Andy Tats Hinklevagon

[Plasticman]

Well , Andys van is not the worst but was looking sad and tatty,


Caught I think before it got really bad, As its running on fools fuel I will be dropping the tank out as just dont like welding near the stuff ,especially as .
usual rear arches,


not the worst but no doubt it wont be that pretty inside,
Van is now shelled so will commence stripping back to bare metal, grit blast as required, glass yet to come out and new seals all round,
Mike

[toolsntat]

Good on ya Mike

So weird not having it on the drive to fling crap n stuff in as and when

Waiting nervously to see what the next instalment will reveal

Cheers
Andy

[Plasticman]

Well, YOU need be nervouse, not too many horrors found...........yet
We stripped a fair bit of the bottom half, I like the fact that it doesnt appear to have had a full repaint before , touch up and panals yes. also was dark blue beneath the lower swage line.

rust at rear of slider mount appears surface subject to sharp hammer test
N/S rear corner has had work and filler , will remove this and start again

O/S same with apparent surface rust, should gritblast out

This shows the lower area ,bottom swage down, loads of gunge and the earlier dark blue

Decent stripper works well, I dont like taking a grinder to everything as removing metal is the last thing I want to do when its in shortish supply,
Bare metalling a lot of the van seems over kill but there is rust etc that wasnt visible prior and this is on factory paint, there is nothing worse than trying to feather out past works and in this as many cases with filler applied over paint, (shouldnt ever be done).
Will look in more detail at exactly what panals to cut and where , as I prefere to retain as much factory thick as possible rather than what we are unfortunately offered most of the time.
mike

[AdrianC]

Decent stripper works well, I dont like taking a grinder to everything as removing metal is the last thing I want to do when its in shortish supply

Have you tried these discs?




Back to bright & shiny in seconds flat, even through filler, but nowhere near hard enough to grind the steel. I can imagine you'd get through a few to do the whole van, though...

[Plasticman]

Yep loads of them but stripping much quicker and easier, though not for the crevices
mike

[Plasticman]

Well , been busy but not posted, need to buy a new camera, so phone picks for now,
this van is pretty good overall, but a few of the ususal suspects need work , fuel filler area is shot as is the front of B post

Now as this van runs on fuels fuel till it gets gassed I have choosen to remove the tank , dont like petrol and welding..too old to take chances.,,the tank is in very good as in as new condition but one of the pipes from tank to exp tank not connected.
got some panals from schofields, dont intend to fit the full front arch just the rear bit from filler neck down, as the rest is solid, will get this,the B post and step done over the w'end,
mike

[toolsntat]

Hey up then....
Mmmmm that's the bit behind the filler pipe that scared me
Wonder if that pipe to expansion tank has come off or I forgot to connect it when fitting that new tank

Cheers Mike

Andy

[Plasticman]

If I can put it this way, there is crud on the pipe which wouldnt exist if it was protected by a ........hose
We'll see about scary tommorow when I cut it all open
I will clip the hosses on when refitting, and mark up your fuel guage with 5 litres..
mike

[fidget]

Hi Mike

What was the front arch you got from schofields like?. The one I got was terrible, really surprised how bad it was as schofields are normally pretty good.

Glad I only need the back portion with the filler hole as using the whole thing would be loads of work.

James

[Plasticman]

CRAP!!! but not a problem as Rick did say they was rubbish and like yourself I only need the very rear bit (thank goodness)
mike

[Plasticman]

Well cut the outer bit off to get access(twas knackered)

and the top

Now where did I leave those grips

cut the bad out and as the rest of the B post is ok was easier to let a side in and sort the bottom, JP is in very good order as is the rest of that area

Copied the original and made it in 2 parts, no reason except why not

Now I need to search for a cheap decent point and click camera
mike

[Plasticman]

Been a bit slack posting up , but as camera has died Ive lost enthusiasm Anyhow JP was good but required a very small plate to one side which it now has, the bottom of the B pillar was shot and as I didnt feel the need or have the inclination to fit a thin repro I choose to repair it, the lower sill is very good ,just the forward edge was gone so made a piece and let it in then made a pillar bottom and welded that in.


The new panal I cut up as there was and is no point fitting what isnt needed and is such a poor pressing, thankfully the rear part that usually rots is fit for purpose!

This bit now just needs a tap or three with the hammers and the seam gritblasting,
I do all the external blasting in one hit when all panals finnished and then treat the seams,
I have brazed the lower seam which is joining the bottom of B pillar to lower sill, reason being that there is no access to weld internaly, I cant not weld it and if I migged or gas welded this it would leave an ugly filled in bit of body that would be out of place, Brazing has allowed me to join it and do the braze in such a way that it has flowed into the seam as opposed to sitting on it, (dont try this with prefluxed rods it wont work, )and being non ferrouse wont rot,will just neaten up the seam with the generic dremel ..
mike

[toolsntat]

Cheers Mike, it was this section I thought would crumple whenever I jacked it

Mmmm brazing you any good on busted cast iron woodworking planes

Andy

[Plasticman]

I will test it by jacking 2 wheels up from it, will that do
Can pre-heat braze it yes but cant vouch for the strength of the repair but if its just for display? post a picky
mike

[toolsntat]

Can pre-heat braze it yes but cant vouch for the strength of the repair but if its just for display? post a picky
mike

Just pullin ya pissa ,got enough good uns for users and if its fer display I just turn it round t'other way

You and ya "post a picky"

Get ya camera sorted

Andy