Replacing inner sills

[Plasticman]

Its only a terror if you try to fit the step. cut the nasty stuff out and wled a solid plate in there, dont bother with the holes and the stupid mat. and dont burn your throttle cable outer as it passes there
mike

[fidget]

Todays work involved finishing of the b-post, great weather with no wind so got cracking









Clamped the outer sill in place and trimmed the front arch to fit





As you can see Ive dropped a round hairy one with the lining up of the outer sill . Going to have to use some creative licence to get that looking right

still never going to be a show winner so Im not that fussed

James

[Plasticman]

Schutz

[boatbuilder]

I wouldn't worry, at least you know theres no rust. I did a similar thing with the lower rear corner on mine and I don't really care! No one is gonna be down on their hands and knees examining it.
A guy who restores old campers for a living told me once that he pays most attention to the bits that are at eye level because they will be much more noticeable.

[fidget]

Bless you mike , cold or hayfever?

Shouldnt be to much work (hang on sure ive said that before somewhere in this thread). Remove the end flange , bit of a straighten , bit of a bend .

needs doing as the flanges dont meet, but not going to go overboard as its not going to be seen really

James

[Plasticman]

Well youve got alignment on the swages. it ngoes breasticles up after that,the front wing 1/4 whilst poor forming anbd thin metal are about right with regard tothe swaging so use thet as a guide, the b post , maybe you welded it a bit short/high, allways align and tack..
as for the sill section on side panal, who knows, but either way, swages are good so alter the long fridge panal = loads of work, Id go for b pots and fr 1/4
, sorry night out in leeds, cobra, bottle cava, chardony and strega with an eye - tie thrown in
nite m

[fidget]

I think it went wrong cause I had to tuck the flange on the b-post repair back to meet up with the inner sill .

The inner sill didnt sit right in the new crossmember so the problems started there and have worked there way to the front . Should have payed more attention .
Chalk this one down to in-experiance , whats done is done it will look ok once its done, as mike said underseal will hide the worst .

Just glad the b-post repairs didnt end in disaster

James

[silver surfer]

Fidget,
I have read this post from start to finish and have to say you have done a superb job I read this as I have started to restore my 89 panel van and knew that I had an outer driver's side sill to replace. I thought ' wow thats a lot of work i'm glad mine is only the outer sill' just goes to show you shouldn't even think these things cut a long story short I had a poke around and it looks like i need to relace the inner sill.

I will keep refering back to your post I'm sure and thanks for the inspiration as i think if I hadn't read this I probably would have scrapped the van. I will start a tread of the repair in it's own right as I hope i can get some of the feedback you have had (I'm going to need it I think). I have a reasonable amount of experience with spanners but not much with bodywork so it seams (excuse the pun ) a bit daunting

Thanks again for the motivation. When its done another van will have been saved from the scrappy as a result of you taking on your repair.

lastly I have to say the 'As you can see Ive dropped a round hairy one' made me laugh my 'round hairy one's' off, keep up the great work you are nearly there

[fidget]

Cheers silversurfer

Best advice I can give is get stuck in and to remember what ever goes wrong can be un-done. You will get all the help you need on here and pictures always make explaining things easier. Plus where a nosy lot .

I try to get at-least one job done a weekend that way I can count down the weeks till its at a point where its mot time , I only get 5-6 hours on a saturday to work on the van , so over the year it hasnt taken to long to get this far.

Never done any bodywork either and that shows on some of me welding , but learning all the time, I no longer look at rust as a problem now just a inconvenience

If Ive motivated one person then I guess me toil has been worthwhile

James

PS. If you think this is bad you aint seen me cab floor and step yet

[fidget]

Had a couple of hours spare yesterday so had a crack at getting a better fit on the outer sill.

chopped off the flange on the end and got bending

before



after

.

Im not 100% happy with it but its the best of a bad situation and the best it will get with the limited bending tools Ive got (2 flat bars and a vice).

Weld on a new flange at the end, get it welded in and thats nearly the lot for my sill welding trauma,s.

James

[Plasticman]

Sorry for my dribbling on sat night, should keep off keyboard when not fit..
Well you know what you did wrong I suppose. you were so carried away with the way you rep'd the b post then got it to fit nice and you couldnt stop yourself gcould you, the sill is pretty unmovable but the b post and fronnt 1/4 are , you will know to tack it all next time as there was nowt stopping you moving the b post outer down a shade and likewise with the 1/4 panal, but heyt at the end of the day its a real good job and a neat line of panalguard and when its overpainted and on the floor you will never notice,
Now then, lets have a pick of the missing floor.or the area where it was...
mike

[fidget]

Hi mike

Ill get some pics tomorrow, off to work now . Kev/Letshaveabus has got a floor section I can have , just got to go and cut it from the van when I get a chance. So that job shouldnt be to much bother to do . Need to start poking the side step too .

James

[dugcati]

Im not 100% happy with it but its the best of a bad situation and the best it will get with the limited bending tools Ive got (2 flat bars and a vice).

Dont beat yourself up over it - you have photo'd it as you went so any future buyer will see its a mechanically sound repair and also 'should' the worst happen you can use it as a unique point about your bus the the old bill!

[Plasticman]

Yes well said,
I would have a good poke at it before cutting a new bit out as the new bit might need to be a tad bigger you know what your doing and are in control
mike

[fidget]

Ive got me outer sill at work with me . Going to drill the holes ready for welding on saturday. Is there any accepeted/requirements for spot/plug welding on a long seam like a sill?. Mike im taking no chances , im getting the whole floor. James