1976 Panel Van Conversion - complete resto

Back to the rear corner, I think I'd hack it off and start again, those corners are a 3-dimensional nightmare.

 

Cheers Zed.. yeah I was being lazy, if your gonna do something do it right . Back to the grinder this weekend!

 

At least they're cheap. First welding job I atempted was a rear corner - it got binned after doing a few more panels better.

 

I'm doing the lower inner valance/A-posts at the moment and my inner valance panel (new) doesn't fit for sh%t either. Been ruminating on it for a week. Had been considering shortening 2 beams (my inners are fitting ok but the 2 outer are dangling but hadn't had the bottle. You've given me strength! I'm going in...

 

HELP NEEDED!
I had a better look at my inner valance today and my outside beams are short by a good inch. Can't shorten the middle ones as there's not enough clearance at the steering box area so I was wondering (if anyone reading this knows) - is there anything to stop me lengthening the 2 outside beams to meet the inner valance? It wouldn't be hard technically, just wondering if there's anything structural that might frighten a MOT guy I guess! The curve of the valance is right - it meets at the A-posts where it should, the deformation bulge fits onto it perfectly.. The van I'm doing up is a 1981 Brazilian-made one (I'm in New Zealand) and because they had free rein in stamping out panels and making vans that were often very unconventional down there, I'm finding that getting parts to fit exactly is occasionally a bit of a pain. My beam-ends don't look exactly like anyone else's I've seen on here, for example. Thanks in advance for any advice...

 

I seem to remember I had problems fitting mine but it was a long time ago, I'm pretty sure they'd sent me the wrong year panel despite asking for one to fit a 79 and I had the same issue as you.

 

Its funny that I had exactly the opposite problem with the inner legs not meeting.

A swap would have suited us both

I am now more convinced we both had the wrong parts.

 

Hard though - I'm importing parts from Australia and the postage is chronic. So do you fellas reckon there is more than one type of late bay valance? Just Kampers and The Bus Stop only list one for 72-79 bays. My issue is that, given the aforementioned nature of Brazilian kombis of this era having been "put together out of parts" - would perhaps an prototype bay part be the go? But the deformation bulge fits it exactly! So there would need to be more than one type of deformation bulge as well for that theory to hold any water! I took the previous one off myself and it looked almost exactly like this one I've got. Only I had to hack it into lumps to get it off so hard to be 100% certain! Frustrating.

 

The deformation could be the same but the inner panel depth could change, but only guessing.

I cut the my panel off with a plasma cutter around the legs so it was still in its shape, I refitted/placed it to check and it was 100 percent fit so at some point an inner front panel was a different shape for sure.

 

Update time,
Patch made and trailed. I cleaned off the rust and primed then welded in.

Also finished off the A-post welding


Rust behind the windscreen panel marked for cutting.




Repair section from a Schofields part fitting, it was sand blasted and por-15 on the back. the p0r-15 took the reshaping of the curves even battering with a club hammer.

Por-15 When its ON its on! but like many have said when if not ON its crap. A few other parts I used por-15 on had sections not fully blasted it pealed right off . I would avoid unless you are ready to blast all the parts! i would not trust etch to give a hold.

 

Continued


The edge also needed some attention as above.


Tacked on. I got carried away and forgot to take anymore pics of the welding and weld cleaning. Only got some finished and Bonda primed.

Vactan on the rest of the front screen behind.

 

Continued II

Vacatan on the heater thing and didn't like the look of the heater flaps so decided ti have a look behind.



So Vactan on the inside it was only patchy surface rust but not taking any chances. Bonda over the previously Vactaned parts.





I used this flexible sponge to get it right in.


Middle of the kick panel need a cut and patch.





Tacked in and started to fill the gaps then hammer in the top section to close. back was treated before going in but was lazy with the front. I put it in then cleaned and primed.

 

Now the front panel fitting.

After cutting the outer legs the inner now fit real nice.



Outer edge that got cut and reshaped to fit the inner panel.



I used a small jack to get the metal tight for welding after cleaning up the legs and inner panel back for welding.



All cleaned and Bonda Primer

 

Front inner panel cleaned edge for deformation panel above .

 

M8 I hope. Good work.

 

now i don't know how I missed this but when I tried the lights in at first i thought Great looks not bad.

View attachment 22703

But when I looked at the side view.. I had not checked the straight edge for the light box..Not to sure what to do. Cut it and try and patch the 3d jigsaw again or try and use body filler?

What do you think?

View attachment 22702 [/QUOTE]

Re define the edge with a hammer and dolly to straighten things out , no need to chop it out

 

Hey, just in case it becomes necessary - where did you get your one from? I've mailed JKampers in Aus to say mines is not fitting right but in the event they ain't got anything else, I'll maybe need to get it from UK. Cheers, Looking good on that A-pillar repair. Curious whether there was any rust on the back part of your pillar (where it butts to the dogleg) or just the front?

 

I got the panel from VWheritage

The bottom was bad 360 but up a few inches, more so on the driver side, and as you mention the back part at the dogleg was good.

 

No such luck for me - currently waiting on a Schofields lower A-pillar coming to deal to it. Re: the valance - I think I've got it! There's 2 separate serial numbers on the go for lower valances for late bays - I think the one you've got is the one I need (Part no. 211703561D) whilst I've got a part No. 211-703-071. Had to do a lot of research! Just Kampers steadfastly maintaining there is only one type (the one I bought off them!) but have found reading material elsewhere that states they are slightly different. Both fit perfectly with a standard deformation bulge but the position of the "flatted" areas on the back where they meet the chassis legs are different. Still yet to find what years/models the difference comes into play! Sorry for hijacking your thread - I'll go back to enjoying your posts now & hope our experience helps out some other fella!

 

Its far too cold to be out messing about in a shed.. or maybe its just the January blues. Either way nothing really done but still got a few updates from last year.

As I waited for a replacement rear corner I decided to tackle the rear wheel arch.

Having already repaired the tub edges (and a few patches) I bonda primed the inside and seam sealed the welds.

Trimmed the new panel to fit.
To replace the original foam that sits in the channel on the tub I used the advice on this site and put tiger seal where I expected the two panels to meet.



I may have went over the top but I figured it would help prevent vibration and rust developing between the two panels when they meet.



On the inside the tiger seal is oozing out between the tub and new arch panel.



The inside welds will need some treating.



Only after putting it in I thought maybe I should have refitted the floor first. This corner may be difficult to get right again! And the weld could have done with being tidied up.