Robsey's Rusty Wreck.

[Robsey]

I decided to rename my query thread, and start a body "work in progress" instead

I have finally gotten round to cutting out rotten metal with a view to welding in fresh stuff.
(Although I need to get more practice on my welding - 31 years since I did my training).

I have two questions really.

1 - Is it possible to obtain cab floor repair panels.
The original panels are shaped for strength and rigidity.

2 - Is there a template for the accelerator pedal holes.
The hole on our van appears to be mangled (torn and curled back).
Don't ask me how, the van sustained this damage 24 years ago under the father in laws ownership.

[Plasticman]

well the inner part of the step is availablke though no idea of metal gauge as i make my own , you could add the usual pattern step to it to form that part and as for the floor ,use simmilar gauge steel and form the swages in by hand as needed. pedal hole ,well fill it all in and two 3/16th poppers to mount and make the hole big enough to get the bits through
mm

[Robsey]

I believe Schofield do a complete step, as well as just the lower section.

And I presume that the floor has a modicum of support from the diagonal box section just below it.
The floor only looks 18s gauge, so may as well use the same again.

I even considered using a ribbed section of metal from a spare engine cover.
It is only the periphery that is corroded.

Regarding the pedal hole - suppose I could just roll the metal flat again, and ensure that the pedal, it's link rod and the pivot assembly are all still able to operate freely.

Then remake up the floor section to suit -
For those who have not looked under there, I have observed that there is a pair of very thin steel angles below the floor which act as a cable guide / locator.
Worth knowing before I go crazy with the cutting disc.

[scunnerd25]

That's the very job I am about to start

[Plasticman]

Ahh joy of joys keys have lots of pickies

[Robsey]

Ahhh - All in good time.
I only get to spend about 15 hours per month on the old girl at the moment.
(Alternating Sundays). - More time when I have leave from work.
The van is 5 miles away on the mother in law's drive.
It was her late husband's van, and she didn't have the heart to have it scrapped.

So along came Rob, with a crazy plan to get the van road legal.

Mechanicals and electricals are well within my comfort zone.

Welding? - at present my welding skills are as rusty as the cab floor.
But I will get plenty of practice in before attempting to introduce any new metal.

[Robsey]

So here is where we began a year or so ago.
the van as it was - unloved and unmoved since late 1990 / early 1991, when the left cylinder head threw a valve guide.



And a short while later.



The paint job was a temporary measure -
1 - to gauge future colour plans.
2 - to protect the panel below after a de-rust, vactan and general tidy up.

Long term plan is to roller paint in RAL 5002 Ultramarine Blue - (wife's choice).

I know that this is the body section, so I shall only briefly show the knackered df engine.
And the planned transplant engine -

[Robsey]

Here is some rear end corrosion.

Not as bad as I thought - but the sills are shot.

The rear panel was so rotten that I was able to pull it off by hand - eeek!!

[ninja.turtle007]

I do enjoy a good build thread.

[Robsey]

I hope that I can provide a "good" thread for you.

For the observant amongst you that is a non-vw single legged jack.
(It had a load spreading board above it).
I didn't trust the condition of the jacking point.

And I had left my trolley jack at home.
It will be there next time, I assure you.
Don't really like using half arsed measures / techniques.

[Dazco]

Youve got one hell of a job there , looking forward to seeing the rest
Love this kind of do it yoursen job
Daz

[Robsey]

Just ALL the usual rot spots.

Bottom of all window frames
Bottom corners of the windscreen
All jacking points
Inner and outer sills
Rear bottom corners and battery box
Bottom 2" of the rear hatch
Cab floor
Both front steps
Bottom of the B pillars
Sliding door bottom rail area

Then a full paint and re-trim.

[boatbuilder]

Easy job, mine only took a few years.

[Robsey]

A very long time since I started to look at restoring our rusty wreck.

I have done everything the wrong way round, buying lots of parts that I cannot fit yet.
If it is electrical, I have got it.
Stainless exhaust - got it.

The fact that I really need to sort the body, suspension, steering, engine, brakes and interior is irrelevant - ha ha.

Despite being emotionally black-mailed into fixing the van up, I got distracted for four years restoring my mk3 Cavalier.

I finally got a rocket up the back-side from the mother in law who wanted the van shifted off her drive.

Most of the interior is stripped, including the dash.
All the rear is stripped bare, and most of the front end.

At the moment, the van resembles a skip.



A month or so ago, I stripped and cleaned the exterior of my replacement engine. A 1987 2.1 DJ. To be fitted in place of broken 1982 DF.





Today I got it off her drive, and nicely tucked into the corner of a friend's unit.
As it happens, my friend also doubles up as an excellent welder, and a rigid hydraulic line fabricator.





So let the anihilation of my bank account begin.

Just for info, the BTCC replica is his, not mine.
My Cavalier is just an LS with a few SRi goodies.

[937carrera]

Welcome back ?

You're lucky that Schofields are just down the road from you, though I'm sure you know just how slow the roads to Glossop are as well.

They have most of the panels, they are good quality, and they also have the willingness to make panels up for you - I needed a section of engine floor making up to go under the rear wing, which they made as a special for me.

The body panels are not that expensive, the cost is usually in the labour, so you can look forward to hours of fun