My VERY RUSTY VW T25 Camper Van Project

[Robsey]

Troy has a manual bead roller that is mega-easy to use.

This is about the nearest looking unit that I can find on line.


Must be easy if a numpty like me can make reasonable looking panels with it.

[Envoy CDX]

You put youself down far too much Rob. Nice to see it progressing.

[Robsey]

You put youself down far too much Rob. Nice to see it progressing.

Not really - just hyper modest.
If I tell everyone that I am rubbish, then expectations of my work are easy to live up to.

I am often highly complimented at work, which makes me cringe... but I also worry that I will have to try to live up to the high expectations that such gushing compliments can create.

[Envoy CDX]

I can relate, it can be very difficult to accept compliments / praise even if you are experienced with the task in hand.

[Robsey]

Sorry Andrew, yes the panel is for the passenger side floor.
I will put up some before and after photos as soon as PostImages lets me back in.

Back in 2020
Rusty doorstep and floor.


Cab floor square hole



Bigger hole



Painted Floor


.....

[Envoy CDX]

Do enjoy the before and after shots, it is really coming together

[Robsey]

Tonight, the love was flowing in the direction of the van.

Plans were to make one decent front wing out of two badly fitting repair panels.




And a trial fit of the front grilles to ensure everything looked okay.




And last job was to finish making the diagonal cross-member lower cover panel.


Only three hours, but they were very constructive.

[Mk3alan]

Moving in the right direction! Always a good feeling when things start to take shape, especially outer panel work - nice!

Alan

[Envoy CDX]

Love it, you say only 3 hours but it just shows what can be achieved. Hope you are feeling good about it Rob, really taking shape

[Robsey]

Yes, I made good progress.
I couldn't quite locate all the tools that I needed, such as files, and I have yet to suss out how to set the air compressor going.
But that didn't hamper things too much.

I would practice my welding, but I know that some parts of the van need the contact areas cleaning properly, otherwise the torch will just spit and fart.
The nose panel is especially dirty between the panels after being stood so long.

[Envoy CDX]

Just hope you're enjoying yourself whilst you're at it.

[Robsey]

I am in the best place mentally at the moment - better than I have been at any other time since being asked to take on the challenge in May 2012.

I know there is $#!t loads to do, but I do not feel overwhelmed by it, like I usually do.

So tonight... not a huge amount to report.
Finished fettling the diagonal member bottom cover panel.
It fits pretty close now.



I did a bit of cleaning the front of the van, where I mentioned it was dirty a few days ago.
Still a bit mucky, so probably have another do next week.

[Envoy CDX]

Updates all seem promising. little by little.
Its a shame that so many replacement panels need fettling given the price the command, but you are certainly progressing well.
Glad to hear of the mental shift too

[3cav3]

I find most pattern panels are an awful fit. Its good to see you have got the patience to fettle them.

[Robsey]

The panel in the last photo was one made by Troy using a masking-tape pattern based upon the rusty remnants of the right side diagonal outrigger.
As you can see the original left panel was incomplete
No big oval hole....



It was pretty close, but incomplete due to other jobs and hiccups over the past 12 months.

Compared to a new pattern part for opposite side.



The finishing / fettling required cutting out the big oval hole, cut out the three "U" profiles



and reshape / fold the dog-leg edging to the side of the big oval.
It was the zig-zag / dog-leg edging that took the most work to get right.



No time frame on this yet, but hopefully some repair panels may get tacked-in before New Year. Paying jobs come first, of course.

[ilovedmymantas]

Nice work, both of you.
It's always more satisfying making your own parts, usually of thicker metal, than fettling thin copy panels.

As the saying goes, "Proper Job" - scrapheap challenge

[Envoy CDX]

Nicely done, she's coming together well. Lots of jobs ticked off lately.

[Robsey]

Minimal progress at present, with other vehicles in the workshop,
But with Troy off with the lurgy, I was able to do a tiny bit.

First was to shot blast some parts - although it quickly becomes impossible to see what you are doing as the chamber fills with airborne grit particles.

This is my gear stick mount.



Limited success, although for most parts, I will leave it to the professionals.

My clutch slave cylinder mount - before blasting, although post-blasting left it looking like I had barely touched it.



Then to drill out a snapped stud and weld in a replacement.
Another quick blast to clean up.



And a quick prime and paint.
A bit of silver for now, but semi-gloss black to follow later.



Next job was to finish dressing the welds at the bottom of the front panel, and then paint with epoxy primer / sealer.
Looking tidier already.



I had to give up after only a couple of hours due to being bitterly cold. Back home to a hot brew and some toast.

[Envoy CDX]

Looking good, and like I keep saying, some progress is progress none the less, and it's starting to come together.
Keep going

[cavalier1990]

That epoxy primer can really get to you, lots of vapours off it. I never realised the first time I used it how pungent it was, maybe I was slipping into a euphoric trance under the car and never realised! Lot of good looking fettling work going on there, to get anything done at this time of Year is a bonus what with the miserable weather n all that.

[Robsey]

It helps being indoors, but blimey it has been chuffin' cold.
With ambient temperatures of -8°C, I gave the unit a miss on Thursday.

Returning to normal temperatures now, so back to the coal face on Tuesday.

I never noticed any excessive fumes... but I remember the old days (in the 80's) when many very pokey chemicals were still legal to use.
We were so spoilt in those days -

[3cav3]

I find most of the modern "safe " chemicals don't really work. One of the best examples is paint stripper. The modern safe stuff just doesn't strip paint. I have to go to one of my trade suppliers and sign is disclaimer stating that its for trade use to get one that actually works, plus I find the fumes are a lot more high inducing than nitromors ever was.

[Robsey]

I have mentioned this several times before, but for me "Genklene" was the dogs danglies for almost all jobs.
Degeasing, removing glue or other residue and cleaning flux etc. from circuit boards.
Can't beat a nice bit of Tri-Chloro-Ethane.. or Trike to it's fans.

[cavalier1990]

I find most of the modern "safe " chemicals don't really work. One of the best examples is paint stripper. The modern safe stuff just doesn't strip paint. I have to go to one of my trade suppliers and sign is disclaimer stating that its for trade use to get one that actually works, plus I find the fumes are a lot more high inducing than nitromors ever was.

I remember Years ago my dad had got a tin of rust eater from the US Navy polaris base that used to be here. We left it in tin and it ate right through a rusty bit on the tin, don't know how it got on the outside, must have been a little bit of rust through the join or something. Don't really get results like that now with the watered down stuff you get from halfrauds or anywhere else for that matter.

[Robsey]

Oh my lord!!
Electrics!!

I spent what seemed like forever trying to fit the Corsa EPAS ECU to the van.
Eventually I found what looks like a suitable position on the bottom right steering column mounting bolt.



I just need to tidy the wires and secure them in place, to prevent rubbing on the column or the pedals.

I also refitted the main dash loom and fusebox.
I had pulled it all out a few months ago to modify the loom for an immobiliser circuit, alarm, and various other tweaks.



After tidying the loom I had re-labelled all the 'less than obvious' wires.
Even with the labels, I still had half-a-dozen or so tails that I could not work out.