Procrastinating never got anyone anywhere

[RogerT]

Thanks for that, most helpful, it was me rather than RogerT that made the request. IIRC he's dug deep and bought the full B pillar.

And I’m bleeding glad, so I am, after seeing that!

[multisi]

Use as much of the new b post as you can.

[adie89]

937 - sorry I lost track of who’d asked, no problem for more info though.

RogerT - a wise move, bear in mind if you detach the b pillar from the battery box it will try and splay out. You would normally brace off pillar to pillar, but that won’t be possible if you cut it all out. I would get the sill and outrigger done first, then fit the bottom 20cm or so of the inner B provided the remainder will still be firmly on the battery box. This will will mean the b pillar is anchored to the sill and shouldn’t move and loose your reference points. Then fit the outer however much you need to get a nice finish and fit, before patching the remaining inner b as needed. While more involved than just cutting them both out, it will keep your alignment in. If the the b is coming adrift of the battery box you should be able to brace internally before anchoring the bottom to the sill again a cut from the inner repair panel.

[adie89]

So update from a few sessions work.
B pillar closed off with panel bond and puddle welding, butt welded at the top, still needs a skim of filler once it goes of properly.

Some more of the wheel arch closed off

The top of the door channel/sill rust ground out, built up with weld,

Etch primer then cv primer

After much faffing and lining up the repair panel was cut to size. Rather than base it off the original, I bolted on the top sill, then clamped in the outer sill, checked the measurements and marked it all up before cutting. Usual measure twice, then measure again because it’s different, then measure again, then cut.

So I should be ready to weld the repair panel to sill tomorrow and finish repairing the front arch and fill the b pillar

[937carrera]

Good progress there, but I didn't get the last bit.......maybe I will when you put it in place

[RogerT]

RogerT - a wise move, bear in mind if you detach the b pillar...

Much appreciated, thanks for that.

[adie89]

So this pic

Was the bottom of the door runner, which has been cut away here

The fitting of this was fairly critical, if it didn’t align either the door wouldn’t run in the runner or it would be too high or low, or it would fit to the doorframe but not the sill. So I dry fit the top piece with the new outer sill clamped underneath and used bolts and nuts welded to the right distance as spacers.
Once I was happy with alignment and I’d trimmed the repair panel I used the spacers while I butt welded the new lower channel to maintain the gap. This is it welded up looking at the runner and seal channel. Before welding I cleaned out, primed and painted the actual channel as it would be impossible to paint once assembled.

If I’m honest the panel was a pretty rubbish fit and took a lot of resizing to get it in. Once welded up I clamped it in place and test fit the door. It fit!

This will get permanently fitted after I finish repairing the c pillar
While the various primers and paints were going off i completely cleaned off the various bits of front arch ready to weld them back together, lots of old dried out seam sealer.
Held with butt clamps then tacked,

test fit before welding

Then flat off the welds with a 60 flap wheel, then 80grit on a DA ready for me to patch repair before fitting. This panel was in bits because of how I’d had to remove it. It had started with the bottom 20cm out to get the b pillar then the half arch to get to the repair by the vent.

I know my welding isn’t the neatest on panels but once I’ve done it from both sides, nice and slowly to keep the heat out, it’s thoroughly welded and strong without too much filler needed, just a skim will do it.
Work will slow now, family day tomorrow, back to work Monday. Bit disappointing as I wanted to get this side finished, but like everyone else, other commitments slowed progress.

[itchyfeet]

I have been meaning to read this thread but just not got around to it

[adie89]

Managed to get a few hours in today, no pictures worth taking.
Sill/door runner primed with CV primer on the inside face that il be inside the sill once assembled, left to go off overnight ready for seam sealer before colour coat. I’ll paint the inside of the channel when the van exterior is painted.
A little more metal added to the front arch, I’ll finish it next session and take a pic then.
Most pictures today were off harness work and Subaru installation for another thread but I’ll pop them up here too.
Overview of the engine bay, 2000 EJ25 SOHC. I’m using a diesel airbox at the moment to try and reduce induction noise along with the snorkel and dynamat on rear quarter. It’s very effective but I buggered up my cfm calculations and it’s strangled at higher revs.

I tapped a fuse off the live terminal in the rear junction box and used a fused relay to get a good switched feed to the engine and ECU. It was in the original relay bracket but I snapped the plastic stud, so it’ll have to wait.

The ECU is secured in the rear quarter using the original bracket and the Subaru grommet was used with the hole cut from the original car and welded in.


I haven’t decided what to do with the relays and immobiliser but I kept the brackets so will probably make another bracket and put them in the cupboard with the OBD so it’s accessible.

The harness then runs from inside the air channel around the top edge to keep it high and dry as it reaches the junction box it goes straight down to the Subaru engine connectors, branches off for the VW feeds (coolant light etc) and the power feeds.

The alternator cable was up rated to a 75mm sq cable also showing the permanent live required for Subaru alternators and the VW blue exciter lead. I don’t even loose .1 of a volt, incidentally I recently discovered it is the same gauge as BMW battery cable and they usually have a hefty battery in the boot. CovKid always advises about upgrading it...and he’s right.

[adie89]

In a fit of ‘I’m sick of this front wheel arch’ (although it’s saving me 200 quid on a new panel) I decided to do something completely different. It also serves as a mental break for getting something achieved.
So I fitted an Omni step that I picked up cheap a while ago to stop SWMBO complaining that the Syncro is too high but not taking a loose plastic step which I hate.
So first I lined the step up retracted and extended and drilled holes in the floor.

At this point I found that the floor flexed considerably even with large washers, when I say flexed I mean it started to buckle
So I found some 2mm thick box section and sliced off 8mm high sections (the height of the ridges in the floor) I took the idea from the seat belt reinforcement plates but fit it to go from the inner chassis rail to the inner sill to try and take strain off the floor. I’ll use a bit more detail because hopefully someone will learn something.
Laid on the van floor and marked from underneath for holes

Centre punch gently to check alignment then a hefty whack to stop the drill slipping for accuracy

Then starting with a 2.5mm bit, a small hole is faster to drill and easier to correct if slightly out, using pressure to stop the drill bit blunting from running too quick. Then step up 1-1.5mm at a time to 8mm to save blunting bits and maintaining accuracy
I had to anchor the end to the inner chassis rail and most the flex is gone, once the outer sill and door channel is on it should take the last few mm out, if not I’ll seam weld the reinforcement to the floor.
Bolts welded to reinforcement to create studs for easier installation, which was deliberately sited in the gaps

I welded the shank from a bolt onto the step frame to limit its rearward movement by a few mm and stop it hitting the inner chassis rail.

Bolted up showing clearance when retracted to the outer sill.

Clearance to the inner chassis rail also showing the packing washers to level the step nicely. Also showing the bolt stops that stop the step retracting too far and hitting the chassis rail before cutting and welding. The step still goes past the cam over point when retracted and remains in place.

Extended, really pleased with the fit and clearance on the sill, it was proper wet finger in the air estimate from the step diagram that it would fit.

Retracted, I eventually would like rock sliders to protect my body work from trees, walls, car doors etc and these should sit fine to the step I hope.

Extended

I’m really happy with this and the height is really comfortable even with the bus completely in the air on axle stands.
So completely off track, but a win for my head so I feel a bit more invigorated to continue with body work.

[RogerT]

Nicely done, very neat outcome.

[adie89]

Nicely done, very neat outcome.

Thank you

[adie89]

So the front wheel arch repairs are almost complete, plug welded to the b pillar, gap welded to the front arch, new inner lip seam welded on ready to plug weld to the inner seat belt mount once the zinc primer goes off.


Knocked back with grinder then 60grit then flap wheel then 80grit on a DA


It’s not Ferrari quality but it’s strong and reasonably pretty, a thin skin of filler and filler primer should do the job with chip guard up to the swage line.
Wheel arch will get etch primer, epoxy primer, seam sealer, chipguard, then colour, then underseal. After that lot, even if it rusts, the cocoon of paint products will retain the shape haha!
Just the c pillar now then the outer sill will go in.

[adie89]

After zinc priming between the two pieces, the wheel arch was plug welded to the the seat belt mount and knocked back.

Then in another fit of get something done, I measured the grab handle of the passenger side and carefully drilled out the four 11mm holes for the drivers side. There’s a lot of flex in the handle so it would actually be quiet forgiving of a mistake. The measurements are on the tape on the window if anyone needs it.
I’d ran out of steel sheet this weekend so to make good use of a little time I tackled a PO’s repair. The step had been somewhat crudely plated over from underneath.

I used a thin slitting disc to cut a neat line at the point where the plating met the original. This allowed me to lift the repair patch to the level of the original bodywork and butt weld it level, and then pull off the excess from underneath because I’d cut through the welds.
This is after welding up and knocking back most of it, I’ve left one side because I need to put steel in towards the wheel arch.

The advantage to getting this all level is that it forms a flat repair underneath and will stop accumulating dirt. The P.O. had just undersealed it.

[adie89]

To keep it interesting while I make very little progress, here’s how I made some repairs last year.
After removing the upper nose panel completely because it had so many thin patches on the windscreen surround and lower edge. I had to patch repair the fresh air vent.

Before on one corner

I then repaired both corners by using the windscreen repair channel welded to same 1.2mm sheet cut to the size of the corner. I welded from the back and after one pass made another two passes to thicken the joint.

This then gave me enough thickness of metal to be able to reprofile the outside with a grinder.

Welded in and profiled before tacking in the inner edge to meet the new nose cone

Other side but not filled from the reverse (I did this side first and learned my lesson)

And profiled

The nose cone was then panel bonded on all four seams and spot welded top and bottom. I was lucky enough to have access to a professional water cooled spot welder for this job which made it incredibly quick. The left and right seams are completely inaccessible.

Then just like the original, absolutely loads of seam sealer on the inside to make up for the gaps in the design.
I’ve been fully finishing and painting each end/side one at a time due to time constraints and the need to keep the van on the road. All this work so far has been spread over about 12months.