MBCamper's Restoration

[mbcamper]

I spoke to Chris at VW Emporium who put me right about trimming the felt seals. Basically you do it as follows:

- Take the strip (which is supplied straight)
- Fit one end to the rear of the door so it is flush against the bottom felt scrapers
- Bend it around so it fits along the top of the door.
- Mark the point you need to cut so it fits under the seal for the quarter light seal:



- Take the seal out and cut it. The cut will be hidden eventually by the quarter light seal overlap
- Refit the seal starting with the quarter light end so it goes under the seal.



- Job done:

[boatbuilder]

Paint looks really good by the way!
How many coats have you put on and how long did you wait between coats?
Did you just use a foam roller?

[mbcamper]

I ended up applying 4 coats of paint to make sure that I don't go through when polishing it back. I actually applied the paint with a good quality brush (Purdy) using coach painting techniques I have been taught in the past. Lots of effort needed, but I think the results are better and it certainly makes less mess than spray painting. I usually ended up waiting between 1 and 2 days between coats depending on the outside temperature.

The front panels have been drying for about 6 weeks now so I've started to flat it back starting with 600, 800, 1000, 1200 and then polishing compound. The results are quite good - I'm very pleased with the Rustoleum paint.

[mbcamper]

So back to putting it back together. I've borrowed a useful looking tool:



Starting (again) with the sliding door I fitted the seal to the metalwork with some masking tape on the inside to stop it dropping out of place:



I then fitted the glass, starting with getting the bottom in place and then working around the outside by pushing the rubber from the inside all around. It took quite a long time, and I only managed to do this on my own as I could hold the window from the outside whilst pushing the rubber from the inside. Any other window and I'll certainly need an assistant.

Once it was in place, the special tool comes into action. You basically use it to open up the rubber whilst pushing down with the roller bit and wiggling it along feeding in the strip. It took me a couple of failed attempts before getting the technique, but once you've got it, progress it quite quick.



Corners are the hardest:



You work all the way around until you get back to where you started:



Job done.



I just need to repeat the operation a few more times!

[mbcamper]

Operation repeated once more before work:



Once you've got the insert strip in place the seal is a really tight fit. Is it necessary to add any sealant?

[volks_womble]

Really Liking this thread It looks pretty much like exactly what we need to do on our bus, so the pictures etc are really very much appreciated. Thanks
Mark

[mbcamper]

Obtained a new windscreen on Friday. Fitted with a VW Emporium seal and I can confirm that it was easy to fit:



So today I did some final work on the roof prior to fitting and replaced the window seals:



And then it was a case of applying lots of SikaFlex 512 before lowering the roof down into place. I ended up using 4 tubes of the stuff after I had gone around the outside and inside of the roof all around. Probably more than needed, but I don't want it coming off on me.

[cliveT25]

I am loving the paint, that is the colour of my Westy, i pick her up on Sunday and have lots of welding to do, similar to yours.

What colour codes did you buy from Rust-Oleum and forgive my ignorance, how do you apply? Paint Brush, Roller??

Does it not give streaks, although I assume the hours spent flatting it out with various papers made it the way it is now.

Great thread

[boatbuilder]

Could you share some of your coach painting techniques please?

[discipleofsketch]

I am loving the paint, that is the colour of my Westy, i pick her up on Sunday and have lots of welding to do, similar to yours.

What colour codes did you buy from Rust-Oleum and forgive my ignorance, how do you apply? Paint Brush, Roller??

Does it not give streaks, although I assume the hours spent flatting it out with various papers made it the way it is now.

Great thread

You'll be wanting this thread:-

https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=18751" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[cliveT25]

I am loving the paint, that is the colour of my Westy, i pick her up on Sunday and have lots of welding to do, similar to yours.

What colour codes did you buy from Rust-Oleum and forgive my ignorance, how do you apply? Paint Brush, Roller??

Does it not give streaks, although I assume the hours spent flatting it out with various papers made it the way it is now.

Great thread

You'll be wanting this thread:-

https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=18751" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks very muchly

[Oldjets]

Epic restoration MB. Amazing amount of work and another van saved in the nick of time by the looks of it. Thanks for posting all those photos too - very helpful.

Oldjets

[Smosh]

Van is looking great... I cant wait to find somewhere to store mine and crack on with it. this thread is going be helpful! Keep up the good work!

[mbcamper]

Thanks for the positive feedback. The van is pretty much done now apart from final flatting and polishing of the paintwork. I actually wanted to wait until next spring before I attempt that in case I need to apply more paint in places. It's far too cold for that now!

The coach painting techniques I used were actually with a good quality brush (Purdy) which takes longer than with a roller, but the initial results I think are better; but there is nothing wrong with rollering as you only end up flatting and polishing the paint to a perfect finish anyway. If you've never had tuition in how to coachpaint then the roller method might be preferable; you just need to do more work after painting. The end result isn't going to me different.

The paint colours I used were Marlin Blue (7322) and RAL9010 white (7392) which I'm very pleased with.

see http://rustoleum.co.uk/metal-paint/combicolor.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The van is now back on the road! The only issue I've had with my work so far was with a leaking windscreen! However an application of windscreen sealant appears to have sorted that. I can only think that with my extensive repair work didn't result in a perfect screen surround profile.

[tamson]

Thanks for these diagrams - this is much appreciated and very clear.

I just need to pluck up the courage to get in there with the cutting disc maybe in a couple of weeks...

Mark

Hi, fab thread and great work! I have begun replacing rear arches too and I wondered if you could repost the diagrams you mentioned please? Thanks.