The Adventures And Misshaps Of Modi(fiera) The van

[Plasticman]

one day i may be fortunate enough to have a nice but sick syncro turn up on the doorstep
mm

[HarryMann]

Yes, maybe one will turn up when you least expect it, isn't that often the way, so eyes peeled.

Those tank straps aren't usually a big deal to fix, if you've got a spare hour or so







Here is the complete 80-90 Wiki compendium on tank straps (so far)

[scitter]

hmm. there is less than crums left of my straps.
perhaps if i could borrow someones straps i could copy em but Im not sure its worh the work. Might just aswell get a ss pair

[HarryMann]

OK, thought that might be the case...

but it really is just those end doublers you need and the correct lengths a round the perimeter, hole to hole. The pressed shapes and plates aren't that important unless yours is a petrol requiring a fuel pump mount (2 cotton reel rubbers usually do).

[scitter]

not much left of those either..


the amount of dirt that came out of my beams in the chassies.

I wish that was all but despite the good looks of no holes on the outsides of them, the insides was like crackers
When i lifted the floor for some small holereps i noticed the insides was all but gone. 4 layers of sheetmetal rusted togeather, the small rep in the floor ended up at 2 days of cutting and welding...

saw a thing an tryed to copy it

But the darned van just wouldent tip over. Guess it was the wrong radius or something but we ended up with another system for getting it of the ground


Worked just aswell though.


decided that i dont really care for the seams anyway. The seam was really bad. just a big gap in the metal where the sheet should be.
Might get my own garage and fix it up properly in the future but for now i think ill just go for the ratty fixes. Afterall i just crave tha van to be evil and not so much "pretty"


new beam

not exactly oem but itl hold up and its alot stronger than the biscuit it was before.


the pieces that holds the bashrails comes after. the bits are done laying on the table but ill weld em in later.

flooring.. its smooth but hey... its under the seat.!
For some reason that pic is usidedown so just stand on your head. it wont tur no matter how i try...?

[lloydy]

one day i may be fortunate enough to have a nice but sick syncro turn up on the doorstep
mm

Well don't get any ideas on mine when it shows up!

[jed the spread]

decided that i dont really care for the seams anyway. The seam was really bad. just a big gap in the metal where the sheet should be.
Might get my own garage and fix it up properly in the future but for now i think ill just go for the ratty fixes. Afterall i just crave tha van to be evil and not so much "pretty"

That is a shame because the seams are everything on a van. Its the first place anyone looks to assess a vans general condition and effects its over all value considerably. I would hate for you to put in all this work and expense to be left with a Syncro that is worth less (money wise as well as visually) than the rusty van full of holes you started with. Also putting right fixes that have been rushed into will cost more in time and in labour for a professional to put right than the original rusty areas full of holes.

Good luck with it though

Jed

[Plasticman]

Oh dear ^^^^ what Jed said. dont spoil it by being rough or making it look 'bad assed' .By doing things that way i would not take it on to restore as it would be too much hassle to undo, there again if your keeping it and doing it for you then good luck with it
mm

[hugomonkey]

a previous owner of my van has de-seemed it and it looks terrible,so the van is coming of the road for a stripdown/rebuild before it can be sold, it is almost impossible to get such a large surface looking right when it wasn`t intended to be so, so unless you are or know somebody who is an absolute master at tinning/bodywork then it will NEVER look good and will always hurt your eyes to look at, take the extra time and do it right now instead of regretting it and having to start again a while down the road

[..lee..]

I vote to keep the seams to.

[scitter]

jupp.. after i discarded your tips and fillet the seam i realised you guys were right.. it just dont look right without it.

I really hit a brickwall today. Realising the amount of rust might not be to bad but its alot higher than my paygrade. And without having a proper place to keep it im not sure how ill continue.

the beam is done. The right rear fender, Wheelhouse, fillerpanel is ruined. and my mind is burned. Kinda down and troubled.
I lack the skills to do the rustwork. I lack the funds to pay someone. I lack the time and i really dont know where to go from here.

Perhaps sell it all? But really id like to just stash it all untill i have a proper place to have it. And perhaps bribe som metalgenius to finish it in a few years when the buggy is done and ive bought myself a nice little house

[orcecaveman]

Break it. Its ****ed (past repairing).

[jed the spread]

Break it. Its ****ed (past repairing).

To be fair I have seen a hell of a lot worse driving around with a UK MOT but it all boils down to if you want to polish a turd. If you want a Syncro that cost you next to nothing that you can thrash around for a couple of years and have great fun with and don"t care if you smash up giving you loads and loads of smiles then I say go for it because its days are numbered anyway. If you bought a Syncro for anything over £1500 then spend say £1000 on it doing patch up and rough bodywork and then maybe another £2800 on engine, gearbox, VC, and running gear issues giving you a total rough spend of £4300 that will be money down the drain in a couple of years time. To get it to the standard of keeping after that will cost anything from £3800+ to sort out properly, £3000 + labour on a decent engine conversion, then add what ever camper velle bits that need sorting and some nice wheels and tires (add another £1000+ leading to untold costs )

It all boils down to the old £15000 figure again because I would have thought that is what a decent Syncro camper costs to build or buy. If you spend £8000 on lashing a van the chances are it will be worth £2500 after your efforts and I really wouldnt want to see you waist your money.

Richard's etdi Hightop camper is still for sale I think with full re built gear box, sound body work, and nice interior for a bargain price of £15,500 http://campervanculture.com/2012/11/199 ... -interior/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Or a nice 16" restored with MTDI for £25,000 if your feeling flush http://campervanculture.com/2012/12/vw- ... -for-sale/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

THey have both lost money selling these vans at the prices they are up for sale at

Jed

[orcecaveman]

Jed, im sorry but they aren't worth those prices until somebody has bought them. Its easy for someone to say their bus is worth £52,000, but if it stays unsold, then maybe it isn't. Oh and 'offers above £25,000 will be considered ' ?
As for this van, to reach any high end value the repairs would have to be carried out to an extremely high standard, and then im not sure that a rebuilt van would.

Just my opinion, but then again what would I know?........

[jebiga41]

Brave man I've put a grinder to better than that good luck with it