Syncro Doka metalwork project

[Enzo79]

Side rail has gone in, ready to start adding panels from there downwards.


I was only going to do this side, as the other side doesn't seem anywhere near as bad, but seeing it all crisp and perfect I am going to have to order one for the other side too.

[Enzo79]

Big bits of front to back chassis are in place now, with a couple of my floor top hats dropped in place to make sure they went in at perfect height, and to check side rail is spot on too.

Had to get these bits of chassis made by a local engineering firm as were too long for my benders, and didn't want to make them in two bits, and got them to do it from a bit of 1.6mm
And have chopped the spigot in the side for where it draws the intake air through the right hand one, and goes in through the hole in the back of the cab, and sucks the air in from the vents at the back of the cab.

[Enzo79]

Lids are on and spotted in place... starting to make some proper progress now.

[Enzo79]

Quick couple of coats of Epoxy primer, and decided to try something new. Have only really ever found one Epoxy primer that I have liked before, which is the Custom Epoxy 421 from Rustbuster, but at about £125 delivered for a 5L kit... its not exactly cheap.

With others I have tried before the main problem is they don't flat very well if using it on bodywork, and just all clogs up on the paper.

I thought I would try the Jotun Penguard and at under £50 for a 5L kit is a bit of a bargain, and have seen lot of other threads where people are using it, and as I wont be flatting this I thought I would save the expensive stuff for the outside.

First impressions are actually really good, and seems a bit too much like the Rustbuster for there to be a coincidence.

[boatbuilder]

I've used lechler and more recently jotun jotamastic87. Lechler is easier to sand. Jotamastic clogs when sanding.
What's the difference between penguard and jotamastic?

[keytouch]

What's the difference between penguard and jotamastic?

There is some good discussion on this here
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/thre ... 857/page-2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Enzo79]

What's the difference between penguard and jotamastic?

Penguard is a pure epoxy, where as Jotamastic is an epoxy mastic, other than that haven't got a clue.

[Enzo79]

Just read a paper on Jotuns website, and it basically says that in the Epoxy Mastic they have a refined hydrocarbon resin, which is used to enhance moisture resistance, flexibility, and wetting properties.

It looks like the molecule size is different, so the hydrocarbon resin bits penetrate deeper into the steel, and create optimised adhesion on reduced surface preparation.

[xriss]

looking good enzo nice to see another escorial green syncro doka:....was the load bed chequre plate swedish style or original 4 section load bed.& what do you intend replacing it with....& how did you tackle the rmoval of the bed/spotwelds...might you have some pictures of that process....as im going to have to go down a similar route perhaps...boroscope will tell all:)....cheers

[Enzo79]

was the load bed chequre plate swedish style or original 4 section load bed

It was the remains of the original 4 section steel load bed, that had some bits cut out as one of the floor supports must have given way, been replaced with some 2" box section. It had just been covered over in 18mm OSB, and then over clad in Chequer Plate, just to kind of hide what was there.

If I had really looked all that closely I would have spotted it, like if I had stuck my head in the locker and looked up, or had a good grope around forward of the engine hatch. I just kind of knew it would be hiding something nasty and thought no more about it, shook hands and deal was done.

what do you intend replacing it with

Have managed to get hold of most of it direct from VW Classic Parts in Germany, they still have all the top hat floor supports, and three out of four of the floor sections.

I have both front sections of floor, and a rear left.

I did actually buy two rear lefts, and there is a laser cutting place just round the corner from where I work, and the plan is to get them to chop it into a kind of jigsaw, and I will TIG it back together to make a rear right. But since looking at it I might buy another front to donate some bits for my cannibalised rear section.

how did you tackle the rmoval of the bed/spotwelds

Just drilled them all one by one with Dormer 8mm spot weld drills, and then air chisel with a spot weld chisel in it, or a seam splitter that you hit with a hammer for the more delicate bits.

[Enzo79]

I made the bit of firewall to separate the engine compartment from the locker tonight, I didn't have a panel to copy as existing one had already been hacked away before I got it.



I should have really got someone to take some pics of a good one to copy, but where this ends up I don't think many people will notice that it doesn't look totally factory.

I borrowed a set of rollers to run it through, to put a bead in it, to stiffen it up so it doesn't vibrate.



Looks pretty good offered up, but took a lot of tweaking to get the angle spot on, so it sat nice and tight to the other panel.



All plug welded in place, just needs spotting to the floor top hat above it when they finally go on and stay on.

[Plasticman]

Some nice work there chap, got similar to do soon enough
mm

[Enzo79]

I am dusting off this project tomorrow, as haven't touched it for 6 months!

Will get it back inside in the morning, and see where I got too, and will also find out how that epoxy has coped under a tarp over winter.

[silverbullet]

Little question about spot welders:
I have an old 1970's ARO portable with seperate timer/primary transformer, it will join up to 2x2mm iirc but some of the electrode tips are getting a bit short and a couple have gone missing.
Anyone know the correct grade of copper to use for spot welding?
I accidentally made some from unlabelled phosphor bronze and they didnt last long or give good results

Ich fahre einen Bulli. Ich hilfe mir selbst...meistens!

[Enzo79]

I have a similar problem, as I tend to go a bit too fast, put too much heat into them and destroy the ends.

I will have to check the exact size, as you can get 8mm copper rod for about £16 a meter on ebay.