When I bought my Autosleeper it was already fitted with a body kit and alternative front grill.
I am removing the kit to get access to all areas in need of welding. I was wondering if these things are worth any money at all? Reason I ask is that the past owner has slapped paint all over the van and it is difficult to see where the fixings are to the body work. If it's not worth much I will just clap the grinding disk over the edge to expose them and if they are seized get brutal with drill etc.
Secondly this hideous green plastic grill was fitted for some reason, with the VW badge screwed to the front panel. I want to source a 4 light front grill, but I am not sure if the high beam lights fitted would fit? The glass is also a little hazy on them if anyone knows how to sort that?
If its owt like mine the side panels will pull straight off they were held on with plenty of silicon and battons of wood glued to the back of the fiberglass and screwec from inside the van, Get a paint scraper down the side of the panel and lever it off being careful not to dent the van side.
Actually, on the right coloured van (green?) I think that grill would look ace
Agree about the body kit - horrid (imho) - but I bet someone on Ebay will buy it
As for the inner lamps, if I had that problem I would take one out and spend an hour at the local breakers, I bet you could find a pair (and likely ones that fit in the hole better !) with little problem.
take the inner lamps of and wash them in elbow grease they will come up like new they only go like that as they are not used regurlarly , beware when removing bodykit they are usually rotten behing the panels so budget for new metalwork before removing them
Usually if you get a bit of tension between the two parts with wedging it apart it is easy to cut with a knife then gradually move your wedges to keep the tension going. Maybe a bit of wd40 or ordinary oil on your blade to stop the friction which is the main reason it is hard to do.
AS MM appears to have gone to bed I will attempt a reply.
E D I T = He is not yet in bed
A Hot Wire is a length of special (NiChrome) wire, heated up by passing a carefully controlled voltage through it via an adjustable heavy duty power supply. To be honest, not the sort of thing anyone would have kicking around in the garage They are most commonly used to cut various types of foam to shape (using a "template" or "jig") I use one sometimes to cut out the foam wings for certain types of model aircraft I fly