded in, not sure where those pics went
Next was to make the curved piece:
Don't have any pics of that clamped or welded either
Next step was to get the end panel in.
Here is what we started with:
So we whipped that out and trimmed it carefully.
and cleaned up and trimmed the new bit ready to go in:
Checked for fit. Looking good
Next time we will weld in that panel, then all we have to do is put in the very lower piece and thats it for welding
Also, while Leo was welding, I took a look at the started motor to try and diagnose our intermittent starting problems.
The wiring is a mess, with a collection of different crimps crushed onto the ends of the wires, so I will need to sort that out. Here is what the starter itself looks like!

That first picture really doesn't show how rusty it is. It looks like a jab with a screwdriver will put a hole in the side of it!
Even so, I cleaned up all the connections and the wires on the solenoid and cleaned up the face where it earths to the gearbox. I put it back on the van and still nothing. Next time I will charge the battery for a bit before I try, im not sure its even charged.
I have a couple of vw starters from when I had a Mk2 Polo, so I might be able to swap over a solenoid to see if that makes a difference.
How many wires should we have going to the starter? We have three going to the +ve stud and one going to a spade connection on the solenoid.
Thats it for now
Edd and Leo