24.10.2018 Nothing on the box. To dark to work outside. Had my evening meal and was board. Let’s go out to the garage and see what I can do. Ah - the front bumper was waving at me (OK, it wasn’t) so why not strip it of the paint. Started on the inside and was very satisfying: All done. Noticed a few raised areas on the inside which meant the outside would have dents - the paint was level so I figure the artist formerly known as Bondo must have been in town and sure enough….. Removed most of the paint from the area and started to bang it back out - will do this for all the other areas: Might do a bit more tomorrow but its the wife’s birthday so maybe not a good move Cheers
28.10.2012 Finished removing the paint from the front bumper and not to bad - will eventually spray a guide coat of paint and sand back so I can see where I need to work on the metal to make it smoother: Also started on the side parts and not too good - some rubbish fixes. Think I will take them to work and see if I can have them sand blasted then work out what repairs will be needed: 30.10.2018 Received the nearside mounting bracket for holding the brake lines so cleaned it up and gave it a tickle with some paint - will look to get it mounted soon: Cheers
03/11/2018 A little update. Mounted the brake pipe bracket to the nearside front suspension and finished adding the hard and soft pipes: Just need to get the MC to compensator pipe then the final bit will be hooking up the MC to the reservoir in the cab. Also added the exhaust studs - 2 of them didn’t mount to well so will need to buy a couple more and try again First one in Also started to add the tinware but will have to drill an old nut out of the other side as I had to cut it off a few years back to get the tinware off First one going in: Cheers
Fortunately the thread in the head seems OK, was the thread on the outside which started to strip........ Will take them out and double check the thread and get a couple more.
07.11.2018 Continued with tinware - drilled the remnants of the nut out of the block: Tapped the thread: Checked the bolt fits (which it did): Tinware then added: Added the final piece to the other side: Test fit of the offside heat exchanger - not putting it on properly as these are the 2 studs that need to come out and replaced: The nearside tested: Test fit of the exhaust - will need some fettling to get everything to fit properly but getting there: Cheers
A little bit done today - removed the exhaust studs (welded nuts to them) and installed new ones - all good Due to having other things on the list to do, that was all I managed today on the van
17.11.2018 Everything is fighting me at the moment and getting *******ed off….. Got round to checking over the compressor and found out why it doesn’t work - the engine ha a massive crack in it. Tried to weld it up but think it is aluminium so struggled - and then it fractured again so if anyone wants it they can have it. Started to fit the heat exchangers and one of the tabs broke off. And, While tightening up one of the nuts for the heat exchanger the thread gave way……
This is the first time I have seen this thread and frankly it is amazing....... amazing the way people bodge over stuff and sell these bags of poo. (Whoever gave that van an MOT need to have their MOT licence revoked), but more than all that is it’s amazing at the amount and quality of work you have put in. It may have taken a while but it will be worth it. Better to do a good job slowly than a poor one in a rush. Well done.