Introducing our 1974 Devon Eurovette that needs a bit of tlc after being used and abused for a good few years. Not really a concourse example as you can see... Taken us to France a few times, here's the van by a French lake. Named Marmaduke by the family who owned it from new before we bought it a few years ago, the decision to get it back to its former glory was made earlier this year when the sliding door fell off whilst camping in the New Forest. I used to try and do most work on it myself, but the realisation that I don't have the time or more importantly, the skills needed has meant drafting in a very nice man (friend of a friends brother type thing) prepared to do the stuff that needs talent. Luckily we have a nice big garage so the work can be done in the dry. I was persuaded to take off the paint as I was assured it was the only way to go by said friends brother and mate; the gits - took forever and is a truly rubbish job. I will never be doing that again! Most of the undreerside has already been done with new inner sills, front and rear cross members, front wheel arches put on a while ago when we were trying to get it back on the road so most of this project concerns the bits that will be seen. Anyway a few pictures of what has been achieved so far, not in any great detail but you get the idea. Inner screen repair as seen from the inside New front panel O/S rear corner cut out and new battery tray in O/S middle panel and outer sill cut out I'II update as and when progress is made. Cheers Matt
Cheers guys. Apart from ordering panels and the paint stripping, I can't take any credit, all metal work is being done by a pro. So he was back yesterday while I was sat in the warm drinking tea and some more progress made - not all of this was done in a day mind - taken 4-5 days on panel work to get to this point The rear o/s wheel arch cut off and small repair made to inner wheel tub as well as general sorting out of crusty bits towards the rear of the inner arch. Middle o/s panel and sill welded and ground back o/s Rear Wheelarch in o/s corner in Had a chat and decided the engine lid hinge bar bit has had it - the counter sunk set screws are well rusted in so next week it's coming out ready for replacement with nice new solid metal. This is the problem - solution cut it all out.... Have got the part for the hinge bar on order so hopefully will go in next weekend... Cheers
great to see another bus getting a new lease of life, I'm looking forward to updates K+ for a new resto
Looking good - and the tub looks in good nic - mine was trash- well rust with a bit of filler and paint stuck to rust. I do miss welding, its the best bit - Marc
So there had not been any surprises so far in what I knew needed to be done.... The engine lid hinge bar outer skin was cut off and not too bad inside - just surface rust to be ground off. Bit of an issue in the left hand corner of the rear hatch seal recess though Difficult to see here but there are a number of layers that finish in the recess and I guess where the van had been sitting for a while with water settling in this corner, rust had started to take hold with pinholes on the corner and getting between the layers. Open it up then... I had mentioned that there aren't any repair pieces made for this bit but he's happy enough to make it from scratch so cue the gallery... Then he made up the outer skin with a off cut of a rear arch I had knocking about in the garage from another project. Giving this....Look how he's got the little lip on the seal recess pretty much bang on. Love the little details! Then, finally back on with the new outer hinge bar... So, the welding is done to the front one side and the rear, just the sliding door side to go which we'll have a look at tomorrow. Then I need to go shopping to get cab doors engine lid and rear hatch as it makes sense to buy these rather than repair. The sliding door has had a ham fisted outer skin repair put on (by me!) but as they are sooooo expensive the slider will be repaired. Cheers Matt
Nice corner repairs, a you've found, they're a pig to do well with the rubber recess and return lip. 8)
Thanks - the guy doing the work is doing a great job. Onwards to the sliding door side of the van. I have done the inner and middle sills a couple of years previously so I know they are good but the rear arch and corner had been botched up by yours truly so need looking at A patch work of repairs/ bits let in The rear arch had been done in the same manner There was signs of rust pitting and a couple of small holes in the arch along with the [glow=red,2,300]FACT[/glow] the front repair piece to the arch wasn't really in the right place giving a bad line along the bottom of the sill meant - it all had to go.... The inner arch tub is in distinctly average condition but can be sorted The battery tray is however - dead So, added to the shopping list are: rear wheel arch, rear corner, battery tray, outer sill along with the doors and hatches - Happy Christmas
So, mini update from last weekend The rear tub repairs are nearly complete. Gone from a few holes here and there at the front To letting in and shaping new rear section and filling in a number of other holes Ending up with... Hope the panels turn up in time for them to start to go on this weekend. I actually got my hands dirty and finished getting the rest of the paint off the sliding door, unfortunately found the middle hinge has self destructed so need a replacement for that. Cheers
Had a go cleaning up the rear side window surround to see if we could get away with filling any pinholes rather that cutting out and using repair sections. Shot blasted the crud off and left with this. Its just the part that the little rail is tacked onto for the cover panels that has gone. In two minds about replacing this....
Its going to be wafer thin in places as well as the existing holes ......the rust will just keep comming back. after all the hard work you've done, I'd say replace it. They are easy enough sections to make
