Restoration or should that be reconstruction challenge

Discussion in 'Restorations' started by Murtle, Mar 23, 2018.

  1. get stuck in
     
  2. Thank you all for the nice comments, I got the camper garage finished just before Christmas and was itching to get out there, however with the festive period life got in the way. January has so far been busy with work, but a few small jobs have been done and I will be getting back on to this fully in the next week. I have however been buying parts, managed a pair of prototype bay rust free doors for a bargain £500 and now have some bus side window frames that I'm picking apart. Pictures to follow.
     
  3. Well we're on the move again, been a while...


    I managed to get some panel cuts from a Californian van that was accident damaged, dam these take some picking apart but persistence wins in the end. If only these panels were available to buy. To me this seemed the quick way to convert a van to bus windows.

    [​IMG]


    They were taken apart mostly at the spot weld joints, the Exception being I cut along the door slide rail, and the very front edge as I figured I'd never get the welder in the door rubber seam to weld it back together again.


    The next task was to cut all the remaining van panel out of the camper, to be fair most of it simply fell out, the good news being the roof box section above was good on this side. Left like this I think you could sell ice creams out the side.

    At the start
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    All gone.
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    Then to trim and faf with the replacement until it fits like a glove.

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    And then to start tacking into place, constantly checking that nothing has moved or warped in the process.

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    From the inside.

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    Then a quick check to be sure the inner panel will fit correctly. Before this is finally fixed into position I intend to do a lot of rust proofing in there.

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    I now have the other side to re-do as I had originally just repaired the van window cut, now we have a full set of bus windows. Not sure it would fool anyone, but at least it stands a better chance of keeping the water out. Did twin slide buses exist?
     
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  4. Is that "weld through carpet"?? There's a few people on here that have some amazing skills. I wish I had half your talent.
     
    Murtle likes this.
  5. It does look like that, it's actually tucked up under the very edge of the carpet. All needs to be removed before I start welding the inner in. It's actually helping at the moment.:)
     
  6. davidoft

    davidoft Sponsor

    Hub caps are cool :)
     
    Murtle likes this.
  7. davidoft

    davidoft Sponsor

    New ones are pretty stiff until they’ve been worked and greased, if they were loose they would rattle
     
    Murtle likes this.
  8. Well it's been a very long time, the birth of my daughter has completely eaten my time, and the van came to a stop for months. I'm back on the van now and then when time allows, but progress is still being made.


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    I decided now was the time to easily replace the bottom of the new window, it was not rusted through but had a lot of pitting.


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    Once smoothed over it looks ok


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    A quick primer and the addition of the slide cover clip and the cover itself to see how it aligns, all looks good. I also filled the hundreds of spot weld drill holes around the window aperture with the tig welder.


    [​IMG]]
    I added the C pillar seatbelt mount and behind this is the support bracket. The vans do not have this, it was only on the bus, I thought as I have it I'll add it.


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    I painted / rustproofed the inside of the outer panel next task was to weld up the huge number of holes above the window where the carpet and I assume curtain track was screwed.


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    It took ages filling all the holes on the inner panel around the window aperture, here in rust protection ready to be fitted.


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    A nice scene mid way through welding it in, fresh coffee in hand and the best of Erasure on the radio.


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    On and given a coat of primer, there's a little bit of finishing needed but it looks ok, convincing enough for me anyway.


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    Looking the part from outside as well, I just need to somehow repaint the paint inside the vent aperture as it got a little burnt at the front edge with the welding. This is unavoidable, but I think a bit of cleaning and a small bent paint brush to get around the corner will see it looking good again. You will also see a new genuine VW righthand sliding door that I picked up for the bargain of £300, happy with that and saves so much work.


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    Hopefully this will seal better than the converted panel van windows, now to do it all again on the other side.


    I think it's getting there, I've some time saver ideas for the left hand window, once both are done and with propper bus window sliding doors I think it will be a bit more water proof.
     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2019
    tburton100, Kruger, Mattlad and 9 others like this.
  9. Very inspirational and great metalwork skills. Don't think many people would take on this project but you are 100% making it work.
     
    Murtle likes this.
  10. Thanks bagpus, I am very much enjoying rebuilding this. Had a quick trial fit of the new door before rubbing down and putting in primer, this makes the RH side of the van look so much tidier.

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  11. Betty the Bay

    Betty the Bay Supporter

    Best way to get paint into the air vents is using a bent paintbrush....Toolstation call them a " Nook and Cranny " brush.
    Wilco etc sell them as well .... couple of quid well spent in my opinion.
     
    Murtle likes this.
  12. Another unobtanium panel ready for fitting, this time the left hand inner, though fitting will have to wait until the outer and the complete corner is fitted.

    Drilling all the spot welds out takes long enough, but filling all the oversize holes with weld and smoothing back takes even longer. What results is the same as the original panel pre-fitting. The inner is painted in rust stop paint, the outer is just in primer.

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  13. Excellent work - Thanks for Sharing
     
    Murtle likes this.
  14. Great work! Thanks for taking the time to share it with us.
     
  15. iblaze

    iblaze Supporter

    Excellent mate
    Those wobbly bits and there's also a grove/slot underneath I was told they are for Bus Ambulances and its something to do with where the stretchers fitted.
    Can anyone confirm this or is it total bull.

    Sent from my SM-G981B using Tapatalk
     

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